A Special Mom
Most people would agree that mothers are very special people. In many countries, we even set aside a date on the calendar—Mother’s Day—to celebrate them. As I was thinking about my own mom, I remembered another mother who’s truly worth knowing. Jochebed protected her newborn—“a special baby”—because she loved him (Exodus 2:2). The law of a power-hungry king required baby Moses to be drowned. But due to her deep faith in God, she was “not afraid to disobey the king’s command” (Acts 5:29; Hebrews 11:23). Moses was saved in an amazing way! By God’s providence, Jochebed became Moses’ nursemaid. And when Moses was older, he was “taught all the wisdom of the Egyptians” (Acts 7:22). The infant in peril became a prince of privilege (Exodus 2:7-10).
Adopted
Pastor Adrian and his wife, Antoinette, had two biological sons and then adopted baby Rosie several years ago. For most of Adrian’s life, he has dealt with nose bleeds—an affliction his sons have inherited. One day, little Rosie ran into the house holding her nose and grinning from ear to ear as she said, “See, Daddy, my nose is bleeding—just like Mark and John!” For Rosie, a nosebleed was another way of identifying with her adopted family.
mother robin
Thousands of Indonesian women refer to Robin Lim as “Mother Robin” because she helped them through pregnancy and childbirth. Without her care and access to the clinics she established, the women wouldn’t have been able to afford the care they needed. Lim says, “Every baby’s first breath on Earth could be one of peace and love. Every mother should be healthy and strong. Every birth could be safe and loving. But our world isn’t there yet.”
at His Word
It goes without saying that Katie Davis is an exceptional young woman. At just 19 years old, she began serving needy children in Uganda—leaving behind the creature comforts of America. And now, at 22, her work—Amazima Ministries—pays the tuition for 450 Ugandan children to attend a Christian school and also feeds 1,600 hungry children in the community. She personally cares…
let them come
I recently read of a restaurant owner who instituted a policy that wouldn’t have been well liked by Jesus. Instead of letting young children dine at his restaurant, he announced he was banning little ones under 6 years old from the upscale casual restaurant. He won’t allow the young customers because he feels they’re bad for business.
Like that restaurant…
rescued
One of the young women in my Bible study group shared with me that an acquaintance of hers had just found out she was pregnant from a one night stand. The pregnant woman had scheduled an appointment for an imminent abortion. I had no qualms about immediately shortening our bible study to spend extra time in prayer. Explaining the need…
waiting to adopt
Few things are as beautiful as witnessing an orphaned child’s transformation when he or she is adopted into a loving and nurturing home. Each time I see a parentless boy or girl move from a state of starvation to good nutrition, from despair to hope, from abandonment to community, I hear the truth of Psalm 68:6 ring out, “God places…
all in the family
In his poignant article, Abba Changes Everything: Why Every Christian Is Called To Rescue Orphans, author and adoptive parent Russell D. Moore writes: “I was at first reluctant to adopt, because I assumed an adopted child would always be more distant than a child ‘of my own.’ I was wrong. And I should have known better. After all, there are…
child guide
According to UNICEF, 4 million newborns die each year within their first month of life and 8.8 million die before their first birthday. Nineteen million infants in the developing world are born underweight and 148 million children under age 5 suffer malnutrition. There are 101 million children who aren’t attending primary school and 2 million living with HIV. These huge…
spirit of adoption
Romans 8:14-17: For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s…
answers to prayer
Two answers to prayer. Two perfect answers. The first came after many of us had prayed for a young adopted girl from Ethiopia. Before she was adopted, tests showed that she was HIV positive. After her adoption, however, subsequent tests revealed no signs of HIV. We rejoiced! The second answer came after a friend’s cancer returned. This week she entered hospice.…
wanted
Two weeks ago, our friends traveled to Ethiopia to meet and bring home their newly adopted daughter. For a couple of years, our friends have prayed for little Lilia, saved thousands of dollars to pay the adoption expenses, and then waited months and months until they could welcome her into their life. But before they knew who would be their…
unplanned
At 17, she was in the midst of a brief season of rebellion. One night, instead of staying at a friend’s house, as she had told her parents, she went to a party thrown by a guy in his twenties. Although drinking and drug use took place, she abstained and eventually fell asleep. Later, she awoke to find herself being…
November 15, 2010
How have you and your church family been involved in adoption? What have you learned in the process?
