Maybe one reason I am such a fan of blogs is that I can't just head to my local Christian bookstore and pick up a good read here in Chile. But I'm pretty sure the bigger reason is how true-life, real-time stories resonate deep within my soul. And sometimes there are those posts which are just too good to be kept to myself. I need to pass them on.
Today I share three which have spoken to me in very different but equally meaningful ways:
Jen McManus is a beautiful mom to three children with a passion for fostering and adoption. She is also fighting cancer. In her post entitled "Hair be gone" she shares through pictures and words the inspiring support of her family and their amazing attitude in the face of one of cancer's big hurdles. If this doesn't challenge you to cherish each moment and keep up the good fight, nothing will!
Jamie Ivey's post "I was forever changed by Haiti" was such a timely reminder to me of the things that truly matter. It spoke to my own selfishness and the desires for material possessions and security with which I so often struggle. Her closing words convict and inspire me: "I will chose to die to my self. I will chose HIM. It is not all about ME."
Jen Hatmaker is not only a blog writer, but also a published author with a speaking ministry. In addition, she is mom to five children including a son and daughter from Ethiopia. At five and seven years old, theirs was considered an "older child" adoption and that is exactly what God had placed on the Hatmaker's hearts. Recently their family rejoiced in the homecoming of their two children and now they are committed to not only loving their children through this transition but also frankly sharing the joys and trials of it. In her post "After the Airport" Jen writes:
Today I share three which have spoken to me in very different but equally meaningful ways:
Jen McManus is a beautiful mom to three children with a passion for fostering and adoption. She is also fighting cancer. In her post entitled "Hair be gone" she shares through pictures and words the inspiring support of her family and their amazing attitude in the face of one of cancer's big hurdles. If this doesn't challenge you to cherish each moment and keep up the good fight, nothing will!
Jamie Ivey's post "I was forever changed by Haiti" was such a timely reminder to me of the things that truly matter. It spoke to my own selfishness and the desires for material possessions and security with which I so often struggle. Her closing words convict and inspire me: "I will chose to die to my self. I will chose HIM. It is not all about ME."
Jen Hatmaker is not only a blog writer, but also a published author with a speaking ministry. In addition, she is mom to five children including a son and daughter from Ethiopia. At five and seven years old, theirs was considered an "older child" adoption and that is exactly what God had placed on the Hatmaker's hearts. Recently their family rejoiced in the homecoming of their two children and now they are committed to not only loving their children through this transition but also frankly sharing the joys and trials of it. In her post "After the Airport" Jen writes:
" ... Brandon and I decided some time ago to go at this honestly, with truthful words and actual experiences that might encourage the weary heart or battle some of the fluffy, damaging semi-truths about adopting. Because let me tell you something: If you are intrigued by the idea of adoption, with the crescendoing storyine and happy airport pictures and the sigh-inducing family portrait with the different skin colors and the feely-feel good parts of the narrative, please find another way to see God's kingdom come.If you are in the trenches of an adoption transition yourself or simply loving someone else through it, this post is a MUST read. All three of the posts linked above are, each for its own unique reasons. I am so thankful for the body of Christ, that no matter where we live or what our circumstances are we can edify one another when we encourage one another to look to Him and find our strength in Him throughout this journey of life!
You cannot just be into adoption to adopt; you have to be into parenting."
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