Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Resource: Local Event in Southwest Missouri

Christ's Church of Oronogo
Foster & Adoptive Family Support Group
would like to invite you to join us
Sunday November 3, 2013
at 11:00am in the Adult Ministry Center 

TOPIC: "Positive Parenting Skills & Techniques for Children's Behaviors".
Presented by Sherri Bryant, LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) at
Ozark Center Will's Place.

This group was created to Support, Encourage, and give Valuable Information about raising Foster & Adopted Children.

***Jasper County Foster Parents: This group can qualify for In-Service Hours. The CD-114 will be provided at the class for you to hand in to your licensing worker for review and approval.

If you have children 5th grade or older who will need childcare, please let Maggie Schade, CCO Community Impact Minister, know ASAP.

Christ's Church of Oronogo
22145 Kafir Road,
Oronogo, MO 64855
1(417) 673-3945 x136
www.ccochurch.com

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

The Importance of Finding The 'Me Too!' Mamas.


Sometimes it feels like my life has been a constant string of hellos and goodbyes.

Between high school, college, internships, mission trips, job changes, cross country moves, adoption, etc. my friends and family are spread across the globe.

Thank goodness that we live in the modern age where it is possible to live on opposite sides of the country (or the world) and still interact and truly connect.

Human connection is vital. We were created by God to be people who need each other.  We need to be known, to be able to relate, and to be understood.

For many people, adoption is not well understood. It is not necessarily the “normal” way of having a family. It might be welcomed, celebrated, and even encouraged, but it is not a shared experience and therefore not always understood by our friends and family.

The Lord has blessed us with amazing friends and family who have been incredibly supportive of our decision to grow our family through international adoption. We are so grateful for them. They have loved our children from the very beginning and have prayed with us, cried with us, and rejoiced with us. While this means so much to my husband and I, we recognize that they have never been through the adoption process and don’t fully understand the trials and joys that we have encountered all the way.

Not fully being understood by friends and family is an isolating feeling, and the adoption journey can be lonely. Infertility is lonely. Paperwork is lonely. Waiting is lonely. The unknown is lonely.

One thing I was not expecting on this adoption journey was the incredible people God would bring into our lives who can truly relate. They are the ones that took our loneliness and isolation and exchanged them for belonging and community. They got us. They got our heart. They got our frustrations and worries. They got our passion and joys. They got “IT.” All of it.

Hearts and souls connect in the, “Me too!” moments.  The bonds that form during a heart wrenching cry as you long to see your child’s face, the dreams of getting “the call,”  your frustrated vent as you navigate through paperwork, the indescribable joy of welcoming your child home, and the ups and downs of the transition and attachment process are priceless.  In order to form those connections though, I’ve learned that you must open yourself up, be real, and seek out those in the adoption community.

When we first began our adoption process we didn’t know anyone who had adopted.  The whole process felt like staring into a giant black hole of confusion and questions. I started reading adoption blogs and websites and before I knew it, began to truly form a community of friends who shared our passion for international adoption.  I had only emailed, texted, and talked on the phone to these new friends, yet they knew me in ways that most could not understand.  They got it. They got me. Their eyes didn’t get a blank stare when I talked about USCIS, home studies, I-600s, and attachment worries. They understood the longing, the aching of my empty arms, and how I could be completely in love with a child that I didn’t know. These new friends understood. They supported me, loved me, and encouraged me. We connected through our shared passions and experiences.

My husband thought I was a little crazy at first when I started talking about my new friends. He didn’t quite get how I could connect so fast to this group of adoption mommas. He was cautious and more than a little hesitant when I told him I wanted to meet two of my dearest new friends in person.  And when I said I wanted to drive 2 hours away, and stay the weekend with them in a hotel, he was definitely concerned.  Rightfully so! But, he knew that these connections were real and that my heart needed to spend time with these friends… just to be safe though he walked me into the hotel to make sure my new friends were not some crazy stalkers who pretended to be someone else online! 

