Please do not think adopted children are consolation prizes

Do you remember the game show where the contestants were able to choose between a couple of doors and they hoped to pick the door where they received the main prize or best prize?  If they did not, then they would receive the consolation prize and everyone did the collective groan because this was always a prize of much lesser value.  Recently I was privileged to be quoted in a forthcoming book on church orphan ministry where I talked on this.  I believe far too many believe that biological children are the main prize and what would be best for us.  Second would be biological children through In Vitro procedures and then the last place or the true consolation prize would be adopted children.  Thus, couples might have adopted children after not being able to have biological children or after first having their “real” children.  My fear is that far too many in and outside the church believes this and sadly many adopted children also feel the tag of being a consolation prize.

I thank God on a daily basis that my wife and I never had biological children.  If we had, then I am not convinced we would have ever adopted Hannah and Samantha our two children from China.  My two girls are truly God’s best for me and the girls God chose for my life.  For that I am honored and privileged.

I do hope my friends attending the Together for Adoption Conference learn all they can, have great fellowship, purchase lots of books, and come back with a renewed commitment to helping the orphans of the world.  But please do not ever think the orphan children you are working with are consolation prizes.  They are God’s children and God has no consolation prizes in His family.