Throughout Scripture, one of the recurring and resilient themes is that God takes dead-ends and makes them starting lines. Famously, God worked at the Red Sea, parting the waters so the Israelites could walk on dry ground to safety. The message was that God makes a way. 1 Corinthians 10 tells us that even in the face of temptation, “he will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” God makes a way!

Over the first part of 2024, our ministry name has been fitting across the country: Dallas, TX; Memphis, TN; and Decatur, IL. God has been opening the door for our team and volunteers to share the ministry's vision, rally churches to join the cause, and get applications in the hands of would-be adoptive parents.

Dallas, TX: Steven was in The Lone Star State for a leadership conference, but it doubled as a prime opportunity to meet church leaders worldwide. It was amazing to join together with 3,200 pastoral leaders and think through what it would look like to link arms in our shared commitment to "pure and faultless religion" spoken of in James 1:27.

Decatur, IL: Board members Carol Nelson and Steve Surrat were at a conference for the Disciple Heritage Fellowship (DHF), a brotherhood of church leaders. Among the Bible-centric group, our GWMAW team shared their heart for adoption as an expression of the Gospel and the desire for our unifying practical ministry to be a tangible witness to the world. This is the place where the old idiom that started in the 1920s still rings true: the Church, unified together, gets to "walk the walk, not just talk the talk."

Memphis, TN: Multiple volunteers joined a Memphis Interfaith Foster and Adoption gathering. This served as a one-stop shop for prospective families to connect with foster/adoption advocates. We were able to offer a tangible lifeline to couples trying to overcome the financial hurdles to adoption. 

In Esther's gripping and captivating story from the Old Testament, we should remember her uncle's challenge: that she was in her queenly position to be used by God. It was "such a time as this" that God had placed, equipped, and deployed her. Let us, in the same way, not forget that it is "such a time as this" that we have been placed, equipped, and deployed so that children get parents, parents share Jesus, and that as individual church brands shrink, Christ's name can be exalted. 

To give, hit the DONATE button on our website, or to share our grant application with a family in your congregation, go to God Will Make A Way Ministries (gwmaw.org) and hit GRANT APPLICATION. Thanks for LOVING ORPHANS BY HELPING PEOPLE ADOPT. 

Sincerely,

The GWMAW Team! 

What’s the best Christmas gift you have ever received? The potential lists of answers are unlimited. Yet, let me propose that the greatest gift is HOPE. 

The Mullins family received a God Will Make A Way grant and gave us an update just in time for Christmas. They went to Colombia to meet their daughter, Luz, which means “light” in Spanish. During the season dedicated to seeing in Jesus the Light of the World, here is the next chapter of their story:  

“We ran into some additional delays during the final steps of our process with Colombia, but God is so good and we can see His hand on this entire process! We finally received our travel date for Colombia … Since then, we have been in Colombia finalizing the process. We had an unexpected two-week delay during our time here, but it's been a great time to bond as a family. Luz is an amazing 13-year-old, and we are absolutely in love! Her joy and laughter brighten our lives, and we are so grateful that she's ours. It's crazy how much she's like each of us!

After 8 weeks in Colombia, it's finally time!! We just want to thank GWMAW and the support you gave to help make this possible. Shortly after we got her, she told me she wasn't sure she was going to be adopted anymore. You all helped give a child hope for her future, and there are not enough words to express what that truly means to us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!”

We hope that knowing your generosity has given hope will be the greatest Christmas gift of all. Your contributions have helped turn on the light. We cannot wait to continue adding pictures to our GWMAW “family” scrapbook. We want to continue giving hope, changing family trees, and shining a light on the power of the Gospel through adoption.

If you want to join us in our mission of helping Christian couples overcome the financial barriers to adoption, click here.

Sincerely,
Pastor Steven Stern, GWMAW

P.S. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Hi, my name is Steve Surratt, and I am a board member of God Will Make A Way Ministries.  I am 65 years old and have been married to Lisa Surratt for 21 years.  For the last 12 years, I have been a pastor in the Mt. Sterling, IL area.  Before that, I was in sales for most of my life.

So, what’s a 65-year-old guy’s interest in adoption?  Well, first let me tell you I have witnessed the difference adoptive children have made in families and the difference that has been made for that child by being raised by Christian parents.  I come from a family that is very close.  My dad had four brothers and the cousins from those five families are very close.  My first experience with adoption happened when I was 8 years old.  That is when my cousin Beth was adopted into the family.  Let me point out she was the second girl in the family all the rest were boys.  She came to this world not perfect; she was very pigeon-toed.  In those days she had to wear shoes with a bar attached to it to turn her feet back straight as she grew.  You would think that being a girl in a boy-dominated family would be a significant problem.  No, she fit right in, a farm girl at heart.  In my relationship with cousins, she and I are the closest, we still find time to get together when she is in town, or I am close to her.

