Family —it’s a word we use nearly every day. For some of us the word elicits warm feelings of love, security and belonging. For others, it arouses sorrow, hurt and bitterness. Sadly, as is true for all creation since the fall, God’s original design for the family has been corroded and convoluted. But that doesn’t mean God’s plan for the family is bad and should be jettisoned. Rather, it means we should work even harder to restore it to its rightful place in our society. And, frankly, for the next couple of weeks, government, believe it or not, is giving us a terrific opportunity to share with the public at large the great news about family as God designed it.

We start with National Adoption Day, which is officially recognized this coming Saturday, November 17. According to the National Adoption Day website, there are currently 114,000 children in foster care across the nation awaiting permanent adoption. Let’s assume, that number is equally divided among all 50 states. That would mean Wisconsin has over 2,000 kids in its foster care system, not to mention the children in private adoption agencies needing forever families.

The National Adoption Day was established to help raise awareness for these children. As one who was adopted into a family modeled after God’s plan with a married mother and father, I want to encourage you to think about the role you could play in helping these children find forever families. Perhaps you could help your church understand this important issue, or maybe you could encourage able couples to consider adopting or, maybe, you are a couple who could actually provide a forever family for one of these orphans. May we remember that God has a special place in His great heart for children and orphans in particular.

If you have adopted children, or are planning on adopting, thank you. Thank you for welcoming these precious children into your home and your lives. You are providing them with more than a place to live; you are giving them an invaluable Christian heritage and a loving family life.

Not only that, but, in many cases, families that adopt babies are quite literally saving lives. In 2000, the U.S. Congress passed the Infant Adoption Awareness Act under the Children’s Health Act. The purpose of the Act was to train health professionals to make teens and women dealing with crisis pregnancies aware of the “adoption option.”

Yes, adoption is one of the alternatives to abortion. Every year, hundreds of babies are saved from the atrocity of abortion because families are willing to welcome these precious infants into their homes when mothers make the courageous decision to put their baby up for adoption instead of aborting. As a side note, did you know that on its required Form 990 filed in 2005 Planned Parenthood Federation of America did not report one single adoption referral?

Following on the heels of the National Adoption Day, the Alliance for Children and Families is celebrating America’s families during the National Family Week, November 18 th through 24 th. What a great idea, to commemorate families and to recognize the important role they play in society. The traditional nuclear family is truly the building block of every great society.

The sad paradox of our culture today is its concentrated attack on the traditional family, consisting of a married father and mother and their biological or adopted children. The very social unit that every civilization is founded on is being consistently undermined by the culture we live in. Why?

The answer is both profound and simple—God created the family unit. He designed the roles of the father, mother and children to mirror the different aspects of His Triune nature and the relationship between God the Father and God the Son, and Christ and the Church. Because God ordained families, it should come as no surprise that the Enemy wants to destroy them.

Just a little over a year ago, nearly 60% of Wisconsin voters voted to protect the definition of marriage in our state. By doing so, they were showing they recognized that married moms and dads are the core of strong families. Make no mistake. Those strong families make a strong Wisconsin. While the amendment is critical, it’s really just the beginning to strengthen marriage and family. As we recognize National Adoption Day and National Family Week, why not spend some time praying for children needing forever families—and then talk to couples who are good candidates for adoptive parents. How about spending extra time with your family, shoring up those relationships? Let’s instill in the next generation positive emotions when they think of family and give them a clear vision of God’s plan for family—for now and for the future.

For Wisconsin Family Council, I’m Julaine Appling reminding you the Prophet Hosea said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.