Am I pro-life?

Many people might want to throw their computers out the window after they read what I am about to write. Keep reading anyway.

Here it goes....

Being pro-life is not everything.

Are you still there?

Let me elaborate...

There is a difference between being anti-death and being pro-life. One can oppose death and at the same time not actively support life.

Understand where I'm at?

A couple of months ago, I sat across from a young girl, holding her hands and welcoming her tears. Let me tell you her story. "Lashawna" is homeless. She sleeps on friends' couches and takes a meal where she can get it. She has no contact with her family...if you can even call "them" that. Her father abandoned the family when Lashawna was a baby. Lashawna's mother was physically abusive to all 3 of her kids, but especially to Lashawna's younger sister, who has some special needs. Lashawna and her sisters were removed from the home and passed from foster home to foster home until, at 18, Lashawna aged out of the system...which pretty much brings us full circle. Homeless. Familyless. Hopeless. And now pregnant. Lashawna came to me considering abortion.

It is easy to check a box on a ballot. It's easy to spout off an easily defined conviction at a cocktail party. But what do you say to Lashawna?

Homeless. Familyless. Hopeless.

I can tell her not to abort her baby.
I cannot guarantee she will have help raising her baby.
I cannot guarantee she will have a place to live.
I cannot promise that she will have the resources to buy prenatal vitamins and diapers.
I cannot promise that her child "won't end up like me...being passed from home to home" if she chooses adoption.
I can tell her not to abort her baby. But I can't promise her any of those other things, because there are plenty of statistics to sabotage those promises. Unless I choose to be actively pro-life for her and her child, they will end up being just another one of those statistics (and there are plenty not-so-good-ones to choose from).
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Recently, I stumbled across THIS ARTICLE. Oh my. It is pretty much my heart, summed up on a page.

Friends, we are so eager to shout to the world that we are "PRO-LIFE!" But are we truly pro-life, or just anti-death?

I am terrified to admit it, but I must say that my answer to Kinsey Thurlow's question would have to be "no." There are hundreds of thousands of kids waiting to be adopted here in the US. Millions more around the world. If we, the people of God, are not even caring for these kids, why would we be arrogant enough to think we could take on thousands more? ***I am by NO MEANS saying that abortion is right, good, or any of the like. (And I'm also not saying that GOD could not handle the thousands of lives that are in jeopardy here)***

I'm just giving you something to think about at your next cocktail party...Abortion creates brokenness. However, the faces behind abortion are complicated. They are hurting. They are also uniquely beautiful. And they need us to be pro-LIFE for THEM, too...not just for their babies.

I've heard a couple of people respond to Thurlow's article by saying that God's people have not been educated about foster care and adoption, that what we need to do is focus on educating people about the need.

As a full-time student (who has been a student pretty much since she was born), I'm here to educate YOU about...well, education.

learning [lur-ning]:
--noun
1. by systematic study in any field of scholarly application.

2. the act or process of acquiring knowledge or skill.
3. the modification of behavior through practice, training, or experience.

Let me just say this. It is the job of my professors to present information. As a nursing student, it is my job to show up to class, study the reading material, review what is presented, and apply, both to my life and to my nursing practice, the information I am receiving. My professors do not bang on my door each morning, make sure I am up and reading my textbooks, lead me to class, or watch me review. These things are not in their job description.

I'm sure there is truth to the statement: "The Church has not been educated about foster care and adoption." I'm also sure that God longs for His people to actively pursue His heart...to actively pray that He would burden them with the things that burden His heart. I'm sure that He longs for His people to study His Word, to intentionally look for ways to carry out His work here on earth.

So here is my plea. Don't let ignorance be the barrier between you and God's heart. Don't wait for someone to spoon-feed you. Take it upon yourself to learn His likes and dislikes, His passions and burdens. PRAY that God would reveal to you ways you can be not only anti-death, but also PRO-LIFE. STUDY God's Word...I'm pretty sure you'll see God's heart for the oppressed shine through. REVIEW how God might have you act. {And don't think, by any means, that I am not including myself in this plea...I am, as you read this, taking a dose of my own medicine.}

Let's give people like Lashawna a reason to believe they do not have to resign themselves to the statistics. Let's come alongside them and give them a home, a family, and a hope in the God who loves them more than they could even fathom. I may not be able to promise many things, but I can guarantee that our God is not only against death, but also very much for LIFE. And He longs to raise LIFE out of death...through the hands and feet and servant hearts of His people.

Help bring Timothy's cousin home!

