Download or read book Encouragement for the Adoption and Parenting Journey written by Rachel Garlinghouse and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2015-03-14 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Adoption and subsequent parenting can be an overwhelming and trying journey, one you were never meant to travel alone. trying journey, one you were never meant to travel alone. With this conversational devotional in hand, you will be reminded of the many ways that God travels this journey with you, through every joy (grace, love, peace) and every challenge (jealousy, heartache, doubt). Whether you've been faithfully reading your Bible for your entire life or you haven't been to church since last Christmas, this book is for you. Each chapter includes: -a topic of interest -Scripture from the ESV Bible -a heartfelt, applicable devotion -reflection questions At the end of the book: -journaling space Join the book club at "Adoption Devotional" on Facebook. Follow the authors on Twitter @whitebrownsugar and @madeleinemelch5 REVIEWS: "Encouragement for the Adoption and Parenting Journey is a delightful collection of weekly devotions. Quick and easy to read for those who are busy, this book also offers deep and introspective topics that are important to any parent. The questions that follow each devotion are wonderful for a group discussion or for the individual. This is one book that I will keep by my desk, and refer to it each week. Simply a great book for today's parents!" -Dr. John DeGarmo, adoptive and foster parent, and author of eight parenting books, including The Foster Parenting Manual: A Practical Guide to Creating a Loving, Safe and Stable Home and Keeping Foster Children Safe Online: Positive Strategies to Prevent Cyberbullying, Inappropriate Contact and Other Digital Dangers "For me, one of the hardest and most faith-testing parts of adoption is the waiting. Encouragement is something that all moms need but there is an extra layer of complexity and brokenness to coming to motherhood through adoption. I wish I'd have had a devotional/journal like this when we were in the process of adoption and I'd recommend it to any mom who is just beginning her adoption journey - or any mom who is a mom through adoption. Beautiful, inspiring and healing!" -Jill Robbins, mom by adoption and birth, and writer of the blog Ripped Jeans and Bifocals

Download or read book Opening Up written by Anne Peretz and published by Radius Book Group. This book was released on 2021-05-18 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Including a foreword by Henry Louis Gates Jr., Opening Up is a chronicle of the struggles and triumphs of families suffering the internalized stresses from poverty, domestic abuse, racism, and neighborhood violence, among other challenges. Through Parenting Journey these families resolve harmful habits and identify their strengths to raise their children in a healthier environment. Anne Peretz tells the story of this bold organization and flagship therapeutic group program that takes a different approach to helping families in need. Told through the perspectives of the families who have participated over the decades, Opening Up challenges readers to think differently about family. These stories view symptoms of stress, fear, and hopelessness that extend throughout generations as remediable and how even the severely traumatized can regain stability. This book is a testament that with mutual respect, compassion, and openness, together we can address the personal and systemic injustices that are at the roots of many of these patterns and together we can rebuild these communities.

Download or read book Follow Your Detour Let Go of Your Pain Conquer Your Fear and Find the Real You written by Lindsay McKenzie and published by Lindsay McKenzie. This book was released on 2019-03-12 with total page 182 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We've all been told to "follow our dreams", but what happens when those dreams aren't working out? Part personal memoir, part self-help, Follow Your Detour will inspire you to embrace the unexpected, let go of your pain and fears, and find the courage to create your own path.

Download or read book Reframing Foster Care Filtering Your Foster Parenting Journey Through the Lens of the Gospel written by Jason Johnson and published by Credo House Publishers. This book was released on 2018-01-15 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Foster parents face a unique set of circumstances and experience a wide array of emotions that few can relate to. Their journey is one of equal parts beauty and brokenness, joy and heartache, excitement and exhaustion. There is no textbook on how to be a foster parent, no formula, no simple three-step guide. But there is hope-in God's capacity to bring great beauty out of tragic brokenness. This is the gospel-the lens through which you can filter your foster parenting journey and ultimately find the strength, motivation, and courage you need to be sustained along the way. ReFraming Foster Care is a collection of reflections on the foster parenting journey designed to help you do just that-find hope-and to remind you that your work is worth it and you are not alone. This multi-faceted book can be read alone or used as a group support resource. Every chapter includes: Personal reflection questions Group discussion guides Plan of action exercises Real-life stories Inspirational quotes Whether your foster parenting journey has just begun or you've been on the road for quite some time, we pray this book can encourage, challenge, and inspire you along the way. For bulk orders of 10 or more books, visit www.reframingfostercare.com. Discounts apply.