From that point, I have seen in the last several years, several adoptions by parents in the communities I serve and to my friends Steven & Chelsea Stern (Director of GWMAW).  Many of these children are born into less-than-favorable situations.  They were adopted into Christian homes with Moms and Dads who love these children and a community that loves them.  Many of these families are now multi-cultural after adoption.  Many are now in high school, and I have been able to watch these families over a long-term period.  Each child is in a two-parent, Christian home and the families are thriving.

My personal passion for this comes from having a special needs child named David.  David was born to me and my first wife Toni in 1987.  David was born Hydrocephalic with damage to the left and right sides of the brain.  We were told in the Hospital by a doctor, that dying would not be the worst thing that would happen to David, the worst was that he would live.  David would be nothing more than a rag doll, he said.  In today’s world abortion would have been available, being a Christian family that would have not been a choice or an option.  Many children today are considered throwaway children because they are not perfect. 

Let me share a Paul Harvey “Rest of the Story” moment.  With hard work from David and persistence from his parents.  David graduated high school on time with a “C” average.  Yes, he went to special ed for some adaptive measures to be implemented.  Yes, he had different surgeries, but David could see and walk normally.  He went on to attend college and start a music business. 

David died at 23 years old from complications of a seizure.  Lisa and I found him when we went to pick him up from his mom’s.  So, people would say, why after 23 years and getting through so many obstacles did he pass?  I say “thank you God” for the 23 years that we had.  I cannot imagine not having David in my life for that amount of time.  I miss him and his spirit regularly.  I wrote a song called “Special Angel”.  In that song there is a line “It wasn’t what we could do, but the love He (God) thought we both would need”.  I learned so much about love and faith from David.  When I wanted to complain about my feelings, I looked at him and how strong he was.

Later after death, I discovered a letter from a friend of David’s in a Private Message on David’s Facebook account that the author had no idea anyone would see.  Saying “I thought I was helping/saving you, but you (David) were saving me.  What a testimony for a young man that was to be a rag doll.  Proving that the worst thing that would happen to David was not living, but dying.

GWMAW is here to help Christian families adopt and give orphaned children Christian homes with Christian communities in a world that says throw them away. If you're interested in helping support adoption grants, you can give through our website: www.gwmaw.org and hit Donate. 

-GWMAW Ministries 

With August upon us, we enter into the time of year when parents and children alike begin to countdown the return of school. Most kids grumble about having to get back into the routine of waking up early, doing homework, and relearning classroom decorum while parents are ready for their kids to get an “educational break” from the house.

Yet, it is easy to forget that returning to school for adopted children can be intimidating. There can be awkward questions about “real parents,” probing inquiries about what life was like before, and sometimes there are projects requiring information that is hard to produce.  

Teachers can play a huge role in normalizing adoption. I remember vividly in 1^st grade how in addition to the normal classroom responsibilities (i.e. pencil sharpener, calendar person, paper collector, mail runner, etc.) she added in the very special role of caring for Bruno the Bear. Throughout the year, each student got to take Bruno home and care for the stuffed animal as an adopted parent and journal the experience along the way. Looking back, it was my first experience with adoption. Luckily, Bruno made it through his 48 hours at my house unscathed (a small miracle).

As God Will Make A Way prepares for an influx of grant applicants, we want to use our time, talents, and treasures to advocate for children both domestically and internationally who need a forever home. Each time we do, we can point to earthly adoption as a microcosm for the even greater adoption in Christ. We both normalize and elevate adoption at the same time.

Let’s not forget that the Bible both normalizes and elevates adoption too. In the Roman world, there was something called adrogation or adult adoption. Some people wonder if Paul, on the island of Cyprus, was adopted into the family of the governor, Sergius Paullus, after sharing the Gospel (check out Acts 13). More importantly, it was through faith in Jesus Christ that each of us are adopted into the family of God.  

¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵ The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.

As children get ready to go back to school, let’s shake off summer by returning with a focus to advocate for children who are often left without a voice.

If you’re interested in supporting GWMAW, you can pray for us, send donations in through the website (www.gwmaw.org), or send checks to 13757 State Highway 130, Charleston, IL 61920. 

Sincerely in Christ,

Pastor Steven Stern

1 Peter 3:18-20

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, ¹⁹ in which he went and proclaimed^[ to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.

 Peter drops a bombshell on his readers scattered throughout the Roman provinces in Asia Minor. As you might recall, Peter is the dude who rejected Jesus with his first, second, and third answers. He was consistent. Yet, he found that God pursued him after he had walked back to his old life on the fishing boat. He seems like the perfect mouthpiece for those who must have felt like they lived on the Island for Misfit Toys: God has always been the One who relentlessly pursues the lost. Not only is He the Shepherd who leaves the 99 sheep to find the one lost, but he even went back to be the life-giving inflatable for those who perished in their own disobedience.

