Our Adoption Journey

What keeps me going...

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 02:32:00 +0000

On the days that seem to last forever, when all I can smell is spit up and poop, when everyone is crying including me :o), when they get out of bed for the fifth time, when no one naps, and the house is a mess and I haven't showered and it's dinner time (can you tell what kind of day I had!) the thing that keeps me going is remembering that Jesus came to make disciples.

I think it is something we overlook, at least I do. I get caught up in feeling guilty about all the "christian stuff" I am supposed to be doing and totally miss the opportunity of a lifetime. I have 3 little disciples at my feet pretty much 24 hours a day. I have an opportunity to do just what my savior spent His entire earthly life doing, making disciples.

In today's culture it's easy to think that Jesus came to build a mega church but he didn't. He could have done anything (start programs, assemble the masses, build incredible houses of worship, lead worship services to honor himself), but out of everything He choose 12 ordinary nobodies and poured His life into them. He wasn't satisfied to just meet with them once a week or twice a month, no He told them to follow him, live with him, eat with him, cry with him.

Isn't that where we find ourselves as moms as parents? With little ones (or big ones) that live with us, and follow us (sometimes literally everywhere we go). If we could see past the title of mom and the annoyance of the ordinary everyday trials of meals, and clean clothes, and activities we would see the real opportunity. We can make disciples that are eternal and that change the world. And not only that, but we can worship the Lord while we are at it.

I learned something when my first born was just a few months old that changed my whole perspective on mothering. In fact this one simple thing was what really made me passionate about staying at home and raising a family. It may sound silly, but while in a bible study, a more seasoned mother showed me that changing a diaper is just as worshipful as singing a praise song on Sunday in church, in fact it may be even more meaningful to the heart of our Father. So many times I miss those simple acts as opportunities to offer Him worship, to do it unto Him and for His glory.
If we as moms can really get a hold of that truth, that we are literally sitting on a treasure trove of praise and worship opportunities everyday, I am pretty sure our homes would look different and that our families would shine in a way that people would see Him. And if nothing else we would get through those really hard days with a purpose and a plan for the next.

Of course I can't close with out a few new pictures of those little guys that follow me everywhere!

What adoption should be

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Fri, 27 May 2011 15:39:00 +0000

I have a fire burning again in me that has been quenched for several months now. To be honest I have allowed the grief and struggle of fighting for our son to exhaust the passion in me for adoption. I have ceased to see the beauty amidst the heartache of my own circumstances.
But last night I held little Isiah White, the first adoption that my husband and i were privileged to be a part of from the first prayer to the final glorious day that they held their new baby in their arms. We have watched as God has moved, changed hearts, made a way, been their encourager, and pushed them in spite of obstacles that seemed insurmountable. And once again I am reminded that this is HIS PLAN. His glorious, hard, self sacrificing, awe inspiring plan to save His children one heartbeat at a time. This is His work, the nitty gritty of being a savior, that he has intrusted to us on this earth to walk out.
So as I was in the shower today god dropped this into my heart...

Adoption was never intended to be a plan b or something resorted to. But instead, it should be an intentional pursuit into heart of God toward the child that he has ordained to be yours since the beginning of time.

These past weeks I have just had this fire burning in me about this. So, in love, I say I am just tired of hearing the body of Christ say that they will adopt (fill in the blank)... Later, after they have one of their own children, when they have more money, after a few rounds of fertility treatments, when their is no other option, etc etc. I know I am getting touchy here, but lets get real. We did the same thing. We thought well, we will have our children and then we will adopt. I am so thankful that soon after we had Caleb the Lord got a hold of us and impressed upon our hearts that adoption was not only His priority, but needed to become ours. Not that he wouldn't give us other children form our womb or that biological children aren't amazing gifts, but just that children from our wombs are not "the better way". That is when we stopped "trying" for another baby from our bodies and set out on the pursuit of adoption. The point is that no matter where you are, 5 kids, 3 kids, no kids, adoption can become as important to us as it is to the heart of our father.
I can't tell you how thankful I am that our family decided to vear off the normal course and make our lives about the adoption of God's precious children. I knew in my heart that if we waited any longer i would not only be going against the Lord's best, but that in the end I would be too old and too tired to give adoption my all. This journey requires a lot and to be honest the only reason we have made it this far is by the grace of God. It has required everything we have and then some. It has honed our faith, grown us up, and made us to be brave despite our kicking and screaming. It is an awesome journey that the body of Christ should make top priority. We are the ones to make the dent in the 147 million orphans worldwide. We are the called ones.

Jesus' plan to change the world forever and establish His worldwide kingdom started with only 12 men. Think about that, we are hear because of what He did through those 12. What more can He do through us if each one in His body starts with one child. Each one for one, talk about changing the world...

Coming Out...

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Wed, 18 May 2011 16:20:00 +0000

Ok, so today I am coming out of hiding. I have not blogged in FOREVER and although this is mainly due to the fact that our life is CRAZY right now, it is also me not really wanting to be real about where we are and what all we are going through.
God prompted me this morning to come back and come out. Not sure why, but here I am and as He allows I will share our lives in hopes that He will use it for His glory as only He can.
So let me update you real quick on what is going on around our house these days:

*First off, I'm Pregnant! I am about 20 weeks pregnant to be exact and we are expecting a baby boy sometime early October. This baby was all God's idea and so we rejoice with Him over another little life in our family!

*Joshua is now 6.5 months old and is a absolute delight. Everyone has adjusted well to baby brother and he is just so good. Hard to believe that he was ever 4lbs. He is rolly polly and snuggly. He is full of love and smiles and LOVES his big bubba and sissy. Every time Caleb walks into the room Joshua just giggles and refuses to take his eyes off of him.

*Mazie Grace is now 2 and a silly ball of fire who is INTO EVERYTHING! She has attitude like no one else and can put on quite a dramatic show depending on her changing mood. This mama is getting some good lessons in on raising little princesses, and boy do I have a lot to learn! She continues to keep us on our toes, but brings so much love and laughter to our family, we could never live without her!

