Tapestry

Adoption from the Inside Out

In this audio presentation Michael & Amy Monroe speak to a group of adoptive and foster parents (and parents-to-be) at a Tapestry event about what it means to approach the adoption and foster care journey from the “inside out.” This process requires that parents be willing to look back and make sense of their own past, look forward and honestly examine their motivations and expectations, in order to be free in each and every moment to be “fully emotionally present” with their children to help them heal and become all that God has created them to be.

In addition to listening to the audio, you can also follow along with the slides and handouts for this presentation.

https://empoweredtoconnect.org/wp-content/uploads/Adoption-from-the-Inside-Out-Audio.mp3

By Michael Monroe, ago

Providing Support for the Post-Placement Journey

The mission of Empowered To Connect is to offer hope and help to adoptive and foster families. We believe that one of the most effective ways to accomplish this over the long-term is to encourage and equip churches to create healthy and holistic adoption and foster care ministries. And in order for our churches to do this, they must be willing to provide education and practical support for families in the post-placement phase of the adoption and foster care journey. This is a big challenge no doubt; but it is one that our churches must rise to meet.

Dr. Karyn Purvis and Amy Monroe recently led a webinar entitled The Post-Placement Journey, where they offered insights and resources to equip adoption and foster care ministries to help families meet the challenges of loving, nurturing and building strong relationships with children from hard places.

By Michael Monroe, ago

The Safest Place on Earth

(ETC Team: This article was originally published on the Tapestry website in 2007. While many churches have made real strides in the area of adoption and foster care ministry, collectively we still have a great deal of important work to do. It is our prayer that many more churches will commit to become truly “safe places” for adoptive and foster families.)

This may not be easy to read; it wasn’t easy to write. But I think this is something we all need to face . . . and then go about praying for and seeking change. I’m speaking of our churches and how they relate to and support (or fail to relate to and support) adoptive and foster families.

If Numbers Could Talk

A 2002 nationwide survey commissioned by The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption revealed many interesting things regarding Americans’ views and attitudes about adoption. One finding was particularly relevant to local churches. When asked “where would you turn for information or advice about how to adopt,” 52% of married couples indicated they would turn to their local church or place of worship. Thus, it is clear that many people at the front-end of the adoption process think of their local church as being a good place to go for information and advice about adoption. Sounds promising, right? Hold that thought.

By Michael Monroe, ago