My Eyes are Open to Orphans — What Now?

November 30, 2016 Michelle Cuthrell

For the last 30 days, as we’ve celebrated National Adoption Awareness Month with the Facebook series “Celebrating Superheroes-in-Waiting,” we’ve highlighted the 132 million orphans around the world and what it takes to change their story.

Maybe God has pricked your heart or opened your eyes, and maybe, just maybe, He’s calling not just “those” families but YOURS to be His hands and feet.

To LOVE those who may have never experienced unconditional love.

To EMBRACE those who may have never been truly held.

To be a VOICE for those whose sounds on the global stage are often silent.

It doesn’t take perfect people to make perfect parents for precious superheroes-in-waiting; it takes imperfect people relying on the strength of a PERFECT GOD to form the perfect families for perfect-in-His-eyes children.

All it takes is open hands and open hearts to change the orphan story.

God provides the rest.

The Beauty and the Brokenness of Adoption

November 29, 2016 Michelle Cuthrell

Adoption is beautiful.

When a family chooses to love a child who grew in their hearts instead of their bellies — to BE the raw and real hands and feet of Jesus, to embrace hard things, to take on new challenges and to learn to love in ways that a child who may or may not have a broken past can receive, clinging to the strength of God because they know they don’t have the wisdom or strength or patience to do it alone — THAT is beautiful.

That is inspiring.

That is the heart of God.

And it paints the most beautiful picture of the Gospel. Of a Father who gave everything to adopt US as His children.

Not when we had it altogether.

Not when we were the picture-perfect models of joy and obedience.

Not when we were cute and little and innocent and adorable.

But when we were just one hot mess in need of a Savior.

Adoption presents this BEAUTIFUL picture of the way our Father God chooses to passionately love US.

But despite the BEAUTY, at the heart of every adoption story is BROKENNESS.

Abandonment.

Heart-wrenching choices and complicated decisions.

Loss that I will truly never fully understand but that I grieve over every time Superman conquers a new challenge. Hits a new milestone. Celebrates another birthday. Does something the beautiful woman who carried him and loved him and delivered him will never be able to see.

Loss that I would give my life to restore to this boy I love so much.

A Purchase with a Purpose: Black Friday Shopping, Adoption Style

November 25, 2016 Michelle Cuthrell

Today is BLACK FRIDAY!

As America takes to the mall at ungodly hours this morning to fill their carts with useless kitchen gadgets they would never buy at any other time of year (hello, Michelle's pizza-shaped slicer that is supposed to both cut my pizza and lift it in perfect triangular pieces onto the plates of boys who devour it before they can even appreciate the perfect geometric forms), I have a challenge for you!

You're shopping for the superheroes in your life this season anyway. Why not bless TWO superheroes at one time? Yours, and a superhero-in-no-more-waiting of a family just trying to bring that lovie HOME!

There are THOUSANDS of families selling everything from t-shirts to Thirty-One bags to nativity scenes to homemade fudge to raise the needed funds to complete their adoptions.

This Christmas, I challenge you to PARTNER WITH THEM … and put your money to a cause that has ETERNAL VALUE.

By being intentional with the items you were going to purchase this Christmas anyway, YOU can help change the orphan story. <3

Here are just a few of the items the adopting families we know are selling this Christmas season.

Choosing Love When the Feelings Don't Flow

November 22, 2016 Michelle Cuthrell

Adoption is beautiful. Life-giving. Life-changing.

It's also hard. Complex. Messy.

Today, my dear adoptive mama friend — the same precious woman who inspired my husband and me years ago to open our eyes to the idea of expanding our family through adoption — digs in and discusses the tough stuff. The hard things. The things that many adoptive families experience but very few adoptive families are willing to talk about.

The fact that sometimes, love is not a feeling. It’s a choice.

International Adoption: Getting Started

November 18, 2016 Michelle Cuthrell

Maybe God has been tugging on your heart.

Maybe you’ve fallen in love with a waiting child.

Maybe you’ve never even considered international adoption before, but after following the story of a hosted child or a neighbor’s adoption or the plight of the 132 million orphans around the world, some who are literally dying waiting for families to meet their medical needs, your eyes are open. Your heart’s on fire. And you’re not just willing to sit on the sidelines and allow “someone else” to address “that orphan crisis” anymore.

Today, the agency our family absolutely *loves* and used to bring home sweet Superman — the same awesome agency that introduced us to D.J. and will be bringing Joy to our home in just four more weeks — walks us through those first baby steps in the international adoption process.

Because processes and paperwork should never stand in the way of a child’s chance at a forever family.

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