Christmas Choices, Part 4: Jesus’s Choice

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Kathy Widenhouse

For You From The Word

Though he was God … he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave; and was born as a human being. (Philippians 2:6-7, NLT).

For You To Think About

The Nativity Story

The Nativity Story

Our Heavenly Father chose to send Jesus to us … and Jesus chose to be sent, too.

It can be easy to overlook the enormity of that decision. “Though he was God … he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave; and was born as a human being” (Philippians 2:6-7, NLT).

Jesus chose to be sent to a world filled with sin, leaving the purity of heaven to live amidst the impurity of earth.

Jesus chose to leave the miraculous environment of heaven where He is continually praised. He chose to live on earth where He is scorned, rejected, or ignored.

Jesus chose to be sent and to live with us …all so that we would have the privilege to choose Him.

Jesus gave up divine privileges so that we might have life.

Women who face a choice in an unplanned pregnancy can know they are not alone as they make decisions that mean life for another.

For You To Pray

Gracious Father,
Thank You for sending Jesus into the world so that we might live through Him. Work in the hearts of those who face an unplanned pregnancy. Guide them to choose life.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

More Devotionals about Christmas Choices

Christmas Choices, Part 3: Joseph’s Choice

Christmas Choices, Part 2: Mary’s Choice

Christmas Choices, Part 1: The Father’s Choice

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A Friend Loves at All Times

Posted on November 19, 2014 by admin

Pregnant?

You’re not alone. We’re here for you.

No sermons. No judgments.

Just one special Friend — a regular person just like you — who will listen and respect your privacy.

Your Friend won’t blame you or tell you what to do. Instead, this specially-trained volunteer will walk with you and provide personal help for whatever challenges you face. Your Friend will stick with you for as long as you need or choose. Many of our Friends have experienced an unplanned pregnancy themselves. They understand what you’re going through.
You don’t need to be alone. We’ll be a Friend.

We care. And we can help.

You don’t need to be alone.
Call our 24/7 helpline:
1-844-772-4784
We’ll listen and help.

There’s no cost.
There’s no obligation.
Your call is completely confidential.

We’ll help as little or as much as you want.

Click here to learn more.
Or better yet, call now: 1-844-772-4784.
We’ll stand with you. Because A Friend loves at all times.™

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5 Prayers of Thanks for Adoption

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Kathy Widenhouse

For You From The Word

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! (Psalm 100:4, ESV)

For You To Think About

As you spend time offering thanks to God for the gift of adoption, you open the door for Him to save lives and to build families.

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” (Psalm 100:4, ESV) This beautiful passage reminds us that in offering thanks to God, we prepare the way for His movement.

Beautiful woman with Bible is in sunny nature1. Give Thanks for Birth Parents. Thank God for moving in hearts of birth mothers and birth fathers to choose life. Thank Him for their precious decision and the blessing they provide in being a source of joy to others.

2. Give Thanks for Adoptees. Thank God for their lives. Praise Him for the assurance that adoptees are dearly loved by two sets of parents (birth parents and adoptive parents.)

3. Give Thanks for Adoptive Parents. Thank God for parents who have felt His movement in their lives to build their families. Praise Him for their patience to wait for His timing in placement and for grace to move as He leads.

4. Give Thanks for the Process of Adoption. Thank God for the opportunity to build families through legal procedures. Praise Him for adoption agencies, attorneys, and judges who ensure practicalities are conducted correctly.

5. Give Thanks to God for Life. Thank God for creating each human being … for the miracle of birth … for the grandeur of the human body … for the gift of eternal life.

For You To Pray

Gracious Father,
Thank You for the gift of adoption. I praise You for the many different people involved in the process. Use adoption to save lives and build families.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

More Devotionals about Adoption Awareness

What Is the Adoption Triad?

4 Surprising Facts About Adoption

How to Share the Adoption Option Through Media

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President Reagan on Adoption

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Kathy Widenhouse

For You From The Word

I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you as … a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind (Isaiah 42:6-7, ESV)

For You To Think About

National Adoption Awareness Month, celebrated in November, puts the spotlight on adoption. The focus includes the numbers of children in foster care, the numbers of families who have found joy in adoption (or look forward to doing so) … and one other sometimes-neglected population segment: birth parents who sacrificially place their children for adoption.

Ronald Reagan“One aspect of the tragedy of the 1.5 million abortions performed each year is that so many women who undergo abortions are unaware of the many couples who desperately want to share their loving homes with a baby,” said President Ronald Reagan in his 1984 National Adoption Week Proclamation . “No woman needs to fear that the child she carries is unwanted.”

