Adoption Awareness Month

November is Adoption Awareness Month.

This is the month we turn our focus to the MILLIONS of children throughout the world living without the love of a family.

This is the time of year when we kick our advocacy efforts into high gear hoping that we can open the eyes of those around us to the plight of the fatherless.

While we are not all called to adopt, we are ALL called to "visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction." ALL OF US!

When it comes to caring for the fatherless, WE are the Lord's hands and feet.

EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. OF. US!

And the Lord isn't just calling, He is COMMANDING us to act.

In the words of Adeye Salem (and I encourage you to read her post in its entirety because it is powerful):

"We’re the Christians, doggone it! We’re God’s beloved church. His beautiful bride. We’re the ones He has already commanded to take care of the orphans.

Yet sadly, we wait.

We wait for God to speak to us in an audible voice, telling us to “GO!” Sometimes He does that audible voice thing, you know.

We wait for the perfect job to come along. Orphan care demands a whole lot of money. How can we possibly afford another mouth to feed?

We wait for the bills to be paid—can’t be taking on more than we can handle.

We wait for the larger house—because adding children requires a large house.

We wait for a few kids to leave the nest before we add more—can’t be having too many children in the home now, can we?

We wait for confirmation with the perfect Scripture to drop into our spirits as a sign that we need to act now.

We wait...for someone else to go.

We wait, we wait, we wait.

And while we wait—they perish."

In the past, I have attempted (and failed miserably) to blog about adoption every day during the month of November. But advocacy requires more than just lip service. Advocacy requires action. So this year I am stepping up my game and I hope that you will too.

Every day during the month of November I WILL blog about adoption. I will (FINALLY) answer the questions asked LAST November regarding adoption and our experiences. I will share the profiles of waiting children. I will spotlight families currently in the adoption process who need your help and your prayers to bring their children home. I will highlight charitable organizations that exist to help care for the fatherless and I will share with you how YOU can answer the call and heed the command to do the same.

I will also be hosting a giveaway each week throughout the month of November. Every time you make a donation to the grant fund of a waiting child or of a family committed to bringing a child home; every time you share the profile of a waiting child or family; every time you make a donation (monetary or otherwise) to an "orphan care" organization, your name will be entered into the giveaway (and will remain in the "pool" until the month is over). Please be sure to leave a comment (on my blog or on Facebook) or send me an email to ensure that your name is entered.

How will YOU answer the call and heed the command to care for the fatherless this month?