The holidays often emphasize the longing to add a child to a family. You may even hold back every time someone close to you asks, “what do you want for Christmas this year?” Everything in you may be screaming, “All I want for Christmas is a baby!” yet you compose yourself and rattle off a few things they might actually be able to wrap under the tree.
Christmas time can be full of hope, joy, and comfort, while also mixed with disappointment, questions, and even grief, especially if you’re praying for a baby. Many people hoping to adopt identify throughout their waiting with the same feelings they may have experienced when trying to conceive, or when going through infertility.
It’s our prayer that you find ways to let your heart be light and open to the love and delight of the season, even as you wait for and anticipate what’s ahead for your own family’s story. Waiting for a child can feel heavy, discouraging, and sometimes lonely, but Christmas gives us the opportunity to connect, see the good, and look for the gifts of the season we’re in.
Books that Can Help
As the author of When God Says Wait and All the Feels, Elizabeth Laing Thompson, says: “As a survivor of several Baby-less Christmases, I want to encourage you that with God’s help, you can have a joyful holiday season… You can have fun. You can stay sane. You can enjoy the life you have even while you pray for the life you want.”
We love this timeless post from lizzylife.com, entitled “When All You Want for Christmas is a Baby,” where Thompson offers 4 strategies for moving through Christmas while waiting for a baby.
Whether you’re hoping to grow your family through adoption or through your own pregnancy, we think you’ll find encouragement, reassurance, and a healthy action plan with these tips Elizabeth offers those trying to conceive or facing infertility:
Tips for Baby Longing
1. Battle envy with love and self-pity with gratitude.
2. Think ahead, and be gentle with yourself.
3. Be intentional in your thinking.
4. Be proactive in planning your holiday season. Focus on fun!
Thompson concludes: “…with focus and prayer, you can still claim joy. You can make memories and have fun. You can remain grateful and spiritual. You can stay close to your husband. You can sidestep the Enemy’s traps of envy, self-pity, and sadness.” (Read the full article from Elizabeth Laing Thompson here.)
Reminder in Your Waiting
If you could use a reminder that He is working in your own waiting-for-baby season this Christmas, visit AdoptionWebinar.com. There, you’ll hear testimonies from others who endured the waiting and are happily living life after the Lord finally answered their prayers for a child. From there, you can also listen to our friend and author, author, Elizabeth Laing Thompson, on a special webinar we hosted with her, Trusting God with Your Story.
All I Want for Christmas Is a Baby
If your prayers (or letters to Santa—worth a try, right?) often start with “Dear God, please add a baby to our family…” we want you to know that you are seen and understood, and there is hope. Every month, we see God work miracles for families here at Lifetime. We are blessed to see His faithfulness in each adoption story, again and again.
We aim to support pregnant women as they explore adoption as a loving option for their babies. Thanks to the generosity of families like yours, we provide assistance, care, love, and unwavering support. Our Lifetime adoptive families stand ready with open arms to welcome both birth mothers and their children.
As we celebrate Christ’s birth, we pray that His peace surrounds you. Trust that the God of all hope desires to fulfill the longings of your heart. He knows that your greatest wish and prayer this Christmas is to welcome a child into your family.
Many families have prayed the same prayer, and with joy, they’ve seen those prayers answered. Their faith and trust in God kept them looking forward (and upward!) until the day they held their child.
As you gather with loved ones this season, encourage them to include your adoption journey in their prayers. God hears you and will sustain and guide you through the power of the Holy Spirit. We pray your Christmas is filled with God’s abundant love and unwavering hope. If we can help you achieve your adoption goals, please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on December 16, 2020, and has since been updated.
Founder of Lifetime Adoption, adoptive mom, adoption expert, and Certified Open Adoption Practitioner (C.O.A.P).
Since 1986, adoption expert Mardie Caldwell has been dedicated to bringing couples and birth parents together in order to fulfill their dreams.
“Many years ago, I was also searching for a child to adopt. We didn’t know where or how to get started. Through research, determination, and a prayer, our dream of a family became reality. I started with a plan, a notebook, assistance from a caring adoption consultant and a lot of hard work; this was my family I was building. We had a few heartaches along the way, but the pain of not having children was worse!
Within weeks we had three different birth mothers choose us. We were overwhelmed and delighted. Many unsettling events would take place before our adoption would be finalized, many months later. Little did I know that God was training and aligning me for the adoption work I now do today. It is my goal to share with our families the methods and plans which succeed and do not succeed. I believe adoption should be affordable and can be a wonderful “pregnancy” for the adoptive couple.
I have also been on both sides of infertility with the loss of seven pregnancies and then conceiving by new technology, giving birth to a healthy daughter. I have experienced first-hand the emotional pain of infertility and believe my experience allows me to serve your needs better.
It is my hope that for you, the prospective parents, your desire for a child will be fulfilled soon.”
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