Thankfully those girls were exactly who I thought they were, and we stayed up into the very early hours of the night laughing, talking, and crying together.  Today they are some of my closest friends, and all three of our families, including our husbands, have gotten together many times and laughed about that first meeting. These days the very children my friends and I longed to hold are now toddling around, doing life together. Talk about a blessed sisterhood!

We were so blessed to find an amazing group of families that had not only gone through international adoption, but who had all actually adopted from the same country and orphanage. It was like hitting the adoption and friend gold mine! Instantly we had an extended family of friends who had walked the same path and who shared a love for the Lord and adoption. Our families looked similar and our hearts had a common bond. This bond was solidified through Facebook, emails, text, phone calls, get-togethers and visits.  We drove for hours to spend time with other families and to be at the airport to welcome them home.  We sought the Lord and interceded on our friends’ behalf as they waited for their court cases to clear and for their child to come home. These friendships are real. Very real.

This adoption community has been a lifeline to me over the past few years. I have thrown myself all in and have been rewarded with the most amazing friends and support system of other mommas who truly understand, and who have walked each exciting, wonderful, and hard moment with me.  My adoption sisters have cried and rejoiced with me and I have done the same with them.  Today they are some of my closest friends.

Whether you are adopting domestically, internationally, or through the foster care system find others who have gone before you. Seek out mentor mom friendships and don’t be afraid to invite them to coffee or send an email and ask the hard questions.

Search out others who are in a similar place in their adoption journey and be willing to open up your heart and be real with your thoughts, feelings, and emotions.  Learn and grow together as your navigate motherhood and the transition process together.

Support those that are coming behind you and who are just starting the process. Seek them out, offer your support, encouragement, and advice. Be willing to take them by the hand (even if that is just through a Facebook message) and let them know they can do it. Answer their questions and be that shoulder to lean on when they need to cry or rejoice!

Find those moms, those true friends in all stages of the adoption journey that you can celebrate and cry with.

Connection takes effort…. but it is SO worth it. There are many ways to connect with other adoptive families to create your own adoption community family:

·       Social media has its downfalls, but use it in a positive way. Use Facebook, blogs, and Instagram to connect with other adoptive moms and families.
·       Get to know these new friends as people, not just another name on the list or just their adoption story.
·       Pray for them. Truly intercede for their family, for their children, for their adoption process, for their family.
·       Exchange numbers and send a text or make a phone call to encourage them.
·       Take a few minutes and write out a real card and actually use a stamp and envelope to mail it!  It’s such a foreign concept in today’s world, but think about how fun is it to get real mail rather than just bills!
·       Commit to getting your families together for play dates, reunions, or just fun get-togethers if any way possible.  Be willing to sacrifice time and money to drive or even fly in order to spend time together.
·       Attend events such as the Joy in Journey Adoption Retreat in order to meet, connect, and grow with new and old friends (I can’t wait to see you there)!
·       Be cautious to observe the rules and guidelines that the adoption community follows based on their norms or rules that the agency has asked you to observe.
·        Be diligent about speaking truth and not getting involved with gossip or hurtful actions.
·       Celebrate and rejoice with your adoption sisterhood, but also cry and ache with them as well.  Do life with them.

I treasure my kindred spirits, these beautiful adoption momma friends who, although we may be spread around the country, our hearts are knit together. They are such a blessing to my family and I.

 Don’t go on the adoption journey alone. Don’t try to go through motherhood alone.

The Bible says in Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”  We are stronger when we walk this journey together. Adoption doesn’t have to be a lonely journey. It can be one filled with the most beautiful and meaningful relationships.

Seek them out.




Sarah and her husband Matt have been married for 10.5 years and have been blessed with two precious sons, Levi and Ethan, who were adopted from Taiwan. They recently relocated to Southern California where Sarah joyfully traded in 9 years of lesson plans and grading as an elementary school teacher for days filled with cars, choo-choos, Cheerios, and lots of cuddles as a stay at home mommy to her two very sweet and very active boys. Sarah has a passion for children, adoption, orphan care, and adoptive families, and relies on lots of Jesus and lots of strong coffee each day!

