Today Macy Bereket Humphrey turns four . Sometimes I wonder what she thinks about the crazy people she now knows as her forever family. It’s still hard for me to believe that two years ago we had only begun our journey to bring her home. I often think about the beautiful green plains of Ethiopia, which have now been replaced by the hills of Tennessee.

Amanda and I have this running debate about how much Macy will actually remember about her life before God gave her to us. I have no memories of life pre-kindergarten, which is Macy’s age now. However, Amanda proclaims to have vivid memories from her childhood when she was three and four. Maybe that’s just a female thing. Selfishly, I do not want my baby girl to remember life without her Daddy. The reality is, there was life for Macy before God match us with her.

I know how her third birthday was celebrated because I was there, but I have no idea about her first or second birthday. Today I am just extremely thankful for her life. I’m thankful for all our friends and family that shared in our adoption journey with us. Mostly I’m thankful that God broke me when I heard about the worlds going orphan population. A.W. Tozer said, “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply”. I’ll be the first to admit that our little princess has blessed my life far beyond what deserve.

In Him,

Jason

Tune into the Dads for Adoption radio show on www.94hville.com Saturday 9:00am or at 12:00pm on Sunday. I have Rick Potter in studio with me this week. Rick and his wife Martha have an amazing story about waiting for God to deliver  a child into their lives. 

In Him,

Jason

This week’s radio show will feature Chad DeMura. Chad and his wife Kristen are currently in the process of adopting a child from Haiti. Chad talks about what his family is doing to prepare for another child and remaining faithful while they wait. The show will air tomorrow at 9:00am and again on Sunday at 12:00pm. You can listen to the show by clicking on this link www.94hville.com

God Bless,

Jason

Next Saturday marks our one-year anniversary of setting foot on U.S. soil with our precious Macy Bereket Humphrey. Believe me when I say it seems like she has always been mine, but that is not the case.  A year ago, she had never seen the fall leaves in Tennessee or had the pleasure of experiencing Amanda’s cooking. Macy had never shared a warm bath with an older sister or been hit in the head with toy by a younger brother.

I love watching her experiencing new things for the first time. It is amazing how much she has learned in a year and unfortunately, she has developed Daddy’s very cosmopolitan sounding southern drawl.  I cannot begin to emphasize how much my little brown princess has enriched my life and our family.  I am so very thankful that God has entrusted me with the responsibility of being her earthly father. I would like to thank everyone who has blessed my family with your affection for our Macy over the course of this past year.

In Him,
Jason

Someone sent me this link today and I thought I would post it. http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/bloodlines-documentary  In this video, Pastor John Piper talks about growing up in South Carolina during the segregation era and how God ultimately led he and his wife to adopt a child of color.  It’s a very moving piece that reiterates the message that God is colorblind.

In Him,

Jason

Be sure to listen tomorrow at 9:00am or Sunday at 12:00pm to Dads for Adoption on www.94hville.com  On this week’s show, Brandon Schell talks about his family’s journey to bring their son River home from Korea.

In Him,

Jason

  I have sought counsel from Amanda prior to writing this post. This subject is certainly one that requires more tact than my usual “shoot first, aim second” mentality.  Next Tuesday will mark our one-year anniversary of meeting our precious Macy.  I often reflect back on that first trip to Africa during our adoption process.  I remember the anxiety of traveling to meet our new daughter and the pain of leaving our three other children at home. 

On our first trip to Ethiopia, we traveled from Addis Ababa to Awassa, where Macy’s orphanage was. We had our court hearing on that first trip also. Those two aforementioned events were emotionally taxing for Amanda and me, but they paled in comparison to our meeting with Macy’s birth mother. Those few moments that Amanda and I spent with Macy’s birth mother always moves me to tears, when I reflect back on them now.  We felt so blessed to be able to speak with her because not all adoptive families have the opportunity to speak with their child’s birthparents. 

Prior to our meeting, Amanda typed out some questions that we felt were appropriate to ask her. We wanted to ask things that we felt like Macy may want to know someday. This sweet Christian woman and her story humbled me. Macy was the youngest of her five children. During the course of our conversation, she told us that she wanted to relinquish custody of Macy because she wanted her to have a better life. As the tears poured from my eyes, I promised her birth mother that we would raise Macy in a Christian home, and Macy would have the life she wanted her to have. 

I know the conversation with Macy’s birth mother affected Amanda and I differently. Amanda’s heart broke for a Godly woman who tried desperately to care for her baby girl, but just simply did not have the means to continue. I was in awe of the blessing and the opportunity to be a father once again. Macy’s birth mom was entrusting me to be the earthly father, guardian, and spiritual leader for her baby girl. Our conversation with Macy’s birth mother is something I will treasure for the rest of my life. 

I think about her wishes for Macy, often. I think about her words when I check on my little brown princess while she’s asleep in her bed with an army of stuffed animals, or when she’s laughing with her siblings. Macy’s smile is beautiful and lights up the whole room whenever it’s on display.  I’m so fortunate to see that smile all the time. In our house, we thank God everyday for Macy and for the woman that gave her life. 

The Dads for Adoption radio show airs tomorrow morning at 9:00am and then again on Sunday at 12:00 pm on www.94hville.com  

The second Dads for Adoption radio show will air tomorrow at 9:00am on www.94hville.com and then again on Sunday at 12:00pm. This show is an interview, which I taped alongside with my friend and fellow adoptive father, David Scott.  In the interview, David opens up about his experience with adoption and the journey to bring his son Jadon home.   

I would like to thank everyone that listened last week and I hope you enjoy the message this week as well.

Your brother in Christ, 

Jason

A friend of mine recently asked me if I would be willing to record an adoption message for his radio station www.94hville.com (Hendersonville Radio).  The message will air on “The Pulse”. The Pulse is weekly show that brings important community guests from a wide variety of fields to the air to talk about issues that matter to our region, from the economy and jobs, to education and government. I hope this is will be another means to reach men / fathers that are open to adoption and have a heart for orphans. 

 The message is going to air at 9:00am Saturday September 10 and then again on Sunday September 11 at 12:00pm. Therefore, guys if you can delay watching College Game Day for a few minutes on Saturday or take a few minutes away from the NFL on Sunday, I encourage to log on to www.94hville.com to listen to the message.  

In Him,

Jason

I had an awesome conversation with someone I really respect this week about adoption. We shared some thoughts and at the end of the conversation, he told me that he and his wife had thought about adoption but the time was not right. I hear that same statement all the time once people find out that we are an adoptive family.    

Can I just say, with all the love in my heart, that there never will be a right time to adopt. You will always have bills, busy schedules, and other big things on the horizon. You have to trust that God will handle all the normal everyday roadblocks, which are the excuses not to adopt. When we decided to adopt Macy there were many reasons why it did not make sense to proceed with the adoption, but we listened to God. We said yes and God led us on an amazing thirteen-month journey that would grow my faith, strengthen my marriage, and add a daughter to my home. 

If God is speaking to you about caring for orphans through adoption, I hope you listen. Adoption is a magical opportunity for you to show compassion and selfless love. I heard a quote this week that really summed it all up for me. English Evangelist, Leonard Ravenhill, said, “The opportunity of a lifetime must be seized in the lifetime of the opportunity”. 

If your heart is prompting you to adopt, I pray you seize the opportunity. 

In Christ,

 Jason