In my last post, I introduced you to Laura Christianson, adoptive mother and author. Her new book, The Adoption Network, is a guide for anyone who may be starting an adoption related ministry.

She writes this "how to" guide on creating a support system from her own experiences. Not long after becoming an adoptive mother, Laura, realized that she wanted and needed support from others who had similar experiences to hers and what better place to turn for that support than people who share the same faith as her. She had just moved and was attending a large church of about four thousand members and knew there had to be other adoptive parents in the congregation. She sought them out and with three other adoptive mothers they began to brainstorm ways that their church family could minister to infertile couples and adoptive families. After consulting with their pastor, Heartbeat Ministries was conceived in 1998.

Today Heartbeat Ministries is still going strong. Their primary mission is to “hold people’s hearts” as they struggle with infertility challenges and as some go through the adoption process. They do this through one on one mentoring, email discussion groups, workshops, support groups, etc.

In her own words, Laura explains Heartbeat Ministries.

Like many people who start adoption-related ministries, I wanted to find people who could relate to the challenges, heartaches, and joys of adoption. So I went on a quest to find other adoptive parents in my church (I attend a big church) and asked them to help me start a ministry.

Heartbeat Ministries offers resources, social events, one-to-one mentoring, and support groups for couples struggling with infertility, as well as to pre- and post-adoptive families.

As the word of Heartbeat Ministries spread in Laura’s community, they have served over two hundred families as well as helped other churches start ministries for infertile couples or adoption related ministries and trained church leaders on how to deal with some of the issues that infertile couples and members of the adoption triad may face.

Using her experiences in creating Heartbeat Ministries, Laura has written The Adoption Network, Your Guide to Starting a Support System. I will review that book in my next post.

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Related Posts:
Laura Christianson: Adoptive Mother and Author