It is so incredible for me to see how God has laced my life with adoption stories. Timothy is home and thriving, but he still has a cousin waiting to come home from Ethiopia! What a joy it has been to have a sideline seat to Timothy's journey home, and I can only imagine the joy there will be on the day when he is able to greet his new cousin at the airport! Last year, the Kirk family had the privilege of partnering with Go. Seek. Love. as they sought to raise money for Timothy's adoption. Almost exactly a year later, Amy's sister, Julie, and her family are partnering with Go. Seek. Love. to raise money for THEIR adoption! All the proceeds from Go. Seek. Love. t-shirt sales in the month of May go toward the Thompson family's adoption. Please support the Thompson family with your prayers and financial gifts as you are able. (Oh, and for some fun giveaways associated with this fundraiser, visit Amy's blog and Julie's blog!) To read more about the incredible Thompson family, check out THIS page!

An Incredible Journey to an Incredible Little Boy

For the past year and a half, I have had a sideline seat to one of the craziest, most beautiful stories that has accented my life...the adoption of this sweet boy into one of my most favoritest families on this planet:

Timothy Natnael

When I was given the incredible privilege of moving in with this family in September of 2009, I had no idea what God had in store for my heart. My dad had gone to heaven only a month and a half earlier, so the overwhelming grief of not having him with me on earth was still somewhat consuming. I was also beginning the new unknown of nursing school. I was overwhelmed, to say the least! So many emotions--one of the strongest being excitement! I was giddy to have been given the gift of a place to call home...with some of my favorite people in the world, no less!

That fall, God began to perform surgery on my heart. Through my dad's illness and death, my eyes had been opened to the incredible hurt and suffering of so many on this planet. As I grieved the loss of my dad, I could no longer remain ignorant to the plight of the oppressed in this broken world. In October, God opened up a new page to this journey of mine as the Kirks officially began their adoption process. It is hard to believe that there has hardly been a moment in my time living with this family that they HAVEN'T been in the adoption process!

I'm not sure that words could express how these past 17 months have impacted my life. Wow!
God has blessed me with a sideline seat to this family's journey to their newest treasure. I don't know what He has in store for me, but I know that I have been forever changed by this one little boy!

Checking out brother's tiny toes

There have been mountaintop highs to this journey (like THIS one), and challenging, arduous lows. I have seen, in new ways, God's heart for the orphan. I have also seen, in new ways, Satan's incredible disgust for and opposition to adoption. Through it all, I have also witnessed, firsthand, God's faithfulness through every twist and turn that has brought this little boy together with this family.

all 7 brothers and sisters...together at last!

This past Friday, the journey of bringing Timothy home officially ended...and what a joyous occasion it was! (You can watch a video of their homecoming HERE). We cried, screamed with joy, jumped up and down, hugged, laughed...and most of all, celebrated. We celebrated the homecoming of a little boy to his forever family. We celebrated the completion of what has been an incredibly long journey, full of unexpected twists and turns, to Timothy. We celebrated the beginning of new relationships between Timothy and his brothers and sisters. We celebrated, praising God for remaining steadfast through it all. {and crashed into our beds that night!} In some ways, the journey has only begun with the family being united--COMPLETE--for the very first time.


Friends, adoption is beautiful. It is beautiful because it is God's heart. It is beautiful because we have been adopted into God's family...and, in some ways, the adoption of an orphan is one of the closest metaphors we have to our own adoption as sons and daughters of God. I pray that you, too, will be blessed with a window into adoption...whether it be through your own journey to a beautiful treasure or through the journey of someone you love.



"God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

I did not know when I moved here that I would get to be a part of this adoption journey...but God knew! The scope of His work is unfathomable, beautiful from beginning to end! I feel blessed beyond measure to have witnessed such an incredible start to what I am sure will be a beautiful, beautiful story.

Welcome home, Timothy!

Powerful video

One of the most powerful videos I've seen in a while...

God, give me your heart for your children...so much so that I am moved to act on your behalf.

Seeing Timothy's Face

I am so incredibly happy to share THIS NEWS with you all...I have had the great privilege of journeying with my "second family" as they have celebrated the highs and clung to Jesus in the deep valleys on this road of adoption. I can honestly say that my life is forever changed. My heart has been softened, my eyes have been opened, and I will never be the same again. Today, I was overjoyed to share in their celebration as we all soaked in the beautiful face we have been praying for and eagerly anticipating for so many long months. There are feelings welling up in my heart that I cannot even begin to put words to! Praise be to God, for His never ending faithfulness and heart of adoption! Little Timothy's face will forever be etched on my heart (and carried in my wallet...hehe)! Please head on over HERE to congratulate the Kirks!