At God Will Make A Way Ministries, our hope is to send the same message through the adoption process to boys and girls throughout the world. As we help Christians overcome the financial hurdle to adopting, we are joining together to remind people of our God who always relentlessly pursues the lost!

As the Fourth of July draws near, let me take a moment to thank each and every one of you for your prayers, and financial support, and for sharing with your church the power of adoption. Please let people in your life know about GWMAW, applications for grants are available on our website www.gwmaw.org.

If you’re interested in sending financial support, you can give it on the website or by mailing checks to 13757 State Highway 130, Charleston, IL 61920.

Sincerely in Christ,

Pastor Steven Stern

One of the key theological tenants within Scripture is the understanding that those who put their faith in Jesus Christ are called to be part of something bigger than themselves. The metaphors abound through the church (koinonia—"called out ones.") For example, believers joined together are the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:22-33), body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12), a city that is set upon a hill (Matthew 5), community of citizens, family of God, and spiritual temple (Ephesians 2:19-22). In the hustle and bustle of life, it’s easy to live the “solo flight” where we privatize a faith meant to be lived out in community. It’s in community we practice the profound Jesus-life. It’s in Community where we’re invited into the larger mission of being part of redeeming the world.

Board member Steve Surratt and his wife Lisa, had a beautiful reminder of the power of the church on April 26th and 27th, as they attended the Disciples Heritage Fellowship Conference in Decatur, Illinois. The conference brought together Christian Church leaders from around the state and nation for shared fellowship, support, and growth. Steve noted, “The conference was very uplifting and valuable to us as Ministers.” Along with that spiritual refreshment, Steve and Lisa had the opportunity to represent God Will Make A Way Ministries at a booth. “Over the two-day conference we were able to meet many new friends and lift-up the ministry of GWMAW Ministries…letting many know of the mission and ministry of GWMAW Ministries.  We thank God for the opportunity to spread the message of how we as Christians can change the life of a child through the work that the ministry is doing.”

As way of update, many of you know that Chelsea and I have now relocated to the Memphis, TN area continuing in pastoral ministry. We’re excited to increase the exposure of GWMAW and continue allowing the global Church to be part of changing children’s lives in a practical, profound, and expressly gospel centered way.

Thanks for your continued prayers and support of this ministry. If you know a Christian couple that is thinking about adoption, in the process of adopting, or a church that has a heart for orphans and widows, don’t hesitate to drop us an email at [Please enable JavaScript.].

Sincerely in Christ,
Pastor Steven Stern

GUEST POST: My name is Cathy Merritt; I am honored to write the opening of the God Will Make A Way Ministries May Newsletter.

I recently wrote a book about my journey as a Christian called Real World Grace. My book is focused on loving people where they are at and showing them the truth of Jesus Christ through agape love. It’s one of the reasons why I am a supporter of God Will Make A Way Ministries as one example of real-world grace.  

As believers, we have the commission to take the Gospel to the world, by making disciples who make disciples who learn what the Master knows and then do what the Master does! By helping families overcome the financial hurdles of adoption, GWMAW realizes that faith stories are actually family stories.

“Since God is present in every situation, anything can happen. If people will turn their attention and focus to God, they can and will in time be transformed by the renewing of their minds. This is a promise from our Christ our Lord.” (pg. 29, Real World Grace)

I pray that you will support this growing ministry. If you are interested in learning more about Real World Grace, you can get more information at Real World Grace: Merritt, Cathy: 9798364132949: Amazon.com: Books.

It’s amazing how support for GWMAW has spread through IL and beyond.

On Sunday, April 23^rd, Board member Steve Surratt did a solo concert and meal at the Clayton Christian Church in Clayton IL. Proceeds from his concert and meal went to support adoption grants through GWMAW. 

On May 20^th, in Herriman, UT, a rugby match between the Utah Warriors and the Houston SaberCats is raising money for different ministries, including GWMAW, through the efforts of Jacob Perazzo. Jacob is suffering from terminal cancer, but as he heroically stated, “I choose to live and give back.” 

If you would like to support GWMAW you can give through the website www.gwmaw.org.

Colossians 3:1-4 

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³ For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Sincerely,

Cathy Merritt

Last month we shared with you about a St. Patrick’s Day meal and dessert fundraiser being held for our first grant recipients. This month we are excited to share the results! Out of their great love and their desire to see another orphan join her forever family, this couple’s church came together on a Sunday after service, shared a potluck meal, and then donated at least 75 different desserts to auction. Through this simple act, they raised $12,836!! These funds along with the GWMAW grant will go a long way in covering the huge financial cost of international adoption. Please continue in prayer for this couple, their ongoing fundraising efforts, and the big changes ahead as they prepare to bring their daughter home.

