Author Colorado Christian Services

A Family for Every Child

by Colorado Christian Services

At Colorado Christian Services, we believe that children thrive in families and that no child should grow up without the benefit of a solid family. This is why we have been growing families for over 55 years.

 

Family members support our dreams, catch us when we fall, and encourage us to be our best. We believe the strength of family is one of our most valuable human assets, and we are committed to growing strong, healthy families.

 

Here’s how Colorado Christian Services supports healthy families:

 

  • We provide counseling and support for the birth mother as she creates an adoption plan that best serves both her and the child. Each birth mother has a personal caseworker who works closely with her each step of the way, guiding her through the full adoption journey. Services do not end when a child is placed, either! We continue to walk with the birth mother for as long as she needs support. A healthy birth mother is part of a healthy adoption relationship.

 

  • We assess, interview, and counsel adoptive families to make sure each family is thoroughly screened and fully equipped to provide a loving home. As adoptive families move through the adoption process, our professional staff walks alongside them to provide the comprehensive, thoughtful assistance they need. Once a child is placed in a home, we continue to provide care through post-placement services. A healthy adoptive family is part of a healthy adoption relationship.

Colorado Christian Services comes alongside women in unplanned pregnancies and Christian adoptive couples to build families through caring, experienced, and professional adoption planning services. We are honored to be part of helping find a healthy family for every child.

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Urgent Need for a Caseworker to Serve Birth Moms

by Colorado Christian Services

At Colorado Christian Services, we have the blessed opportunity to share with you some of the amazing stories of how the Lord has allowed us to provide care to birth moms who are in the midst of extreme circumstances. Here are a couple of stories of how our birth parent caseworkers go the extra mile and minister in ways that last a lifetime.

Tonya wanted to place her baby girl in a home with adoptive parents outside of her indigenous tribe. This resulted in unusual challenges. Adoption agencies legally must contact tribes to obtain their permission to move forward with an adoption of a child of Native American heritage.
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The tribe could mandate that the child be placed with a family on the reservation. If so, the birth mother doesn’t have the choice to place her child outside of the tribe. She would need to parent or place her child with a Native American family. Tonya was of Native American heritage, and her tribe was positioned to intervene, but she had already fallen in love with one of our waiting adoptive families.

 

Tonya’s baby was placed in cradle care while a resolution was sought. But the foster mother was noticing some special health issues with the baby. So Colorado Christian Services proactively got her the treatment she needed. The tribe was notified that the baby was likely going to be blind and possibly not walk for years.

 

The adoptive family Tonya had chosen then informed the agency that they had some Native American heritage and that they would love and accept the child with all her medical issues. We prayed that the Lord would protect this baby and allow Tonya’s adoption plan to go through. Colorado Christian Services contacted the tribal representative and they approved the placement.

 

But the miracle had only just begun. Nine months later, the medical issues that had been diagnosed through a multidisciplinary team at Children’s Hospital had resolved. The baby girl’s vision was restored, and she was already walking.

Bev knew she wasn’t able to care for her son, but her deepest desire was for him to be raised on a farm in the South. A birth mom making that specific of a request was new for us and let’s just say that we knew we had our work cut out for us. We had to let her know that we didn’t have such a family.

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Meanwhile, the phone was ringing with parents hoping to adopt and signing up for our programming. And sure enough, in our next Adoptive Parent training seminar, there sat a precious family that lived in the South on a big farm, with lots of acreage.

 

And that’s the family Bev wanted. And now her sweet baby lives on a beautiful, big ranch with two loving parents. We are always awestruck by how God provides the exact family, for the exact right baby, making the perfect birth mom match.

So what makes my ministry as a caseworker at Colorado Christian Services so special? Sometimes I get a call in the middle of the night or over the weekend. She’s seen our ad and finally gets the courage to reach out to us. She’ll call or text and say, “I’m pregnant and I don’t know what to do.”

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First, I make sure she’s in a safe place, that her medical needs are met, that she’s not hungry . . . I make sure her basic needs are met.

 

Then, I encourage her to set an appointment to meet with me. We talk through her options — what she feels is best for her baby, because at Colorado Christian Services she gets to make all the decisions. It’s our job to just walk alongside her as she is making the most difficult decisions she will ever have to make.

 

If parenting is her choice, we can help her build that infrastructure so she can be the best parent that she can be. We have great relationships with various community organizations that can help her be successful.

