I Heart Mom 2 Mom. . .

I love Wednesdays! Aside from Saturday, it is my absolute favorite day of the week. I got up early so I could do a few things before Camy got up. It's so nice to have that time to shower and prepare for the day, it's just hard to get out of bed! I'm going to try and do it more often, but I have a long standing love affair with sleep, so we'll see. Cameryn got up and was in such a good mood. I have always loved our time together first thing in the morning, I have a feeling she may be a morning person as she grows up.

Anyway, we had breakfast and then headed to Mom 2 Mom. Tera Melber spoke today about the theology of adoption and she was awesome! Highview has such a heart for orphan care and adoptions. It's amazing to be part of a church were you don't just hear the gospel, but see it in the lives of so many. As an adopted child, today was a little emotional for me, but in a good way. Being on the other end of it and seeing these moms around me that have made that choice or are in the long process of adopting a child into their families made me feel so special and loved, not only by my amazing parents but by my creator.

Tera's presentation of adoption was from the point of view that we are all, as believers, adopted by God into his family through Christ. I won't go into as much detail as she did but I was so touched that I have to share some of the main points.

1. Our adoption was accomplished despite our condition.

Romans 3:10-23 Tells us that not one of us is righteous but we are made right by our faith in Jesus. This mirrors a physical adoption in that orphans often times come from bad circumstances or have different circumstances. You don't adopt to get a perfect child, you do it out of love.

2. Our Adoption wa accomplished through the suffering of our savior.

Romans 5:6-11 explains how Christ died for us while we were still sinners and showed us his great love. Children don't understand all the trials and tribulations you experience in the adoptions process, but it is so small compared to what Christ did for us.

3. Our adoption required a ransom.

Matt. 20:28 and 1 Tim. 2:6. Christ paid the ultimate price for us. If he calls you to adopt a child then he will provide the means. All we are to do it trust and obey.

4. Our adoption is for the glory of God.

Romans 15:7-9. God adopting us is all to bring Him glory and when we adopt children it brings light to the gospel. We are ambassadors of Christ every single day.

In closing Tera did not make us raise our hands if we planned on adopting and anyone who didn't was kicked out! The whole point is that, as believers we are given a mandate to care for orphans. They are one of the most vulnerable groups of people in the world and because we have experienced an adoption by our heavenly father, we should take action to spread His love. She gave us great practical ways to love on the fatherless that ranged from prayer, gifts of money things and encouragement, helping a family in the process of being foster parents or adopting, going on mission trips, or being a forever family to a child. I have a lot to pray and think about. If anyone wants the detailed information Tera gave us on how to help, just let me know.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
James 1:27