*One of the tougher things to share is that we have been in a custody battle over Joshua going on several months now. 3 days before his adoption was to be finalized in court his birth mother changed her mind and found a pro-bono lawyer to take us to court. We are currently in the deposition process and are praying fervently that this battle will come to a swift end soon. This has been the hardest thing I (or any of us) for that matter has gone through. We love our son with all our heart and believe that the Lord has given him to us forever. But walking out the process of defending the truth, is a long lonely walk that I would never wish on any adoptive parent. Of course as in all trials the Lord is using it to transform us, me in particular- more on that to come I am sure.

* As for my sweet Caleb he is now 4 and a joy to our hearts. Strong willed as ever, but smart, sweet, and full of life. We have begun a little schooling at home this past month and he is learning his alphabet, how to trace letters and shapes, and beginning to learn how to write his name. Our plan is to start an actual curriculum with him next year.

So that is our update. I am hanging in there, although this pregnancy has left me feeling really sick and tired I am trying to hold onto these days with my little guys. It is not easy and I am still wondering when #4 rolls around and Joshua is not quite a year how we will all do it with 4, 4 and under. But then I come back to today and put tomorrow out of mind completely. That is one gift this season has brought. I have been forced to live in today only. Today is all I have and it will take all I have to get through it. His grace is sufficient in it, Amen and Hallelujah!

Carrie's Mother's Day Video

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Lantry) — Tue, 10 May 2011 17:13:00 +0000

Depraved Indifference

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 18:08:00 +0000

I am not one to post videos very often, but this is a must see. It is a few minutes long but the best few minutes you may spend this week. My prayer is that it hits you in the heart, and you don't ever forget this message. We are His body, this is our call...

The Miracle of Joshua Peter

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 02:37:00 +0000

It has been one and a half weeks since we brought our son home. I am still bleary eyed from lack of sleep and trying to figure out how to raise three children age three and under and keep my sanity(um not sure that is possible at this point), but I wanted to take a miute to share the story of our precious boy.

As you may have seen from the title of the post, we are naming him Joshua Peter. Peter is the name given to him by his birth mama, and Joshua given by us. We will call him Joshua Peter and several folks are already calling him J.P.
Although some of the details of his arrival we will keep private for him, what is most amazing is that he is fully African but a US citizen because he was born here. He was made by the Lord in Tanzania, and we know his birth mama is Congolese. He was flown across the ocean in the womb of his birth mama all the way to Jacksonville. Now for those who don't know what that flight is like from Africa to here, let me tell you, it is LONG! To think God hand picked this precious boy from out of the middle of Africa and flew him thousands of miles across an ocean to have him born in Jacksonville, so his mama and daddy could bring him home just days later is unbelievable! We were sure we would have endured that plane trip before we met our next little one, but to think God brought him to us just puts a smile on our face. What a God we serve!

Anyway, we were able to visit him in the hospital on his second day of life. We visited with his whole family and I held him and changed his diaper. At that point we didn't know he was ours, we were just making ourselves available to help love and minister to the family as a whole. It took a week and a lot of people rallying around this little one (and his family), praying for him, caring for him, and asking the Lord to place in the right place. We feared he would become another statistic in the state's system, but the Lord knew better and miraculously moved on his behalf. We received a surprise phone call at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon on November 15th that we had a son and needed to come pick him up! And so I called my husband, told him to leave work and drive downtown, woke up my napping children, threw them in the car, and went to pick him up!

Our lives have been turned inside out and upsdie down since that day, but we are so thankful! Caleb and MG LOVE their new brother, and they are both so sweet with him! Another miracle is that we have had NO PROBLEMS thus far with jealousy or anger toward the new baby! It is precious to have this newborn time to bond with him, and it took me about 2 seconds to fall in love with his 5 lb little self! Although I will admit that I am struggling because he is having major gas problems and is fussy and mainly awake all night long. At the most he sleeps for 2 hour stretches, but last night it was more like 20 minute stretches(of course he sleeps great during the day as you can see from the pictures!). I am praying for growth and health, and MORE SLEEP!!!!
What a sweet and unexpected blessing he is to our family! We are still getting some health screenings done and trying to get him all settled, but he fits in beautifully and is more than we could have ever dreamed.
We love you Joshua Peter, you are a treasure from the Lord and He is going to use your life in a mighty way!

And just so you can see those big beautiful peepers actually awake one last picture...

Happy Anniversary Baby Girl!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 02:48:00 +0000

One year ago today we met our sweet daughter Mazie Grace. Looking back it is hard to believe it has only been a year, I feel like she has always been with us. She has been such a blessing to us and has made our family whole in a way that no one else ever could. She is full of spunk, will, hilarious antics, zaney ideas, pouty faces and love love love. She and our Caleb have such a darling relationship that blesses us to watch. And in just a week she has become a very sweet BIG sissy too. She loves to pat baby and loves to hold him (with lots of pillows under her arms of course). She is constantly walking by him saying, "hi baby, bye bye baby, nite nite baby". She has been and I am sure will always be quite the show stopper. From the first day out on the town with MG I realized that my life would never be boring again. Everywhere we go we get stopped and everyone always says the same thing "she looks like a baby doll!" And yes ma'am she does. All the spirit and zest for life you could imagine wrapped in one beautiful package. God sure did do a wonderful job when he formed her in her mama's womb.
So happy anniversary baby girl, We love you so much and praise God for your life each and every day!

Suprise!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 03:22:00 +0000

Ok, I can't stand it any longer. It has been 2 days, and 2 very sleepless nights, but we are the proud parents of a brand new baby boy!!!!! I have tried to post this so many times, but with a 2 week old 6lb newborn, a 1 yr old, and a 3 yr old, I have had NO TIME TO DO ANYTHING!!!