We are also excited to announce that we have our second grant recipient! The couple lives in Iowa and is adopting an older child (12 years old) from Colombia. They said: “We are excited to raise our child in the church and set the example for what it means to place and keep Christ at the center of our lives. We hope our example, testimony, and love will lead our child to the Lord.” And that is what this is all about folks!

We want to see Christian parents enabled to give orphans a family. The cost of this is great so we look to the church to support this cause through giving and prayer.  Then we look to the church to refer couples that have the desire to raise children up in the ways of the Lord.

In other news two of our board members, Carol Nelson and Chelsea Stern, had the opportunity to speak at the Kansas Christian Church’s ladies' retreat. Chelsea was able to share her testimony about how God made a way in the Sterns’ adoptions and Carol shared the mission of GWMAW ministries. A free-will offering was received from the ladies attending the weekend and Kansas Christians Women's Fellowship also gave a generous donation. We thank them for their support and this opportunity to share what God is doing! Ladies from several churches were in attendance that day and we are hopeful of forming ongoing partnerships with some of them so please be in prayer for that.

If your church has a couple who desires to adopt but needs financial assistance please refer them to our website (gwmaw.org) where they can access an application. Also, feel free to reach out and see how your church can organize additional fundraising.

Sincerely in Christ,

Steven and Chelsea Stern 

Founders of GWMAW Ministries

God Will Make A Way Ministries, Inc. is a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization. All gifts are tax-deductible.

March 2023 is turning out to be the moment where preparation meets application. Over the last eight months, we’ve consistently asked you to be in prayer for fundraising, families, and children needing forever homes.

Joyfully, this month we get to share with you how your prayers have been answered and how the Holy Spirit has actively been moving.

First, a few days ago, we received a final total for the Walnut Grove Christian Church Mission Team Fundraiser Auction. After countless hours of service, sacrifice, and donations the rural congregation brought in an amazing $32,593.95 for GWMAW!

Second, we have our first grant recipient! The couple lives in Illinois and is adopting a special needs child from Thailand. They articulated their reason for setting out on this course declaring, “The central focus of our family’s life is to love God and love others. Living in a community with others who share this life purpose is a beautiful blessing. We know it is true that ‘it takes a village to raise a child.’ And we are so thankful for the other members of (our church)…” The goal of GWMAW is to make the local church the hero, to allow them to vouch for their members, pray, and walk alongside them throughout the journey. This is the moment where all the preparation meets application!

Since the couple has been matched with their child, their local church is using St. Patrick’s Day and the GWMAW grant as a catalyst to overcome the financial barriers. On March 19^th, they are having a corn beef and cabbage meal and dessert fundraiser. As you put on your green shirt (to avoid being pinched), eat your Irish cuisine, or enjoy a green running river, please say a prayer for this effort!  It might be helpful to reflect on part of the famous petition attributed to St. Patrick in 433 A.D. for protection as he attempted to convert the Irish King Laoghaire.  

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

Many forget that Patrick wasn’t Irish. He was actually born in Britain, was kidnapped, and made a slave in Ireland, before escaping six years later. After returning home, he felt called to go back to his place of enslavement to share Jesus and preach the Gospel.   

Thank you for your part in bringing this preparation to the point of application. We believe that adoption is the Gospel and in less than a year, we are getting to join into a God-sized story. If you are interested in learning more about how your church congregation might put together a fundraiser auction, know a Mission Team interested in learning more about our ministry, or have any questions at all, please give me a call at (309)721-7962 or email me at [Please enable JavaScript.].

Sincerely in Christ,

Pastor Steven Stern

Founder, God Will Make A Way Ministries, Inc.

When I sat down with the Mission Team of Walnut Grove Christian Church in 2022, I shared with them the mission God had placed on my heart. Simply put, my message was let’s walk the Bible walk, not just talk the Bible talk. My prayer was that they would join GWMAW in helping Christian couples overcome the financial hurdles of adoption by partnering with other Bible-believing churches.

A few days after our meeting, Sam, the team leader, reached out with an answer: “We are going to support GWMAW, but we also have an auction idea.” The idea made me nervous. How was an auction going to work? Would people respond? Would we get enough items? Fast forward half a year, and here we are on the border between January and February 2023. For months, people brought items big and small to Walnut Grove. A U-Haul truck was rented. Work days were planned and executed. Over 600 items were sorted, described, stickered, photographed, and now are part of an active auction through Bauer Auction Service, LLC. Check it out (Bidding Closes: Thursday, February 9th - - 7:00 pm):

https://www.bauerauction.com/walnut-grove-christian-church-charity-online-only-auction/?mibextid=r5uJeJ&fbclid=IwAR3OBXjF0damdGGyERUTJ51AMi2NiUiD2P5AQTXEqBKJ7QFteKKGz8YTmoQ

The initial goal of $10,000 sounded impossible. Yet, throughout all the hard work Sam’s focus was straight from Scripture: Keep praying in the Spirit at all times (Jude 1:20), walk by the Spirit… (Galatians 5:16), as we are being built in the Spirit together with others into a place where God lives (Ephesians 2:22).

