This is written by Dayna, our new found friend at ICM. She really sums up what is in my heart about adoption. God calls us to care for orphans, but each call is different. If you have event the slightest curiosity about whether or not adoption is for you, I want to encourage you to ask more questions, pray about it and ask God to open the doors.
When Tiffany asked if I would be willing to write a bit about what I do here at Illini Christian Ministries, I couldn’t have felt more honored. It has been such a pleasure working with the Nardoni family over the past few months, and I cannot wait to see what precious child God brings them along this crazy, beautiful journey called adoption.
Katie Davis, author of one of my favorite books, Kisses from Katie, writes, “Adoption is a beautiful picture of redemption. It is the Gospel in my living room.” What true words. Adoption provides people with the opportunity to love as God loves us. Adoptive families are given the chance to welcome a hurting child into a forever family.Birthmothers are given the chance to sacrificially make an adoption plan for their child so that their child will have the best life possible. Everything about adoption speaks of love and sacrifice.
Five months ago, I was graduating from Olivet Nazarene University with a degree in Psychology and Sociology, not having any idea what I was going to do next. Soon after, the Lord blessed me with the opportunity to apply at Illini Christian Ministries, a ministry dedicated to “maintain, restore, and empower His families to wholeness.” ICM is made up of four departments: counseling, family care, partnership, and adoption. I am blown away with the gift God placed in my lap by allowing me to go from knowing nothing about adoption to now working full-time as an adoption specialist with ICM.
Here in ICM’s adoption department, we meet with families and individuals who wish to adopt a child either
domestically or internationally, prepare home studies for them, and walk them through the adoption process from beginning to end. For domestic adoptions, we provide placement services and come alongside pregnant women in the state of Illinois who wish to make an adoption plan for their child. We also provide post adoption services for families after an adoption has taken place. We currently have approximately 15 families on our domestic waiting list and approximately 25 families waiting for an international referral. The list continues to grow! In the few months that I have been with ICM, the adoption department has been incredibly busy! Despite the craziness, I can’t help but smile as I see more and more people ready to say “yes” to God’s call to “look after orphans and widows in their distress…” (James 1:27)
Every time I meet with a family who has finally received their precious new child, I am blown away at how
marvelously and perfectly our God handcrafted and designed adoption. To hear husbands and wives continually say how their dream has come true, how their family is finally complete, and how they can’t imagine life without their new child makes me shake my head in awe of God’s provision. I have the opportunity to see tiny infants sleeping so peacefully in their new mother’s arms or hearing giggling children tell me how much they love their new family and living here in the United States. I recently met with a family who just became the forever family to a sweet 9-year old boy from Ethiopia. His new mother told me, “Everything about him makes me marvel at how amazing God is. As I look at him, I feel in awe of God through His creation of him.” That right there is what adoption is all about.
If you are interested in learning more about Illini Christian Ministries, would like to make a donation towards our ministry, or have any questions concerning our adoption department, feel free to check out our website, http://icmfamily.org/ or e-mail me at dbruss@icmfamily.org.
When Tiffany asked if I would be willing to write a bit about what I do here at Illini Christian Ministries, I couldn’t have felt more honored. It has been such a pleasure working with the Nardoni family over the past few months, and I cannot wait to see what precious child God brings them along this crazy, beautiful journey called adoption.
Katie Davis, author of one of my favorite books, Kisses from Katie, writes, “Adoption is a beautiful picture of redemption. It is the Gospel in my living room.” What true words. Adoption provides people with the opportunity to love as God loves us. Adoptive families are given the chance to welcome a hurting child into a forever family.Birthmothers are given the chance to sacrificially make an adoption plan for their child so that their child will have the best life possible. Everything about adoption speaks of love and sacrifice.
Five months ago, I was graduating from Olivet Nazarene University with a degree in Psychology and Sociology, not having any idea what I was going to do next. Soon after, the Lord blessed me with the opportunity to apply at Illini Christian Ministries, a ministry dedicated to “maintain, restore, and empower His families to wholeness.” ICM is made up of four departments: counseling, family care, partnership, and adoption. I am blown away with the gift God placed in my lap by allowing me to go from knowing nothing about adoption to now working full-time as an adoption specialist with ICM.
Here in ICM’s adoption department, we meet with families and individuals who wish to adopt a child either
domestically or internationally, prepare home studies for them, and walk them through the adoption process from beginning to end. For domestic adoptions, we provide placement services and come alongside pregnant women in the state of Illinois who wish to make an adoption plan for their child. We also provide post adoption services for families after an adoption has taken place. We currently have approximately 15 families on our domestic waiting list and approximately 25 families waiting for an international referral. The list continues to grow! In the few months that I have been with ICM, the adoption department has been incredibly busy! Despite the craziness, I can’t help but smile as I see more and more people ready to say “yes” to God’s call to “look after orphans and widows in their distress…” (James 1:27)
Every time I meet with a family who has finally received their precious new child, I am blown away at how
marvelously and perfectly our God handcrafted and designed adoption. To hear husbands and wives continually say how their dream has come true, how their family is finally complete, and how they can’t imagine life without their new child makes me shake my head in awe of God’s provision. I have the opportunity to see tiny infants sleeping so peacefully in their new mother’s arms or hearing giggling children tell me how much they love their new family and living here in the United States. I recently met with a family who just became the forever family to a sweet 9-year old boy from Ethiopia. His new mother told me, “Everything about him makes me marvel at how amazing God is. As I look at him, I feel in awe of God through His creation of him.” That right there is what adoption is all about.
If you are interested in learning more about Illini Christian Ministries, would like to make a donation towards our ministry, or have any questions concerning our adoption department, feel free to check out our website, http://icmfamily.org/ or e-mail me at dbruss@icmfamily.org.