Family Friday...

We are excited to give you a glimpse into the Stum family's Both Hands project from last fall while they raised funds for their adoption AND served a widow...Check out their video!

Both Hands - Stums from Jake Stum on Vimeo.

 " I get all weepy seeing this video again. I have to say, though, that while we are thankful for every dollar the project raised for our adoption, the very best thing about it was our widow accepting Christ. In the midst of reorganizing a room she had not touched since her husband passed, a volunteer simply asked her.  She said yes. Isn't that amazing!?!"

-Merica Stum

 Yes! That is amazing! Thank you so much Jake & Merica for allowing Lifesong/Both Hands be apart of your adoption story and ultimately the story of HIS glory! To read more about their project check out there blog...here and here.

To hear and see other stories like the Stum's, visit Both Hands & Lifesong for Orphans.

T-Shirt Give-Away!

Check out the new Lifesong t-shirts...and YOUR chance to win!

   Mens:  

Womans:  

So what do you have to do to win a free t-shirt?  Post a comment (with email address) on our blog or the Lifesong Facebook fan page before Monday, June 28th, 5:00pm sharing a brief experience of how God worked in the waiting...

From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him. Isaiah 64:4

A Confident Expectation

Matt and Abby recently became 2nd-time adoptive parents when they domestically adopted little Olivia Renee Hope. 

We are continually amazed at how the Lord can profide for adoptions. Because of Lifesong, we now are fully confident that we can continue adopting as many children as the Lord has for us and He will continue to provide. - Matt & Abby

Matt and Abby, we feel so honored to be one of the many stepping stones on your adoption journey and pray that you will continually be reminded of God's faithfulness to those who wait and hope in His promises.

2010 National Foster Care Prayer Vigil

The National Foster Care Prayer Vigil is calling followers of Christ together across the country this week (May 16-23) to cry out to God on behalf of children and youth in our nation's foster care system, their families, their workers, and the church as it responds to the needs of those involved in the foster care system.

A prayer vigil can take on many forms. It can be a formal, church-wide event, or it can be an informal gathering with your family after dinner. In fact, the possibilities are endless. 

A prayer vigil can be:

• Part of a regular Bible study group in your home
• Part of a regular Community Group meeting
• Part of a Sunday School class
• A prayer walk through your city
• A gathering of friends at a park, or the beach
• A lunchtime gathering with co-workers
• Whatever and wherever you want it to be

Please join us in committing to pray this week for the children in our country, our state, our county, our neighborhood!

For more information or how to find a group meeting in your area, click here.

Father, thank You for being a personal God...for allowing our prayers to come to Your ear.  Give us the faith to believe that You will hear and answer our prayers for Your children in our communities that will be prayed for today, this week and forever.  Let us pray for Your glory, Your fame, Your name...

To Inspire and Equip Christians

With Haiti’s earthquake drawing global focus to the plight of orphans, Christians from across America and beyond will gather in Minneapolis, MN, for the Christian Alliance for Orphans’ Summit VI on April 29-30, 2010.  

The objective:  to inspire and equip Christians to “care for orphans in their distress” through adoption, foster care and global orphan care ministry rooted in the local church. 

 What you can look forward to:

• More than 50 workshops delivering nuts-and-bolts for adoption, foster care and global orphan programs – designed for both laypersons and leadership
• Orphan care resources for church ministries, as well as personal orphan care and adoption journeys
• Breakouts will also include 5 “Hague Hour” Credits for Adoptive Families.
• Q&A sessions and networking opportunities with respected adoption, global orphan and foster care organizations and veteran ministry leaders.
• For Christians stirred by the plight of orphans, Summit offers the biggest and best opportunity of the year to learn how to act upon conviction.  To learn more and register now, visit the Summit website here.

A taste of breakout topics:

• Haiti and the Local Church: What’s Next?
• Bridging the Great Divide:  Building Positive Relationships Between Church Ministries and Government
• Understanding Childhood Development of Overseas Orphans
• A Lifelong Love:  Keeping the Gospel at the Center of Orphan Ministry
• Church-Based Orphan Ministry 101
• Fundraising for Orphan Ministry
• Starting in the Right Direction:  Helping Pre-Adoptive Couples Make Sound Decisions
• Now What? Helping Children Age Out of Foster Care
• The Financial Challenge of Adoption and How the Local Church Can Respond
• Engaging Church Leadership
• A Child’s Journey Through the Foster Care System
• How Does It Work? Models of Global Orphan Ministry Based in US Churches
• Practical Ideas of Orphan-Focused Events
• Understanding HIV/AIDS and the Orphan 
• And many more…

And there’s more!  Five sessions will provide pre-adoptive families with needed Hague credits.

• Adoption and Orphans:  Becoming a Multicultural/Multiracial Family 
• Adoption and Orphans:  Attachment and Trauma (Part I and II)
• Adoption and Orphans:  Grief and Loss
• Adoption and Orphans:  Acclimating to a New Family Member

American Christians are stirring to the needs of orphans both at home and abroad as never before.  What’s thrilling is that even small ministries in local churches can make such significant impact.  There are millions of parentless children worldwide, but a single statistic matters more than any other:  it only takes one caring adult to make a lifelong difference in the life of an orphan.”

-         Jedd Medefind, President, Christian Alliance for Orphans