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The Strength of Mercy: Making a Difference in the World One Child at a Time
In a world where suffering and injustice abound, we yearn for evidence that God has not forgotten His children, that He knows each one by name. We, long, too, to know that God guides and directs our lives, that He desires to use each of us in His plan to bring light to the nations. This is the life-changing message of The Strength of Mercy.
Within these pages, you’ll witness God’s compassion as He leads a family to Romania in search of one special child. You’ll see His interest and involvement as He orchestrates a dramatic series of events that would bring help and hope to abandoned children around the world. And your faith will be bolstered by this powerful, modern-day example of how God speaks to us…and asks us to risk for Him.
“An unbelievable, but true, testimony of how God can guide and direct the surrendered hearts of those who long to follow their Lord. There is something significant in this story for you!”–Kay Arthur
Within these pages, you’ll witness God’s compassion as He leads a family to Romania in search of one special child. You’ll see His interest and involvement as He orchestrates a dramatic series of events that would bring help and hope to abandoned children around the world. And your faith will be bolstered by this powerful, modern-day example of how God speaks to us…and asks us to risk for Him.
“An unbelievable, but true, testimony of how God can guide and direct the surrendered hearts of those who long to follow their Lord. There is something significant in this story for you!”–Kay Arthur
- GenresAdoption
168 pages, Paperback
First published April 20, 1999
1 person is currently reading
35 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 26, 2013
A beautiful story but just too preachy. I didn't need every half the Bible written back to me and that just doesn't sound like something I would say.
June 2, 2023
Our world needs many more people willing to put their complete trust in the Lord and follow His will unselfishly. Beautiful!
July 24, 2022
Maybe this book was not the best literature that I have ever read, but my goodness, the testimony of how God worked in the lives of this family was amazing. This encouraging adoption story was what I needed to read this week.
October 31, 2012
I liked this book. According to the rating system, I guess that means 3 stars even though that looks like a "bad" rating. It's not that it's a bad book or that it wasn't touching. I found this book to be a beautiful narrative of one family's journey in trusting in the Lord and how that led to a lifelong ministry of adoption.
Probably the reason I didn't like it more was due to a vague expectation that it would speak more to adoption than to the family's personal experience. This memoir does offer some great insight into the struggles and rewards of adoption but most of it was incredibly specific to the family's particular circumstances. This is not really a flaw in the book but a flaw in my expectations.
Even so, a light criticism I would offer is that it can sometimes be misleading when we rely on God speaking directly to us very specific "promises" the way it is described in this book. The way the events progressed for this family certainly seems to point to divine intervention and God's hand. However, in some areas of the book I felt uneasy at the way this leading was described. And yet while I felt that there was an almost mystical emphasis represented in this book, it's hard to deny the miraculous outcome. I think we need to be very careful when we feel we are being led by God to weigh that leading against the scriptures (in their context) to make sure that it is in keeping with God's character and mode of operation (I'm not saying this was not the case in the book). It kind of seemed like the only time they questioned what they believed was God's leading was when that path seemed difficult. Maybe some of these details were left out, but I would have liked to see the people really seeking to discern the promises they believed they were hearing from God even in the easier circumstances. God does work in remarkable ways so I am very hesitant to criticize in this way, but I also wouldn't want someone to feel like they aren't being led by God just because they aren't hearing specific instructions in the manner that this family did.
I think the genre of this book, a memoir, lends itself to looking back on something with more certainty that what was felt at the time so maybe some of what I am uneasy about is merely a function of the time and style in which this book was written.
While I am not sure I would agree with the way this book portrays God's leading as it is experienced by most Christians, I did find the reliance on God as demonstrated by this family to be a great example of trust and patience. In addition, the distinction made between a promise and a plan, I thought, was valuable. We may feel a calling but not ever know ahead of time how that will be played out. This is certainly represented in various biblical characters.
This was a quick read and I appreciated it as a window in the very personal adventure of trusting God and caring for orphans. It was well written and held my attention.
Probably the reason I didn't like it more was due to a vague expectation that it would speak more to adoption than to the family's personal experience. This memoir does offer some great insight into the struggles and rewards of adoption but most of it was incredibly specific to the family's particular circumstances. This is not really a flaw in the book but a flaw in my expectations.