Download or read book Confessions of an Adoptive Parent written by Mike Berry and published by Harvest House Publishers. This book was released on 2018-02-06 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Know That You Are Not Alone on This Journey Adopting or fostering a child brings its own unique set of challenges only another parent facing the same uphill climb could possibly understand. From parenting children with traumatic pasts, to dealing with attachment issues, to raising a child with special needs, it can sometimes be a struggle just getting through the day. Mike Berry knows the loneliness and isolation you can easily feel in your particular parenting role—because he's been there. He's still there, and he wants to give you the hope and encouragement you so desperately need. There are plenty of how-to guides out there on parenting, but this one-of-a-kind book is specifically designed to address your needs as a parent of an adopted or foster child. With a refreshing dose of honesty, empathy, and care, you'll discover you are definitely not alone on your journey and God has a very special plan for you and your family.

Download or read book Adoption Affirmations written by Keri Gee Semmelman and published by Balboa Press. This book was released on 2018-11-01 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Adoption Affirmations provides you positive thoughts to say to yourself for each part of your adoption journey and even some for your loved ones to say. You will also find a few tender thoughts that your child-to-be may say to you someday. There are nearly 80 affirmations in all to help you remain hopeful, confront your fears with grace, feel in control during the highs and lows, and increase your joy. Adoption Affirmations is unique in that it is also a flipbook of a growing tree to provide you visual inspiration. As your hope grows, so too does the realization of your own family tree. I wish Adoption Affirmations was around years ago when I went through the adoption process. The book is a wonderful resource. May it inspire you to adopt, especially since there are so many children of all ages out there who need you. Jean Forsythe, One of California’s First Single Women to Adopt a Child Adoption Affirmations is a beautiful and profoundly comforting book, which will be a treasured companion during the adoption journey. Semmelman and Biers have written an inspirational and indispensable guide which will help keep your heart open on your path to finding the child that was meant for you. Robin Berman, MD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA, and Author of Permission to Parent Adoption Affirmations is more than a book, it is a heartfelt tool to refer to often for every person wanting to adopt a child. It will encourage you to persevere with a heart of hope and compassion as you become an incredible blessing to children through adoption. Reggie Doss (NFL Legend) & Tamara Doss (Radio Show Host), Adoptive Parents Adoption Affirmations is a landmark book for anyone considering adoption. The book’s understanding between the mind, emotions, and self-talk is insightful and significant. The book is based on personal experiences and serves as a practical handbook for adoption. I highly recommend it. Dr. Marvin Marshall, Former Elementary, Middle, and High School Principal, and Author of Parenting Without Stress: How to Raise Responsible Kids While Keeping a Life of Your Own Adopting Parents everywhere will be encouraged by these morsels of adoption wisdom. Adoption Affirmations infuses HOPE into the oft-times challenging journey of adoption and helps make sense of the roller-coaster emotions adoptive parents often experience along the way. These authors know their subject matter firsthand and offer incredible insight to their readers. Celeste Liversidge, Family Law Attorney

Download or read book Honestly Adoption written by Mike Berry and published by Harvest House Publishers. This book was released on 2019-08-06 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover What Adoption and Foster Care Really Look Like If you are considering adoption or foster care or are already somewhere in this difficult and complicated process, you need trusted information from people who have been where you are. Mike and Kristin Berry have adopted eight children and cared for another 23 kids in their nine-year stint as foster parents. They aren’t just experts. They have experienced every emotional high and low and encountered virtually every situation imaginable as parents. Now, they want to share what they’ve learned with you. Get the answers you need to the following questions, and many more: Should I foster parent or adopt? How do I know? What is the first step in becoming an adoptive or foster parent? What are the benefits of an open versus closed adoption? How and when do I tell my child that he or she is adopted? How do I help my child embrace his or her cultural and racial identity? Honestly Adoption will provide you with practical, down-to-earth advice to make good decisions in your own adoption and foster parenting journey and give you the help and hope you need.

Download or read book Hope When It s Hard written by Jennifer Phillips and published by New Hope Publishers (AL). This book was released on 2020-10-12 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hope When It's Hard is more than encouragement for adoptive parents. It's a lifeline. You finally surrendered. You opened your heart when you said, "Yes, God, I'll adopt." But now you've discovered that opening your heart to the idea of adoption is the easiest part of the journey. Now comes the emotional ups and downs that only another adoptive parent can understand. Hope When It's Hard offers words of encouragement to help adoptive parents navigate the emotional ups and downs of adoption. Regardless of where you are in the process--just beginning or now living with the teenagers you adopted as infants--there are struggles unique to adoptive parenting. Weaving elements of her own journey through adoption, Jennifer helps you find hope as you begin to see God's adoptive heart toward you.

Download or read book 30 Days of Hope for Adoptive Parents written by Jennifer Phillips and published by New Hope Publishers. This book was released on 2017-02-06 with total page 125 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: You finally surrendered. You opened your heart when you said, “Yes, God, I’ll adopt.” But now, you’ve discovered that opening your heart to the idea of adoption is the easiest part of the journey. Now comes the reality of the emotional ups and downs that only another adoptive parent can understand. In 30 Days of Hope for Adoptive Parents, author Jennifer Phillips shares words of encouragement to help adoptive parents navigate the emotional waters of adoption. Regardless of where you are in the process—just beginning or now living with the teenagers you adopted as infants—there are struggles unique to adoptive parenting. Weaving elements of her own journey through adoption, you will find hope as you begin to see God’s adoptive heart toward you.

Download or read book Adopted for Life written by Russell Moore and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this practical book, Moore highlights the importance of adoption for all Christians, encouraging readers to lead the way in adoption and orphan advocacy out of our identity as adopted children of God.

Download or read book We Chose You written by Tony Dungy and published by Harvest House Publishers. This book was released on 2019-04-02 with total page 39 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Every Family is Created by God God forms families in many different ways and sizes, but all are equally important and special. When adopted son Calvin needs to tell about his family for a class assignment, he discovers his parents were praying for him long before they chose him. Not only that, but God chose them for Calvin. It wasn't by chance and it wasn't an accident. It was according to His plan. We Chose You was written to communicate to all children, whether birthed or adopted, that they are chosen. That they are secure. That they are loved. This is a message every child needs to hear. Let this book give you the words to tell your child about your family's unique story.

Download or read book A Call to Love written by Julie Holmquist and published by NavPress. This book was released on 2018-05-08 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Are you considering or entering the adoption or foster care process? A Call to Love joins you in your journey, offering spirit-filled wisdom and encouragement through the first year with a new child. Devotional exercises will equip you to record your thoughts and emotions. You will also receive spiritual insights from many adoptive parents, including stories from people who have adopted from the foster-care system. As parents, we never know what to expect. That is all too true for many adoptive parents whose children are more prone to battle mental illness. Don’t struggle alone! Through a variety of stories, you will receive strength and encouragement so you can seek appropriate help as needed. Author Julie Holmquist guides parents along the journey and vulnerably unpacks the struggles and joys of her own adoption stories. A Call to Love helps you fully prepare both emotionally and spiritually for the path God may be calling you to walk.

Download or read book Adoption Is a Lifelong Journey written by Kelly Dibenedetto and published by . This book was released on 2017-03-15 with total page 29 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Written from the perspective of a child, Adoption is a Lifelong Journey provides insight into emotions and thoughts an adoptee or foster child might encounter while also equipping caregivers with timely responses and resources" -- cover, page [4].

