by Mardie Caldwell, Founder of Lifetime Christian Adoption, nationally-recognized adoption expert, and adoptive mother
Sometimes what seems like a bad situation can turn out to be a planned growth opportunity. During your adoption journey, trusting God every day has to become your habit. Having trust in Him and letting go of how you’ll get to your destination can help you avoid a lot of unneeded stress. Here’s what I’ve learned: it’s crucial to daily affirm your trust in and gratitude to God, no matter what.
Sometimes we forget God can do far more than we ask for or can imagine. If someone would have told me 30 years ago that my company Lifetime Adoption would help thousands of babies and children find adoptive homes forever, I’m not sure if I could have handled the heavenly concept back then. I’m glad I had the mustard seed of faith that He would enlarge my aspirations to create adoptive families today. When I felt alone and lacking in trust, it was a matter of putting one foot in front of the other and getting back on track.
We are human, and the good thing is we can quickly get back on the right road and once again know He has it all handled. It’s exciting now to see both small and major events we didn’t expect. We have a long history of miracles and amazing adoption stories. This helps us all and will hopefully help you to “keep the faith.”
So be strong, have faith, and begin each day with prayer and positive expectations. Know that there is no limit to what God can accomplish in your life. Be mindful of having a thankful heart and looking forward with faith.
Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
Psalm 143:8
Mardie Caldwell, C.O.A.P., is nationally recognized as an expert on open adoption. A Certified Open Adoption Practitioner (C.O.A.P.), Caldwell is the founder of Lifetime Adoption Center, established in 1986. She has assisted in over 2,000 successful adoptions and was one of the first adoption professionals on the Internet.
Caldwell's life work is dedicated to educating and helping birth parents find the right adoptive parents for their child. She spreads the word about modern adoption through speaking appearances, webinars, online resources, and as a podcast show host.
She has written several award-winning books, including So I Was Thinking About Adoption, the first book of its kind. There are many reasons women choose adoption, and this short book is a comprehensive resource to make the best plan for you and your baby. Caldwell wrote So I Was Thinking About Adoption as a handy guide to the details of the adoption process.
Caldwell has made over 150 media appearances, including ABC News, CBS News, Larry King Live, CNN Headline News, NBC's The Today Show, CNN's The Campbell Brown Show, NBC News, KGO Newstalk Radio, CNN's Black in America II, MSNBC, Fox, PBS, BBC, and Dr. Laura.
