Praying Through Your Adoption, a Giveaway

Blog buddies! Today's post is brought to you courtesy of Christian Speaker Services! I periodically sign up to receive a book, sometimes (like today) to be given away to a commenter on my blog. Today's book is about a subject which has been in circulation in our home and, once or twice, here on this blog. I think that in looking over this book I've finally put the subject to rest in my heart. I think.


Praying Through Your Adoption is a very good book. Brief. Personal stories from different families. Prayers and scripture. Well done. Heartfelt. And near to my heart. I've mentioned here that the Hunny and I considered adopting off and on for years. His sisters are adopted. I was adopted by my dad when my mom married him. Our church has a huge adoption ministry and the preschool looks like a mini UN. So I jumped at the chance to snatch this book and read it. I'm glad I did.


Pretty sure we won't adopt. But maybe foster care is in our future.


I adore this, one of her favorite quotes: “My friends, adoption is redemption. It's costly, exhausting, expensive, and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much. When God set out to redeem us, it killed Him. And when He redeems us, we can't even really appreciate or comprehend it.”


Michele C. Scott is the author, and I'm posting an interview with her, to give insight and background on her journey through adoption. I hope that some of you are on the same journey and encourage you to leave a comment so you might win a copy of the book!

What can you tell us about yourself, your childhood, and the present?

I grew up as an only child in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Faith was a vital part of our family life, so I believed in God from an early age. About mid-way through college, after heartaches and some poor decisions, I decided to trust Jesus and the plans He has for my life. I graduated, moved to the suburbs, and married my husband, Eric. I worked in the corporate world and Christian ministry before becoming a work-at-home mom through adoption.


When did you first realize you wanted to become a writer? 

I started writing poems and stories for fun as a child. I even had a poem published in Highlights for Children. Through high school and college I enjoyed researching and writing papers, but I never considered becoming a professional writer until I wrote Praying Through Your Adoption.

What inspired you to write Praying Through Your Adoption?

I've been talking to God in prayer for as long as I can remember. I turned to prayer during our infertility, and I had planned to pray through a pregnancy if that had been God's plan. While adopting our son from Russia, we experienced painful delays and obstacles, such as increased fees and additional paperwork. At a particularly low point in the adoption process, I participated in an online prayer vigil that directed me to pray for very specific aspects of adoption – from government officials to waiting children. I realized the power of prayer specifically in adoption and saw the need to help other families pray through their adoptions as well.

How did you come up with the title?

Becoming an adoptive family is a process. First, you make decisions about the type of adoption and the age of the child you wish to pursue. Then you work to become approved, educated, and prepared for welcoming and parenting this new child. Praying Through Your Adoption shows families how to rely on God and their faith through the entire journey of creating and nurturing their forever family.

What other life experiences shaped you to write this book?

Wow, many life experiences influenced this book. Our infertility is probably the biggest since the longing and waiting for our son is a large portion of our story. But even getting laid-off right before our adoption, experiencing post-adoption depression, and dealing with special needs made me want to encourage others dealing with similar difficulties.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Retelling my experience with post-adoption depression was hard. After our difficult time becoming parents, I never imagined I'd feel overwhelmed, anxious, and depressed as a new mom. As much as I wanted to skip over that chapter in my life and in the book, I felt it was important to paint a realistic picture for prospective adoptive families. Thankfully, other adoptive families were willing to share their real-life joys and challenges in the book as well.

What's one of the most important things people need to know about adoption?

One of my favorite quotes in the book is from the late Derek Loux, an adoptive father of and an advocate for orphans. He said,

“My friends, adoption is redemption. It's costly, exhausting, expensive, and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much. When God set out to redeem us, it killed Him. And when He redeems us, we can't even really appreciate or comprehend it.”

Derek's words capture so much. There is loss, and, yes, there are sacrifices – financial and otherwise – in adoption. But the rewards for answering God's call to care for orphans are priceless.



Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

In writing the book, I had the opportunity to feature around 20 families and their unique adoption stories. No matter the circumstances, I could see the special love that ordinary families experience as forever families. I'm grateful for their transparency and support for this project, and I think the readers will be, too.


Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? 

With over 143 million orphans across the globe, I would love to see more families consider adoption. But I deeply respect the person who reads this interview or picks up this book and, for whatever reason, decides adoption is not right for them. I hope they would at least consider providing prayer support and perhaps even financial support to families pursuing adoption.

Where can readers learn more about you and adoption?

I encourage readers to visit www.PrayLoveAdopt.com, a website I created to provide information, encouragement, and prayer support for families in any stage of the adoption journey. Visitors can read an excerpt from Praying Through Your Adoption and order a paperback or e-book copy if they desire. They can also visit my blog, www.MommyForward.com, and my main website, www.MicheleCScott.com to learn more about me and my other projects.

Leave a comment. I'll choose via random generator on Friday morning. Will let y'all know both here and on FaceCrack when the winner is chosen.

Until I write again ...