I know this is a surprise for you and it was for us too. We got a call a week and a half ago about this baby at the hospital who needed a family. Since then we have been ministering to his birth family and praying a lot for him, but it didn't look like he would be ours. Then this Tuesday I got a call at about 3:30 that said, "congratulations, you have a new baby, the mother signed papers and gave the baby to you, can you come right now to pick him up"!
I want to share more of our story and I will, but for now here is a picture of us receiving him on Tuesday. Please pray for us, this is a very new situation, and there is A LOT of adjustments. We love our sweet baby boy and are looking forward to all that the Lord has in store!

Advocating for the Orphan: What I have learned this week

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 18:54:00 +0000

We have spent the better part of last week and this past weekend advocating for a little guy who was born last week and who essentially isn't wanted by his birth mother. Although I can't share many details here, I would ask those who can, to lift him up in prayer. It appears as if we have done all we can and that the state will now step in, but we know that no matter who appears to have control in the natural, that ultimately the Lord holds this little one in the palm of his hands. It has been a LONG LONG week. Lots of time has been spent on the phone, with lawyers, in meetings, etc. There have been many ups and downs for our family, but I wanted to share a little of what God has taught us through this.

Number one: The orphan crisis is everywhere and the body of Christ needs to be everywhere too - This call is not for some but for ALL.

I admit that sometimes I have a limited view of what this calling to "care for orphans" really is. I think too geographically or too much about what we want as a family, or what is comfortable for us. The truth is that down the street from our home there are orphans born all the time as there are orphans born around the world each day as well. It is everywhere, and the Lord needs us just to be willing. Willing to adopt, to foster, to pray, to hold and feed, to meet with birth moms, to change a diaper... the list goes on. We have watched the Lord raise up a spiritual army this week around this child. There are some in it that knew this is where God would want them, and others who find themselves surprised to be there. But it is neat to watch God at work as He shows us all that it takes us ALL to get the job done. There are so many needs that surround each of these little lives, and we should be there in whatever capacity we can. If we don't avail ourselves to this work, than who will? Sure each person is called to this in different ways, but have we made ourselves available? Are we willing to do whatever is needed in this crisis, regardless if it is next door or halfway around the world?

Number two: it is worth the fight.

I can tell you over just this past week, we have been overwhelmed even unto despair at this situation. "Why doesn't God just step in and do something?" we cry. We have pushed back because it seemed too much, but He just keeps giving us more to do or pray for. But the truth is, God never pushes back with us, so how can we look into the face of one of His precious children and say, "enough is enough"? There is a very real battle being fought for each orphan in the spiritual realm, and who do you think should be fighting this war? It's me and you, it's the body of Christ, we are the warriors God needs here. After all didn't He call us to take up our sword and sheild? We are the warriors, the question is can you and I see the battle and are we willing to fight until the Lord draws the white flag?

Number three: Advocating for the Orphan is not so much about the end result as it is in the little steps of victory.

Yes, we all want to see every child of God in a loving christian home. And yes a great end result is always our hope, but are we willing to take the next step? Are we willing to just love on a baby and care for a baby not seeing the end? I don't know about you, but this is a hard one for me. I want to know the end. I don't want to offer my heart if there are no guarantees. And while we should be wise and prudent to protect our hearts and family, can we still be willing to love like Jesus, with no conditions? God needs His people to be His heart expressed practically in love to orphans. He needs us to take off our blinders and human limitations and love like He will be back tomorrow. This is our job folks, the responsibility does not lie with the government or with some organization, it is us who should be His hands and feet. So weather it is adopting a baby from across the globe, or feeding a little one who has no mama by his side, or interceding on a orphans behalf, we just need to be there. We need to make ourselves available and ready and I think, God will do great things.

This week has been a good reminder that you can get no closer to God's heart than when you care for the heart of an orphan, because that little one is at the center of His Heart.

Fall Fun and Festivities: Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 13:21:00 +0000

October has been a busy month full of fall fun for us. Here in Florida when the weather turns to about 80 degrees we jump and shout and hoop and holler that fall has arrived! While some cooler fall weather would certainly be appreciated and help us not sweat while we celebrate, we don't wait around.
We started our fall celebrations at the pumpkin patch with my little punkins! Here are a few cute snapshots of our day that ended in some much needed ice cream on the way home.

We went for picnic at the park to enjoy the weather and give the kids their first lesson in kite flying! They actually both flew the kite all by themselves.

We also took our first trip to the museum which the kids loved! They had a blast learning about animals, the history of our city and their own bodies!

Turning Off Our TV to Build a Well... Will you Join Us?

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 18:55:00 +0000

This post is about 5 years in the making. And I warn you that it may be lengthy, but I also urge you to read it, because in it contains our hearts, and we believe the heart of God. So anyway let me give you a little background first...

We have talked here and there about not having a TV for years. Really since we got married every so often we would talk about it, knowing that it is probably something good to do, but not sure if WE could do it (0r wanted to quite frankly). We even went so far as to reduce our cable to basic and use an antenna, but after a few months, we caved and turned it back on.
Now, those of you who know me well, know that i am SUPER picky about what we watch. We don't watch any "R" rated movies and the cartoons we watch are very limited. But even so as a stay at home mom, the TV can be quite useful for me (come on -I know you moms are feeling me on this one). I can turn on a cartoon and actually get a load of laundry done, or empty my dishwasher, or have a moment of quiet sanity. It also serves as entertainment for us. I love to just sit down at night and vedge while I watch HGTV or TLC. Ok, And don't mention football season, because at 10 on Saturday morning "College Game Day" comes on and my husband is hooked. He loves to watch his favorite team (Notre Dame) but is not picky and will pretty much watch any and all football games (even repeat ones), shh- don't tell him I told you that!
So there you have it, we are some TV lovin folks, and so this decision is not one that we have easily come to (um at my husbands suggesting of losing the TV only a few days ago I jumped down his throat and told him "I didn't appreciate his critiquing my mothering, and we were not getting rid of the TV!!!") Yikes, sorry for that one honey!