A recent text message from Sam captures how the Holy Spirit is on the move: “Just adding up the 98 lots that have bids over $10, we are at $10,232! Goal met, prayers answered…(God’s) not done in this chapter…”

As supporters, prayer partners, donors, and believers in the mission let me thank you for continuing to listen to the Holy Spirit. It’s incredible that as God Will Make A Way grows, we are getting to join together to make a place for God to live among us and through us. There is no greater call in life, no greater joy, and nothing more exciting to be a part of! Please keep praying for the auction, the adoptive families we are longing to reach, and the children whose lives we trust will be changed when they experience a God who always makes a way! 

Sincerely in Christ,

Pastor Steven Stern

As we sit on the precipice of a new year, your inbox is undoubtedly getting flooded by every group you ever gave your email to. Everyone is asking for money, trying to rally supporters, hit goals, and mark achievements.  

At God Will Make A Way, instead of all of that, I’d like to pray for you, lift up your personal areas of ministry, and thank you for the places where our work overlaps for the kingdom. 

This morning, pondering our Christmas tree and New Year decorations clashing, I’m reminded that the holiday season doesn’t end tonight at 12:01 am.  Instead, we celebrate what many in the western church know as Epiphany on January 6^th. It marks the journey of the magi from the east with gold, frankincense, and myrrh to honor baby Jesus.

Honestly, I don’t meditate enough on their journey. These scholarly men studied the world, literature, history, languages, and of course the stars. They were willing to set out over 900 miles from Babylon to Bethlehem. As we consider another trip around the sun, let’s pray that our journey may be as successful as theirs.

Dear Heavenly Father,

As you sent Jesus into our world as a son, we thank you for allowing us to become sons and daughters through his sacrifice, expressed love, and faithfulness.
 
Like the magi, may we be students of You. Give us boldness and willingness to set out when called; to go where directed. Help us not just get through another year, but to redeem the time. Lord, bless this journey of faith and allow us to experience your power as we partner our lives with your leadership.  

As Charles Spurgeon once said, “I wish, my brothers and sisters, that during this year you may live nearer to Christ than you have ever done before.”  Allow us to be “in the world, but not of the world” joyously bringing our gifts before Jesus. Trusting that like the young boy who brought a few loaves and fish before thousands, you can multiply our humble offerings. Use us and our gifts to bless the families who will fill out our application with hearts for adoption. Give hope to the children whose hearts are longing for a forever home. We ask that you would give us the privilege of being the people who stand in the gap on their behalf. 
We pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.

Romans 12:1--Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  

TWO WAYS: As we’ve asked for your support throughout 2022, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us and allow us to continue praying for you through specific needs. Check out our contact page and let us know how we can intercede with God in prayer! https://gwmaw.org/?page=contact

*UPDATE* Thank you to all those who gave towards our #GivingTuesday $3,000 matching grant. Through your generosity, we were able to et that goal!

Recently, while binging through YouTube videos, an ad for a global child sponsorship program/ministry started to play. Maybe you’ve been at an event where you have been challenged to sponsor a child around the world by picking from hundreds or thousands of picture profiles. The ad was compelling. The ministry brought about a stunning reversal to the norm by allowing the children to choose their sponsors.  

This was a first in the ministry’s history. Yet, as we near Christmas and enter into the Advent season, I’m reminded that at Jesus’ incarnation God flipped the script long before. If Advent is new to you, it means to arrive or to come, marking Jesus’ arrival and birth into the world. If you were God, how would you arrive into your own creation? Military escort with the Blue Angels? Pomp and circumstance of a royal coronation? Enjoying the lap of luxury and rightful deference from your subjects?

Instead of any of those, let me take you back to that moment when God flipped the script… (Matthew 1:18-25)

¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

 ²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

 ²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

 ²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ²⁵ But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

You can understand Joseph’s frustration. His entire hopes and dreams around Mary and marriage have just been blown up. Until he does something that reveals his character and faith: He accepts the fatherhood of Jesus. The script had been flipped. This wasn’t his plan, but God chose Him.

As we worship Immanuel, God with us, this Christmas season, our ministry is at the precipice of beginning to give out grants to families seeking to adopt. There is no better moment for us to acknowledge that adoption isn’t a plan B after plan A failed, but to rejoice that Jesus Christ choose adoption as the means of his entry to planet earth! Over 2023, my prayer is that together we get to watch God choose couples for children and recognize that, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him’” (1 Cor. 2:9).