Even so, a light criticism I would offer is that it can sometimes be misleading when we rely on God speaking directly to us very specific "promises" the way it is described in this book. The way the events progressed for this family certainly seems to point to divine intervention and God's hand. However, in some areas of the book I felt uneasy at the way this leading was described. And yet while I felt that there was an almost mystical emphasis represented in this book, it's hard to deny the miraculous outcome. I think we need to be very careful when we feel we are being led by God to weigh that leading against the scriptures (in their context) to make sure that it is in keeping with God's character and mode of operation (I'm not saying this was not the case in the book). It kind of seemed like the only time they questioned what they believed was God's leading was when that path seemed difficult. Maybe some of these details were left out, but I would have liked to see the people really seeking to discern the promises they believed they were hearing from God even in the easier circumstances. God does work in remarkable ways so I am very hesitant to criticize in this way, but I also wouldn't want someone to feel like they aren't being led by God just because they aren't hearing specific instructions in the manner that this family did.
I think the genre of this book, a memoir, lends itself to looking back on something with more certainty that what was felt at the time so maybe some of what I am uneasy about is merely a function of the time and style in which this book was written.
While I am not sure I would agree with the way this book portrays God's leading as it is experienced by most Christians, I did find the reliance on God as demonstrated by this family to be a great example of trust and patience. In addition, the distinction made between a promise and a plan, I thought, was valuable. We may feel a calling but not ever know ahead of time how that will be played out. This is certainly represented in various biblical characters.
This was a quick read and I appreciated it as a window in the very personal adventure of trusting God and caring for orphans. It was well written and held my attention.
April 5, 2013
Page 1:
"Nothing touches me more than witnessing the "birth" of an adopted child into his or her new family. These tender transactions of the heart move even the most stoic bystander. They exemplify the power of a love that knows no borders or boundaries, a love that unites people across cultures and lands."
"Adoption is an act of mercy that originated as part of God's plan to bring us home, into His family."
Page 9:
"It was almost a game our family played with me every time I would watch a program on TV that showed children in need. In a matter of moments I would be reduced to tears. Time and time again I would be overcome with grief over the suffering of children around the world....I had no idea that what I discounted as ordinary compassion for hurting children was really something God would use in His plan for me."
"In reality, our deepest hopes often are rooted in dreams that God Himself has planted in our hearts. Without the pull of our emotions, that compelling sense that this is the direction we should go, I doubt we would ever have the courage to move forward."
Page 21:
"The hardest part of loving your children is the "letting go." It's so easy to manipulate a child's decisions to satisfy our own needs and desires. We cripple our children when we deny them the freedom to choose to go where God calls, to pursue their destiny.......You can't teach your children to have a heart for the world and then say no when He calls them to go into the world."
Page 61:
"I remember thinking how our faith was like the sea - ebbing one instant, flowing the next. One minute we felt strong and directed. Then without notice our spirits would plunge into darkness, captured by our fear of the unknown."
Page 93:
"While we waited, I grew increasingly aware of the fact that waiting was probably my least favorite thing to do.....In the silence, all we could do was wait."
Page 114:
"Lives are changed by moments like these. Events sometimes fall second by second into our hearts."
Page 117:
"Were these children less loved because of their mother's decisions? No. They were, in fact, loved even more. An incredible sacrifice had been made. Personal desires and longings were set aside to give their children life."
"Nothing touches me more than witnessing the "birth" of an adopted child into his or her new family. These tender transactions of the heart move even the most stoic bystander. They exemplify the power of a love that knows no borders or boundaries, a love that unites people across cultures and lands."
"Adoption is an act of mercy that originated as part of God's plan to bring us home, into His family."
Page 9:
"It was almost a game our family played with me every time I would watch a program on TV that showed children in need. In a matter of moments I would be reduced to tears. Time and time again I would be overcome with grief over the suffering of children around the world....I had no idea that what I discounted as ordinary compassion for hurting children was really something God would use in His plan for me."
"In reality, our deepest hopes often are rooted in dreams that God Himself has planted in our hearts. Without the pull of our emotions, that compelling sense that this is the direction we should go, I doubt we would ever have the courage to move forward."
