Speaking Life for Adoption

According to the National Council on Adoption, there are approximately 1.4 million couples waiting to adopt a child in the United States.  Yet many women who find themselves in an unexpected pregnancy and unable to parent, do not consider adoption as a viable choice.  After speaking to dozens Directors of Pregnancy Centers in areas surrounding the Upper Cumberland, the majority of women they serve come to them thinking that abortion or parenting are the only two options of choice.

The pregnancy counselors are hearing statements like, “this is my responsibility” or “I need to be the one to take care of this.”  The words woman use when speaking of their responsibility contrasts dramatically with the words these same woman use when speaking about adoption.  Most women will speak of “giving up” or “giving away” her child.  Yet, the adoption process is far from giving up, giving away, or lacking in responsibility.

Proverbs 18:21 says, “The power of death and life are in the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.  As a community we have a powerful tool to help others see the value of an adoption choice and put it on the list for women in unexpected pregnancies.  The way we speak about adoption has power.  When we say that women who choose adoption give up, give away, aren’t real mothers, or don’t have a plan we continue the lie that adoption is not a viable option.  It’s up to us to change the way we speak, and we need to speak truth like; she placed her baby, the birth mother made a plan, a birth mother is a real mother, she took responsibility by making an adoption plan.

As we speak these life giving words, women will find courage, they will embrace truth and their choices will be effected. 

 Speaking Life About Adoption

Say this…..                                       Rather than that…

Birth mothers made a                      Birth mothers give up

parenting (or) adoption plan                      their child

Birth mothers choose                          Birth mothers give their child/baby away

Adoption

Birth mothers take responsibility         Birth mothers don’t care

for their child’s future                          about their child’s future

Birth mothers are real                         Birth mothers aren’t real

moms                                                  moms