We are currently sending out Sustaining Church Partner Packets and accepting applications! 

November 29^th, 2022 is GIVING TUESDAY. Partner with us in maximizing the $3,000 Grant. You can give by mail or online through our new website: God Will Make A Way Ministries - Support Us (gwmaw.org) Any gifts marked for GIVING TUESDAY now through November 29^th will apply to the matching gift!

November is National Adoption Awareness Month!

It’s important to realize that we adopt not because we are rescuers. No. We adopt because we are rescued. – David Platt

During an adoption, information is sometimes hard to procure. While we don’t need to know the beginning of a child’s story to change the ending, sometimes it’s helpful in seeing the bigger picture. Uniting families with orphans across the world, across the country or even across the street is the place where multiple stories collide. God brings together seemingly unrelated stories as connected strands in a larger tale.

Cathy recently shared with me her story in her own words. She was on the other side of adoption, pregnant, life complicated and answers hard to find:

I had been playing with fire for about a year. Real relationships were not important but drinking and carousing seemed to be all-important. I was in the Navy and life was full of the next conquest. I was living on the edge, but God knew what I needed.

I was enjoying my life, I was acting as if I was happy and full of joy, but I was very much alone.  I was far from home and my family.  There was no one to protect me or tell me I am too wild or out of control.  I found myself in a beauty contest for the Seabees (Navy construction crews). It was then, that I started feeling horrible.  I hoped I was wrong, but I began thinking, “Could I be pregnant?”  I went through with the competition.  I came in second place and carried a little Seabees bracelet for many years in my jewelry box.

Once this pageant was over, I realized that I was pregnant.  The test proved it.  I remember calling my parents and realizing this was the worst news I could give them and at the worst time. Both my parents were sick, and my mom had just gotten out of the hospital. Their first answer was abortion. They really did not want me to do that, but it seemed as if it would solve everything! That is the thing, abortion takes the problem away, but the child never lives a life. God does not want that.  Every life is important.

The good news is that when I decided on adoption, I was in counseling.  I realized that I was not prepared to have a baby and raise it.  I did have a good job in the Navy, but my maturity was lacking.  I realized adoption was the way to go and told my parents.  They were at first disappointed but committed to supporting me. They came for several weeks and stayed with me until after the pregnancy. My friend was my coach, and I spent the entire day in labor.  Finally, in the early evening of October 6^th, 1980, they induced me, and my baby girl was born.  They knew she was being adopted, so the nurses took her away.   I did ask if she was okay.  The nurse gave a short response but said she was beautiful.

I did not know this, but my mother would go to the nursery at the hospital and hold the baby.  She never told me.  My sister told me after my mother’s death.  That gave me a warm feeling.  My mom spent a few days loving her and giving her a good start.  I was moved to a ward far from the nursery. I was left alone, only to have a few co-workers and my parents near me.  I still was in denial over the birth and then the adoption.

Without the counseling, I may not have been able to make the best choice for my daughter. When I went to sign the papers, I held her for a few minutes.  I could have run out of the agency with her, but what did I have to give her? I knew that decision would change everything for me and would change her life forever.  I handed her back.  I cried all the way to my car.  I then decided to drive to my parents.  So, I took 18 hours to drive home.  This helped me to see that I needed to move forward.   My parents loaded up my car with my hope chest and rocking chair.  I took them back to Florida.  I started jogging to get my weight down and back in my uniform.  I was forming a new life without my daughter.  I was still very alone.  Life was difficult because I wasn’t sure whether to share my experience or act as if the last 9 months didn’t happen at all. The reality of life hit me like a ton of bricks.  I was alone without God in my life. 

My life did move forward, and I advanced in my Navy career while getting married.  We were unable to have children for 7 years and I realized that time was needed for me to resolve my feelings and thoughts.  Comprehending the desire to have a child without the ability to have one.  Then I knew that she was in a good place and no matter what - she was better off.   Then I became pregnant, and God blessed me with twin sons.  I was a happy mother and loved my time with them.  

When I met my daughter for the first time, I was brought back to the day at the agency.  I handed her back to the agency and went forward alone in my life.  I now cherish my friendship with her and her family.  She is in her 40s and has daughters of her own.  She is an educated and loving mother.  Without my decision, a family would not have had the opportunity to love and raise their daughter.  I was totally complete seeing how the story moved forward.  I did the right thing by choosing life.  Life should not start with death. In my story, life for my daughter began with an unselfish but incredibly hard decision to give her a life that didn’t include me.  We now can share this story with love and joy.  God had a plan for my baby, and I found the courage to follow God’s plan. 

