Back in Biblical times, women who had no children felt they were being judged or cursed by God. Today, we know that’s not the case. God does things for His own reasons and in His own timing.
For some couples, God has called for them to grow their family through adoption. If you’re considering adoption, the first step is to go to God in prayer and make sure it is His will for you. Today, I’ll share 11 tips to follow so that you can be successful in Christian adoption!
Getting Started in Christian Adoption
- Write out your adoption plan: Decide which type of adoption is best for your family. You can always review and revise your plan during your journey to adopt a child.
- Be realistic when evaluating your finances and determining your adoption budget.
- Assess your emotional readiness, and that of your family, to adopt.
The Adoption Process
- Learn everything that you can online and from books about adoption and parenting. You may never again do something so important.
- Don’t be obsessed: stop looking at your phone or computer at a reasonable time. Make sure to get enough rest, eat well, and take time to appreciate your life.
- Make sure to take care of each task that your adoption professional asks you to do; don’t procrastinate.
- Be calm each time you start adoption paperwork or to-do items.
During Your Christian Adoption Journey
- If you already have children, know that this can be a stressful time for them. They need you! Remember to spend quality time with them, read them stories, and tuck them in at night.
- Understand and be aware that your adoption journey will naturally come with its ups and downs.
- Lean on each other and on God for support. Share with your spouse the vision of the child you will bring into your home. Your love will grow as you work together to realize your dream.
- Get involved with other adoptive families for emotional support, both online and in real life, to enhance your parenting skills and the quality of your adoption experience.
Avoid Procrastinating
Many couples feel overwhelmed by the paperwork that confronts them at the beginning of the adoption process. They go into a tizzy and wonder if they will ever get through the mountain of paperwork needed to proceed to the next step.
They may even begin to wonder if it is worth all the trouble to become parents. But look at it this way – even couples with biological children go through many ordeals before they hold their baby in their hands. There are the constant medical visits, the stress of labor and delivery, and the financial expenses that come with it all.
Whether you are an adoptive or birth family, you have to go through certain uncomfortable and taxing situations before you get to enjoy your baby. Your mountain of paperwork is certainly passable!
Some reasons why couples put off completing the adoption paperwork include:
- Feeling uncomfortable providing personal information about their finances and their medical history.
- Feeling anxious or even indignant that they must provide all this information to become a parent.
- They have a tendency to procrastinate!
Every God-given day offers us many chances and opportunities to make a difference in our lives and the lives of those around us. Regarding adoption, what you do in a single day can determine your entire adoption journey.
Many couples find adoption paperwork to be daunting. But when they finish it, they wonder what the fuss was about! The paperwork and home study process may seem to drag on, but remember that it will bring you one step closer to that blessed moment when you bring your baby home and become “Mom” and “Dad.”
Adopting as a Christian
Above all, pray through each step of the process. Never underestimate God’s power and provision to see you through what can be a trying process. If God has led you to give the gift of adoption, don’t get discouraged when things become difficult or time-consuming. The Lord has a child meant just for you!
Get started on your adoption by filling out Lifetime’s free online application. We invite you to apply today!
Founder of Lifetime Adoption, adoptive mom, adoption expert, and Certified Open Adoption Practitioner (C.O.A.P).
Since 1986, adoption expert Mardie Caldwell has been dedicated to bringing couples and birth parents together in order to fulfill their dreams.
“Many years ago, I was also searching for a child to adopt. We didn’t know where or how to get started. Through research, determination, and a prayer, our dream of a family became reality. I started with a plan, a notebook, assistance from a caring adoption consultant and a lot of hard work; this was my family I was building. We had a few heartaches along the way, but the pain of not having children was worse!
Within weeks we had three different birth mothers choose us. We were overwhelmed and delighted. Many unsettling events would take place before our adoption would be finalized, many months later. Little did I know that God was training and aligning me for the adoption work I now do today. It is my goal to share with our families the methods and plans which succeed and do not succeed. I believe adoption should be affordable and can be a wonderful “pregnancy” for the adoptive couple.
I have also been on both sides of infertility with the loss of seven pregnancies and then conceiving by new technology, giving birth to a healthy daughter. I have experienced first-hand the emotional pain of infertility and believe my experience allows me to serve your needs better.
It is my hope that for you, the prospective parents, your desire for a child will be fulfilled soon.”
