Adoption Resources

“…God is graciously involved in our adoptions. He has done it Himself. He knows what it costs. And He stands ready to support us all the way to the end.” ~John Piper

If you missed the first two posts of this series, you may want to go back and read about– our adoption story and the most important question you can ask about adoption. But today I’d like to share with you some of the adoption related resources that were helpful for our family.

Books That We Appreciate:
Adopted for Life– by Russell Moore

Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew– by Sherrie Eldridge

Reclaiming Adoption– by Cruver, Piper, Smith, Phillips, and Kovacs

Radical– by David Platt

Kisses from Katie– by Katie J. Davis

The Whole Life Adoption– Jayne Schooler (not from a Christian perspective necessarily, but required reading for most agencies)

Inside Transracial Adoption– by Gail Steinberg (not from a Christian perspective, but raises many good questions and issues that need to be addressed and prayerfully considered. This book is required reading for many agencies as well).

Dear Birthmother– by Kathleen Silber (not from a Christian perspective, but this book opened my heart to the feelings of a birthmother and encouraged me to pray for our daughters’ birthmothers).

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless–it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.” ~ C.S. Lewis

Adoption Books for Children:
God Found Us You– by Lisa Tawn Bergren (my favorite book for children)

A Blessing From Above– by Patty Henderson

Forever Fingerprints– by Sherrie Eldridge

Mommy’s Heart Went POP!– by Kristina Kyllonen (a special friend who lives in Rwanda sent me this one and it’s beautiful)

A Mother for Choco– by Keiko Kasza

My Family, My Journey– by Zoe Francesca (a baby book for adoptive families)

“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.” ~Matthew 18:5

Adoption Related Articles That Are Encouraging and Convicting:
Adoption: The Heart of the Gospel– by John Piper

Adopted for Life, Ten Years Later– by Russell Moore

Security Counsel– by Andree Seu Peterson (on taking risks…this article moved us to take the first steps towards adoption)

Predestined for Adoption to the Praise of His Glory– by John Piper

The Risk of Transracial Adoption– by Justin Taylor

Is the Orphan My Neighbor– by Russell Moore

Don’t Adopt– by Russell Moore

“Abba Father and Hearing the Orphans Cry“– by Dan Cruver

Do I Have What It Takes to Raise an African Child?– by Trillia Newbell

6 Part Adoption Series– from Focus on the Family

“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families…” ~Psalm 68:5-6a

Adoption Agencies and Organizations We Love:
Together for Adoption– “provides gospel-centered resources to mobilize the church toward orphan care”

Christian Alliance for Orphans– unites more than 100 respected Christian organizations and churches (organizers of Orphan Sunday)

All God’s Children International– adoption agency for both domestic and international adoptions

Bethany Christian Services– adoption agency for both domestic and international adoptions

Holt International– adoption agency for both domestic and international adoptions

Christian Family Adoptions– adoption agency for both domestic and international adoptions (our agency)

Show Hope– a movement to care for orphans (established as Shaohannah’s Hope, by Steven Curtis Chapman)

I Care About Orphans– a ministry of Focus on the Family

Forever Families– support community and resources for adoptive and foster families

“The nature of spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainty.” ~Oswald Chambers

The Financial Side of Things:
How Can I Afford Adoption? — article by Justin Taylor

The ABBA Fund– helps with financial assistance

Show Hope– adoption aid and adoption grants

Ways to Fund Your Adoption– a list of suggestions compiled by Christian Family Adoptions

“This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans…in their distress.” ~James 1:27

Other Adoption Related Resources:
Orphans and Adoption– audio by Voddie Bauchman and Russell Moore

But Are They Brothers? The Spirit of Adoption and Unity of the Church?– audio by Russell Moore

Waiting Children– Northwest Adoption Exchange (this was the page that first drew my heart to adoption)

Positive Adoption Language– a must read for all, from Holt International

10 Days of Adoption Series– a very practical, helpful series by Jamie @See Jamie Blog (addresses many common questions and misconceptions about adoption)

The Law Offices of Scott Adams– the lawyer who finalized both of our adoptions. He can take care of the legal aspects of adoption for anyone who has a connection to the state of Oregon or Washington. But he really did MUCH more than that for our family… on the day of our 4th daughter’s death, he pushed her finalization through the courts and delivered her adoption certificate up to the hospital about an hour before she died. It was just an incredible gift given to us from God, through the efforts of Scott. We are so thankful for him!

“Shall we not take the adventure that Aslan hands us.” ~C.S. Lewis

What other adoption resources have you found helpful? I’d love to add them to the list…

Make sure you don’t miss the other posts from this series:
And Then He Told Me That I’m Adopted (our adoption stories)
The Most Important Question You Can Ask About Adoption
Living Out-of-Control (and how adoption helped us Let. It. Go.)
Seven Reasons That We Love Adoption (and why I think of it every Day-Before-Thanksgiving

Don’t want to miss new posts?
Please connect with us by email, facebook, twitter, or rss feed!