Adoption awareness, said Reagan, gives us an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to give every child (including every unborn child) the chance to become part of a family. Adoption is a positive way for women to provide a future for a child and for parents to build families.

As public attention moves to adoption in November, you can celebrate adopted children, adoptive families … and the adoption option available to women and men who face an unplanned pregnancy.

For You To Pray

Gracious Father,
Thank You for the gift of adoption. Use the month of November to raise awareness about the numbers of children in foster care, the numbers of families who experience joy in adoption, and the opportunity to share about the adoption option with those who face an unplanned pregnancy.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

More Devotionals about Adoption Awareness

5 Questions Women Ask When Considering the Adoption Option

Truth: Aborted Children Can’t Be Adopted

What You Need to Know About the 3 Types of Adoption

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The Moment That Stunned a Women’s Clinic Worker

Posted on October 6, 2014 by Kathy Widenhouse

For You From The Word

The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down. (Psalm 146:8, NLT)

For You To Think About

pregnancy counselorCatherine Adair was a young, idealistic college student when she began working at a Boston women’s clinic. Her motive was simple: she supported women’s rights. “I strongly believed that I would be helping other young women access safe and affordable health care,” she says. “I didn’t have any understanding that abortion could have any negative implications for women, and I certainly didn’t consider the baby involved.”

It was one way, she now surmises, to validate her own decision to have an abortion years earlier.

Catherine worked at the clinic first as a receptionist, then a scheduler and counselor. Eventually she assisted with first trimester abortions.

But Catherine faced a turning turning point when she was asked to clean up a procedure room after a second trimester abortion. There she saw a jar containing fetal arms and legs. The beauty and perfection of the feet and legs, she said, didn’t seem real. The moment stunned her. She left her job soon after.

“I didn’t realize before … that we were talking about babies,” she says. “I couldn’t lie anymore. I had seen it. I left because emotionally I couldn’t handle it anymore.”

Catherine went to graduate school and became a teacher. Her husband, a Catholic, urged her to attend Mass with him and raise their 5 children in the church. Since then, Catherine has converted and has accepted God’s forgiveness. Today, she is a pro-life activist and speaker.

For You To Pray

Gracious Father,
Touch hearts of abortion clinic workers. Give them tender hearts towards pregnant women. Open their eyes to see the truth about babies, mothers, and families. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Hello world!

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Jim

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

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Help Birthmothers Reach Women, Save Lives This Year

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Kathy Widenhouse

Dear valued friend of Birthmothers,

pregnant woman black and whiteFor more than a decade, Birthmothers has served women, men and families who face the challenge of an unplanned pregnancy by providing them with the one-on-one unconditional support of a Friend. 95% those we serve choose life … some making an adoption plan, and many redirecting their lives to follow Christ more closely. (Help us continue that work in the coming year.)

These tough economic times have been hard for Birthmothers. Your gift will allow us to continue to offer life-changing, one-on-one support for those who face an unplanned pregnancy. (Give here .)

How Your Gift Saves Actual Lives

Just a few days ago we received a call from a 19-year-old college sophomore who is four months pregnant. We are matching her with a Friend to help her navigate her life options, including adoption.

Your gift allows us to serve this young lady and others like her who face an unplanned pregnancy – those who might might a difference choice if they did not have the support of a Birthmothers Friend. Your gift saves more babies’ lives. Pregnant women and their partners matched with a Birthmothers Friend overwhelmingly choose life because they receive love and support they need.

I saw the impact of this unconditional love firsthand in July 1991, when God opened the door for my wife Tami and me to adopt the baby of a high school freshman. This young birth mom simply needed love and support to choose life. Because she had support and encouragement, she gave birth to our son.

In the process, God gave me a passion for the women (and men) who face an unplanned pregnancy and their precious unborn children. Women do not want to terminate their pregnancies. There is a better choice – and one that works – the choice to be matched with a Birthmothers Friend. Will you help us offer women a real choice for life with a generous year-end gift to Birthmothers? (Donate here.)

Your Gift Saves Lives and Changes the Culture

We’re especially seeking partners who will give a monthly gift to cover our regular operating expenses (whether it’s $250, $100, $50, or $25 per month) – and partners who will provide a generous year-end gift to help us finish 2013 strong.  (Give here.)

Your gift will do much to help individual women and families and also accelerate the great movement in America embracing a culture of life. Your stand for life is needed now more than ever before. Will you join me today and help?

We’re trusting God to provide for this beautiful, powerful ministry through generous partners like you. Give today .

Thank you.

Serving with you,

Jim Wright, Founder, President & Volunteer

P.S. Your gift is tax-deductible. You can give safely and conveniently here . Thank you once again!

