Adoption began with God, continues in lives changed

I remember the day as if it were yesterday.

I was 9 years old when my parents called my brother and me to our living room and asked us to sit down. By the look on their faces, I knew we were in trouble or something terrible had happened.

Their voices were low, their words measured. Carefully, they told us a long story about my mom’s love for a baby abandoned at her aunt’s house. Mom was only 15 years old when she met the 9-month-old baby girl. Over the next several years, she fell in love with the petite blond, blue-eyed little toddler, and a strong bond began.

In her early 20s, my mom promised the young girl that when she got married, she would adopt her. And so, when my dad proposed, her only condition was that he agreed to adopt my sister.

And so it happened. After a short honeymoon in Rio de Janeiro, Mom and Dad returned home to their beloved 8-year-old new daughter.

That is the beautiful adoption story of my oldest sister.

My little brother and I were surprised to find out that Ana was adopted, but my parents’ concerns about our reaction were unwarranted. Our oldest sister was, well, our beloved sister. Period. Nothing would ever change that.

Through the years, God has put people with incredible adoption stories in my life. Not only have I witnessed my sister’s life flourish, but several of my friends have adopted children, and it has been a blessing to witness their stories unfold.

For people of the Christian

faith, we also understand adoption from a spiritual perspective. The Bible contains many passages portraying our relationship to God as adopted children. Perhaps the most known is found in the eighth chapter of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Roman church:

“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.”

Indeed, adoption started in God’s heart. And just as it changed our eternal condition as believers, earthly adoptions change the lives of millions of children who would otherwise remain in orphanages without hope for a secure future.

I recently talked to Alex and Stephen Kendrick of Kendrick Productions about “Lifemark,” their first movie based on a true story. The film, produced in partnership with actor and evangelist Kirk Cameron and

Phantom events, tells the story of David, an 18-year-old whose life turns upside down when his birth mother unexpectedly contacts him. To David’s surprise, she expresses the desire to meet the son she gave up for adoption when she was a teenager.

With the encouragement and support of his adoptive parents, David chooses to meet his birth mother, and a journey starts, leading him to discover the astounding truth about his past.

During our interview, the Kendrick brothers described the incredible impact the movie has caused, including testimonies of young women who were contemplating abortion and chose to give birth to their babies after watching David’s true story.

But “Lifemark” goes beyond a “pro-birth” message. Rather, it highlights the preciousness of life in general, as the birth mother’s choice shaped many people’s lives. The young teenager’s decision to give birth to David gave him a chance to have an incredible life and a loving family. It also blessed countless people touched by the young man’s outstanding and caring character, including, eventually, his birth mother.

As a person whose life was also forever impacted by my sister’s adoption and her birth mother’s choice, I am deeply grateful for the beautiful message in “Lifemark” and the producers who bravely decided to feature this remarkable story.

Find out more about “Lifemark” at lifemarkmovie.com. Listen to Patricia’s interview with Alex and Stephen Kendrick on her podcast God-sized Stories with Patricia Holbrook.