November is =
National Adoption Month, a time when many American focus and pray for =
the plight of the fatherless. Some hearts will be stirred to action, and =
will begin the process of fostering or adopting. Others will assist in =
prayer and support (financial, emotional, spiritual). ALL of us =
are called =
to help.
Adopting is a =
highly personal decision. Every choice to adopt is unique. Each couple =
and family has walked a different path in arriving at their decision. =
But the focus is always to help a child in need, to provide for those =
lives who were abandoned or orphaned, or whose parents cannot care for =
them (the reasons for this could be many). Whatever the reasons, they =
may choose to adopt a child in order to help lift them from their =
situation and provide the loving, supportive family each child =
deserves.
The Lord =
doesn’t place a call on everyone’s heart to adopt. =
Nevertheless, the church should handle adoption and caring for the =
fatherless like we handle the Great Commission. While not everyone is =
called to adopt, as part of the church everyone does play a =
role in caring for the fatherless. James 1:27 reminds us all that =
“the religion that pleases God the Father must be pure and =
spotless; you must help orphans and widows in their need and not let the =
thinking of the world corrupt your mind.”
Today, common =
arguments against adoption are often given:
1. “=
We don’t have enough money.” – If the Lord =
wants you to adopt, he will provide the means to fulfill what =
he’s called you to. Yes, you may have to pinch pennies and save =
for a long time, and your desire for an adopted child may =
get delayed because of finances. But don’t lose hope. =
2. “I =
can’t love this child as my own.” – But =
what a spectacular way to demonstrate the depth of love to the world =
when we intentionally choose to love and care for those who =
aren’t like us. We can love extravagantly because God =
has loved us extravagantly.
3. “=
It will be difficult since I already have =
children.” You bet it =
is! But what worth having is easy? Ask yourself. Am I willing to =
die to myself, in order to rescue and love a =
child?
I know a =
family who has worked through these issues in spades. Jeremiah is a =
missionary pastor, with poverty-level income, laboring in an area rife =
with poverty and crime. His wife Tancy is teaching children with =
special needs in a private program. They know what it is to be =
poor.
Noah (20), =
Cami (18), Chloe (16) and Jonah (14) are their natural children. =
Pastor’s kids have their own set of needs and these wonderful, =
thriving teens have those needs and more. Yet they continue serving God =
and honoring Him in their lives.by supporting their parents intention to =
adopt.
Six years ago =
they took in 3 siblings from a troubled family as foster parents. =
It took years thru the Illinois courts to finally gain full adoption of =
Jessica (12), Jack (11) and Miriam (9) on January 24, 2018. =
And now God =
has placed 2 more brothers in their home they hope to adopt. =
Justin (10) and Seth (4) had nowhere else to go, so the family grew to =
NINE children to love and raise.
In order to =
handle the load, they are in need of converting garage space/attic into =
more bedrooms. Then their plan for adoption can move forward. =
They’ve already taken the steps to begin the process. And =
this is where you can come in. Jeremiah’s sister started a =
page to raise donations to help them step-by-step financially in this =
task. You have the opportunity to pray for them, to =
assist them, to give to make a family that is full of love =
have a house that is full of room for these little ones in need. =
BTW, it will =
help me, too. You see, Pastor Jeremiah is my son. His =
children – all SEVEN of them – are MY grandchildren. =
And the thought of raising that number to NINE with two more precious =
boys brings tears of joy to my eyes. Each donation, every $5,.$10 =
or $25 or more given by you, is like a cup of cold water to those in =
very real need.
Thank =
you.
Grandpa & =
G’ma Griffin
https://www.gofundme.com/f/2ek52-griffin-family-doubl=
e-adoption-expenses?utm_source=3Dfacebook&utm_medium=3Dsocial&utm=
_campaign=3Dp_cp+share-sheet&fbclid=3DIwAR2QkSOOIPVkrxik9Wu7KOOc7V7zj=
qyjOjnBrt4djMh3J4l4kmrDuQAdYbI
~~
Dr Bob Griffin =
[email protected] =
www.grif.net
"Jesus =
Knows Me, This I Love!"