Flea
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for posting the author’s interview on my blog. This blog tour is managed by Christian Speaker Services (www.ChristianSpeakerServices.com).

Book Review, Chasing Sunsets

Hola! Today's book, Chasing Sunsets, by Eva Marie Everson, is the first in the Cedar Key series. I believe the second one will be released in a bit and that she's working on the third. I could be wrong.

First, let me put on the table that I know Eva Marie. I was a member of her writing critique group, Word Weavers, back in Orlando several years ago. I was only there a brief stint, but she ran the show for a while, quite well. I thought I knew how to write when I joined the group, but it was from Eva Marie and Janice Elsheimer that I really began to see and experience writing through the eyes of a writer. Thank you, ladies!

I think I've read nearly every book Eva Marie has written or co-written, fiction and non. Some of my favorites are the Potluck Club series and Things Left Unspoken. Chasing Sunsets is an interesting addition to her fiction. Cedar Key is deep-south Florida, a small beach community, littered with snow birds and tanned locals. Immediately I loved the setting, having lived in Florida for eleven years. Made me just a little homesick.

The main character, Kimberly, I took an instant but subtle disliking to. Couldn't put my finger on it initially, but she unfolds as tightly wound, needing to be in control of her surroundings. I wanted to smack her around, mom to mom, woman to woman. She's divorced, holding tightly to her two boys, who both need their father as much as they need her, if not more. But I hurt for her and wanted to see her come to life, so I kept reading.

Eva Marie does a beautiful job of letting us see Kimberly as she discovers herself and her past, as she unlocks the door of her heart, in painful, healing ways. I won't lie to ya - I pretty much wanted to smack Kimberly all the way through the book for the way she handles things, the speed she takes a new relationship. But I can't help liking her and cheering her on as she faces into the demons of her past and allows for personal change.

Eva Marie's descriptions are beautifully done. I'm not a visual reader and don't usually care about setting, but I could see everything, every nuance. The beach, marsh, boats, her house and wardrobe. The ways she moves. Love it.

And her neighbor! Patsy! I LOVE Patsy. I can't WAIT till the next book. There had better be more Patsy in the next book is all I'm sayin'.

Overall, I truly enjoyed Chasing Sunsets. It's a great summer read, especially if you're spending time at the beach or on a lake. I hope you'll find a copy for yourself. I read mine on my Kindle, which Eva Marie refused to sign for me last time I saw her. :(  Next time I'm taking a black sharpie to the conference and am just going to have everyone sign the Kindle. So there.

Until I write again ...

Flea

Oops!

Well dang! I forgot to add a photo of the wicked step-sisters! This is Ginger, one of my favorites.

Chicken Update ... and Stuff

I promise, barring my whole world exploding before tomorrow night, that I'll have a book review up tomorrow. I finished a new release on Friday, but I like to sit with the contents of a read before reviewing. See if the characters and story follow me around. This book is trailing me, so I'll be reviewing it.

Peep! Peep peep peep peep peep!

Isn't she darling? Doesn't she look like one of the characters from the Beatles' movie Yellow Submarine?


Here are her wicked step-sisters.


I say that, but things are going fairly well between them all. Peep is living in a separate cage, since she's three weeks younger than the other girls, and her breed, the Cochin, is slow to mature. She's still wee for her age.

Yesterday, though, our country's Independence Day, Peep chose to begin vying for her own independence. Mommy prompted, of course. I let her walk out of her cage on her own. Just walked away from her after opening the door. She scrambled to follow me, peeping all the way. She's also testing her wings. She'll run and hop, then fly a few feet. Cutest thing ever.

She's also been running after the other chicks in a "Hey guys! Wait up! Where ya goin'? Can I come? WAIT FOR MEEEE!!!" kind of way. It's adorable. I hang around a few steps behind, just in case one of them tries to beat her up. They respect the big mama hen. I think we'll keep going this way for a week or so, with me backing off a little at a time, letting her find her way with the group.

Keeping chickens cool in this heat? WOO! It's been consistently 103 and above daily for the last couple of weeks. I've been putting gallon jugs of ice in their coop mid-day. Had a box fan set up just outside the coop, blowing the length of it. And let me TELL you what the heat does to chicken poo! The SMELL!!! Nauseating.

Gratuitous Peep shot

So yesterday the peeps were moved to the one mature tree in the way-back corner of the yard. They're now in the shade, away from the brick skirt around our house which holds heat like an oven, away from the neighbors. Nobody wants that smell in their backyard. And they seem to be cooler and happier.

The ladies have also found a cool spot to take dust baths, just under the raised herb beds they're so fond of. Hilarious to watch them rolling in the dirt like a dog or horse rolls in grass.

How Goof Ball and Peep celebrate the fourth

Sorry there aren't more photos. I'm running off to work. Will see you all tomorrow? With a review? And hopefully I'll have time to read some of your more recent posts. I've been so bad this summer. Well, and I've been writing my own book, which means staying off the computer. Because I wander around the internets when the computer is on.

Until I write again ...

Flea