Join us to discuss adoption, attachment, and hope with Meseret Cohen, an adoptee and the subject of a recent documentary. Use the eventbrite link below to register asap. After their parents died tragically, Meseret and her siblings were placed in an Ethiopian orphanage. When she was 13, she and her siblings were adopted by a family in Australia. Recently, Meseret was approached and asked if she would consider being the subject of a documentary. Countless hours of work culminated in a powerful, award winning film. Meseret will be joining us to share her story and to discuss the complexities of ..read more

Almost everyone I know has a scar of some sort. Perhaps a reminder of an unpleasant occurrence like falling off of a bike, remnants from a surgical procedure, or a physical reminder of a car accident. Almost everyone I know has a scar. Each scar is a permanent reminder of something bad that happened. Each scar has a story. We all know that not all scars serve as a reminder of physical pain. I would venture to say that every one of us also carry emotional scars. Although emotional scars are often difficult to detect because they are not visible, they also tell a story, just as physical scars do ..read more

Branding was an unknown concept back in 1998, yet looking back, I can see how my brand of 20 THINGS developed. Over the years, this brand was created through writing and speaking. It has grown through a simple article written for my church’s newsletter in 1995 to nine books titled with the brand. This is a bit of my back story. My life began in eternity past, in the heart of God my Father. In the human sense, I was an unplanned, unwanted, unnamed baby. My mother abandoned me immediately after birth and I was placed in an incubator for ten days, where I was declared to be a “failure to thrive ..read more

1 Thessalonians 5:18 – give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. “Give thanks in everything” is a divine expectation and one that is good, as Christians should be thankful in all circumstances. However, this is hard for us to put into practice and even harder to explain to others. Us as adoptees continue to struggle with this especially since we might have many unanswered questions. We ultimately do not deserve the things we have been given. In fact, if we were to get exactly what we deserved, we would already be in hell. The very fact that we are s ..read more

Tiana Hawver is an adoptee and skilled documentarian. She will lead us in a discussion about her documentary, Reconnecting the Dots. Her documentary follows her personal story while exploring important topics surrounding birth families, searching, and reunification. Prior to the event, we will provide a link to her documentary to watch before the event. The documentary is approximately 40 minutes long. We strongly recommend watching the documentary prior to the event, but you are still welcome to join if you haven’t watched it. Please Note: This is an ADOPTEES ONLY event. If you are not a ..read more

One of my dear friends texted me something along the lines of “You HAVE to read A Praying Life. I think it may have changed my life.” She has a rich relationship with the Lord, reads more books than anyone I know, and has read just about every significant Christian book you could name. So I took her recommendation seriously. However, I found myself looking at the cover, indulging one of the most pervasive sins in my life (pride), and wondering what this book could possibly teach me about something I have been doing for most of my life. My pride lasted about five pages. There are many things I ..read more

As adoptees, trauma and injustice is built into our stories. While each adoption builds one family, it simultaneously breaks another apart, and we must face the question of how to process the tangled mix of emotions that accompanies this reality. The Biblical concept of lament is extremely helpful for adoptees because it highlights the unique way in which our faith intersects with grief.     What is lament, and what does it have to offer adoptees? Lament is the recognition of injustice in the world, it’s a profound sadness that comes with seeing the impact of sin ..read more

I really thought I would have it all figured out by now, “it” meaning my life, identity and my place in this world, but I don’t. In fact, I feel more lost and confused than I did when I first met my adoptive parents for the first time in Dessie, Ethiopia. I was prepared for a life, a good life filled with many opportunities and comfort. My life has been everything I could have imagined as I prepared for my voyage to America and so much more.  As I write this, I am deeply grateful for my life and the many opportunities I have been given, yet at the same time I am also incredibly lost and c ..read more

This new segment will consist of a few fellow adoptee’s that are making a difference and impacting lives for the better. Our first guest is JT Olson, who has a remarkable story. His own personal tragedy inspired him to start an amazing organization which helps orphans and widows. Read more about him below and be sure to check out his book: “The Orphan, the Widow & Me” available here for purchase. JT Olson: Founder & Executive Dir. of Both Hands After being orphaned as a child alongside his four siblings, JT Olson went on to start Both Hands — a faith-based non-profit serving orphans an ..read more

The way people talk about adoption matters. How do other people’s words and ideas impact us as adoptees? Let’s talk about it! Has someone ever said something to you about adoption that is uninformed or hurtful? What was it and how did it make you feel? What do you wish people would say or think instead? Many adoptees have this type of experience, and this is a space for us to talk about it and to learn from others. We hope you’ll join us for this discussion! Seats are limited, so click here to register soon ..read more