Christian Adoption, Domestic Adoption
I asked God, “How much time do I have before I die?”
He replied, “Enough to make a difference”…
– Unknown
Do you know that almost 6,000 children are orphaned every single day around the world? And every 2.2 seconds, an orphan child is pushed out of the system into the world with no one to turn to. Is it any wonder then that we find so many young criminals and prostitutes in our society?
We read so many stories about celebrities adopting children from Africa and Vietnam. From Madonna to Angelina Jolie, Hollywood stars and politicians are tripping over themselves to adopt a child from abroad. While it is heartwarming, have you ever wondered about the children in America? In the rush to adopt from abroad, are we sidelining domestic adoption options? With teenage pregnancies on the rise in America, there are many infants and children in dire need of someone to care for them. Statistically speaking, children placed in institutions fare miserably as they do not receive the unconditional love and acceptance that only parents can provide. They invariably turn to crime or become teenage parents themselves. How wonderful it would be if believers reach out to pregnant women and teenagers who are desperate to place their babies in safe and stable Christian homes!
The Bible says that anyone who welcomes a child in His name welcomes God Himself. God sees these children and wants them to be nurtured by believing couples who will not only raise them to be good citizens, but also help expand His Kingdom by making God known them. Instead of waiting for someone to make the difference, we now have the opportunity to be the difference. If you are considering adoption, I encourage you to pray that God will lead you to the right agency and the right professionals to find the child He has chosen to bring into your family.
Adoption Gifts, Christian Adoption, Domestic Adoption, Open Adoption
If you know someone who is facing infertility or would like to add to their family through adoption, the new book Called to Adoption is a perfect gift! In this video, author Mardie Caldwell shares where you can purchase a copy:
Adoption Prayer, Christian Adoption
Chances are you will be celebrating Father’s Day yourself in a short time from now. Your job has already begun. Are you surprised?
There have been many surveys done where men have been asked to rank their heroes in life. Often, the top vote-getter is dear old dad.
What does this mean to you as a dad-to-be?
Simply that the role you are about to fill is one of the most important roles you will ever have. It starts now, before you even know who that child will be.
Your future daughter will look to you as a needed role model to help her in choosing the right boys to date and the type of man she will marry. Your future son will imitate your actions as a man, watching your every move and response for guidance to help mold him into the husband and father he will become.
Clarence Budington Kelland was quoted as saying “My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.” What will your children observe from you?
Are you feeling overwhelmed yet? I hope not. Truly, it is a huge responsibility but remembering that God is on your side to inspire you and guide you, as you become the father and husband He wants you to be.
Father’s Day is a good time to think and pray about your strengths along with areas of improvements you may have. The Lord will soon guide you to your children who will carry on your name and look to you for guidance as they trust their little lives in your big hands. You will become an instrument God uses in your their lives.
You can become the best father and role model by making God your teacher, the ruler on whose authority everything you do is based. As a father, one of your first responsibilities will be to acquaint your children with Scripture and love and kindness for their mother.
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6
Will you start today to become the hero they are looking for? The habits you are developing today will become the qualities in building that hero in their lives. Never give up and never forget the important role you will soon be playing for a lifetime in your child’s life. When in doubt, turn to Him for direction. My prayer for you, dear fathers of these blessed children, is one of strength, faith, and steadfastness in your journey to become Godly fathers.
God bless you and know that wherever you are today, we are praying for you and your adoption as fathers-in-waiting.
Adoption Prayer, Christian Adoption, Domestic Adoption, Open Adoption
Have you ever looked at another person and thought, “Has she got it made! God has really blessed her!”
She has what you want—a child to call her own, maybe great parents, a strong marriage, a spouse who loves Jesus. Maybe you envy her successful professional life, the ease of getting pregnant or adopting, or material blessings that have not kept them from loving Jesus.
Sometimes we look at the blessings from God in another person’s life with a longing to experience the same goodness. We find ourselves fighting feelings of envy or possibly even disappointment with God because we didn’t get what we consider necessary for our happiness… a child, either biological or through adoption.
Until you make Christ the center of your life, dear friend, you’ll never be satisfied or fulfilled. Remember Jesus’ words to Peter when the fisherman wanted to know His plans for another disciple? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. (John 21:22)
Do not worry or concern yourself with what God has done in His timing in someone else’s life. You will only miss out on the blessing God has for you … in His timing he will bless you too. In the perfect way that is best for you with the child he has for just you.
Prayer
I confess, dear God, that I have looked upon people around me with envy, wishing to have their blessings for my own. But You have other plans for me, plans that may test my faith but that will ultimately make me perfect and complete and in your timing, which is perfect. I rest in the knowledge of Your sovereignty. In Jesus name … Amen
Domestic Adoption, Open Adoption
Here in the United States, media and popular entertainment seem to glorify teen pregnancy. MTV’s reality shows “16 and Pregnant” and “Teen Mom” have become increasing popular…making celebrities out of teen mothers. However, it seems that there may be some misperceptions here. Teenage pregnancy is not nearly as glamorous as it may seem on TV.
Below are some strong statistics that help explain the actual challenges of teen mothers in the US.
- 80% of teen moms are on welfare
- Over 50% of children raised by teen moms are reported to Child Protection Services
- Only 1.5% of teen moms graduate from college by age 30 (and only 40% graduate from high school)
- Children raised without a father are twice as likely to quit school and four times as likely to need behavioral help
- Children of teen parents are three times more likely to become teen parents themselves.