Friday, October 25, 2013

The Importance of Foster Parent Connections

 
 
Foster parenting is a wonderful way to help children and families in your community. Along with the feelings of accomplishment comes a host of challenges. There are often feelings of defeat and struggles that come with the lack of control over the long term decisions made about the child in your care. Because these challenges are so great, support is important for your emotional well-being and success. Very few people truly understand the life you live as a foster parent and the tremendous challenges it poses for your family.  Because of this, appropriate sources of support are less plentiful than we wish they were. 
Foster parents are required to attend pre-service training, prior to licensure. This is the prime opportunity to make friends and form your own support network. These families will be in the very same situation you are in and will understand your feelings as well as anyone. There are many opportunities for in-service (which is required). Again, take advantage of that situation and collect names, numbers, and email addresses for those you come in contact with. Be selective, not everyone will provide the positive support you are seeking. There are support groups in the local counties, some more active than others. Checking with your licensing staff for specific dates and times will assure you are connected. There are informal types of support that are very helpful as well. This support often comes from friends, family, and the foster care agency staff and online chat groups.
Whatever avenue you choose to obtain the support you need to continue this worthy journey through foster care, always be cognizant of respect and confidentiality for the children and families you serve. 
                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                           
Karla Hurrell and her husband fostered for 23 years. The Hurrell’s, recently welcomed their eleventh child, Rosko Jeremiah. Karla provides contract training for local Children’s Division offices and has just begun her own business, I HEART FAMILIES. She is anxious to support foster and adoptive parents. Her email address is iheartfamilies@yahoo.com .

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Connecting with a Domestic Adoptive Mama




I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him.
1 Samuel 1:27

From the time I was a little girl, I wanted to be a mother.   I thought I would marry my prince charming, get pregnant, and live happily ever after.  Doesn’t every girl dream of that fairy tale??  For me, I am living happily ever after, but the road I took was not lined with fairy dust and magic pumpkins. 

After marrying my high school sweetheart and getting my career off the ground, my husband and I decided to have a baby.  After 4 years of trying, many doctor appointments, and a trip to an infertility clinic, we decided that adoption was the route for us.  We had dreamed of having our own biological child, but after struggling for many years, adoption was going to be our path. 

Shawn and I were exploring all of our adoption options, and met with a social worker who guided us in the right direction.  In April of 2005, we were pursuing domestic adoption, as well as international adoption.  We prayed for God to give us a child of our own, and we had faith that He would provide. During this time, we grew closer as a couple and closer to God.  Nine months after finishing our home-study and working hard to get the word out about our desire to adopt, our little angel Makayla was born.  We met her when she was seven hours old and have been her parents since the moment that we laid eyes on her.  I have never felt such a connection with someone as I did the first second I saw her.  I didn’t have nine months to talk to her, but I did pray for her, think about her, and prayed for her birth mother.  The happiest day of my life was the saddest day for someone else, and I knew that. 

Flash forward four years, and I’m starting to feel that we need another child.  Makayla is four, and I am getting baby fever.  My husband, on the other hand, is content and not thrilled with the idea of adopting another baby.  Our first adoption was smooth, almost too good to be true, and he didn’t want to disrupt the life that we had.  I spent many nights praying for God to change his mind, but after 2 years of praying, the answer was still no.  From that point on, I asked God to make me content with the precious gift He had given me, and to pray instead for God’s will to be done.  I would tell my friends, “If God wants us to have another child, HE will make it happen.”