Ok, so why are we TV lovers giving it up you ask?

Ever since we adopted our baby girl from Ethiopia and saw true poverty I have struggled to justify our abundant provisions and the utter poverty that exits in Ethiopia and around the world. I know that we are here with what we have by God's design, but I also believe that it is part of His design to give as much as we can to the other side. I know that those people whom we met in Ethiopia are still living in there tiny shacks, sleeping on dirt floors, with no clean water to drink. They are poorer than poor and yet we are here in our home with water we don't think about, flipping on our TV to watch mindless junk. So we have decided that this is just not ok anymore.

So there it is, we are going to turn off our cable and use the money that would normally go to pay the bill to help build a well. Our friends the Pickers (another precious adoptive family that we have met along our journey) has started raising money to build a well i Africa. We are going to take 6 months of cable bills, for us that totals $312 dollars, and are adding it to their fund to build a well through Charity Water. But it doesn't end there...

We are issuing a challenge to you: WILL YOU JOIN US??? WILL YOU COMMIT TO GIVING UP YOUR TV FOR 6 MONTHS AND GIVE THAT MONEY TO BUILDING A WELL?
And i don't mean just go write a check out of savings because you can, I mean really doing it, really altering your lifestyle to change someone elses'. Maybe you don't have cable or for whatever reason you need it, you can still join us, is there something in your life that is a regular monthly expense that you are willing to sacrifice for 6 months? Maybe you get your nails done, or get coffee every morning, or maybe you do net flicks, or have a hobby you could let go of for 6 months for someone to have clean drinking water for the next 20 years.

If God lays it on your hearts to join us, we rejoice! We know that this is truly the Gospel. But I also want to throw in a little disclaimer in here before I close this post, that we don't think there is anything inherently evil or wrong about any of these things. It is just as simple as reordering our priorities so that we can put God's work in the forefront of our minds, lives, and hearts. To really be His hands and feet, to literally offer a cup of water in His name.

SO WHO'S WITH US? WHO WILL JOIN US ON THIS JOURNEY AND WHAT WILL YOU BE GIVING UP ALONG THE WAY? If you are with us please leave a comment on this post (or email me) a comment and let us know.

The next step is to decide what service you are going to go without, total up what the six moths will be, and then go to the Charity Water fund-raising Site that the Pickers have set up to build this well and donate your money. You can find out more about there work and see AMAZING videos of there well projects here. I encourage you to go to there site and look through the videos and pictures, it make this little 6 month challenge so much more real, at least it did for us.

My prayer is that God has already been moving among you and there are lots (or at least some) of us who will be willing to step out there and sacrifice something for God's people. There are a lot of great causes out there, and lots of Christian ones as well, but how neat to actually give life giving water to a whole community for 20 years by something as simple as not watching the tv?

For now I leave you with this simple verse...

On the last day, Jesus will say to those on His right hand, “Come, enter the Kingdom. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was sick and you visited me.” Then Jesus will turn to those on His left hand and say, “Depart from me because I was hungry and you did not feed me, I was thirsty and you did not give me to drink, I was sick and you did not visit me.” These will ask Him, “When did we see You hungry, or thirsty or sick and did not come to Your help?” And Jesus will answer them, “Whatever you neglected to do unto one of these least of these, you neglected to do unto Me!” Mathew 25:31-46

Announcing Adopted Prints!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:42:00 +0000

Shop for a personalized gift at Zazzle.

I am thrilled to announce the launching of our new store for adoptive families! Right now it is adoption announcements, Christmas cards, tee shirts, and note cards that celebrate Africa! They are all fully customizable so you can upload your own photos and put in all your own text and then order! They ship next day and there is even a page called "zazzle coupons" with discount codes to use on various items. We are currently adopting our third child from Ethiopia, and so I bet you can guess where all the proceeds will be going! :o)
Anyway, I am just praying that people like what they see and order some fun things for gifts or for themselves! I am planning on adding more countries soon and of course am always open to doing personal designs. Anyway, go check it out by clicking on the link above under the banner.

So excited!!!!

carrie

Homestudy this Weekend... and other news

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 13:43:00 +0000

It has been a while since last posting but I wanted to let you know that although this time around it seems slower than a snail, we are moving! Our home study is tomorrow and hopefully that will allow us to send in our I600 A in the next few weeks!
In other adoption news am super excited about a new line of adoption annoucenemtns, christamas cards, and other gifts that I will be announcing soon! I have been working harder than a busy bee to put this together, and it is turning out to be so much fun. So get ready because my next post is going to be fun fun fun!!!

Below is an article that I have been meaning to post for forever. It is so right on about adoption and our responsibility in it. It is a little long, but worth a read! Love to all!

The creepiest sound I have ever heard was nothing at all. My wife, Maria, and I stood in the hallway of an orphanage somewhere in the former Soviet Union, on the first of two trips required for our petition to adopt. Orphanage staff led us down a hallway to greet the two 1-year-olds we hoped would become our sons. The horror wasn't the squalor and the stench, although we at times stifled the urge to vomit and weep. The horror was the quiet of it all. The place was more silent than a funeral home by night.

I stopped and pulled on Maria's elbow. "Why is it so quiet? The place is filled with babies." Both of us compared the stillness with the buzz and punctuated squeals that came from our church nursery back home. Here, if we listened carefully enough, we could hear babies rocking themselves back and forth, the crib slats gently bumping against the walls. These children did not cry, because infants eventually learn to stop crying if no one ever responds to their calls for food, for comfort, for love. No one ever responded to these children. So they stopped.