 It's sometimes scary to share a story when everything isn’t neat, clean, and straightforward, but life is messy. Thankfully, adoption is not just about rescuing a child, it’s a reflection that we have been rescued by God. That’s a story which brings us all together!  As the Psalmist challenges (82:3) --Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.

This month, join us at GWMAW praying for birth parents involved in every adoption. We realize that we won’t know every story, but we can pray for how God will bring their story together for good.

Sincerely,

Pastor Steven Stern

Founder of GWMAW Ministries

"Last winter, Andreas Keller decided the time was right to branch out from his day job as a neuroscientist and launch a new art gallery. Not just any gallery, but the country's first and only commercial space devoted entirely to smell-based art."

When I came across the above paragraph in Abigail Tucker's Smithsonian article entitled, Scents and Sensibility, my interest at least was piqued. The central question with smelly art is, "Can we start to appreciate what many take for granted?" A 2011 study found 50% of young adults rather forfeit smell than their smartphones.

The question before us at God Will Make A Way Ministries is similar. How do we help people realize, recognize, and respond in big and little ways to the condition of 20 million children in need of adoption around the world? The answer might rest in what COVID-19 did for smell. Suddenly, going without smell made people appreciate their olfactory power. If we follow suit, imagine hitting 18 years old without experiencing a family of your own. Really let that idea sink in deep. Staring at 18 not as some celebratory milestone but as walking the plank into uncertainty. Reflect on where you might have ended up without the guidance, direction, and love of parents who were for you.

Jesus likewise tried to get his 1st century audience to take the laws they repeated twice daily and sense their application in love lived out. To do this, he pulled his audience into a parable taking place on a crime-infested road between Jericho and Jerusalem. Challenging his listeners to be neighbors in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 10:

³⁰ In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’"

As the Samaritan "neighbored" well, let the art of "neighboring" continue through us, whether it calls us right across the street or across the world. Let's prayerfully begin to light up the olfactory receptors of others smelling like the pleasing aroma of Christ. We do this not simply with our words, but with works that reflect our allegiance. Join us at GWMAW as we partner with churches, pray for orphans, and provide for families to bring children into their forever home!

Another exciting piece of news regards Giving Tuesday on November 29th, 2022.  Please consider a special gift towards helping us hit a generous $3,000 matching gift opportunity! This will double the impact of regular gifts over the next two months!

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Sincerely,

Pastor Steven Stern
Founder of God Will Make A Way Ministries

F. Scott Fitzgerald described the general zeitgeist of America in the aftermath of WWI, as people awaking to find “All gods dead, all wars fought, and all faith in man shaken.” Many today might see that as the anthem of the 21^st century as well.

Despite the general pessimism, it’s amazing how God’s power is never more prevalent, persuasive, and profound than when local churches (his hands and feet) come together as the BIG “C” Church (the body). It’s a glimpse at the unity Jesus prayers for in John 17:22, “That we may be ONE!

God Will Make A Way grew out of many different seeds, but one of the most personal is when Chelsea and I were preparing to adopt for the second time. We had already adopted our son, Samuel, in a domestic adoption from Springfield, IL. Now we were facing something completely overwhelming, international adoption from Bogota, Colombia for a sibling group of three young girls. The price tag was intimidating, but we kept praying, “God if this is your will, then you’ll have to make a way!” Then he did.  We saved, we did fundraisers, and we looked for grants. We were grateful for all the help, but we were even more shocked by the active generosity of our local church and area believers coming together to fill in the gap. Walnut Grove did for us what they have done for others. They invited people to a dessert fundraiser. There were cakes, cupcakes, trifles, pies, cookies, and homemade ice cream. Others auctioned off gift cards, a movie night basket, a cooler with cuts from a local butcher shop, and makeup bags. Then people started bidding sacrificially, all with the goal of helping us bring our three daughters home. It was humbling. It was heart-warming. It was the heart-beat of the church being the church.

We kept praying, “GOD if this is your will, then you’ll have to make a way!” Then he did!

It was an experience where God was alive. The war seemed winnable. Faith in man was secure. Without a doubt, it was one chapter in the making of GWMAW.

As we continue to raise money, build up a donor base, and seek to find Sustaining Church Partners, it’s always with the vision to help replicate our experience in the lives of other couples who are scared, intimidated, and uncertain. Our goal as a ministry is to be the ERASER for all the financial BUTS that get in the way of couples being able to adopt and show them the power of our God who is active, the CHURCH that is focused, and the faith that is built on the solid rock. 

Jesus told the parable of a wise and foolish builder in Matthew 7, that started with this line: ²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

If you grew up watching Veggie Tales, here is how they tell the story:

You be the wise guy, Bob!
Okay!

