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Today on MoneyLife

Monday, August 11, 2008

Michael and Amy Monroe: Help for Adoptive Families

Download and listen to this program. To download MP3, click here

Chuck starts the first segment today by warning listeners about 3 recent scams highlighted in a recent CNN web article:

Discount car rental (low rate advertised, but taxes and fees raise the price significantly)
Zero-percent car financing (but you need perfect credit to qualify)
Free DTV converter (but you have to buy a 5-year warranty that costs $59 plus shipping and handling, total cost $100)

Monroe Family In the second segment, Chuck introduces today's guests, Michael and Amy Monroe of Dallas, Texas. The Monroes head up Tapestry, a church-based ministry that provides a host of support services for adoptive and foster families in the Dallas area.

Michael and Amy are adoptive parents themselves and have had such a blessed experience they wanted to help others. When given the opportunity to do that with Tapestry, they jumped at the chance.

Michael and Amy explained that although they received help from Amy's parents, they had to prepare financially for the cost of adoption, and becoming a one income family.

Adoption costs can run from $15,000 to $25,000 for domestic adoption, $20,000 to $40,000 for an international. However, it is possible to adopt a child from a state foster care program in most states for virtually no cost.

There are resources available to help people afford adoption. These include friends and families, church, a federal tax credit, and even employers.

Advice for prospective adoptive families

Find another adoptive family to mentor you
Find a group of adoptive families within your church, other people walking the same journey
Realize some people may not understand and discourage you
You can contact the Monroes at Tapestry for help

Chuck’s closing thoughts:

Infertility is painful
People can get stuck there
Many options: waiting, medical treatment, adoption
If your heart is heavy, delight yourself in the Lord
Many people long for children, but long for God instead
Cast your cares upon Him and ask Him to fill your heart
God will change your heart to desire what He wants you to do (medical treatment, waiting, adoption)
Change comes with delighting yourself in the Lord and accepting whatever He puts on your heart
Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart."

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