Have a Heart for Adoption?
Let us encourage you to answer God's command to care for the orphan!
Read The Thread, my adoption book!
It will amaze you at the power of love through adoption!
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We praise sanctity of life Sunday, yet if we're ever going to see an end to the abortion crisis...are YOU ready to mentor women and men and/or adopt children needing a forever mommy and daddy?
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Did you KNOW??
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33% of Christians say they would adopt.
The reason most don't is because of financial concerns!
ONLY 2% of Christians actually adopt!!!
There’s nothing more exciting than surprising friends and family with the news of a pregnancy! For us, our pregnancies were unconventional.
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You may think adoption is wonderful because a vetted couple finally “gets” a child. Yes, God fulfilled our intense longing to be parents through adopting our sons, but adoption is so much more….
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Dustin and I have always had a heart for adoption and thought it would be part of our story, long before we lost our first biological child. Adoption wasn't Plan B to become parents, it was His Plan A for us. We believe God’s command in James 1:27 to care for the orphans by saving them out of darkness and bringing them into the light of a Christ-centered family, truly given them a hope and a future (as Christ did for us!). However, it wasn’t until the birth of our beloved son, watching him grow, learning more about adoption statistics, and writing a book on adoption that our hearts were transformed BY adoption.
A quote that resonates with us almost daily says, “My friends, adoption is redemption. It’s costly, exhausting, expensive, and outrageous. Buying back lives cost so much. When God set out to redeem us, it killed him.”
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Think about it, when Jesus hung on that cross to buy back our lives, He was spit upon, abandoned, and hated. Buying us cost Him Everything He Owned... Including His life. It wasn’t a pretty or comfortable picture. Adoption is quite possibly the greatest way we as humans can show the watching world God’s act of redemption for us. The situations aren’t pretty and it’s not comfortable! Adoption is uncomfortable, exhausting, and difficult. But, incredibly worth it...seeing the hope and future in the eye's of a child.
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If you are considering adoption, please send us a message so we can encourage you in the process. More and more we get couples asking us how they can adopt. Below are some resources to help in your adoption process. Please read The Thread, an encouragement from other families who have traveled this journey. Adoption, similar to God's gift of marriage between a man and woman, can be an awesome reflection of the Gospel to the watching world! We can't wait to see how God continues to write our family's story... It's an incredible Adventure!
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First Steps to Begin the Adoption Process
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Discuss adoption options: Foster to Adopt, Private Adoption through an attorney, or Agency Adoption
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To learn more about foster to adopt contact your local Department of Social Services and visit Adopt Us Kids
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Private Adoption should be the most accessible way to adopt, but it is often the hardest because of state laws prohibiting hospital workers, doctors, and pregnancy centers from getting involved before Social Services. You can let people know via social media you desire to adopt, tell friends, family, and your church. We hope to see adoption through the vehicle of local pregnancy centers and attorneys becoming the best way to adopt in the future. This can be the easiest and most cost efficient way to adopt (i.e. foster to adopt normally has no or minimal costs).
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Agency Adoption is definitely the most common for domestic and necessary for international adoptions. It is also the most costly. There are amazing Christian adoption agencies that counsel the birth mom/dad and adoptive parents: Bethany Christian Services is nation-wide.
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Discuss together the specifics of a child you will adopt: disabilities, age, race, gender, etc.
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Get your Home Study Completed as You Prepare
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Search online for an adoption home study agency in your area. There will often be multiple agencies that can assist you. Do some research for the one that fits your family best.
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Home Studies normally take about 8-12 weeks to finalize, unless you need it expedited and then it can be finished in a week (normally for a fee).
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The Home Study is often the most nerve-racking part of adoption! Conventional Parents "have some fun" and 9-months later birth a baby and bring that baby home. But, for adoptive parents, a social worker must come and scrutinize your ENTIRE life! Seriously, your marriage, your house, your finances, parenting methods (even if you think spanking is appropriate or not...be prepared to answer!), and your extended family! Any "ghosts" in the closet will be discovered. However, in our experience our social worker was a wonderful lady (and mom) who had a passion to see children adopted into loving families. She was "pro" us. The meetings were encouraging and even fun. (f.y.i. don't bake cookies...she will not eat one).
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Prepare yourself for a part-time job: The paperwork was simple, but plentiful! (And then if you need grants...whew!)
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Grants and Financial Help
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Once you know the type of adoption, private or agency, and you have been placed with a child there are many grants for you to begin applying to.
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Most grants have specific guidelines. For example: first time adoption, Christian agency, private adoption, etc.
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A few places to start researching: LIST OF GRANTS
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Hopefully, this is helpful to get you started. If you have any questions, please send us a message. We are overjoyed you are considering being forever parents for a precious, perfectly-chosen-for-you, son or daughter.
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READ The Thread for encouragement!
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