Home   |      About Us   |   Adoption Programs   |   Our Locations   |   Free Adoption Guide  |   Find a Meeting Near You   |   Sponsor a Child

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

DEVELOPMENT AID:

PARENT-TO-PARENT:

PROGRAM UPDATES:

Request a copy of our Adoption
Guide to see which program
is right for your family.  

Help the lives of orphans by sponsoring a child today!

Get your church involved
with orphan ministry.

Our Accreditations

It has now been two months since our "Gotcha Day!" The time between turning in our application to Children's Hope all the way to when we picked up our little boy in Russia was a long journey of faith for both me and for my wife. And we realize that this new season of life is just the beginning of another faith journey for us-being parents to Silas.

By the way, initiation into this season of life has been a blast. I'm changing a lot of diapers, cleaning-up a lot of spit-up, playing a lot in the floor, sleeping a lot less, and I'm loving every minute of it!

Father of the Fatherless
God is so good, so I should not be shocked that He has put Silas into our family. It just so happens that I ran across these verses as I was reading my Bible recently:

Father of the fatherless, defender of widows-this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. Psalm 68:5-6, NLT

Now that I'm a father, I'm learning more and more about how my Heavenly Father (God) loves me and cares for me. We have this cool baby video monitor, and we can see our son stand up in his crib and hear him cry in the middle of the night, "Ah! Eeh! Ahhh! Uhhohh!" We know he's calling for us. We know he needs us. And when we hear him, we run to him. Now that I'm a father, I have a more vivid picture of what my Heavenly Father does for me through any circumstance in life. When I'm tired, when I'm discouraged, when I'm tempted, when I'm hurting, all I've got to do is cry out and He will come to my aid. He will strengthen me. He will care for me. He loves me.

My Goal as a New Father
Silas is adjusting very well to his new home. As a new father, I'm still making adjustments. I've never had a child imitate me, follow me around, and cling to me. He waves when I wave (although we're still working on saying "Bye, bye!"). He follows me when I go to another room, constantly watching what I'm doing - usually wanting me to pick him up and hold him. Certainly, there is a great new responsibility in my life that I've never had: the responsibility of being a godly example for my son.

To give my son a picture of God's love-that's my goal as a new father. To be patient, caring, and loving in everything I say and do-that's what Silas needs from me. And two months into the journey, I've realized that I have a long way to go. However, "The Father of the fatherless" has given me a great example to follow.

Thanking Our Heavenly Father
I remember sitting in my hotel room one afternoon in Russia, watching my new baby and my loving bride take a nap, and I was overwhelmed at what God has done for me. And I remember saying a little prayer: "Heavenly Father, thank you for being so good. Help me not to take your blessings for granted. God, I don't want to let a day go by that I don't stop long enough to acknowledge all that You've done for me."

Wherever you are right now in the adoption process, whether you have brought your child home, are waiting to pick up your child, are waiting to meet your child, or you have just started your paperwork, I hope you are able to take just a moment to be thankful, too, for all that He has done for you.

-Pastor Michael O'Neale (adopted Silas from Russia, with wife Carrie)

 | Home | About Us | Adoption Programs | Office Locations | News! | Helpful Information | Adoption Guide | Staff Resources | Help an Orphan |

2008 Children's Hope International. All rights reserved.