In June 2012, my father passed away suddenly.  My whole world was rocked, but God helped us through every moment of every day.  After that tragedy, my husband’s heart for another child changed, and he wanted to adopt again.  I was floored, excited, nervous, and ready!!!!  In September, 2012 we again started spreading the word about wanting to adopt.  We had many people praying for us, and in November 2012, we were blessed with a baby boy, Eli!  We met Eli when he was two hours old and held him in our arms that night.  Eli had a few medical problems and was in the NICU for one month.  The second we laid eyes on him, we knew God sent him to us, and we are now his forever family.  Both of our children were born in Joplin, and have been with us since birth.  We are so fortunate to complete our family through domestic adoption.  It is possible!  It takes work and time, but there are babies in our area that need a family. 

My road to motherhood may not have been lined with fairy dust and magic pumpkins, but it is lined with two miracles God gave me . . . .Makayla and Eli. 


 

Carrie Mayes is a wife, mother, teacher, friend, God-lover and “wanna-be” crafter!  She has been married to Shawn, her high school sweetheart, for 14 years.  Makayla is 7 and Eli is 11 months.   If you would like more information on how they adopted without an agency, please contact Carrie-
cmayes@wcr7.org


Friday, October 18, 2013

Joy in the Journey Retreat Registration UPDATE

BIG NEWS!!  Exactly 37 minutes shy of registration being open for one week...


It's hardly fathomable, but it's true...come February 21-22, we will be filling every single bed at Maranatha Bible's Retreat Center, encouraging and connecting with one another as we share our adoption/foster stories!

Here are some things to watch for and some "next steps".

If you registered for the retreat, please complete your registration (including payment) as soon as possible.  If you did not receive an E-mail from us, please send us an E-mail at joyinthejourneyadoption @ yahoo.com at your earliest convenience to let us know that you need information on registration completion.

For those of you who have completed your registration and payment already, we'd love to say a huge "THANK YOU"!  Once registration is all complete, we will be able to move into the final stages of planning the retreat! :)

Also, if you are on Facebook, but are not a part of the FB group "Joy in the Journey Adoption Retreat", please let us know by commenting here or on the Joy in the Journey FB page.  We will be keeping you informed about retreat information through that group.

If you really wanted to attend the retreat, but did not get registered, please let us know by reserving a Waiting list ticket here:
This will let us know who to contact if someone is unable to attend and, therefore, leaves a space for the retreat.

Lastly, we really want to portray to you all just how much it means to us that you have chosen to take this journey with us.  We pray that through the blog, facebook page, instagram account, and ultimately, this retreat, you will make some amazing connections and will be so blessed by the One who gives us the gift of adoption.





Building Your Foster Parenting Sisterhood





 It may take a village to raise a child. Some days it takes a sisterhood to keep a foster mom sane.

But we’re not born with foster parenting sisterhoods – we have to build our own. I actually live several states away from both my family and my in-laws (not entirely by accident), so I didn’t really have a built-in village the way most new moms do. But I still expected to be able to call my mom or sister when the baby wouldn’t stop crying in the middle of the night, or I couldn’t figure out how to get gum out of the toddler’s hair.

But it turned out that the most urgent questions I had couldn’t have been answered by my mom or sister anyway. Here are some actual questions with which I called my mentor in my first 3 months of fostering:

Foster mom dilemmas that a phone call to YOUR mom won’t resolve:
1.     “So I went to pick up Johnny at day care, and he wasn’t there! The case manager had picked him up for a visit and didn’t think I needed to know ahead of time.” (this happened three times)
2.     “Susie fell off the couch onto her head. There’s no bruise and she barely cried, but do I have to go to the emergency room?”
3.     “Jasmine has a fever and is really miserable. Should I cancel the visit? Do I have that authority?”
4.     “Should I go to court Tuesday? The case manager said I can, but that I don’t have to. How does it work? Do I have to say anything? How should I introduce myself?”
5.     “Do you know anything about Sally Casemanager? She seemed nice but a little flighty. And some of the stuff she said was kind of confusing.”