The silence continued as we entered the boys' room. Little Sergei (now Timothy) smiled at us, dancing up and down while holding the side of his crib. Little Maxim (now Benjamin) stood straight at attention, regal and czar-like. But neither boy made a sound. We read them books filled with words they couldn't understand, about saying goodnight to the moon and cows jumping over the same. But there were no cries, no squeals, no groans. Every day we left at the appointed time in the same way we had entered: in silence.

On the last day of the trip, Maria and I arrived at the moment we had dreaded since the minute we received our adoption referral. We had to tell the boys goodbye, as by law we had to return to the United States and wait for the legal paperwork to be completed before returning to pick them up for good. After hugging and kissing them, we walked out into the quiet hallway as Maria shook with tears.

And that's when we heard the scream.

Little Maxim fell back in his crib and let out a guttural yell. It seemed he knew, maybe for the first time, that he would be heard. On some primal level, he knew he had a father and mother now. I will never forget how the hairs on my arms stood up as I heard the yell. I was struck, maybe for the first time, by the force of the Abba cry passages in the New Testament, ones I had memorized in Vacation Bible School. And I was surprised by how little I had gotten it until now.

Gospel and Mission

When someone learns that I'm going to speak at their church about adoption, typically the first question is, "So will you be talking about the doctrine of adoption or, you know, real adoption?" That's a hard question, because I cannot address one without addressing the other. We cannot master one aspect and then move to the other, from the vertical aspect of adoption to the horizontal aspect, or vice versa.

Families, the Bible tells us, reflect something eternally true about God. It is God's fatherhood after which every family in heaven and on earth is named (Eph. 3:14-15). We know what human parenting should look like based on our Father's behavior toward us.

The reverse is also true. We see something of God's fatherhood in our relationship with our human fathers. Jesus tells us that our fathers' provision and discipline show us God's active love toward us (Matt. 7:9-11; Heb. 12:5-17).

The same principle is at work in adoption. Adoption is, on one hand, gospel. Our identity and inheritance are grounded in our adoption in Christ. Adoption is also mission. In this, our adoption spurs us to join Christ in advocating for the poor, the marginalized, the abandoned, and the fatherless. Without the theological aspect, the growing Christian emphasis on orphan care too often seems like one more cause wristband for compassionate conservative evangelicals to wear until the trend dies down. Without the missional aspect, the doctrine of adoption too easily becomes mere metaphor, just another way to say "saved."

No Natural-born Children of God

Little Maxim's scream changed everything—more, I think, than did the judge's verdict and the notarized paperwork. It was the moment, in his recognizing that he would be heard, that he went from being an orphan to being a son. It was also the moment I became a father, in fact if not in law. We both recognized that something was wrong, because suddenly, life as it had been seemed terribly disordered.

Up to that time, I had read the Abba cry passages in Romans and Galatians the same way I had heard them preached: as a gurgle of familiarity, the spiritual equivalent of an infant cooing "Papa" or "Daddy." Relational intimacy is surely present in the texts—hence Paul's choice of such a personal word as Abba—but this definitely isn't sentimental. After all, Scripture tells us that Jesus' Spirit lets our hearts cry "Abba, Father!" (Gal. 4:6). Jesus cries "Abba, Father" as he screams "with loud cries and tears" for deliverance in the Garden of Gethsemane (Heb. 5:7; Mark 14:36, ESV, used throughout). Similarly, the doctrine of adoption shows us that we "groan" with the creation itself "as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies" (Rom. 8:23). It is the scream of the crucified.

The gospel of adoption challenges us, first of all, to recognize ourselves as spiritual orphans. The gospel compels us to see our fallen universe—and our own egocentric kingdoms therein—as not the way it's supposed to be.

With our evangelistic emphasis on the sinner's prayer, evangelicals ought to recognize this more than we often do. "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Rom. 10:13), we rightly insist. But we rarely feel how desperate—and how liberating—the call is. We assume it's a cry only at the beginning of the Christian walk, not through the ongoing work of the Spirit. We grow complacent in the present age, too comfortable to cry out for a Father we can sense only by faith.

The Abba cry of our adoption defines who we are and what family we belong to. That's why Scripture's witness to the doctrine of adoption has everything to do with church unity, away from the divisions of Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female, rich and poor (Gal. 3:28). None of us are natural-born children of God, entitled to all this grace, all this glory. It's not just the Gentiles—with their uncircumcised penises and pig-flesh-eating mouths—who were adopted into this family. The Jewish Christians, too, received adoption (Rom. 9:4). Yes, Abraham was the father of the Israelites, but he was an Iraqi Gentile before he joined the household of God. We Christians receive newcomers because, in Christ, we have been received. Our identity and our inheritance are found in Christ, or they are not found at all.

I was at first reluctant to adopt, because I assumed an adopted child would always be more distant than a child "of my own." I was wrong. And I should have known better. After all, there are no "adopted children" of God, as an ongoing category. Adoption tells us how we came into the family of God. And once we are here, no distinction is drawn between those at the dinner table. Love based on the preservation and protection of genetic material makes sense in a Darwinian—not a Christian—view of reality.

Thus, the adoption and orphan care movement teaches us something revolutionary about the evangel.

Orphan Care: Spiritual Warfare

We evangelicals often seem to identify more around corporate brands and political parties than with each other in our local churches. But our adoption in Christ makes us not warring partisans but loving siblings, whom the Spirit has taken from the babble of Babel to the oneness of Pentecost. The church's unity attests to the "manifold wisdom of God" (Eph. 3:10). Would our gospel be more credible if "church family" wasn't just a slogan, if "brothers and sisters" was more than metaphor? What would happen if the world saw fewer "white churches" and "black churches," fewer "blue-collar churches" and "white-collar churches," and fewer baby boomer and emerging churches, and saw more churches whose members have little in common except being saved by the gospel?

