Thanks to our amazing forever friend PJ Christensen who took beautiful adoption photos for us! It's not easy when you have two crazy little redheads who are just a tiny bit excited, a wee bit uncooperative, or maybe, ALOT uncooperative! Let me just say, her skills were displayed, as always, as was her patience. I'm glad she loves us! I will put more photos below!
National Adoption Month is really exciting because this year the focus of the month is on adopting older children/teens. For those of you who know Kev and me you know how dear teenagers are to our hearts. It's why Kev is in the ministry job he is in and why I serve with him. Nothing breaks my heart like seeing a teenager without a family or in a broken family, walking into the world alone. So, this is a special year. I truly pray that God gives wisdom, courage and guidance to those He is calling to adoption and specifically those adopting older children.
Monday, November 9th, is World Adoption Day! This is the day to promote adoption and represent those you have supported through adoption by wearing wearing adoption t-shirts, "Hope" bracelets or the easiest way is to draw a smiley on the palm of your hand and take a picture of it. Hey! You could do all three! If you post the photo on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter please tag Kev and me and add these hashtags: #teamlayne and #worldadoptionday.
This is an opportunity for all of us to share with others the need to support adoption and and take some personal action! Need some ideas?
- Support a specific adoptive or foster family financially, through prayer, or simple words of encouragement. If you have questions about how you can support us specifically, look around our blog or ask us! If not us, there are so many families in this process, we could even direct you to some of our friends! We have multiple friends adopting or fostering and we are all in this together. It's not just about us!
- Support orphans through sponsorship. Our agency, All God's Children, offers this opportunity here and lists the different options to support orphans through their programs. There are lots of other opportunities out there like this one.
- Get involved locally. In our area the Children's Attention Home has a list of holiday-oriented needs and needs that exist on a regular basis. You don't have to go international to find a child who you can love or serve in a simple and practical way.
- Get educated or at least get in someone else's shoes. There are lots of resources, statistics and books out there about adoption. One of my favorites that is a very easy and quick read is Kisses from Katie. If you have read my blog for long you have heard me mention it. Also, I recommend the book Orphanology. I haven't fully read it yet! I actually just started it but expect lots of quotes to come. Its focus is not on just the statistics of adoption but the reality that adoption is central to the Gospel and it's our response what God has already done with us.
- Adopt! Become a Foster Parent! No! I'm not kidding! Prayerfully consider it. Abba Fund states that 33% of Americans consider adoption and less than 2% adopt.
Nothing I have listed here is ground-breaking! There are mutliple ways to get involved and I would love to hear below in the comments what step you will take this month to make a difference. Whether it's as simple as putting a smiley face on your palm and encouraging others to do so on World Adoption Day, reading a book, supporting a family, serving in your local community or taking the next steps to adopt or foster a child--let's do something!
T-shirts are beginning to ship!! Be on the look out for them and post a pic when you get them!!! Enjoy a few of the amazing photos from our friend PJ.
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