Foster mentor responses:
1.     (the first time) “Let me call the Foster Care Liaison. That’s not okay.” (the third time) “Here, let me introduce you to her supervisor’s supervisor. That’s not okay.”
2.     “Would you take your biological child? Then, no. You’re the mommy, trust your instincts.”
3.     “Would you let your biological child go? Then cancel it. You’re the mommy, trust your instincts.”
4.     “Yes. You go up and stand next to the G.A.L. You probably won’t have to say anything, but you will need to introduce yourself. Which judge do you have? Here’s what she’s like… Do you need me to go with you?”
5.     “Yes, I had her once before (or so-and-so had her before). Here is my experience with her….”
 
That’s not to say I haven’t called my sister in the middle of the night to get her advice on a child that won’t stay asleep when you get out of the rocking chair, but I cannot stress enough the value of my foster parenting sisterhood!

As much as my sister loves me and cares about my foster kids, she just doesn’t understand when I’m excited for a baby that’s being reunified, but sad for me because he’s leaving. But my foster mom sisterhood gets it. Not only do they understand that sometimes I just need to vent about how horribly, heart-breakingly volatile foster parenting is; they’ve been where I am and they feel the same pull that I do to keep doing it.

That is perhaps the most crucial element of my friendships with veteran foster moms: they’ve been where I am. They don’t always know the right thing to say – sometimes there IS no right thing to say – but I know that they’re coming from a place of understanding and support, because they’ve been where I am. 

 
Duck Mommy is a [mostly] happily-married, Christian foster mom and infertility survivor blogging about life as the head duck-wrangler of a three-ring traveling circus. 

In between herding ducks, saving starfish and our full-time adventures with toddlers [3], teenagers [3], dogs [4], and cats [3], I share my experiences, point-of-view and lessons learned.


www.fosterducklins.com 
FosterDucklings on facebook

Friday, October 11, 2013

REGISTRATION DAY!

The moment the Joy in the Journey team has been waiting for has finally arrived!  Today is the day that we step out in faith and make the Joy in the Journey Retreat Registration live.

Before you register, please know that our team has been praying for this event and the ladies that will attend it since our very first meeting.  We will continue to surround the retreat and all of you who will join us in prayer until the last person has left the retreat center.

To register for the first ever Joy in the Journey Retreat, please complete the following steps:

To register for the retreat:

Click on the eventbrite.com link below and reserve your "Conference Registration" ticket.  The ticket is free to reserve and payment will need to be made upon receiving registration E-mail.
If all of the Conference Registration tickets are reserved but you are still interested in attending, reserve a "Waiting List" ticket and we will let you know if a spot becomes available for you.


Watch your registered E-mail account (that you used to reserve your ticket) for information from joyinthejourneyadoption @ yahoo.com on completing your registration and paying for your ticket.  You should received this within 24 hours of reserving your ticket.
Please send an E-mail to joyinthejourneyadoption @ yahoo.com if you have not heard from us within 24 hours of reserving your ticket.

Complete your registration by responding to the E-mail and paying for the retreat ticket within 24 hours of receiving your registration E-mail.
We will be unable to process refunds for any reason.  However, if you have registered and find that you are unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can offer your spot to the next person with a "Waiting List" ticket.  She will be given an opportunity to purchase your ticket from you.

Please be gracious as this is our first retreat.  We are sure that there will be some kinks to work out along the way, but please don't hesitate to let us know if you feel that we have missed something or if you have a question for us.

Thank you again for blessing us with your partnership and for allowing us to use this ministry to connect and encourage you!



Monday, October 7, 2013

Joy in the Journey RETREAT: The Details


It's hard to believe that it's actually here...registration for the Joy in the Journey Retreat will go LIVE at 6:00 p.m. Central Time THIS FRIDAY, October 11th.

The purpose of this post is to give you, our readers, some details on the logistics of the retreat and hopefully convince you that you CANNOT miss this opportunity to be encouraged and connect with like-minded mamas!