Page 21:
"The hardest part of loving your children is the "letting go." It's so easy to manipulate a child's decisions to satisfy our own needs and desires. We cripple our children when we deny them the freedom to choose to go where God calls, to pursue their destiny.......You can't teach your children to have a heart for the world and then say no when He calls them to go into the world."
Page 61:
"I remember thinking how our faith was like the sea - ebbing one instant, flowing the next. One minute we felt strong and directed. Then without notice our spirits would plunge into darkness, captured by our fear of the unknown."
Page 93:
"While we waited, I grew increasingly aware of the fact that waiting was probably my least favorite thing to do.....In the silence, all we could do was wait."
Page 114:
"Lives are changed by moments like these. Events sometimes fall second by second into our hearts."
Page 117:
"Were these children less loved because of their mother's decisions? No. They were, in fact, loved even more. An incredible sacrifice had been made. Personal desires and longings were set aside to give their children life."
October 26, 2012
For those of you familiar with All God’s Children International, here is a book that documents its humble origins, written by Jan Beazely, one of the main instruments in getting this mission off the ground.
It’s hard to step out in faith sometimes, but we’re left with no excuse after watching the Beazely family make one faith-filled decision after another, following God’s guidance like stepping stones. The Strength of Mercy is the story of how a girl named Heather took a curious path for her life which lead to the adoption of her sister, and ultimately hundreds of children throughout the world. Here is an excerpt from the book:
Read the rest: http://adoptingjames.wordpress.com/20...
It’s hard to step out in faith sometimes, but we’re left with no excuse after watching the Beazely family make one faith-filled decision after another, following God’s guidance like stepping stones. The Strength of Mercy is the story of how a girl named Heather took a curious path for her life which lead to the adoption of her sister, and ultimately hundreds of children throughout the world. Here is an excerpt from the book:
Read the rest: http://adoptingjames.wordpress.com/20...
January 14, 2017
I read the 25th anniversary edition but I couldn't find it on Goodreads. I enjoyed the first part of the book, and having adopted one child and in the process of adopting a second, I could relate with the story in many ways. I appreciated how open she was with expressing how God was a part of her process. In the 25th anniversary edition it also includes a few pages written by Hannah, the girl adopted from Romania, and a story about Hannah's birthmother. The stories are good, but towards the end of the book the author got so preachy that it became tedious instead of inspiring.
September 28, 2009
I couldn't have loved this book more!!! Seeing how God led this family to their adoption journey and the faith of their following is so heartwarming. I may even have to read this one again someday! Kept me wanting to read to see what and where it was going next. Would recommend to anyone learning or wondering about adoption. Or even faith. Their following and their faith in God couldn't be stronger.
February 28, 2014
I appreciated the truths founded in Scripture and honesty that the author shared. It is an autobiographical account and if you are encouraged by personal testimonies, then you will like this book. It was written in the 90's and it shows. I honestly felt like I was reading a letter from my mom. Nothing wrong with that necessarily, but it has a very motherly and serious tone...just don't expect the usual wit/sarcasm from modern writers.
October 31, 2014
Phenomenal anecdotal look at God's heart for the orphan. Incredible Scriptural references, amazing story and wonderful insight into the tragedy that is the worldwide orphan crisis. There are an estimated 150,000,000 orphans in the world today. This story shows how we can reverse it one child at a time. Please read.
October 21, 2008
Incredible story of obedience to God's voice and patience through carrying out His will. In a time where my good friends are adopting internationally it was a great read to try and come alongside some of what they may be going through. I definitely reccomend this book. It's a quick read.
June 10, 2011
Great insight into how adoption can change an entire family! The openness and honesty of the entire process is told so wonderfully. I love that the whole focus is on the will of God, and not the will of man.
February 28, 2016
Such an inspirational story- and it's true! God has not forgotten us or the rest of his children. He is here with us, making a difference when we cannot see the way. This book tells of one ordinary family's walk with God and how he used them to save a nation.
February 28, 2010
I love reading stories of how others came to adopt their child. This was great and also contained some good Biblical truths along the way.
July 23, 2008
Great story of the Beazley famly, who started All God's Children Int'l, our adoption agency.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews