You Just Might Consider a Christian Adoption Consult

I was the product of an unplanned pregnancy. My mom got pregnant right out of high school and found herself alone with a baby on the way. Thank God she had a supportive and compassionate family that helped us for the first two years of my life. She eventually got married and I eventually became a Christian who adopted six children from all across the country! Thank God my mom chose life! Thank God she was ready, willing, and able to raise me. But some women are not so blessed. Some women do not have supportive families or supportive parents. Other women do not have supportive husbands.  If you are an expectant mom and you are Christian, you just might consider a Christian adoption consult.

Let’s face it, if you are a Christian woman and find yourself in an unplanned pregnancy, there’s bound to be scrutiny. You may be the pastor’s daughter and feel like a fish being stared at in a fishbowl. Or maybe you have always been labeled a good girl. Or maybe you are single and the thought of walking into your church pregnant would cause gossip and scandal. You can’t handle the judgmental stares. Perhaps you even led a ministry at church. You may feel you let people down. Being a Christian woman and having an unplanned pregnancy is complicated. 

If a woman in a crisis pregnancy perceives that she cannot trust the church, she will turn to someone else who she thinks is trustworthy. If this describes you, I urge you to get a Christian Adoption Consult. 

What is a Christian Adoption Consult?

A woman who chooses adoption amid an unplanned pregnancy chooses a good thing. The adoption option helps three people: the biological mom who finds herself in crisis, the adoptive mom who may struggle with fertility issues, and finally the child who is at risk of being homeless, fatherless, abandoned, or aborted. These three people, when joined together in the act of adoption, form the Adoption Triad. They will be forever linked. The bio mom and the adoptive mom may have their own motives for pursuing adoption. But it is an act of sheer selflessness to come together to help someone weaker than them to give them a better life. To value others as more important than yourself and to love your neighbor as yourself is the pure spirit of the Gospel (Philippians 2:3-4 and Mark 12:30-31).

A Christian Adoption Consult can be life-changing! Meeting with an adoption professional who shares your core values is significant. This commonality provides a starting point and removes much of the anxiety associated with crisis pregnancies. 

• The current situation is assessed.
• All options are explored. Being Pro-Life means opening up all choices for pregnant women in crisis. This includes raising the baby, adoption, and guardianship. Giving women an educated choice empowers them. 
• A family plan is discussed.
• Possible adoptive families are searched.

Why Should I Consider a Christian Adoption Consult?

If you want to make a Life Plan for your child. 

What is a Life Plan? A Life Plan is a plan that a birth mother makes when choosing to place their child in a loving adoptive home. What is involved in this plan? The first questions are basic that must be answered when developing a Life Plan, especially during a Christian adoption consult: What denomination do I want my child raised in? How often does this family go to church? Do I want my child raised by a single or a couple? Does the family have children or not? What type of education do I want my child to have? Where do I want my child raised? 

Secondly, you must consider whether you want to have an open adoption. An open adoption is when the biological parent has some contact with the adoptive parents and the child. The questions that must be considered regarding open adoptions are: what type of contact do I want with my child? How often do I want communication to occur? How long will each contact be? What type of relationship do I want with the adoptive parents? 

If you want to place your child in a Christian home.

Placing a child for adoption is no small decision. If you are a Christian, you will want your child to become a Christian, also, whether you raise them or not. If you want them to become a Christian, then you would want them to be raised in a Christian home. Christian organizations can assist you in that search.

If you want a Biblical perspective on adoption. 

Did you know that adoption is all over the Bible? Ishmael was adopted. Ephraim and Manasseh were adopted. Moses was adopted. Esther was adopted. In a sense, Jesus was adopted. And if you are a Christian, then you know that, in a spiritual sense, you were adopted by God. The Bible says that God, in His mercy brought us into the family of God, though we did not deserve it (John 1:12; Galatians 4:4-5). The Bible says that, just like earthly adoption, God brought us into His family, gave us His name, and provided hope and a future for us, as His children (1 John 3:1).

Choosing to have a consultation with a Christian who will open up the Bible with you, will put things into perspective; a Biblical perspective, rather than a worldly perspective. It will give you the clarity and foundation that you need. 

If you want to reconnect with your Christian roots. 

Perhaps you have drifted from the faith. Maybe the whole reason why you find yourself in this predicament is because of youthful rebellion, which included avoiding church. Or perhaps you were going to church, but you feel that walking into church with a huge belly would bring about the scrutiny that you would rather avoid. Getting a Christian adoption consult is a good way to ease back into the community of believers. Surrounding yourself with positive people who want the best for your and your baby is exactly what is involved in a Christian adoption consult.

If you are not affiliated with a church and need support. 

Maybe you have never been a part of a church or any part of the faith community and have questions about God. You wonder why bad things happen to good people. You wonder what the Bible has to say about preborn children. Now you realize how important spiritual support is in addition to financial, medical, emotional, and social support. You may now realize that surrounding yourself with healthy, God-fearing people is not to be despised. You may now realize that seeking Christian advice is not such a bad thing. If any of these things describe you, then seek adoption advice from a Christian source.

If you want non-judgmental, objective advice. 

An expectant Christian mom may choose a Christian adoption agency for a whole host of reasons but mostly because she wants shared values. She wants to find an agency that shares what she believes, who will not discriminate against her, and who will not judge her because she is an unwed mom or simply because she is religious or she believes in God and the Bible.

If you need someone to pray for you and with you.

Finally, you need prayer. Prayer is simply talking to God. It should be the first thing you do, rather than the last. As Christians, we pray not merely to get things that we want but to deepen our relationship with God. What should we pray for? Pray for your child. Giving your child life is no small thing. Your child could grow up to find a cure for cancer or grow up to find world peace or simply grow up to become a good citizen who helps others along the way. Your child has a purpose. Pray for the family who will raise your child and pray that they are blessed. Pray that God gives them wisdom and strength to raise your child. 

How do I get started with a Christian Adoption Consult?

Adoption.com is a great resource. The internet has brought the world into our hands. Websites like Adoption.com have a host of resources at your very fingers. Adoption.com gives you a fresh place to start to research for faith-based agencies and organizations. These organizations will help you with the following: search for Christian adoption agencies, search for Pregnancy Resource Centers, and search for adoptive parent profiles. Most importantly, Adoption.com can help you locate someone who will provide a Christian Adoption Consultation.

Christian Pregnancy Resource Centers. Search for a Pregnancy Resource Center, also known as the Crisis Pregnancy Centers. Pregnancy Resource Centers are all over the nation and at multiple locations in each state. They care for women and their unborn children. They serve pregnant women through all stages of pregnancy and afterward, too. Christian Pregnancy Resource Centers are especially unique because they are faith-based. Many have been founded by a church or they could be non-denominational. Many have a Statement of Faith. Most staff of these centers will be Christians. These centers make a difference in the lives of women who may be facing a crisis pregnancy or simply want more information and resources on their pregnancy.

The Gladney Center for Adoption

Although Gladney was originally founded as a home for orphaned children in 1887 by a Methodist minister as “Texas Children’s Home and Aid Society.” Today, Gladney is one of the foremost adoption agencies in the U.S.! For pregnant mothers, Gladney offers consultations, counseling, respite, medical care, financial support, and legal services, and many other services. The Gladney website contains adoption profiles of families approved to adopt. Besides, Gladney also has a podcast, a blog, and can be found on multiple social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Gladney’s headquarters is located in Texas and serves people nationwide. Adoption.com is a subsidiary of Gladney.

If you are a Christian woman who is experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, the choice to receive a Christian adoption consultation is a good one. Connecting with other Christians for support is key to helping you decide your child’s future. Making a Life Plan for your unborn child is the ultimate in selflessness. It may feel painful at first but in the long run, three people will benefit: you, the adoptive mom, and, most importantly, the child! In the long run, God will bless you!