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Hope Through Hosting | Family Friday
We initially met our daughter, Stacey, in the summer of 2013 through an orphan hosting program. She was considered “host only” which means she was not available for adoption, so unlike other times we have parented other children in our home through foster care, there was never even…
The Last 2 Seats | Family Friday
When we started the adoption process we really had no idea where all the money was coming from. It was one of my personal reasons for not considering it for a long time. The cost was nearly an entire year’s worth of salary. We are on the low…
It’s Time to Celebrate!
Outside the Walls has met a new milestone! As many as 153 million orphans world-wide are trapped in a cycle of hopelessness. Adoptive families all over the world wish to bring fatherless children into their family, however, finances often pose great obstacles or even cause good families to walk…
$10,000 in Pocket Change | Family Friday
For many years, my wife and I have been talking about adopting a little girl from China. God finally put it on our hearts to begin the process in 2013 and we started to research the details of the adoption process. With an estimated total of $35-40,000 in…
An Open Letter to My Son’s Birthmother
To the woman who delivered the boy that I love: I know very little about you. I know how old you were when you gave birth, and I know a smattering of details related to your pregnancy. That’s it. Strange that I should know so little when you…
Empowered to Connect: 5 Valuable Take-aways
Editor's note: Several weeks ago the decision was made to publish a post at the conclusion of the Empowered to Connect Conference this past weekend (April 7-8). The conference was a success, and we returned to the daily grind with no idea that God would call Dr. Karyn…
The Big Hike: Putting Feet to Faith
Terry Smathers, like you, is an adoption advocate. In recent years God impressed on his heart to do more for the fatherless and vulnerable. Terry always dreamed of hiking the Appalachian Trail, the narrow 2,190-mile route that runs from Georgia to Maine. For years he envisioned taking the 5 million steps…
You Asked. We Answered: What Adoption Agencies Do You Recommend?
One of the most frequently asked questions we receive: "What adoption agencies do you recommend?" We know the process of choosing a program can be daunting. Here are four steps we encourage you to take to get started. 1. Pray about it. "If any of you lacks wisdom,…
What Adopting Parents Want You to Know
My husband and I were returning from overseas with our newly adopted son. We had spent 20+ hours on a flight with a screaming toddler, and I was pretty certain I had animal crackers and seaweed snacks lodged in my hair. We stumbled off the plane like a…
Adoption: A Dad’s Perspective
Post created by guest contributor, Peter Ashmore. Looking at the title of “A Dad’s Perspective”... I want to address some issues that I believe are at the core of the orphan crisis. These are issues I struggled with—lies I at one time believed and sometimes still battle. So,…