I’m happy to report that I’m doing well following my concussion. There doesn’t seem to be any residual cognitive damage. My primary symptoms were fatigue, headaches, and times when I had to search for words, etc., but all of that seems to be gone. I’m so thankful for the many prayers, cards, and messages of support. I really appreciate this wonderful community of grace that has come together over the years!
So let’s get back to the business of prayer and prayer beads! It has been too long!
This week I have watched (via Facebook) as one of my colleagues traveled to China with her husband to adopt their son, Eli. Both Kara and her husband, Adam, have a disability called OI (osteogenesis imperfecta), a type of dwarfism also known as “brittle bone disease.” Although they have a biological daughter, Hannah, who does not have a disability, Kara and Adam really wanted to adopt a child with a disability. According to their blog, they did this knowing that a) there are many children with disabilities who are available for adoption around the world and b) the disability community can provide many opportunities for children, whether biological or adopted. Eli, who is seven, has achondroplasia, another form of dwarfism.
I have never met Kara and Adam (Kara and I have spoken via conference call for various meetings). Still, I have been so taken with their story. Every morning I look forward to seeing new photos and reading updates on their journey. It has been wonderful to celebrate their journey to China this week and see how they have begun to bond with their son, who is clearly delightful.
A lot of this has to do with the fact that my husband and I were planning to adopt a child at one point in our lives, soon after I was told I could not get pregnant. Our plans soon fell by the wayside, however, when I learned I was pregnant. To this day, I think about what it would be like to adopt. I know there are so many children in the world who need to know the love of a family. Adoption offers such an incredible opportunity to live out God’s hesed (deep love)!
So as I celebrate Kara, Adam, and Hannah’s union with Eli, I want to use today’s devotion to lift up those children in our world who need signs of God’s love through family.
Cross: Gracious God,
Invitatory Bead: Father of us all,
Resurrection Bead: you sent your Son into the world
First Cruciform Bead: to adopt us all into your Family of Grace, so that we might know your deep love for us.
First set of Week Beads: offer praise and thanks to God for loving us as God’s children.
Second Cruciform Bead: Hear us as we lift up the children throughout the world who do not have families because of war, violence, geography, racism, disability (ableism), poverty, and family dysfunction; as we pray that they will know your deep love for them through adoption.
Second set of Week Beads: pray for the children throughout the world who do not have a family to love and nurture them.
Third Cruciform Bead: We pray for those who seek to adopt a child, that you will guide them through the discernment process, as well as through the difficult, lengthy, and costly adoption process, so that they may know your Peace.
Third set of Week Beads: pray for those people throughout the world who are going through the adoption process.
Fourth Cruciform Bead: Help us to know how we can support children and families throughout the world – and in our communities – who are going through the adoption process, whether through prayer, public policy, funding, offers to feed/babysit/clean/advocate, etc.
Fourth set of Week Beads: listen for ways in which you might be able to help more children become adopted.
Resurrection Bead: In the name of your Son, Jesus,
Invitatory Bead: by whose example we welcome the little children,
Cross: Amen
Read this to learn more about the Ayers family.
This is a great post about the need to advocate for children who don’t have families.
Check out this post to learn how you can help without adopting.
Here is basic info about adoption.
