Dawson,
age 15, and his six siblings ranging in age from 11 down to 8, had
experienced a horrible home life. They had endured verbal and physical
abuse, a lack of food, and unfit conditions in their home. At times,
they had received gifts through Angel Tree or other groups, but their
parents, who were addicted to drugs, would take them away from them.
For a while, this was the only life that these children knew; it was
normal for them.
Then the children
were taken from their abusive parents and placed in foster care. For
nine months, they were separated from each other but they prayed that
they would be together again.
Their prayers were answered.
Now these
7 children all wear the last name “Hawthorn” having been adopted last
year by Michael and Terri Hawthorn. The seven siblings – Dawson,
Kyndal,
twins Lacy and Layna, Addiley and Arria, and Nixson – were
also welcomed by two other adopted children
(Korgen and Haizlee) and four biological children (who have grown and
are out on their own).
So Michael and Terri Hawthorn have 9
children living in their home, and they are loving it! A photo was
taken in the courtroom of the Saline County Courthouse on the day of the
adoption of the 7 siblings. Mom, Dad, and the seven children are
wearing black t-shirts with the name “Hawthorn” on the back. The
children are standing by the judge on his bench with Michael and Terri
out front holding a sign that says, “You think our hands are full; you
should see our hearts.”
The children love their new family,
too.
After his adoption last November, Dawson told Fox
News, “I’d been praying to have a family that I can enjoy Christmas
with. You’re safe. You know you’re not going to leave and it’s good to
know you’re in a forever family and you won’t have to worry about
danger.”
Terri joked, “I always wanted a dozen [children],
and 20 years later, God’s blessed me with my dozen plus one.” *
Even though our sins put us in a deplorable
condition, God loves us and wants to adopt each of us into His Forever
Family, the Church. He paid the price for our redemption and adoption
by giving His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins (Ephesians
1:7). Through Jesus, we can be adopted into God’s Family, safe at last
in the Father’s care.
The Apostle Paul wrote these thrilling words to
some who had accepted God’s offer of adoption: “For you did not receive
the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of
adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself bears
witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children,
then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we
suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Romans
8:15-17).
God will forgive and
adopt into His Family those who place their
faith
and trust in Jesus
(Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in
repentance
(Acts 17:30-31),
confess
Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are
baptized
(immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). He will
continue to cleanse from sin and give eternal life to those who continue
to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).
The Fox News article that tells about the Hawthorn
family contains a photo of another of the adopted children, Korgen,
standing beside a poster on which is written from the standpoint of one
of his adoptive parents, “I didn’t give you the gift of life. Life gave
me the gift of you.”
God gives us the gift of life, and He
also wants to give us the gift of eternal life as a part of His forever
family. He will, if we will only accept His offer on His terms.
Won’t YOU?
-- David A. Sargent
* Information gleaned from “Arkansas
couple adopts seven siblings at once, giving them a ‘forever family’
ahead of Christmas” by Caleb Parke,
www.foxnews.com, December 19, 2018.
David A. Sargent,
Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
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