 

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Adoption Myth #3: There Is No Role for the Birth Father

Posted on November 23, 2013 by Kathy Widenhouse

For You From The Word

Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9, NIV)

For You To Think About

guy on stairsNovember is National Adoption Awareness Month, which provides an opportunity to increase understanding about adoption. Birth parents, in particular, face multiple misconceptions as they consider the adoption option.

Adoption Myth #3: There is no role for the birth father in the adoption process.

The Truth: The birth father has the same rights as the birth mother. He is very important in an inclusive adoption plan.

Three key factors determine the extent of a birthfather’s role in adoption.

  • Identification. Does the birth father know he has fathered a child? A man cannot take an active role in the adoption process if he is not aware of the pregnancy.
  • Personal wishes. While some birth fathers fail to take responsibility, many wish to help create the adoption plan and have contact with their birth children after placement. A birth father may decide to receive counseling, help choose the adoptive parents, meet the adoptive parents, see the baby, and establish visiting rights. His role can be largely determined by his choices.
  • State laws. While birth fathers have the same rights as birthmothers, requirements and processes differ state to state.

It can take a lot of courage for a birth father to take an active role in the adoption process. Yet those who do overwhelmingly believe they play a key role in what is ultimately best for the child.

For You To Pray

Heavenly Father,
Give birth fathers courage. Help them be a part of the decision process and be a part of their children’s lives. Allow me the opportunity to talk with someone about adoption and share accurate information.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

More About Adoption Awareness

Adoption Myth #1: You Won’t Know What Happens to Your Child

Adoption Myth #2: Placing a Child Is Irresponsible

How to Be Ready to Share About Adoption

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Adoption Myth #2: Placing a Child Is Irresponsible

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Kathy Widenhouse

For You From The Word

Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
(1 Corinthians 10:24, NIV)

For You To Think About

woman holding headNovember is National Adoption Awareness Month, which provides an opportunity to increase understanding about adoption. Birth parents, in particular, face multiple misconceptions as they consider the adoption option.

Adoption Myth #2: Birth parents who place their child for adoption are irresponsible parents.

Fact: A responsible, loving parent is one who ensures that all of her child’s needs are met, including physical, social, emotional, and financial needs.

Can the birth parent meet those needs? For many, the answer is yes. For some, the answer is less certain. The responsible parent is not one who chooses one route over the other, but rather the route that is best for her and her child.

Those who choose adoption do so after taking some time to carefully consider their situation, their options, and the best interests of their child. They conclude that an adoption plan will meet the child’s needs best and allow their child to experience the best possible life… no matter what route that will take or what personal cost that may incur. In doing so, they put the child’s needs before their own. That alone demonstrates selflessness.

These parents are far from irresponsible. Rather, the thought and sacrifice they invest in making a decision to place reveals overwhelming courage and love.

For You To Pray

Heavenly Father,
Help birth parents make responsible and courageous decisions. Give me an opportunity to talk with someone about adoption and share accurate information.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

More About Adoption Awareness

Country Music Star Rodney Atkins on Adoption

Every Child Is a Wanted Child

Hope Is Born in Rape Aftermath

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Adoption Myth #1: You Won’t Know What Happens To Your Child

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Kathy Widenhouse

For You From The Word

We have spoken freely to you and opened wide our hearts to you.
(2 Corinthians 6:11, NIV)

For You To Think About

November is National Adoption Awareness Month, which provides an opportunity to increase understanding about adoption. Birth parents, in particular, face multiple misconceptions as they consider the adoption option.

Adoption Myth #1: If you place your child for adoption, you won’t know what happens to him.

The Truth: open adoption allows for sharing of information.

worried womanA 2012 study by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute found that 95% of private adoptions in American are open adoptions In an open adoption, the birth mother (and/or the birth father) chooses the adoptive family for the baby. Both parties agree to the sharing of information and to a designated level contact.

Open adoption can vary in its level of communication. The birth parents choose a family based on the degree of openness they desire. Typically, the birth mom and birth dad write an adoption plan for the child which includes choosing the adoptive parents and exchanging letters, pictures, and perhaps visits with the child.

In an open adoption, a child grows up knowing where he came from, his medical history, and that the decision to place him for adoption was a decision made out of love. The birth parent can keep up-to-date as much or as little as she wishes.

For You To Pray

Heavenly Father,
Help me to understand about adoption and be informed. Give me an opportunity to talk with someone about adoption and share accurate information.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

More About Adoption Awareness

Aborted Children Can’t Be Adopted

A Myth and a Truth About Adoption

Birth Mothers in MTV Documentary Consider Adoption

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