Standing Our Ground

I have kept my blinders on very tightly and on purpose regarding the people and reaction surrounding Veronica's case. After being torn apart as a person by people associated with the couples PR campaign, I returned to the situation with one focus and one purpose, advocating for Veronica.  

With litigation over, I am finally looking around the last week with blinders off and I am amazed at the people, the supporters, the pages, the change being affected by our Little Star. 

As an adoptee with a journey eerily similar to Veronica's, I know too well the heartache she will endure in the future. The abandonment by her natural family she will hear about and once she learns the truth, the betrayal she will feel towards her adoptive family. It is a no win situation for her unless all the adults admit their part and their mistakes  and work together to raise her equally. I am afraid the last part of that statement is going to be the greatest challenge. The parties involved have so much hurt that will surely lead to resentment. It will likely require intervention like therapy or a recovery program. I pray for them all to find a way to do right by Veronica. 

As far as the supporters, I am grateful to see so many working to reform adoption and to strengthen ICWA. The suggestion of a Universal Child Welfare Act is a genius idea. Our children have rights and we need to recognize them. We also need to recognize the reality of what is going on in the adoption industry. 

In order for an adoption to occur, a separation of a child from their family has to happen first. This is comparable to an organ transplant. A life can be saved but a life has to be lost. If your child needs a new heart, you can pray they recieve a new heart and be humbly grateful if it happens but is it okay to go around asking for someone else's  child to die? Do you wish another family pain? Of course not, that would be absurd! 

So, why are people soliciting adoption? Why hope to break up a family to create one? If a child needs a home, then you can be humbly grateful to provide one. But just as we don't go killing others to grab their organs, we shouldn't destroy families to transplant these children. It is tragic. 

So to all these people, all these pages, I hope you are able to help open the hearts of our society and break into an industry that seems to operate without compassion. The purpose of adoption seems to be lost. It's time to find our footing, stand our ground and restore our families. 

But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children--Psalm 103:17

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ, 

Johnna 

I know the plans I have for you Declare the Lord....

Several months ago, my husband and I felt our ministry being moved to another city. Not understanding why but both receiving our own confirmation before finally sharing it with each other, we both knew we had to obey. I resigned from most of my volunteer work in the city I live in and we began attending a new church in the place we were being led. 

Before school started, our church partnered with a local suicide prevention program for a barbque and Backpacks event in the park. I was fascinated with this program. Having no experience in that ministry field, I accepted that it probably wasn't my calling and let it go. I knew God will tell me where I was supposed to be in time. I was anxious, having a servant's heart, I wanted to be working, to be used and serving. 

Two weeks later , I was in another city when our State Representative for our recovery ministry told me that the same suicide prevent program would be at her church. She invited me to attend. I told her about my experience with them but wasn't sure it was where I was being called. I always worked with homeless and addicts, this was a whole different field. I wrote the date down and told her I would pray about it. 

Life became pretty busy.  My husband scheduled our joint testimony for December. Our joint testimony that hasn't been written. Burying myself in our recovery ministry,  I knew I had work ahead. 

On September 3, 2013, I received the unthinkable call. My mother, who had faced many battles her entire life, had committed suicide. I couldn't function. I completely submitted to

God and sought whatever comfort I could find. It was during the next couple of weeks, I would experience some of the most holy moments of my life. These weren't fun moments, they weren't easy moments, they weren't happy moments,  but I have never felt closer to God. He was breathing life into me when nothing in this world could. 

Our recovery tells us, God never wastes a hurt and that He will use all things together for His good, all things, even the tragedy that had now cast a huge shadow of grief over our entire family . I had no clue how that was going to work, I still don't but that promise was the only hope I had during this season of loss.  

Yesterday, I was checking my calendar, I almost broke down. There it was written, that date I had long forgot. The day I was invited  to church to meet with the suicide prevention program. It was right there, on October 7, 2013, my mothers birthday.

I realize I am not very qualified in this specific field. I also know that God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called. I go forward gently, and grateful for purpose.

 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ, 

Johnna