The wise man built his house upon the rock (x 3)
And the rains came tumbling down

The rains came down and the floods came up (x 3)
And the house on the rock stood firm

Yep, I knew it would! That's right!
Okay, I'll be the foolish guy, Bob!
Okay, Larry, don't try too hard, though!

The foolish man built his house upon the sand (x3)
And the rains came tumbling down

What was he thinking?
He was thinking he wanted a beach home!
Foolish man. Yep... It pays to be wise, Larry!

It’s as we unify we declare: OUR GOD IS ALIVE, OUR WAR HAS BEEN WON and OUR FAITH IS SECURE.  If you're interested in joining us, call (309) 721-7962, email [Please enable JavaScript.], or mail 1419 Krishire Drive, Charleston, IL 61920. 

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Sincerely,

Pastor Steven Stern
Founder of God Will Make A Way Ministries

If you’re a baseball fan, we have officially entered what some call the “dog days of summer.” The heat has produced more than a few days over 100 degrees. It’s been hot. Thankfully, the temperature isn’t the only thing heating up. I’m happy to report to each of you, as sustaining financial and prayer partners, that God is on the move.

Over the last month, I was able to speak at a Men’s Area Fellowship in Maroa, IL where the 50 men in attendance raised over $600 dollars to support the cause.

August is also the month when Walnut Grove Christian Church’s Auction for Adoption Grants begins. We’ve been blown away by the response. People have sacrificially donated items ranging from household goods, collectibles, and firearms to a Harley Davidson motorcycle along with a vehicle or two. Our goal is to hit $10,000 for adoption grants by using what we already own but might not need. It’s a picture from the early church in Acts, as believers sacrificed their goods for one another, honoring God by loving others.

In August we are blessed to announce that three separate congregations are raising funds for GWMAW. Charleston's Praise Assembly and Salem's Emmanuel Baptist Church both took up love offerings. Arcola's First Christian Church set a goal to raise $2,000. Three other churches are meeting in the next month to consider supporting adoption grants. Please be in prayer for the leaders and decision-makers in each congregation.

Last month, I shared with you how a local couple (Kevin and Amanda) were on their way to the Philippines to pick up their 4 children. What a blessing the last few weeks have been welcoming this expanded family home and getting to meet four lovely children with big, bright, and beautiful smiles. Kevin and Amanda shared that on their trip to the orphanage, they talked with a sweet girl who was about to turn 16 years old. She is the oldest of four siblings and is just two years away from aging out.  Amanda put it eloquently:

“With worry in her eyes, she tells us that she has been praying every day that she can have a family too. That she can stay with her siblings. That they will not be separated…"

Could you be the family this sweet girl is praying so hard for?

Do you know the family this sweet girl is praying so hard for?

In the end, helping someone adopt children like these is why GWMAW exists! If you feel God nudging you to respond to this young woman’s prayer or if you talk to a couple interested, but hesitating because of the financial burden of a sibling group adoption, I’ll make you a promise. Here it goes: I’ll do everything in my power to help overcome the financial hurdles.

Over the next month, please join me in praying for God to continue opening doors to new partners and new parents for the children that need a forever home!

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Sincerely,

Pastor Steven Stern
Founder of God Will Make A Way Ministries

Happy Independence Day! I hope that you’ll get a chance to celebrate our nation’s independence this week. For most families, this is a time of fireworks, festivities, food, and fun at the pool. Who doesn’t love a good bonfire, breaking out the s’mores and roasted hotdogs?

Yet, in a month where we remember the Declaration of Independence and those who refused to let fear get in the way, let us apply this principle to adoption. Doug Chapman put it well, "If you have the heart for adoption, don't let fear stand in the way."

On Wednesday (5/29), I drove a couple from Tuscola, IL to Chicago O’Hare Airport, International Terminal 3, so they could start their journey to adopt their four-child sibling group. They headed around the world: ORD to LAX to Manila, Philippines. Talking to them on the 3-hour jaunt north, it wasn’t that they weren’t scared (you’d be crazy not to be), but trusting God, they refused to let fear stand in the way.  

Over the last month, God has been on the move. I have continued to share the ministry model with churches and individuals from around the area. Last Sunday, I was honored to be able to speak at Lane Christian Church in Lane, IL, and share GWMAW with their congregation. We looked at Galatians 4:4-7, remembering:

1. The Gospel is Adoption.
2. Adoption is costly.
3. When that cost is paid by another, we experience grace!

Looking forward, I’m excited to be able to speak this month at a Men’s Area Fellowship in Maroa, IL. Continue to pray that God will bring together individual donors and sustaining church partners so that we can help children find their forever homes. Since God calls us to have a heart for adoption, let’s refuse to let fear stand in the way! Let freedom reign!

If you would like more information about GWMAW or would be open to letting me share the ministry with a local Mission Team, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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Sincerely,

Pastor Steven Stern
Founder of GWMAW Ministries