help for the orphan

Many people seem to think that the way you help an orphan is to adopt one.  While this is true there is so much more you can do to help orphans.

 A great place to start is by praying daily for orphans around the world.  Teach you children to pray for them and also ask the Lord to show you how you might be used to help orphans. 

Sponsor an orphan so they can be educated, be fed and receive medical attention right where they are.  A sponsorship can truly save the life of a child. 

Consider fostering hurting children that need temporary care.  Stand in the gap and provide a loving stable environment for a child that really needs it.

Support ministries that provide care and support to orphans.  Encourage your children to save loose change or do odd jobs to raise money in order to give orphans a chance. 

Go on a missions trip and take the love a Christ to child who needs it.  Be informed on the plight of the orphan.

Bring awareness to your church and those around you.  We have to be informed people to know how we can help.  With over 140 million orphans in the world, there is something that each of us can do.

There are hurting children all over the world, on each of the seven continents.  God calls us to care for the orphan.  What can you do today to help?  The effort to help and care for orphans needs to be wide spread, one person can make a difference but they can't do it alone.

Power in the Resurrection

It is hard to believe that Easter is just one week away.   I love Easter…not for the cute little bunnies….not for the chocolate…but for the fact that it represents our Resurrected Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  What an amazing thing to celebrate!

As I have spent time reflecting on all the Biblical events surrounding Easter, I can’t help but see how they are correlated with the process many of our adoption children go through.  You are probably thinking…how can you tie those two together?  Let me explain.

On Good Friday, all those years ago, Jesus Christ was crucified and ultimately buried in a tomb by Joseph of Arimathea.  Prior to his crucifixion, He was brutally beaten and mocked.  He was placed in that tomb with deep scars in his flesh, a spear pierced side, and nail pierced hands and feet.  He paid the ultimate price through the loss of his life.

Many of the children that are adopted have deep scars as well.  I am primarily speaking of emotional scars as many of them have witnessed things in their young lives that are far beyond their years.  Some have suffered physical abuse, others have witnessed one or both parents dying, others have had severe malnutrition, and still others have suffered horrible diseases.  At a very minimum, every adopted child experiences loss which is often accompanied by feelings of rejection by their biological families.

God’s plan was not for Jesus’ story to end at the tomb.  Instead, early on the following Sunday, an angel of the Lord descended from heaven to roll away the stone to reveal an empty tomb!  Jesus had come back to life.  Let me say that again…Jesus had COME. BACK. TO. LIFE.  He wasn’t just alive.  He was physically and mentally whole….even appearing in the flesh to those who had loved him so deeply.

Just as it wasn’t God’s plan for Jesus to stay in the tomb, I firmly believe it’s not His plan for our children to live out their lives as an orphan. These children come into our families from these hard, difficult places, but God loves them to their very core.  He desires to use us as adoptive parents to relay that deep, unconditional love to these broken children in a variety of ways. 

Just as the Easter story is a powerful miracle, the love of God being poured into an adopted child’s life can produce a miraculous transformation.  These children that were once in despair without hope get to experience the restoration of physical, mental,and spiritual health through the love of their adoptive family.  I am not trying to gloss over the fact that there will certainly be bumps in the road as these children heal; however, I have personally witnessed restoration in the lives of many of these children just as Jesus was restored in His resurrected life.

So as you celebrate Easter this year, please pray about how God can use you to help bring restoration to an orphaned child’s life.   Adoption is just one avenue, but we are ALL called to care in some way(James 1:27).  May God pour out His richest blessings upon you this Easter as you celebrate the fact that “HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!”.

Save the Storks

 

The above image has been floating around the internet for the past few months, and I just love the message.  It just makes sense that pro-life and pro-adoption go hand in hand.  Of course, I don’t believe that every child that a mother chooses not to abort should be placed for adoption, but I do believe adoption is a beautiful alternative to abortion.  Every child is fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of our Creator,and EVERY child deserves a chance at life!

So, today I would like to share with you about the Save The Storks movement.  Their mission is simple: 

“We seek to persuade every abortion minded mother to choose life and to share with them the good news of Jesus”

How do they accomplish this mission?

Using a bus equipped with a state-of-the-art sonogram machine, we are able to intercept abortion-minded mothers at the door of the death clinic to show them an image of their child. We love and deeply care for these women, and we offer them counseling, resources and the Gospel.

What are their goals?

Complete the Dallas stork bus.
Find a location for the next bus.
Deliver 6 new buses to pregnancy centers in the next 3 years.

I love the non-threatening approach of this movement, and the compassion that is shown towards these mothers in this vulnerable state.   If you would like to learn more about this wonderful movement, just click on the following link:

http://www.savethestorks.com/

They are currently in process of raising the final funds needed for their bus in Dallas, TX  before branching out to other cities.  Please keep this movement and the many lives of the mothers and children that could be positively impacted by it in your prayers!

What Is the Red Bus Project?

I wanted to draw attention to the Red Bus Project, a program sponsored by Show Hope.  This is an incredible opportunity for people everywhere to get involved in caring for orphans.  A traveling thrift shop!  How incredible!  It's so simple and my prayer is that people will get involved.  You can visit the website for details on dates that the Red Bus will be in your area at a local college.  There will be drop off locations for your donated items as well.  To find out more information visit Red Bus Project.

 I'm excited to see what happens through this incredible ministry!

Where, oh where?

"How did you decide which country from which to adopt?"