Who?  All along, this retreat has been planned with the intention that it would reach mothers who are blessed to care for "the least of these" as well as those ladies in all stages of that process.  This is meant to encompass women who are contemplating a future adoption/foster care placement, foster mothers in the process of caring for foster children, "prospective adoptive mothers" who are in one of the stages of waiting, and women who have added to their families through adoption.


What?  The Joy in the Journey Retreat is right around 24 hours of activities meant to facilitate connections and encourage women in the aforementioned paragraph.  The Retreat will consist of main sessions, breakout sessions, meals, vendor booths, coffee time, and an adoptive mom panel.

When?  Registration for the retreat is Friday, October 11th (as mentioned above) and the retreat will be Friday, February 21st, 2014 to Saturday, February 22nd, 2014.  Check-in/vendors will be open 2:00-5:00 p.m. on Friday and the retreat will conclude on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.

Where?  Maranatha Bible Camp's Retreat Center is located in Everton, MO, which is a short drive from Joplin, MO or Springfield, MO.  There are 22 hotel-style guest rooms, each one containing its own bathroom.  Each room holds 4 people (two in a queen or full sized bed, and two in twin bunk beds), with some rooms holding up to 8.

We will also be utilizing the Multi-purpose building for main sessions/vendor areas/meal times.

Standard Room

Deck out back at retreat center

Rec Area on Lower Floor

Foyer

Why?  To relax, rejuvenate, connect with others, and be encouraged by like-minded mamas.

How?  To register for the retreat:
  1. Open this blog's homepage, www.joyinthejourneyadoption.blogspot.com on Friday at 6:00 p.m. Central (the post will be up all day, but the tickets will not be live until 6:00)
  2. Click on the eventbrite.com link and reserve your "Conference Registration" ticket.  The ticket is free to reserve and payment will need to be made on step four (below)*
  3. Watch your registered E-mail account (that you used to reserve your ticket) for information from joyinthejourneyadoption @ yahoo.com on completing your registration and paying for your ticket.**
  4. Complete your registration by responding to the E-mail and paying for the retreat ticket within 24 hours of receiving your registration E-mail.***

*If you are unable to reserve one of the 75 available slots but are still interested in attending, reserve yourself a spot on the wait list by selecting a "Waiting List" ticket.
**Please send an E-mail to joyinthejourneyadoption @ yahoo.com if you have not heard from us within 24 hours of reserving your ticket.
***We will be unable to process refunds for any reason.  However, if you have registered and find that you are unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can offer your spot to the next person with a "Waiting List" ticket.  She will be given an opportunity to purchase your ticket from you.

Again, please allow us to reiterate what an amazing blessing it's been to be able to plan a retreat with the intention of encouraging and connecting mamas.  We have watched God's hand throughout the process thus far and are excited to see what He has in store for the rest of the process.  Thank you all so much for coming alongside our team and sharing a passion for what God has placed in our hearts!

Questions?  Comments?  Please take a moment and comment below if there are things that need clarification!!  Also, check out the Retreat 2014 tab above for more information.





Friday, October 4, 2013

CONNECTING: Adoption and The Love of Community





Adoption has ultimately called us into the gripping of hands, the baring of brokenness, and sowing of hearts.  It has called us to the dredging of loss and abandonment, to the sifting of forgotten memories.  Adoption beckons us to the hollowing of self into the healing and redeeming embrace of Community. 

Journey Together Kiddos


Shortly after the adoption of our first daughter I found myself overwhelmed with change.  I was a thirty-six year old, first time mommy, who had no idea how to parent a child.  I had read all the books, and watched the videos, but I had no solid reference point I could draw from.  I was having an identity crisis and like sandpaper, I became overwhelmed with the rubbing and grating of thoughts.  I began to question my qualifications and abilities of being a mother altogether.  "You're not good enough."  "There's a reason you're barren."  "She will never love you."  The rejection I felt from our daughter in those first few months, {which is a normal grieving process for an adopted child} only secluded me further into unforeseen depths of inadequacies. Almond eyes, uninviting and avoiding, spilled with grief that would haunt my days and weeks after she arrived home.   