 

But if she’s thinking adoption is the best thing for her, then we talk about what she is hoping for in an adoptive family. Does she envision a big family? Does she want her child to be the first child in the family? It seems God always provides the right family.

 

I take time to see if she feels confident, comfortable, and ready to move forward. We then start the process of selecting an adoptive family by having her look through our materials featuring parents wanting to adopt. From there, we’ll let her meet the family so that she can get more connected and feel comfortable.

 

Of course, all along the way, we make sure she knows that she’s absolutely able to change her mind. We will support her no matter what her decision is. And, no matter what, we continue the counseling process with her along the way.

 

Then we talk about the plans for delivery . . . what would she like to have happen in the hospital? Would she like the family to be there? Would she like to have her mom there for support? She decides it all.

 

The birth mom decides whether the baby will bunk in with the adoptive family while in the hospital or stay with her so they can have alone time before discharge. We let her guide the process and we advocate for her, come alongside her and support her as she’s making all these decisions.

 

It’s really wonderful how close relationships develop between the birth mom and the adoptive family. We advocate for openness. It is very important for everyone involved. You can never have too many people loving the child, right?

 

One thing is for sure — you’ve got to love people in order to be successful in this job and you need to understand the big picture. We have an incredibly important role as caseworkers; a lot of responsibility falls on our shoulders. We must think on our feet and put into action the training and supervision we’ve had.

 

We show our love for Jesus by loving our birth moms.

We know, and are confident, that Colorado Christian Services provides a precious ministry to birth moms like Tonya and Bev and that you too believe our work fulfills such an important service. You may also already know that your support is what makes it possible for us to serve birth moms free of charge and continue our ministry.

 

We are encouraged by many of you who have asked how you can help. Simply stated, we desperately need to hire another caseworker. This will require $39,000 of funding that we don’t have.

 

Can we ask you to pray and consider a monthly gift to help us cover the costs for a new caseworker for the remainder of this difficult year? We trust and believe the Lord will provide, and we thank you for playing an important part in these life stories and those we’re being called into every day.

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Published February 26, 2021

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What is transracial adoption?

by Colorado Christian Services

Transracial adoption refers to placing a child who is of one race or ethnic group with adoptive parents of another race or ethnic group. Transracial adoption is a beautiful picture of what a family is really meant to be: people linked together with love. Learning about and connecting to your child’s culture of origin is vital to the well-being of the child and embracing that culture as a part of your whole family creates a multicultural home full of beauty and diversity.

 

When parenting children of a different race than you, it is important for adoptive parents to consider the following advice:

 

  1. Talk to friends and family. What will becoming a multiracial family mean in your circle of those closest to you? Will they love and accept your child? Will they be encouraging and uplifting? It is important to consider this before bringing a child into the environment. Have honest conversations to ensure a healthy, safe place for the child.

 

  1. Acknowledge racism and how it influences people of color. If you are white and plan to adopt a child of color, it is important for you to understand his/her life experiences may differ from yours. Educate yourself by reading books, talking with friends of color, etc. so that you have a realistic understanding of how to protect and prepare your child to the best of your ability.

 

  1. Find mentors and role models for your child. While parents and family members will be natural role models for your child, look for those of their race, as well. If you see that your circle of friends all look like you, start working to broaden it now. Look for racial diversity in churches, schools, neighborhoods, etc. so that you and your child can naturally develop relationships with people of various races. Even better, be on the lookout for other multiracial families, whether through adoption or not, to connect with. Children like to see other families that look like theirs.

 

  1. Embrace your multicultural family. Learn about the traditions, music, food, art, etc. of your child’s culture of origin, and add it to your family culture. Celebrate all aspects as part of your unique family and talk about it in everyday life. Your family is now multiethnic and multicultural, and that makes it even more beautiful!

 

  1. Start working on positive language when addressing differences. The words you use matter. Start framing ideas in positive terms so that you naturally do so when speaking to your child. For example, instead of saying one type of hair or skin is “hard to deal with” or “high maintenance,” you could say all hair types or skin types need special care. Every part of your child is precious and beautiful, and you want to make sure your words reflect that.

 

Transracial adoption does come with some special considerations, and adoptive parents must be prepared to welcome and embrace everything about their child. However, adopting a child of a different race than the adoptive parents can lead to a family that understands racial unity in deep, unique ways that can better their community and the world.