Our churches ought to be showing the families therein how love and belonging transcend categories of the flesh. Instead, though, it seems God is using families who adopt to teach the church. In fact, perhaps we so often wonder whether adopted children can really be brothers and sisters because we so rarely see it displayed in our pews. Some—maybe even you—might wonder how an African American family could love a white Ukrainian baby, how a Haitian teenager could call Swedish parents Mom and Dad. The adoption movement is challenging the impoverished hegemony of our carnal sameness, as more and more families in the church are starting to show fellow believers the meaning of unity in diversity.

That's why adoption and orphan care can ultimately make the church a counterculture. The demonic rulers of the age hate orphans because they hate babies—and have from Pharaoh to Moloch to Herod to the divorce culture to malaria to HIV/AIDS. They hate foster care and orphan advocacy because these actions are icons of the gospel's eternal reality. Our enemies would prefer that we find our identity and inheritance in what we can see and verify as ours—the flesh—rather than according to the veiled rhythms of the Spirit. Orphan care isn't charity; it's spiritual warfare.

A New Household Economy

After we learn more about our gospel identity, we start reflecting the economy and priorities of our new household. The God of Israel consistently urges his people to care for the orphan, the widow, and the immigrant (Deut. 24:17-22) by noting his adopting purposes as "Father of the fatherless" (Ps. 68:5). He announces, "If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry" (Ex. 22:23). The Spirit drives us not just to cry Abba in the Christian gospel, but also to respond to the cries of the weak through Christian mission.

Orphan care is, by definition, missional. Paul's letter to the Romans, which includes perhaps the clearest explanation of the doctrine of adoption, isn't a systematic theology text; it's a missionary manifesto, calling the church in Rome to unify and to join Paul in making Christ known to the nations (Rom. 15:1-21). This is why James—the brother of Jesus—tells us that caring for widows and orphans is the essence of "pure and undefiled" religion (1:27). And Jesus himself—adopted by the righteous Joseph—identifies himself with the "least of these my brothers" (Matt. 25:40). And he tells us that the first time we hear his voice in person, he will be asking if we did the same.

Imagine, for a moment, the plight of an orphan somewhere out there. With every passing year, she will become less "cute," thus less adoptable. In a few years, on her eighteenth birthday, she will be expelled from the system. She might join the military or find job training. Maybe she'll stare at a tile on the ceiling above her as her body is violated—alone or before a camera crew of strangers—by a man who's willing to pay enough for her to eat for one day. Maybe she'll place a revolver in her mouth or tie a rope around her neck, knowing no one will notice except the ones who have to clean up afterward. This story could just as well describe a boy who is orphaned. Can you feel the desperation of what it means to be an orphan? Jesus can. Orphans are his little sisters and brothers. He hears them.

In saying that orphan care is missional, I do not mean that every Christian is called to adopt or foster a child. But every Christian is called to care for orphans. As with every aspect of Christ's mission, a diversity of gifts abounds. Some have room at their table and in their hearts for another stocking on the mantle by this coming Christmas. Others are gifted financially to help families who would like to adopt but cannot figure out how to make ends meet. Others can babysit while families with children make their court dates and complete home-study papers.

Still others can lead mission trips to rock and hug and sing to orphans who may never be adopted. Pastors can simply ask whether anyone in their congregation might be called to adopt or foster parent, or to empower someone who is. And all of us can pray—specifically and urgently—for orphans the world over.

Some would seek to contrast orphan care—and other so-called social ministries—with evangelism, perhaps even with the gospel itself. But such a dichotomy just does not stand up to biblical revelation. Genuine faith works through love, the Bible tells us (Gal. 5:6). The mission of Christ points us, as theologian Carl Henry reminded the last generation of evangelicals, to a God of both justice and justification.

Since genuine faith is always orphan-protecting, a culture of adoption and evangelism can work together. Indeed, they grow from the same root. Churches that are other-directed instead of self-obsessed in adopting unwanted children will be other-directed instead of self-obsessed in verbally witnessing to unwanted people. A conscience that's burdened for orphans, rather than seared over in the quest for more stuff, will be burdened for spiritual orphans. A church that learns to love beyond the borders of biology will learn to do mission outside the borders of geography.

A Kingdom of Rescued Children

As the Spirit draws more Christians to orphan care, we also must insist that adoption is not just a backdoor route to child evangelism. Of course, Christians who adopt will teach their children that what they believe is true and ultimately meaningful. Every parent does that and, to some degree, cannot do otherwise. A secular progressive parent would (rightly) correct racial bigotry or misogyny in his or her child. We wouldn't accuse that parent of having a child in order to export Western democratic values. In the same way, Christian parents will teach their child the message of Jesus, regardless of how the child arrived in their home.

But this doesn't mean that adoption is simply a means to evangelism, any more than biologically bearing children is reproductive evangelism. As those who have experienced gospel adoption, we know it is good for all children to have parents, even parents who do not yet know Christ. We advocate, then, for all orphans and rejoice when unbelievers adopt too, just as we encourage marriage between unbelievers, since marriage witnesses to the Christ-church union even when the married couple doesn't see it. The gospel is better understood in a culture that understands the one-flesh union. Likewise, the fatherhood of God is better understood in a culture where children know what it means to say "Daddy" and "Mommy."

Scripture characterizes the kingdom of Christ as a kingdom of rescued children. Solomon looks to the final reign of God's anointed and sings, "For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight" (Ps. 72:12-14). When we contend for orphans—born and unborn—we are doing more than cultural activism. A culture of adoption, orphan care, and ministry to mothers in distress announces what the kingdom of God looks like and to whom it belongs. We're contending for the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3).

While I was writing this article, my children came running through my study hyped up on Kool-Aid and Pop-Tarts (don't judge me). I heard myself saying, "Will all of you please be quiet so I can think?" But I remembered when our house was quiet, and I remembered the silence of the orphanage where we found Timothy and Benjamin. The kingdom of God isn't quiet. Instead it's like my house these days, "like a flock in its pasture, a noisy multitude of men" (Mic. 2:12).