I am asked this question often. And I would like to explain why I answer the way I do:

I often hear and read about impassioned conversations regarding adoption that involve trying to convince prospective adoptive parents of why they "should" adopt either domestically (meaning from within the United States) or internationally. Those who have adopted domestically rightfully feel passionate about why they chose to do so. They see the need right here, in our own backyard, to provide loving, Christian homes to babies who otherwise might have been victims of abortion, neglect, abuse, etc. (To date, over 54 million American children have died due to abortion) or to children who are in foster care (over 500,000 nationwide) and who desperately need the stability of a forever family. Couples who have adopted internationally also feel passionate about their decision, even down to the "whys" of which country they chose...citing the statistics...147 million orphans, millions of victims of slavery, sex trafficking, child sacrifice, abuse, poverty, etc.

What about me? Well, my husband and I have adopted both ways, so when I hear these arguments I cringe. It is so easy for us, as Christians, to get on a soapbox and assume that, because God called "me" to adopt either internationally or domestically, it is therefore the "right" way to do it and everyone else should follow my lead if they want to be in His will.

But here is reality. God chose our children before the foundation of the world. He planned our families and determined who, when, and from where our children would come. He calls us and leads us to our children.

When we accept this and realize that we are but instruments of the Lord, then we are much more likely to walk forward in humility and encourage our friends and prospective adoptive couples to do the same. The statistics are bad for all children in need of a home. They are all at risk. But the greatest risk? It is the risk to their souls...their eternities.

Matthew 10:28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

We must remember what our number one purpose is on this earth.

It is to share the love of Jesus.

When we mix legalism in with the call to adopt, we push aside the Holy Spirit. Many of us are called to adopt, but we are not all called to the same country. We are also not all called to adopt older, younger, infant, Caucasian, trans-racially, or special needs children...but we are all called to obey the Lord's specific calling for our families.

We must put Jesus first. He is the reason we do what we do. He is the one who guides our steps and smooths the path to our children. He is the one who can use our obedience to change the life and eternal destiny of a child.

And they all deserve that.

So how did we make our decision? How do YOU make the decision?

It is an enormous task to process all the possibilities and attempt to narrow things down enough to actually start the adoption process. You can only make the decision by listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Pray, pray, and pray some more. Seek the Lord and investigate all the risks, costs, statistics, and adventures of both domestic and international adoption. Look at the age, marriage, travel, and other requirements of all the countries and see where you qualify. And then continue to pray, trust His leading, and go for it.

Don't let fear, finances, or the opinions of others slow you down or tempt you to stop moving forward. If God has called you, then He has called you and He expects you to obey. Stand confident in your decision and rejoice as you see the walls come down and the path to your child (or children!) open up before your eyes.

God knows you, and He knows your heart. He knows how He has equipped you and who will best fit into your family. He knows the children already in your home and what their emotional and relational needs are. He sees the beginning and the end at the same time and already has all the details under control.

Trust Him...oh, I wish I could shout this! TRUST HIM and enjoy the ride! No matter where your children come from, whether you have an airport homecoming or a quiet arrival in the night, you will learn things about yourself and about your Father in Heaven that you would have never known any other way. Whether you bring home a newborn or a teenager, you will be brought to your knees by the experience and you will learn to depend on Him and walk in His strength as never before.

Parenting in GRACE

I have recently learned more about parenting by grace rather than by law.  After adopting, my parenting styles had to be shifted once again, as it did to fit each of my biological children's needs.  What I have learned about parenting an adopted child by grace can and does apply to my biological children as well.  I am so thankful that my eyes have been opened to the depth of grace.  I took these nuggets away from a recent conference I attended...

The law shows you what is wrong with you (sin-conscious).
Grace reveals that you are the righteousness of God in Christ (Christ-conscious).

The law relies on external controls.
Grace trains in Holy Spirit control.

The law focuses on sin/sin prevention.
Grace focuses on Identity/Destiny.

The law is rigid.
Grace gives Spirit-led choices.

The law works in the context of rules.
Grace works in the context of relationship.

The law controls.
Grace empowers.

The law punishes.
Grace trains/disciples.

The law is backward looking.
Grace is forward looking.

The law withholds intimacy/creates emotional distance.
Grace creates intimacy.

The law stimulates shame, fear, hiding, and bondage.
Grace produces openness, encouragement, and freedom to make mistakes.

The law is conforming.
Grace is transforming.

The law requires/forces performance.
Grace yields and expects fruitfulness (as a natural consequence).

As I study what grace looks like, I know that I want to parent by grace just as my Heavenly Father "parents" me.  Grace cannot be an excuse for your children to run all over you but, if used corretly, parenting by grace can bring a peace and togetherness to your home that you have never experienced before.

For further study read Grace Based Parenting by Tim Kimmel.

show HOPE; a movement to care for orphans

Tonight, I would like to highlight an amazing organization that was originally founded out of one couple’s(Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman) desire to see more children find their way into forever families.  Show Hope is a non-profit organization that mobilizes individuals and communities to meet the most pressing needs of orphans in distress by providing 1)homes for waiting children through adoption aid grants, and 2)life-saving medical care for orphans with special needs.

Last week, I had the opportunity to meet some of the beautiful children that Show Hope helped to bring home at a Steven Curtis Chapman concert.  It was amazing to witness part of  the ripple effect of the initial vision the Chapman family had to help a few orphans find a home.  At the concert, it was announced that over 3,000 children have been adopted with the help of this organization. 

I love that this organization realizes that adoption is clearly God’s heart, and they don’t want finances to be a barrier that prevents families from being able to adopt if they feel God is calling them to this.  Show Hope provides adoption grants for families that qualify, has t-shirts you can sell for your adoption, and also assists with engaging the church to care for orphans.  In addition to the adoption assistance, they also have various other ways to get involved in orphan care such as short term missions trips.

In James 1:27, God calls every Christian to look after the orphans and widows in their distress.  If you want to be obedient in that calling, I strongly encourage you to explore Show Hope to find out more about this organization, and to see how you can get engaged!