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How do I deal with an unexpected pregnancy?

by Colorado Christian Services

What do I do if I am facing an unplanned pregnancy? Where do I find help? Where do I even start?

 

There are so many decisions to make when you face an unplanned pregnancy, and your personal situation deserves personal attention. You are more than a number or a statistic. You are a unique individual with a unique journey, and this pregnancy is only one part of your story. At Colorado Christian Services, we see the whole of who you are.

 

Because we are a local adoption agency in the Denver, Colorado area, we provide personal attention and support. Your experienced caseworker gets to know you and your full story and comes alongside you to assist you in making the best decisions for you and your child. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to an unexpected pregnancy, and CCS is committed to providing free, unbiased support.

 

We stay with you for the full journey and assist with:

  • Creating a parenting plan if you decide to parent
  • Creating an adoption plan if you choose that route
  • Finding financial support
  • Gaining medical care
  • Securing transportation and housing

Trust your personal situation to those who provide personal attention. Colorado Christian Services is here to walk this journey with you. Call or text us any time 24/7: 303.246.1674.

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He is ours forever and we are thankful.

by Colorado Christian Services
A happy young family with a toddler aged boy searches for a tree at the Christmas tree farm, the father with a saw in hand. The family walks together holding hands, walking away from the camera. Horizontal image with copy space.

Listen to Lindsay and Matt tell their full adoption story.

 

Our last names were alphabetically right next to each other and so were our lockers in middle school. We began dating the week before college started our freshman year and got married a couple years after we graduated.

 

Careers came first and then the decision to start a family. We suffered three miscarriages and yet another after IVF. Four miscarriages in two years. We were devastated.

 

We didn’t understand what God’s plan was for us. So, we took a break and after looking at our options, we decided to adopt. We Googled adoption online and found Colorado Christian Services.

 

On our first visit we saw the word “faith” on their office wall.

 

Throughout the years of miscarriages, the thing we had lost the most was our faith. So to see “faith” on the wall . . . it was like God telling us that we were in the right spot.

 

The training we received really prepared us, but the comment that has always stayed with us is that you can never have too many people that love your child.

 

It was almost November and we got the call that a birth mom was having her baby boy in two weeks and wanted us to be his parents.

 

The day our son was born, we walked into the room and his birth mom and her mother were in the room and said, “Meet your son.”

 

With Colorado Christian Services, it felt like God was holding our hand the whole way — protecting this child, protecting the birth mom and protecting us as adoptive parents. They are family.

 

He is ours forever and we are thankful.

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I brought my baby home from the hospital, but now I’m thinking of giving the baby up for adoption. Is it too late?

by Colorado Christian Services

No, it’s not too late to choose adoption. With over 57 years of adoption experience, Colorado Christian Services has helped many birth mothers make adoption plans, even after bringing the baby home from the hospital.

 

An unplanned pregnancy brings so many unknowns. Maybe you considered adoption, but expected friends or family members to be able to help you. Perhaps the financial or emotional support you were counting on hasn’t happened, and you don’t feel able to give your child the needed care. Providing for a child’s financial, physical, and emotional needs while also caring for yourself is challenging when you try to do it alone.

 

If you are not confident that you have the resources to provide for all the baby’s needs, it’s not too late to consider adoption, whether you are still in the hospital or have left the hospital with the child. Colorado Christian Services provides free, confidential counseling to help you create an adoption plan that works best for you and your child. Talking through your situation with an experienced, licensed, and nonjudgmental caseworker allows you to look at all options with no pressure or obligation.

 

No matter how overwhelming your circumstances feel right now, you are not alone. If you are considering placing your child for adoption in Colorado, CCS is here to help. We answer our calls and texts right away, every day, so you can reach us anytime. Is it too hard to travel with the baby? Are you still in the hospital? We can come to you or connect through a phone call or zoom meeting.

 

You can call or text CCS any time, 24/7 at 303-246-1674

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There are lots of adoption agencies in Colorado. What makes Colorado Christian Services special?

by Colorado Christian Services
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We’re glad you asked! At Colorado Christian Services, we view each birth mother, each child, and each adoptive family as unique, precious individuals created by God for a specific purpose. No matter what your story, we are here to offer an unbiased support system and walk with you through this journey.

