e-mail
INTRODUCTION, PART 2
My faith
Since this is a “Christian Adoption” blog, I thought I’d acquaint you with my faith. I come from a Protestant background – both my dad and my father-in-law are retired pastors of mainline denomination churches, so I grew up (literally) in the church. The Apostles’ Creed is an excellent summary of my beliefs.
Theology of a Christian adoption blog
One of things I love about the Bible Study Fellowship class I’m attending is that we aren’t allowed to discuss what church we attend. In my BSF class of over 200 women, more than 100 churches are represented. Rather than getting hung up on our theological differences, we focus on what we have in common, and that’s the love, forgiveness and new life that Jesus offers us. I hope we can do the same in this blog. This blog is intended for a worldwide readership. People of many faiths will join our daily fellowship, as well as those who are peeking in to see what this Christian stuff is all about (if you fall into that category, you’re certainly welcome here!). I intend for this blog to be a place where you feel safe and honored, no matter where you are in your faith journey.
Adoption as a ministry
Soon after I became an adoptive parent, I sensed God calling me to minister to others who were seeking to adopt. My husband and I adopted in pre-Internet days, when there were few resources and little in the way of emotional support. When we moved to the Seattle, Washington area, we began attending a large church that had dozens of ministries. Week after week, I scoured the bulletin, looking for an adoption ministry. There was none.
You can probably guess the rest. I decided to start one. After receiving the go-ahead from my pastor, I tracked down a few adoptive moms who attended our church and we founded Heartbeat Infertility & Adoption Ministries. The ministry has waxed and waned during the past eight years, with new support groups forming and workshops being offered on an as-needed basis. A regular tug on my heart affirms that this is where God wants me: supporting those who build families through adoption; encouraging those who experience the losses and hurts that accompany adoption; and serving as a reliable source of information about adoption-related topics.
I’m excited to share this journey with you. I invite you to comment on my posts. I urge you to e-mail me (christianadoptionblog@adoptionmail.com) with your own adoption stories…your fears…your longings…your doubts…your questions…your victories. Together, we’ll create a community that testifies to the ways in which God is working in our lives. Together, we’ll celebrate adoption.
Hi Laura: It’s me, Lois. I emailed you a few weeks ago about children who were now adults. I’ve waited (patiently) for your Christian Blog-site. I am overjoyed to find out that you are a BSF “sister”. It’s been years since there has been one where my travels have taken me, but it reaped a treasury of spiritual rewards in the years I attended. Yes, I too found an emptiness in my local church for the need of the “empty arms”. Yet, when the children came, it was a novelty. I so wanted to share my joys and frustrations with my church family…some were willing to hear the joys… that was easy. But, the other was guarded. I sensed an attitude of “maybe you bit off more than you could chew”. We were the only family in our congregation of about 150 who had internationally or domestically adopted children. Well, lest I take up someone else’s time, I’ll step back for today. We will email again, I’m sure. And, all others who are joining this blog, welcome. Please…jump in.
Kind thoughts and God’s blessings,
Lois – mom to 6 international children, now adults