Download or read book Open Adoption Open Heart written by Russell Elkins and published by Inky's Nest Publishing. This book was released on 2019-04-08 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Glass Half-Full Adoption Memoirs series has won multiple awards, including North American Book Awards and Idaho Author Awards three consecutive years. Everybody knows what adoption is, but adoption has changed dramatically over recent decades. "Open adoptions" used to be unheard of, but have quickly become the norm over recent years. Open adoptions create an opportunity for biological parents to remain connected with the child even after the adoption takes place. Emotionally, this is still largely uncharted territory for everybody involved and relationships can be difficult to navigate. Although these connections can be stressful and challenging, they are also beautiful and inspiring. Whether you are simply someone interested in an amazing and touching story, or whether you are hoping to be educated on what it might be like to walk a mile in the shoes of an adoptive parent, Russell Elkins holds nothing back as he takes you along for the ride. Told from the point of view of an adoptive father, the journey Russell and his wife took is such a roller coaster ride you would think this true story was fiction. Book 1: Open Adoption, Open Heart Russell and Jammie have struggled with infertility issues for years before deciding that adoption is right way to build their family. They quickly find out that adoption is not as simple as filling out some paperwork and waiting for the right child to join them at home. Sometimes adoptions fall through. People change their mind. Hearts are often broken during the process. The actual adoption does not take place at the end of the book because it is by no means the end of the story-it's the midpoint of the journey as adoption relationships have only just begun. Book 2: Open Adoption, Open Arms Russell and Jammie thought their second adoption would be a bit easier since they had already gone through the process once before and knew better what to expect. They were wrong. A new situation and new relationships came with unique trials. This new situation stirred up emotions from Russell's past-from before he even met his wife, Jammie-making it possible for him to relate to the biological parents on a level he had never experienced before. Book 3: Open Adoption, Open MindRussell and Jammie's journey did not end with the details of the last page of book two. Not by a long shot. Some relationships blossom while others find hard times. Russell and Jammie even begin to develop a relationship with a birthfather who previously wanted nothing to do with them-a relationship that proves to be unpredictable and difficult. Most importantly, the journey takes new twists and turns as the children become old enough to think for themselves (and they do not process their story the same way as each other).

Download or read book Foster the Family written by Jamie C. Finn and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2022-02-15 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There are great rewards that come along with being a foster parent, yet there are also great challenges that can leave you feeling depleted, alone, and discouraged. The many burdens of a foster parent's day--hurting children, struggling biological parents, and a broken system--are only compounded by the many burdens of a foster parent's heart--confusion, anxiety, heartache, anger, and fear. With the compassion and insight of a fellow foster parent, Jamie C. Finn helps you see your struggles through the lens of the gospel, bringing biblical truths to bear on your unique everyday realities. In these short, easy-to-read chapters, you'll find honest, personal stories and practical lessons that provide encouragement and direction from God's Word as you walk the journey of foster parenting.

Download or read book Keep the Doors Open written by Kristin Berry and published by Harvest House Publishers. This book was released on 2020-01-07 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Will You Open Your Heart and Home to Children in Need? As a teenager, Kristin Berry had heard all the horror stories surrounding foster care and adoption—abuse, neglect, rejection, anger, and misunderstandings. But instead of closing her heart, God opened it wide. This is Kristin’s honest, unvarnished story of some of her experiences as a foster parent of twenty-three children over the course of nine years. What she learned is that living in a foster home is like living with a revolving door. You never know who will arrive or who you will have to say goodbye to. Leaving the door open means there will be heartache and pain, but also adventure and unexpected joy. Kristin and her husband, Mike, have been through it all in their unique parenting journey. If you have ever wondered what it’s really like to be a foster parent, this book will help you gain a true understanding of the everyday trials and triumphs these moms and dads face. It will also inspire you to consider opening your door…and to leave it wide open.

Download or read book Adopting Grace written by Tricia Wilson (Writer on parenting) and published by . This book was released on 2017-05 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For over 30 years, Tricia Wilson has been a mom - first to three sons she birthed and later to two adopted daughters. The product of a conservative evangelical upbringing, she practiced a much touted legalistic fear based "Christian" parenting model. Things at home rolled along well enough until...the entrance of two toddlers whose earliest months were lived in very difficult circumstances. A decision had to be made. Destroy two children and a family or wholeheartedly pursue and embrace dramatic change. Step by step, she embarked on a journey toward gentle, respectful, progressive Christian parenting. This is the story of a radical changing of heart and mind along with the faith and parenting lessons learned along the way. Grace moved in as fear moved out. This book is a memoir of a mom who needed to make big changes in order for herself and her family to heal. Throughout the book, Tricia mixes in real life stories and practical ideas on how to parent with grace, connection, and relationship. Through her parenting experiences, she also discovered and lived into a gentler side of Christianity. This is a story of God's grace imparted within family.