“I am happy to say that my prayers were answered at the age of nine when my biological brother and I were adopted by two people that are now my mom and dad in every sense of the word. God delivered me to a family that never once wavered in their un- conditional love and support as they walked my painful healing journey by my side. The truth is, early trauma changes who you are. You can either let it take you, or you can decide to fight it. I was determined to fight.”
Author Archives: Admin
How My “Brand” of 20 THINGS Developed
“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.”
Thankful Always?
“Can we find the strength that we need to persevere in God alone, trusting that He will carry us through whatever 2021 and the following years have ahead of us? Sometimes I wish I could just rewind my entire life and start all over again, but again we need to remember that we are not in control. We need to instead praise God that He is in control and is with us in the circumstances and give thanks despite what has gone on in our lives.”
Zoom Community Discussion
“Tiana Hawver is an adoptee and skilled documentarian. She will lead us in a discussion about her documentary, Reconnecting the Dots.”
The Fear of Asking: Praying as an Adoptee
“Before this book, I had never connected my adoption with the way I pray. The realization hit me like a truck. Even though I intellectually know it isn’t true (and isn’t even possible), I’m afraid of being a burden to God, afraid of being an annoying little human who asks for too much and who is too obnoxious to keep around, afraid of God deciding I’m too hard to keep.”
The Power of Lament for Adoptees
“What is lament, and what does it have to offer adoptees? Lament is the recognition of injustice in the world, it’s a profound sadness that comes with seeing the impact of sin in both big and little ways. In a book titled Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy, Mark Vroegop writes that, “Lament can be defined as a loud cry, a howl, or a passionate expression of grief. However, in the Bible lament is more than sorrow or talking about sadness.”
Finding My Way Back Home
“So here I am as a 38 year old mother of three, a wife, a friend, a sister, a daughter, an aunt, and cousin; lost trying to find my way back to where it all started, in the highlands of Ethiopia, where the days were marked with coffee ceremonies, holy days, family, and so much more.”
Adoptee Feature: JT Olson & Both Hands
“This new segment will consist of a few fellow adoptee’s that are making a difference and impacting lives for the better. Our first guest is JT Olson who has a remarkable story. His own personal tragedy inspired him to start an amazing organization which helps orphans and widows.”
Zoom Community Discussion
The way people talk about adoption matters. How do other people’s words and ideas impact us as adoptees? Let’s talk about it! Has someone ever said something to you about adoption that is uninformed or hurtful? What was it and how did it make you feel? What do you wish people would say or thinkContinue reading “Zoom Community Discussion”
Adoption in Light of Ephesians 1:3-6
“Though it took me a long time, once God saved me, I was able to look at my parents and my adoption with new eyes. They are the ones who raised me, loved me, and took care of me all those years, so I have gratitude to them and to God. God has done the same thing for us, in “choosing us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons.””