My life had changed overnight, and I felt on many days, ill equipped.  I had become overwhelmed with the feelings I had never heard anyone talk about. The rawness of emotion attempted to draw me deeper into seclusion and everything about my life had changed.  In those first weeks and months - a collision.  The great collide of me - who I once was, who I envisioned I would be, and the reality of who I was, attempted to keep me in darkness.  For months I didn't speak to friends, or old co-workers, or family, or have any interest in anything beyond drywall and drawn curtains.  

I found myself in a battle that had more to do with me than the adoption of my daughter.   I had two choices  
1) - Give it all up and go back to the old life I once found comfortable and easy, or 
2) - Allow God to excavate and unearth all I was hiding within my own heart to ultimately use me.  He would bring me out of darkness. He would call me into a community full of other adoptive moms.  These adoptive mommas would be the ones I would one day cry with, do life with, gripping of hands to connect many, many, more together through adoption.  

I am part of an amazing community of families that stretch the globe and together we parent without borders, because our Heavenly Father fathers beyond boarders.  These amazing children and families share their heartbreaks and their experiences with one another and bring every ounce of brokenness and joy into His marvelous light.  He has called us to share each others burdens, and I am so thankful I don't have to do this alone.  I am blessed beyond measure that Journey Together Ministries, founded by two of the most amazing people, brought together countless adoptive families whose children now have the privilege of identifying with one another as adoptees.  This was the community many of us prayed for.  It's a Community which seeks to encourage, educate, and share, because in community we will find grace amongst the broken beginnings of our children.  We can cling tightly to one another as we find healing, drawing us closer to the Kingdom of God; Because He wastes nothing, and uses it ALL!   




I am so thankful for a Heavenly Father who predestined me to walk this amazing journey of adoption.  He chose the gift of adoption to draw me closer to Him and to seek Him.  Adoption and community have taught me that All is Grace.  

Adoption beckons us into the grace and healing of community.  Are you overwhelmed since the adoption of your child or are you struggling with infertility and longing to be a parent?  Is He calling you to find healing in Community?  I encourage you to be part of an Adoption Community that you will one day call family.  If you don't have an adoption community in your area prayerfully consider starting one of your own.   

Community
 in Prayer


Doing Life Together

Community illuminates the love of The Father through the adoption of our children. And within community He has done immeasurably more than anything we could have asked or imagined.  






About Sharon:
I’m a Ragamuffin Writer, A Lyoness Heart; Chosen as a mother through the gift of adoption. I’m a wife, a mother, a nurse, a blogger & lover of Jesus. I love all things adoption both the bitter & the sweet.  I am a Daughter of The King most High, who was chosen, adopted, forgiven, & redeemed, and because of His love for me ~ I am committed to defending the Fatherless.


The Lyon Family

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

October Spotlight: Connecting


The time is almost here...just ten more days until the registration for the first ever Joy in the Journey Retreat goes LIVE!  Set your alarms for Friday, October 11th at 6:00 p.m.  Details and pre-registration tickets will be available RIGHT HERE on the blog home page at that time.

To save the postage and be good stewards of our money, we are doing an E-invite, which is posted here and here.  Please share the invite far and wide...you never know who needs the connection and support of other adoptive/foster/prospective adoptive mamas!

Speaking of connection, since this is the big retreat registration month, the Joy in the Journey team felt this would be the PERFECT opportunity to focus on connecting and the importance of the encouragement of others who are on similar journeys.

We hope and pray that as you read through the stories and guest posts of other families connected by this beautiful, crazy, amazing, difficult, struggle-filled, joy-filled journey of adoption and foster care, you are filled with the joy that can only come from the true Joy-giver and are encouraged beyond your imagination.