Branding was an unknown concept back in 1998, yet looking back, I can see how my brand of 20 THINGS developed. Over the years, this brand was created through writing and speaking. It has grown through a simple article written for my church’s newsletter in 1995 to nine books titled with the brand.
This is a bit of my back story. My life began in eternity past, in the heart of God my Father. In the human sense, I was an unplanned, unwanted, unnamed baby. My mother abandoned me immediately after birth and I was placed in an incubator for ten days, where I was declared to be a “failure to thrive” baby because I didn’t eat. I wanted my mother to come back and find me, but she didn’t. Therefore, I entered the rest of life with a tiny, grieving heart.
I was adopted at ten days of age for the cost of $55.98! My parents loved me, but my Dad was abusive and Mom, neglectful. At age 20, I was married to the love of my life and we had two daughters. When I anticipated their birth, I began thinking about my birth mother for the first time ever. My parents told me about her when I was very young, but I couldn’t absorb the information. They were ahead of their time in that regard.
Founded Amidst Rejection
At age 47, I found my birth mother and was reunited with her in what seemed initially like a fairy-tale reunion, but she hadn’t grieved her life losses and was unable to receive my love. A week later, when I called to thank her, she abusively rejected me. While she was attacking me verbally, God brought the words of Isaiah 49:15-16 to mind: “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Yes, she may, but I (God) will never forget you. See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are ever before me.” This rejection was a pivotal point and I struggled because I knew of no one that this had happened to. I began journaling my experiences and writing about them in East 91st Street’s Church newsletter. One of the articles was titled: 20 Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew. This would eventually turn into a book published by Random House and would sell a quarter of a million copies.
Seeing Myself Through God’s Eyes
In counseling, the counselor gave me the assignment to visit Riley Hospital’s newborn unit, pray, and ask God to show me what I’d lost at birth. Nothing happened until the ride home, when I began sobbing and had to pull off to the side of the road. Two words came to mind: “jewel” and “on the day you were born.” Being an avid Bible student, I ran home to my Thesaurus and found them in Ezekiel 16: 4-7: “On the day you were born, you were thrown out into an open field, unwanted, but I (God) came by and saw you lying there. I said, ‘Live, thrive, like a plant in the field. And, you did. You became a jewel among jewels.” This was a game changer for me because until then, I had no self worth. Like many adopted people, I feared my life was a mistake. But it wasn’t—I was God’s idea and I now know I am his jewel and that He was there with me in the midst of brokenness.
As a result of these experiences, I founded a non-profit organization called JEWEL AMONG JEWELS. I longed to give hope and help to those whose lives have been touched by adoption. It was founded with another adoptee, Jody Moreen, and we published a monthly online newspaper which presented a Biblical point of view. The audience grew by 500% in the first year.
I’ve never sought out a speaking gig. God is my publicist. Over the years, God gave me the privilege of speaking across the U.S., China, Canada, Thailand.
Aiming for A Wide Influence
The best-selling book isn’t written for a Christian audience. I felt that making it specifically for the Christian market would limit my outreach. Many readers, however, told me that they could tell I’m a Christian by the way I write and use words. I’ve written other books solely from a Biblical perspective, but they haven’t sold like the first.
I was invited to speak in front of an audience of 40 in Beijing. The audience consisted of orphanage superintendents, government officials, and university professors. My notes had to be examined by officials there and I was instructed to not say the word “adoption.” Can you believe that?!! When I stood to speak, there was an interpreter by my side and after a couple of sentences, I slipped and said the dreaded word. Come to find out, adoption was a politically loaded word. The orphanage superintendents thought they could take better care of the orphaned children than potential adoptive parents. This was the undercurrent and I was also told that the Chinese don’t ask questions after a talk. So, I prayed like crazy and God gave me the right words. At the end, one orphanage superintendent hastily asked a question as he stood to his feet: “Who do you think gives best care to the children? Us, or adoptive parents?” Immediately, God gave me the answer. “Why does it have to be one or the other? The children can benefit from the love of both the orphanage workers and potential adoptive parents.” When my fellow missionary and I returned to the hotel, we saw that our names were written on a blackboard in the hotel lobby. A bit scary!
The greatest moment in China was visiting an orphanage in Taiwan after speaking to a group of parents and professionals there. One adorable little boy, probably around the age of 4, captured my heart at just a glance. I kept trying to win over his attention and curiosity, but of course, he was very defensive. Finally, he came over to me and the orphanage worker with his arms held high to me. I picked him up. His name was Moses. When holding him, I thought about how much he suffered and was suffering without a home. When I returned to our hotel, I wept and prayed, “God, please break my heart with the things that break your heart.”
That little scenario sums up my brand. I guess that’s where my passion lies basically—to assure adopted children they’re not forgotten, that their lives aren’t a mistake, and that friendships with fellow adoptees is a gift from heaven.
https://sherrieeldridgeadopotion.blog
sherriesheartlanguage@gmail.com
Sherrie Eldridge