The universe around us is creepily silent—like an orphanage in which the children no longer believe they will be heard. But if we listen with Galilean ears, we can hear the quiet desperation of thumbs being sucked, of cribs being rocked. As we welcome orphans into our homes, we can show the orphaned universe what it means to belong to a God who welcomes the fatherless.

Let's remember that we were orphans once, and that someone came looking for us, someone who taught us to call him "Abba." Let's be ambassadors for the One who loves the little children, all the children of the world. Like him, let's welcome children into our homes, our churches, and our lives, especially those we are not supposed to want.

Russell D. Moore is author of Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches (Crossway). He is senior vice president and dean of the School of Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He is also a preaching pastor at Highview Baptist Church in Louisville. He and his wife, Maria, have four sons.

The Things Kids Say...

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 18:47:00 +0000

Here are some of my favorites from the last few days: Note this is a little bit PG as my kids are not inhibited talking about body parts or clothing needed for these parts!

Caleb while walking by the underwear section at Target said in a loud excited voice: "Wow mama, look at all those beautiful colored boobie things, there are so many colors like a rainbow!" Needless to say we made several woman laugh that day. :o)

A few days ago Caleb was walking around our house looking at the walls, and just as I was going to ask him what he was thinking he says, "mama, I love our house, it is decorated beautifully. It is so pretty mama" - I must say that I teared up at that one, and made it a lesson on how nice it is to encourage others, especially your mama! :o)

We were shopping at the town center yesterday and he spotted a purple flower on the sidewalk. He picked it up and said, "this is for you mama, it's for your wedding!" So funny!

and not to leave out our sweet MG- she is working on "eh-bow" for elbow and "boo boo" for everyone's chest. But my favorite is her "EH-MIN" for Amen, anytime I pray even if I am just praying out loud by myself, she knows and always adds her loud "EH-MIN", what a love!

Oh how I love these kiddos!

Little Acts of Love

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 15:22:00 +0000

This is piggy-backing off of my last post, but did you know that God the Father delights in the littlest acts of love? Did you know that real life changing ministry in not just happening in the packed arenas with the big named speakers, but that in fact, it could and should happen more in the context of our homes?

This is for all you bottom wiping, nose swiping, timeout giving moms, who are tired and are very much looking forward to the day your littles walk out of your door into a classroom and give you time to breath to think to "do ministry and really make a difference".

There is nothing wrong with little ones growing up and going to school, but it's the wishing away of the time that we have now that isn't the heart of God. If we as moms really stepped into our homes, as ministers of the gospel, as those sent to change lives, as those making an impact on the world, this world would be changed.

But we forget that Jesus said "whoever offers offers a cup of water in my name, does it unto me". We forget that the bottom that we just wiped is a child of God, and He is pleased with us. In fact these seemingly small acts of love are really the biggest ministry we could ever have.
If we could catch that, and really live in it, give ourselves unto this work of raising our kids for the Lord, offering our service to God as an act of worship, we not only please the heart of our Father, but we show our kids, what servant hood and love is really all about. They will see God at work through us, and that will change them, strengthen them, and ground them.

We will send out big kids, with big hearts, who know who they are and who's they are. They will be able to impact others for Him in a way that no one else can. Our little ministry in the home will be multiplied larger than we can imagine.

So when you are slapping together yet another PB&J, or playing blocks, or sending someone to time out, remember, you can do it unto Him. And what He sees will be you worshiping Him, and He will be pleased.

Don't wish it away, send them away, or miss it, this is our opportunity to live out the gospel, in fact it is the gospel.

What are you willing to give?

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 19:55:00 +0000

While getting my arm stuck with a needle to draw blood for my HIV test today I heard the Lord whisper to my heart, "today you have done something... now go ask others"
For us today was not just another blood draw but a simple, somewhat inconvenient act of love for the child that we will call our own one day. Te be honest, it fills good to be in this place again, being nudged by my dossier check list to make a difference in the life of an orphan each day. It saddens me that I almost need that reminder to fit "doing something" into my busy child rearing days, but regardless, I am thankful. Thankful that God has not called us, be more awakend us to the call - We believe it is part of our biblical mandate as the body of Christ to care for the orphans. If we don't than who will? And what does that mean, "care for them"? It means a lot of things, both big and small.
For us it meant reordering our life to make the room and time to welcome another child in. It meant saying "not now" to the dream of a bigger home to have the money to do this. It means making time for Dr. appointments, and blood draws, and paper work. It means praying for whoever the Lord has for us, it means trusting Him with the when's what's and how's. It means fundraising and traveling and lots of other small things that force us (well me for sure) way out of our comfort zones.
Are you willing to be moved out, to stand in the wide openness of uncomfortable and care for an orphan? Will you give your time? Will you give your money? Will you give your home? Will you give your heart? What will you do today to make a difference in the life of a little one who has nothing but what you are willing to give?

Things They Say...

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Lantry) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 02:33:00 +0000

Last night Caleb was riding in the car and he saw a helicopter. With this cute excited voice he said, "look, look, it's a helicopter. It's a big one! It just picked up a baby in Africa for us and is dropping it at our house mama!" ...Oh sweet Caleb, if only it was that easy! What a precious heart he has!

Hammock Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 01:09:00 +0000

We just got back from a long Labor day weekend at the beach. We all had a blast and my little Caleb went down the giant 30 foot twisty slide all by himself. And although it was fun the most priceless moment was walking in the door to our house on Sunday and Caleb letting out a deep sigh saying "home sweet home"...hilarious!
Here are some of the pics from our trip!