 

If you are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy in Colorado, we provide free and confidential counseling, parenting services, and adoption services with no judgment or pressure. We’ll support you through an unexpected pregnancy, help you consider all your options, and provide the emotional care and guidance you need for as long as you need it. If you decide to place your baby for adoption, we will help you connect with carefully screened, loving Christian adoptive families who are ready to welcome a child.

 

If you are a couple hoping to adopt in Colorado, Colorado Christian Services is here for you, too! We provide all the help you need, from educational seminars and family assessments to adoption counseling, post-placement supervision, and finalization. We also assist you in sharing your story effectively to reach birth mothers looking to connect with adoptive families. Need an agency to help you with a designated adoption or embryo adoption? We can provide those services, as well. We know God has a plan for your family, and we would be honored to be part of your adoption story.

 

With almost 60 years of adoption services, CCS has had the privilege of placing approximately 1,200 children into loving, adoptive homes. Our experienced, licensed caseworkers provide listening ears, excellent service, and Bible-based counseling because we know children thrive in families. We believe the strength of the family is one of the most valuable human assets, and we are dedicated to helping as many children as possible have the security of a solid family.

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A time for big decisions.

by Colorado Christian Services
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They love each other and have been together long enough to have made a couple of big decisions. One of those decisions led to a pregnancy they hadn’t planned on.

 

As uncertain as their lives feel right now, they strongly believe in Christian family values…their values. And, that’s one big decision that is a nonnegotiable. They want their baby to grow up in a Christian home.

 

It’s also why having an abortion was never discussed or entertained. It wasn’t an option.

 

She knows and her boyfriend agrees, they just aren’t ready to be parents. At 22 they aren’t kids anymore, but they really don’t know what the future holds for them as a couple.

 

But the future of the baby needs to be certain and determined by September. Because that’s the due date.

 

Now they’ve had to make another big decision — what do they believe will provide the best future for their baby? And what they believe is the very thing that began the search for options.

 

So they Googled “Christian adoption Colorado.” And Colorado Christian Services was at the top of the list.

 

“A stable, married couple of faith to raise this child — that’s our decision,” she said on the phone.

 

That’s exactly the kind of families we can introduce to courageous birth parents like these, who are confident in their faith.

 

And, confident in the difference of placing this child with a family who trusts God — the same God who already knew this big decision was coming and prepared the perfect answer.

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The Decision to Adopt

by Colorado Christian Services
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When couples or individuals find themselves dealing with infertility, they have several tough decisions to make along their journey. The first route many couples and individuals choose to take is to pursue fertility treatments. These treatments, though certainly successful for many, can be trying and difficult and may not work out for everyone. We’ve heard countless times how couples have pursued fertility treatments for months, even years and still found themselves without a child.

 

At this point, the couple or individual must take some time to evaluate their desire for a family. Do they want to be parents? Do they have the capacity, after months or years of treatments, to embark on a new journey? If the answer is yes, then there is one other option for them to pursue – adoption.

 

When couples or individuals reach this point, they begin to search around for adoption agencies or law firms in their area. They’ll start asking their friends or family for advice, googling topics such as “adoption agency Denver,” or reading books about the adoption journey. Once the couple or individual decides to pursue adoption and chooses an agency or law firm to work with, they often find a newfound hope. They’ve finally found a path towards their hearts’ most true desire… parenthood.

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Family Assessment

by Colorado Christian Services
Biracial woman caucasian man listen vacancy candidate sitting together at table at job interview. Diverse couple communicating with real estate agent, successful meeting ready to sign contract concept

When placing a baby for adoption, the one question almost all birth parents ask is, “How can I trust that the adoptive parents I choose are truly good people?” ​

 

Like all licensed adoption agencies in Colorado, Colorado Christian Services utilizes the Structured Analysis Family Evaluation (SAFE) instrument. SAFE is a “structured home study methodology that allows child welfare agencies to effectively and systematically evaluate prospective families for foster and adoptive placement.” Unlike more traditional home studies which focus on self-reported autobiographies, SAFE uses research-based methodologies to create a more structured and accountable snapshot of hopeful adoptive parents. This method gives agencies a stronger grasp on whether or not the applicants are qualified/suited to adopt.

 

In addition to utilizing SAFE, CCS also meets with prospective adoptive families in a minimum of four interviews. During these sessions, a variety of topics are covered, ranging from family history to marital relationship,  from discipline techniques to home safety. We walk through the entire adoption process with our prospective adoptive families, ensuring that when the time comes, they are 100% ready and prepared to become adoptive parents.

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