Perhaps it’s time to open our eyes to the seriousness of this situation. Teen moms….there is help for you out there. There are plenty of loving Christian families looking to adopt a child in need, and willing to help with the costs of pregnancy including medical expenses.
Christian Adoption, Domestic Adoption
If you feel you’ve been Called To Adoption, the next step is preparation. First and foremost, you’ll want to educate yourself. Learn about domestic adoption vs. international adoption, as well as the different types of adoptions including: closed adoption, open adoption, and semi-open adoption. You’ll not only want to explore your options, but also begin to emotionally and spiritually understand varying adoption situations. Once you can relate with birth mothers and other families who have adopted, you may better understand how fulfilling adoption can be…allowing you to expand your family and open your heart.
Below are a few quick steps to help you succeed in your Christian adoption:
- Determine the type of adoption that is best for you, including the age range and racial background of the child you want to parent
- Find the qualified adoption professional who will help you build your family
- Complete the required paperwork, profile and other requirements to become qualified to adopt
- Prayerfully wait for the child God has for you, using this time of waiting to prepare for parenting
- Joyfully say “Yes!” when you are blessed with the opportunity to adopt a child.
To help you fully prepare and educate yourself about the process of adoption, read Called to Adoption – A Christian’s Guide to Answering the Call, and for more quick adoption guidelines, check out 11 steps to realizing your adoption goals.
Christian Adoption
We recently received this note of praise from a pastor of a Southern California church, Skyline Church:
“Mardie,
Thank you so much for sending me a copy of your book, Called to Adoption.
When I first read the title of your book, it immediately grabbed my heart. I am the father of four adopted children and I too have a passion for it.
Thank you for the work you do.
Blessings on you,
Jim”
Adoption Gifts, Adoption Prayer, Christian Adoption, Domestic Adoption
But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice; let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them; let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilth thou compass him with a shield. Psalms 5:11, 12
Let’s face it, it isn’t easy to rejoice every day, especially when you may be dealing with a wait to adopt or another round of fertility treatments and tests. But the Bible promises that if we simply put our faith in our Savior, he will bless and protect us. Why then is that such a challenge for Christians some days?
I know that there were days it was easy to look around at others who had what I wanted and feel that somehow I was being punished by God or was simply forgotten by Him. Why do we do this? The Bible is perfectly clear, just trust and he will provide. Looking back, I know that His plan is perfect, but why is it so hard to believe in the midst of the journey??
This is God’s challenge to us. To teach us patience, obedience and trust. To show us that He is our Father who loves us and He wants to provide blessings for us. We need to trust Him, not fuss and fight every step of the way.
Spend some time today meditating on this verse in Psalms and find the place in your heart and your mind where you can truly trust God, and simply rejoice.
Christian Adoption
I recently received the story below from a mother in hopes that her story could be an inspiration to others:
I always felt that church was a place of refuge, but one Mother’s Day in 2004, what I experienced from so many “well wishing” people almost changed my opinion.
Many had heard that I was hoping to become a mother. I often asked them to pray for my husband and I that we will soon be blessed with a baby. But for some reason, this particular Mother’s Day I had become frustrated, angry, and sad that despite going through fertility treatment, I was still not a mother. I did not have a child, so Mother’s Day was no time to celebrate. For me, it was a day of mourning, and nobody seemed to understand.
There were a few women in the church that I considered friends. So, I confided in one of them about my struggle. My struggle to conceive, my struggle to come to terms with the reality that my life was not going as I had planned, and how I was simply struggling to get through Mother’s Day. It wasn’t a long discussion, but through it, she was able to gain a greater insight and understanding of my plight. An unexpected twist of fate happened as my confidante began to share my feelings with some of the others, who thankfully stopped questioning me about the progress of building our family.
A few weeks later, my friend shared with me she hoped I might consider adoption as a viable option for my family. Admittedly, I didn’t want to hear it at the time but she told me that it may not be the will of the Lord for me to give birth right now. She encouraged me to consider giving it to the Lord and letting him lead, rather than stressing MYSELF over it. She told me that there were adoption professionals that I could talk to that would explain everything that I needed to know. At first, I thought to myself, this won’t work for me — it’s not what we want. But as the conversation continued, I began to see things from a different perspective.
I told my husband about the conversation and he surprisingly agreed. He confessed he had become concerned about me and he just wanted me happy. We tearfully realized together that somewhere along the way, in all the tests and procedures and failures, we had lost sight of our goal to be parents and were solely focused on achieving a pregnancy. He wanted a child to love just as much as I did, and adoption could make it happen when my body could not.
This Mother’s Day will be very different. Our family will be at church: my husband, our two adopted daughters, and I. I can’t wait to take the opportunity to share the beauty of families built through God’s miracle of adoption!
God bless you all on Mother’s Day!
Christian Adoption
Free shipping and free DVD with coupon code FAMILY.
In celebration of Mothers and Mothers-in-Waiting, we are excited to begin the official book launch!
For the month of May, you may order Called To Adoption directly from the publisher and receive FREE SHIPPING and a FREE ADOPTION DVD. Use coupon code “FAMILY” when ordering for this special offer.
If you have felt a call from the Lord to learn more about adoption, or perhaps a gentle nudging from the Holy Spirit, learn more about the opportunities available with Christian adoption. You may be learning more to help friends in Christ fulfill the plans He has for them.
God Bless You!