Silliness after a long day in the sun

Mama and her babies

The infamous slide

Bubba and sis

They loved all the fountains

Daddy and Kiddos

Pouting in the sun

Floating down the lazy river

Happy Rosh Hashanah

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:59:00 +0000

We have been learning about our Jewish roots as a family, since as Christians, we are grafted in Jews. Anyway, tonight at sundown is Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the new year in the biblical calendar. I never knew that any of this pertained to me as a believer, but it does, it is our roots and the early first century church celebrated all of these feasts. We have lost that in today's church, but it is neat to reconnect and experience the blessings of those times.
Anyway Rosh Hashanah (or technically the Feast of the Blowing of the Shofar) is a celebration of all that God has done this past year, and prayerfully petitioning Him for all that we desire for the new year, basically it is just a special time to meet with Him and celebrate His faithfulness with your family. How fun is that? While we don't have anything planned for this, I thought it would be good to share about it and remember it in our time with our family and friends, after all isn't anytime a good time to celebrate and reflect upon the Lord?

Snack N' Trays

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 18:15:00 +0000

This post is dedicated to my mom who invented the Snack n' Tray when I was a little tot. What is a snack n' try you ask? It is simply a cupcake tin filled with different snack or food items, that when put together creates a delicious and nutritious meal.

I had to write this post and share with you this fun idea because it has saved us on a thousand lunches and even dinners. I love using these when the cupboard is a little bare and I can pull together all my odds and ends and give each child just a taste of each thing. It is also a great way to get them to try new things or give them veggies in small doses.

Anyway, my kids love them and even though mine usually just contain a fruit, veggie, a few snack items, and a protein, they think it is the most fun meal ever. And for me cheaper and much more healthy than a drive through meal in a box (although they like those too :o))

So there you have it, next time you are sick of spreading peanut butter on yet another PB&J, just grab your cupcake tins and create away, the possibilities are endless!

A little homeschooling

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:14:00 +0000

Although we will not officially begin homeschooling until Caleb is about 5, I am trying to get in a short and fun morning lesson of some sort every other day or so. So the past 2 weeks we have been learning the fruits of the spirit. This week started with "joy". As we were talking about it I realized that it is not as easy as you would think to explain joy to a 3 and 1 year old! :o)
I am making up a little song about each fruit, so hopefully that will help. Anyway, that was the fruit of our labor (no pun intended) today (intermixed with laundry and dusting of course) :o)
Happy Wednesday everyone!

A Message from Caleb and MG...

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Lantry) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:49:00 +0000

THAT'S RIGHT WE'RE GOING BACK!!!!
This week we began the process to adopt another little one from Ethiopia.

Each time we look into our daughter's beautiful face we see the face of so many orphans (between 4 and 6 million in Ethiopia to be exact). We have personally seen there little faces as they walk by the road, we have seen the deep need in their eyes - So many children just waiting for someone to choose them, for someone to fight for them, for someone to trust God and go get them. We are privileged to have been touched and broken by them and by the land in which they live.
To be honest as heartbreaking and beautiful as our trip was to get MG, it is easy to forget. It is easy to come home and just get back to normal, to forget what you saw, to forget that when we are laying down in our comfy beds to sleep there are so many little children waking up with hungry bellies and aching hearts. It is not only easy to forget but you almost want to forget, because to live with that kind of awareness requires action. It requires that you be willing to give what you are asked and respond to the need. It means that you now have a responsibility to follow the Lord and act on His behalf.

And so with much prayer, we are going back to do the only thing there is to do, adopt another precious child. We know God has one already choosen for us, and we can't wait to know them, to love them, to be a family. The journey will not be short and we covet your prayers. There are lot of things we are trusting the Lord for this go round. Finances, having to travel to ET twice, and all the "to do's" that comes with this process... just to name a few.

So that is our big news, we are beyond blessed to be able to serve the Lord in this capacity and look forward to all that this journey will hold.

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:18

The Lantry's

Our Little Sunshine

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 02:22:00 +0000

With the last few posts about Caleb I needed to throw one in here about my sweet girl. What a beautiful daughter we have and man can she sport some hot pink cowgirl boots(thanks cousins)! Some of MG's latest talents are saying "mama, dada, bubba, mae mae, peas (please), bye bye, shoos, and no no. She runs like the wind, swims like a fish, and can do the stairs in about 12 seconds flat. She is full of life, laughter and just a little bit of mischief. One of her favorite past times is trying on shoes. She likes to "help mama" which is code for putting whatever is in her hand in the trashcan and when asked for a kiss she coyly turns her head until you pout and pretend to cry at which point she promptly gives you her biggest, wetest, open mouth kiss that she can muster...

Mazie Grace you are mommy and Daddy's treasure and that smile brings us more joy than you will ever know, we love you baby girl!

My baby is officially a big boy!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 00:21:00 +0000

That's right, at 3.5 he is now officially a big boy sleeping in his very own big boy bed and going potty on the potty! We put together his bed a few weeks ago and just put the finishing touches on his big boy room this past weekend. I will admit that while disassembling his baby room I did shed a few tears, but we are so proud of him! He was SOOOO excited about his new bed and fell fast asleep the first night like he had been in it forever. He has only gotten out of it one time to say hello (at which he was promptly and sternly returned), but since then he just snuggles in each night and calls us if he needs anything. He comes to get me when he wakes up and waking up to his sweet little face is the best!

His favorite part of having a big boy bed is playing campout (that's when he puts all of the pillows and blankets in the bed, close the curtains, turns off the lights, and all of us lay in his bed with his 20,000 animals in the pitch dark).

My favorite part is that despite the 100 degree weather outside, each night he will get down under all of his covers and blankets and just snuggle buggle like he is in the best place ever. When we come to check on him at night he is a total sweat box, but just as happy as a little lark.

Here are some pictures of his new room...

Smart kiddo

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie Lantry) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:08:00 +0000

While I was showering this morning Caleb said he had made something specail for me. I came in to see my suprise and this is what I saw.

He said that he had made "planets" for me like the ones in the sky. I asked him which one was earth and he picked up the one in his hand and said "the blue parts are the beach, and pools, and the green parts are our home and hotels" At three he is explaining the solar system, I mean really...