It was 3 a.m., and I was sitting in complete darkness, sobbing into a lukewarm cup of coffee. How did we get here? Her little face flashed before my eyes, and I couldn’t breathe. It wasn’t supposed to be this hard. It wasn’t supposed to hurt this much. I yearned …
I remember looking into the mirror at my face, swollen from tears and the physical toll of labor. My hair was wet; my hospital gown hung loosely off my body, and I ached. No amount of pain medication could ease the hurt I was feeling. Tomorrow morning, the baby girl …
“I am a child of God, and He has sent me here, has given me an earthly home, with parents kind and dear.” So begins the beloved primary song that so many of us have heard a thousand times. But have you ever stopped to think about what that really …
Adopting a child in biblical times may not have been an illegal affair; however, it happened frequently for multiple reasons. Children were orphaned when parents were killed by plague or war. Parents made the choice to send their children to live with family so they had better opportunities. Children were …
I was born into a family of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. At eight years old, I chose to be baptized and become a member. I feel like my faith is the center of my life. I make most, if not all, of my decisions …
“How wonderful a thing is a child. How beautiful is a newborn babe. There is no greater miracle than the creation of human life.” Gordon B. Hinckley and other church leaders constantly emphasize the blessing children are to a progressing family. For those who have ever been touched by adoption, …
Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). He further explained that Nicodemus, although a natural-born Jew, was required to be baptized in order to join the newly established kingdom of God on earth. This injunction still stands today. Not many people on earth are literal descendants …
I was 3 days old when I was adopted and 9 months old when I was sealed to my adoptive parents in the Mesa Arizona Temple. Although I have no memory of being sealed, that day remains one that will forever stand as an incredibly joyful and poignant moment. When …
This was never the plan. I wanted to be onstage. I was a pastor and a musician and had hopes of traveling far and wide. I wanted to be a mother, but later on. After the travel, after the career, simply after. However, like most things in my life, God …
I am not a legally adopted child, but I feel adopted. I was raised by my stepfather and consider him to be my “real” father. For me, a piece of paper does not change my relationship with him. When I was a teenager, my mother and I considered what it would be like …
