Celebrities have done an amazing job of making adoption “trendy.”
Be it the Jolie-Pitts, Madonna or more recently, Sandra Bullock, Tinsletown has given adoption a major platform. And in Christendom, Christian families like the Chapmans, Whittakers and Powells have shared what a profound impact adopting children has made in the life of their families.
Adoption isn’t just trendy, though… it’s something that’s close to the heart of God and all Christians are called to care for orphans. All throughout the Scripture we read accounts of God’s command for His people to care for the orphans…
You are the helper of the fatherless. LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, That the man of the earth may oppress no more.
Psalms 10:14,17-18
And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.
Matthew 18:5
And, adoption is a beautiful picture of the Gospel. It’s what God did for all of us through Christ… He adopted us into His family.
I’m adopted.
It’s a looong story that could make a short novel, but I was part of an open adoption where both sets of parents knew each other and agreed adoption was the best route for me . There was one small hitch… both families were a part of the same groups of friends and we all lived in the same small town. So… long story short… I met my biological family when I was nine years old and have had a relationship with them ever since.
To me, it was a lovingly selfless act on both ends… of my biological parents to recognize that I needed to be with another family, for my adoptive parents to make room in their hearts and lives for me… and for both sets to take the risk in allowing me to have 2 families.
The entire experience wasn’t without its hard seasons… highs and lows, good and bad… but in the end, I’m thankful for how it all played out and for the huge blessing I’ve had to be a part of two families who have shown me God’s love and grace in an incredibly tangible way.
The legacy of adoption in my family didn’t end with me… my brother and his wife decided there were plenty of children in the world who needed children so instead of having their own, they have adopted three gorgeous children from China. Seeing them engage in the process of adoption was a beautiful thing. And their kids … amazing. I can’t imagine my life or our family without them.
So, to say adoption is close to my heart would be an understatement.
Addition by Adoption
My friend Kevin and his family recently adopted a beautiful boy from Ethiopia named Milo.
Some adoptive familes blog about their experience adopting [my brother and his wife did], but Kevin and his wife took a unique approach: they tweeted… and now their tweets are a book that’s available starting today on Amazon… Addition by Adoption… Kids, Causes & 140 Characters.
Addition by Adoption chronicles the Hendricks’ journey to and from Ethiopia in 140-character sound bytes. It’s a candid, touching story that is a must-read for anyone who wants a front row seat to the incredible thing that happens when a family chooses to bring an adopted child into their life. As an adopted child, I’ve always wondered what went through my parent’s minds and what the experience was like for them… this book sheds light on that and is a gift to adoptive families or anyone interested in exploring adoption.
It’s only $9.99 on Amazon and will benefit a great cause… a portion of the proceeds from the book will go to charity:water to build a clean water well in Milo’s home country of Ethiopia. So just do the right thing and get a copy. You’ll be glad you did.
Read more about Addition by Adoption here.
What About You?
Have you been adopted? What’s your experience been like?
Have you been jaded by the trendiness of adoption in the celebrity spotlight?
If you’re considering adoption, what’s holding you back?
