Encouragement

Favorite Quotes

"A child is the beauty of God present in the world - the greatest gift to a family."
— Mother Teresa —

"It is incredible. A less-than-a-year-old baby hippopotamus, that survived the waves on the Kenyan coast, has adopted a male tortoise, about a century old, and the tortoise seems to be very happy with being a 'mother',…

After it was swept away and lost its mother, the hippo was traumatized. It looked for a surrogate mother. It landed with the tortoise and established a strong bond. They swim, eat, and sleep together… The hippo follows the tortoise exactly the way it would have followed its mother. If somebody approaches the tortoise, it then becomes aggressive," she said…
— Paula Kahumbu —

"Lord, when doubt fills my mind, when my heart is in turmoil, quiet me and give me renewed hope and cheer."
— Psalm 94:19 —

The following scripture are just some of the favorites of the God’s Families staff. We hope this offers you support, encouragement and direction as you seek your path.

"There is comfort in the fact that God does have your child in His Hands. He is the one who formed your child's body and knew your child's days and purpose before conception."
— Psalm 139:13-16—

A Prayer for Adoptive Parents and Their Children

If you can freely give children your heritage and graft them firmly into your family tree, and if you can point them to their first roots with honest and gratitude—then you can parent with confidence, knowing you are offering a lifelong gift.

If you hope your children will mature into the likeness of God (even more than you desire them to resemble yourself) then you have chosen the highest goal of parenthood.

If you listen to others describe their births of their children and feel just as proud of the way your children came, then you know the true meaning of "childbearing".

If you look stereotypes, false reports and myths in the face and wonder what on earth they are talking about; if you can listen to thoughtless words of friends with patience, and say to yourself, I will overlook that: they don't know how that sounds or feels (and yet be able to discern the time to speak); and if you can read research and psuedo-research and sense any bias-then adoption has done more than bring you children. It has sharpened you ability to identify with minorities.

If you have ever looked into the eyes of your child and know he or she was always your; if you have at the same time given thanks for your child's birthgiver—then you can help your child build strong self-esteem.

If your heart swells with pride at your child's successes; if you hold that child when he or she fails; if you do not blame the failure on genetic origin or blame yourself but "own" it because your child is yours; if you pray desperately for the salvation of your children, saying (like Moses did) that if they cannot join you in God's kingdom, you cannot go either—they you have learned to pray. Then parenthood has seeped into your soul, even if it didn't emanate from your body, and you will never not be a parent ever again.

If you rise each morning resolving to be an ideal parent but break your best intentions by noon, forced to acknowledge your humanness and humbly press on; if you offer your spouse and children the same forgiveness you receive from God; if you can point your children past sins towards God and his family—then you have truly become a parent.

Then your family will be a beacon in a dark and lonely world.

—Vernell Klassen Miller

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.
— Romans 8:28 —

Jonathan was only three when he put his little arms around my neck and said, "Mommy, I wish I had grown in your body."

His sweet, honest longing brought new revelation to me and tears to my eyes. I held him tightly and whispered something that, in my appreciation of adoption, I thought I would never need to say. "I do too, Sonny."

But then, I no longer felt the need for a biological child. It was a different kind of infertility I sensed at that moment—created by love for this particular boy. I was willing to suffer—even die—for my son. Yet, I missed the privilege and pain of giving birth to him.

Our daughter is now three. In our conversations, we discuss pregnancy, birth, and adoption. In a way similar to my discovery of a new fertility, I also found new relatedness to my children. It brought a sense of blessing.

"Why wasn't I born in your tummy, Mommy?" It was one of Elise's standard lean-in questions to the story of how she became our daughter. Her round face leaned close to mine, her eyes sparkling in anticipation.

"Another woman got to carry you before you were born," I began.

Then I recognized a special bond my children and I have which not every family has or would see. Our mutual needs propelled us together. Even if conception occurred in our family, even if our children met people genetically related to them, the reality of our unity would never change.

The miracle is that our losses have brought us some of life's greatest blessings.

That will never change.

—Vernell Klassen Miller

Coping with Infertility, Miscarriage, and Stillbirth

"We can make our plans, but the final outcome is in God's hands."
— Proverbs 16:1 —

"For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His."
— 2 Chronicles 16:9 —

"Our God however, turned the curse into a blessing."
— Nehemiah 13:2b —

"Lord, when doubt fills my mind. When my heart is in turmoil, quiet me and give me renewed hope and cheer."
— Psalm 94:19 —

"He gives power to the tired and worn out, and strength to the weak."
— Isaiah 40:29 —

"For Jehovah God is our light and our protector. He gives us grace and glory. No good thing will He withhold from those who walk along his path."
— Psalm 84:11 —

Faith and Indecision

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick; but when dreams come true at last, there is life and joy."
— Proverbs 13:12 —

"Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights."
— Isaiah 7:11 —

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
— 1 Corinthians 13:13 —

Waiting

"See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?"
— Matthew 6:28-30 —

"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."
— I Peter 5:7 (NIV) —

Biology

Myths and endless genealogies...promote controversies rather than God's work-which is by faith."
— 1 Timothy 1:3-4 —

Promises and Answers

"Sing, 0 barren woman, you who have never bore a child, burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband" says the Lord. "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities."
— Isaiah 54;1 —

"I waited patiently for God to help me; then He listened and heard my cry. He lifted me ...and set my feet on a hard, firm path and steadied me... He has given me a new song to sing."
— Psalm 40:1-3 —

"The things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair. For these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!"
— Hab. 2:3 —

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
— Hebrews 11:1 —

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose."
— Romans 8:28 —

" The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in."
— Isaiah 58:1-12 —

The Spirit of Adoption

"For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received spirit of adoption. When we cry "Abba! Father!" it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are God's children, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ - if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him."
— Romans 8:15-17 —

"It is God who is at work within you, giving you both the will and power to achieve His purpose."
— Phil. 2:13 —

Support

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
— Matthew 5:4 —

"What a wonderful God we have... who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us."
— 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 —

Orphaned and Abandoned Children

"Because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist him."
— Job 29:22 —

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
— James 1:22 and 27 —

"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling."
— Psalm 68:5 —

"He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing."
— Deuteronomy 10:18 —

Charity

"At the end of every three years. Bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, so that... the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands."
— Deuteronomy 14:28-9 —

"When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back and get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands."
— Deuteronomy 24:19 —