What do we do when trauma leaves us with feelings of rejection and abandonment? Are there scriptures for healing a broken heart?
Pro-Life
In 2018, nearly 690,000 children spent time in U.S. foster care. Sadly, many of those children will find there are not enough foster families to accommodate them in their community. In some cases, children are being placed with families hours away from their homes, schools, and everything familiar to them. In other cases, they aren’t …
We had been waiting for the call for what seemed like an eternity. The call that my wife, Sue, had worked so hard for these past five years while pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. It would determine if we would stay in Cincinnati or be required to pack up and move to a strange …
Even in fully open adoptions, filled with visits and solid relationships, there are fears that every birth mother worries about.
When I was asked as an adoptive mother and foster-care advocate to reflect this season on what it means to be thankful, I had to look up the meaning of thankful. According to Websters Dictionary, it states, conscious of benefit received, expressive of thanks, well pleased: GLAD. I have had to be intentional about what …
November is National Adoption Month and chances are that if you are reading this blog post, that you have a special place in your heart for kids who are in care. You may or may not realize that we can each play a vital part in enhancing the lives of children and youth in foster …
Your words matter. How you respond to someone with an unexpected pregnancy could be the difference between life and death.
November is National Adoption Month. A time that has been dedicated to raise awareness and celebrate adoption. What started as a week of recognition has grown leaps and bounds. People have stepped out in faith, growing their families through the various facets of adoption. Adoption is not a new concept. Long ago, King David shared …
When my wife, Trisha, and I signed up to be foster parents 20 years ago, we were in our mid-twenties and had never parented before. As you would expect, there was a lot of paperwork to fill out. One particular form that is common in foster care and adoption lists conditions and experiences that may …
The Fall of each year serves as a reminder that the year is coming to an end, and we are headed into the busy holiday season. Thanksgiving and Christmas are times when families gather to share stories while making new memories. For my family, whether the elders pray or the children pray. Prayers are coveted …
Darren and Stacey Gagnon share their inspiring story of adopting five special needs children as they discuss their extensive involvement with foster care and helping kids who’ve experienced abandonment and trauma. They encourage listeners to consider how they, too, can support children in need of families.
Let’s be honest. WAITING IS HARD. Whether you are waiting to hear about a medical test results or waiting for a new child’s birth, waiting is hard. For instance, when my wife Sue and I followed God’s leading to apply to graduate school, our preparation time seemed endless. But the worst was the waiting. We …
How do you determine if someone is an expert in a given field? I’ve always thought that an expert has personal or professional experiential knowledge of a subject and has successfully navigated through it, grown beyond it, or found some way to grow from it. (“It” being whatever I happen to be researching at the …
It’s election season again, which means a never-ending stream of political ads on TV. I can’t wait for that part to be over. However, who we choose as our leaders, especially our Governors, can significantly impact the state’s child welfare system. There are 11 states with Governor seats up for election this year. Do you …
For the past 25-years, I have either advocated for children as a Marketplace leader or worked with Marketplace leaders to positively impact the lives of children, families, and communities. From my corporate career in banking and finance to my philanthropic engagement through community-based organizations, there has been one question that has always surfaced, “What should …
Lindsay Christensen and Laurie Haynes, both of whom serve in leadership roles at pregnancy resource centers, share powerful stories from their ministry to post-abortive women and men, offering encouragement and hope to listeners who may be struggling with the emotional anguish of a past abortion.
Imagine receiving a call while eating dinner with your three middle schoolers with a special request. To take in four children. Helen and Christopher had just said “yes” to becoming foster parents. They were about to say “yes” to a life-transforming experience. Life changing for their family and church. As well as a struggling family …
How does the church continue to meet the need of over 400,00 children nationwide in the foster care system?
When it comes to supporting a birth mother, there is not an “easy” option. Both parenting and adoption come with grief and loss.
We can encourage the faith of a child with special needs by giving them opportunities to worship according to their abilities and preferences.