If you follow my blog you probably know how close adoption is to my heart. Adoption is a huge part of my entire family, and it has impacted my life in many different ways. This past Sunday, the church we attend dedicated the entire Sunday to the Orphan Care Ministry. My SIL is part of this ministry, and she has helped it grow into a wonderful thing! It was truly an amazing service, and I think many hearts were impacted from it. The pastor of ministries spoke, and he did a wonderful job speaking about adoption. The title of the sermon was "Adoption Is the Heart of the Gospel."
He began by talking about how there are two types of adoption...vertical adoption and horizontal adoption. Horizontal adoption is what comes to most peoples' minds when hearing the word adoption...giving an orphan a forever family and a forever home. However, vertical adoption is something that every child of God experiences. We are adopted into His forever family when we believe that He is the one and only Lord and savior. It was amazing to connect the word adoption to the very thing that we are all created for. Adoption is truly the heart of the gospel.
We are all called to care for orphans in our lifetime...
"Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to orphans, the homeless and loveless in their plight..." James 1:27
Here are some ways you can do it...
- Discover adoption and impact an orphans life forever...go to one-27.org
- Head over to this blog...http://ajoyfulheartshay.blogspot.com/...and help our family go back to China to bring home our sweet brother, Will.
- Buy a cute Tee here...http://store.wildolivetees.com/adoption-fundraiser-tees-c6.aspx... to help us! Make sure to put in the code: ANKERICH0611
- Pray for the needs of more than 160 million orphans in this world...
If that doesn't move you to care for orphans in some way, maybe these precious faces will.
These are five faces of orphans who now have forever families. Only by the amazing gift of adoption did they receive this amazing and wonderful thing. A thing that you and I take for granted every day...
My sister EllaKate...given a forever family at 11 months old...
...now she is a beautiful and healthy 6 year old...
My sister ShayleeJoy...given a forever family just 10 months ago...
...now she is healed from a heart defect and is healthier than ever...
My nephew William...given a forever family at 5 years old...
...now a handsome and healthy 8 year old...
My nephew Daniel...given a forever family at 5 years old...
...now a happy and healthy 6 year old...
And sweet Will who will hopefully be home this fall...
Please act now because adoption is our mission.
If it's on God's heart, it should be on our hearts too!
3 comments:
Adoption and orphans have always weighed heavily on my heart. Thank you for sharing ways to act with me!!
I am sure THIS is the best thing you have ever written!!! LOVED every word and SO wish we had been there. I am SO thankful we have been blessed by three little gifts through adoption!!! And LOVE William and Daniel too~ what a blessing you have it on both sides. I am so excited to see how God blesses you and Josh through the years. I love you with all my heart!!!
XOXOXO
Love, love, love this post! So thankful that God began working on our hearts 5+ years ago, and that He hasn't let up since. Can't imagine how boring life would be without our 9 & 6 year old wild guys! Thankful for the way God has used you as a critical instrument in your family's special design. And can't wait to see how God will use your passion for the fatherless in the years to come :)
Love you!
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