Compiled by Jenny Riddle from contributions by Lynn Beckett and Angela Mains In the middle of this pandemic, almost every decision feels like the weight of the world. Lifeline Children’s Services understands that parents across the country are dealing with a myriad of feelings over schooling options this fall. Some parents have no options; some

  Mutual hardship can bring either disharmony or unity.   Alexandre Dumas in “The Three Musketeers” wrote, “All for one and one for all, united we stand divided we fall.”   Winston Churchill said, “When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.”   Proverbs 17:17 states, “A friend loves at all

 The recommended and mandated safe responses to the novel coronavirus require most of us to veer out of our normal routines and schedules. Parents are working from home, and children are schooling at home. There are no play dates, lunch with friends or family, trips, or outings. Although these situations can be frustrating and

Although sheltering in place can bring many positive opportunities to our homes, the unpredictability and stress of the situation can caused unexpected challenges. Your child’s behavior may have regressed due to the unpredictability and stress of this new normal during the COVID-19 crisis. While trying to maintain some sanity, you may have slipped into some

At the outset of the COVID-19 outbreak, Herbie Newell, president and executive director of Lifeline Children’s Services, gave the Lifeline team the challenge to be a “good neighbor” and pray as we began to work away from our offices and in our homes. It has now been more than a week, and as much as

  In Birmingham, Ala., spring is in the air (and so is coronavirus disease 2019). Our daffodils are blooming, the azaleas are budding. It is the time of year we should all be out enjoying baseball and picnics and the beginning of the longer days. Instead we are all in this most unusual and unprecedented

As we all begin to settle into a new rhythm of life for a while, a discussion has been taking place at Lifeline Children’s Services. In all that we do, we want to exercise good neighbor love during this response to COVID-19. We’ve been thinking, “What does it mean to be a good neighbor through

the ultimate value of human life can be found in the gospel. God the Son became a man and fulfilled the work of redemption, and the price that was paid in Jesus establishes the proper worth of people. We treasure each other not so much because of our inherent merit but because of the unfathomable worth of Jesus. At Lifeline Children’s Services, we come alongside the Body of Christ to strive to protect the unborn and to care for and shepherd the already born in ways that extend the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Garth Thorpe, (un)adopted Education Manager   Victor could have been one of the over 38,000 orphans that will age out of an orphanage without the necessary life skills needed to survive. But God allowed (un)adopted® to be part of changing his story through Life Skills Education Training (LSET).     The current global reality that over 38,000

Crossings is so important because it helps prepare families to parent children from hard places. These children have so much trauma and hurt in their past and often do not respond well to "typical parenting."

For Newly Adoptive Families We often think about the holidays with fond memories and a desire to be around those whom we love. Now, think about the craziness of holidays and consider how they could impact a child who has never been around such festivities, particularly with excited loved ones who are not familiar with

What is the difference between willful defiance and a trauma reaction? Children who have experienced relational or circumstantial trauma can express themselves in ways that are typically regarded as defiant misbehavior. Their minds, however, are often reacting to how their bodies have been programmed to deal with unpleasant situations, particularly responding out of fear. In

The story of a mom in crisis and those who have wrapped the love of Jesus around her.. the impact is amazing and eternal! “I am a single mom, I have 2 kids, living in the mission in my city, going to have a baby in 2 weeks, and have no reliable, extended family or friends

The Financial Cost of Adoption My husband and I always desired to grow our family through adoption, but browsing websites and crunching numbers left me overwhelmed and a little discouraged. Although I fully believe that God equips us for the things He calls us to, hard facts and dollar signs sometimes make the journey seem

Before my husband and I adopted our ten-year-old daughter from foster care, we felt we were equipped and prepared to parent her. After all, we had already raised three children who had turned out well. We both had experience working in an adoption agency with vulnerable children and adoptive families. We both had a heart

“Pray in the Spirit at all times with all kinds of prayers, asking for everything you need.  To do this you must always be ready and never give up.  Always pray for all God’s people.”  Ephesians 6:18 As Paul instructed the believers in Ephesus to pray for their needs and the needs of others, we

In our churches, we want to honor mothers while also being cognizant of the truth that many in our church family are hurting. The nature of foster care can create a situation in which we want to be especially sensitive that Mother’s Day can be a difficult day for birth parents, foster parents, and children

I think most of us would agree that all people need love. Love is an essential part of growing and developing as a human being. God did not create mankind to live void of emotion and relationship; these things are indispensable, especially when parenting adopted children. Adoption begins a lifelong process of attachment and bonding

Disclaimer: This blog is not intended to shame those who have asked these questions. After hearing from many parents, we have learned that most of them welcome questions and appreciate opportunities to talk about their adoption! They understand that most questions are innocently asked. The purpose of this blog is to assist adoptive families in

The adoption process and the word smooth are most often found together in prayer requests but rarely in real life. If you sit in any of Lifeline’s adoption informational meetings, you will hear Dave Wood or another staff member confidently say that everyone’s process hits a roadblock at some point. Some roadblocks are more severe