[Jody M]

We are on the eve of a New Year 2007! God had brought us through another year- for some a good year and for others a year that held challenges amidst some blessings in their adoption journeys.
Share a goal or goals or prayer you may have personally in your adoption journey- for yourself, your family, your adoption community or ministry.
I have a goal to continue my ministry with facilitating a local adoption triad support group in the Chicagoland area called Adoptees, Birth Parents & Adoptive Parents Together. I hope to invest more time in writing on the topic of adoption for publication online, in magazines and possible book. I desire to regroup and begin publishing again a journal or newsletter for those touched by adoption sharing from persons on all sides of the triad or one exclusively for adoptees.
My vision for an adoption library locally remains a hope someday- a place for persons touched by adoption to come and find good books, reading material and resources for their adoption journey.

Share your goal/goals for your adoption journey in 2007- Thanks!
God bless you all in the coming New Year!
From a twice adopted daughter, by my heavenly Father and my adoptive parents!

[PastorStephanie]

My adoption related goal for 2007 is to stop mourning. The Bible teaches us that there is a time for everything, a season for everything under the sun. For the last year, I have been in a season of mourning concerning loss connected to my adoption. This year, I chose rejoice with what I do have. I have an amazing adult relationship with my bmom and all her other children. I love them and they love me and our relationship keeps getting better. I feel confident that they will always be in my life from this point forward. I could spend the rest of my life mourning their great absense from my childhood and young adulthood or I can take joy in what the Lord has restored! This year, I am going to take joy. This year, I am going to embrace all that being adopted means with strength and confidence. I am going to take captive crippling thoughts of rejection and refuse to get panic-y about small things. This year I put aside my mourning and I rejoice in the blessing of it all.

[Jody M]

Stephanie, your goal is beautiful and God's word says there is a time for mourning. I love the scripture that says Weeping may come for a night but joy comes in the morning! I think it is essential for adoptees and birth family members to grieve the loss of separation in adoption and that is very very normal. The complication for many adoptees in the closed adoption system is the lack of acknowledging that the adoptee had a loss or a safe place for them to share their mixed emotions on adoption. One day in my journey the Lord turned the light on brightly and I came to peace knowing it was okay to embrace my adoption and the wonderful family I was given, and at the same time feel loss over the separation from my birth family, medical history and my ethnic roots. Thanks so much for sharing, Hope others might share their goals for 2007 in their adoption journey!
Jody

[Peggysue]

Hi Jody, Stephanie and others,

It's taken me until now to clarify my goals! Like you Stephanie I think there are seasons and I hope God blesses you greatly as you move into a time of rejoicing.
Jody, you have a wonderful ministry and I hope and trust God leads you further into it. Thank you for the blessing you are to us.

God has been giving me some time out to deal with depression, which I am convinced is to do with my adoption journey. This year I hope to be healed of the effects of my adoption and be able to pick up my life again. I have also just written my testimony, which God has told me to do. From this, and the reading you recommended Jody, I hope to understand the effects of adoption and how it has coloured my view of life, relationships and most importantly of God. I then hope to move into whatever ministry he has for me, but I believe further healing is needed first.

God bless

Peggysue