At Any Cost: Overcoming Every Obstacle to Bring Our Children Home

by Mike Jones

In At Any Cost, for the first time Mike and Hayley Jones share their remarkable chaotic, intercontinental story of adopting eight siblings from Sierra Leone. Facing doubts from within, character assaults from without, and a mind-numbing bureaucratic jungle, the Joneses and their two young biological sons embarked on a 34-month heart-wrenching odyssey that gave birth to "The Jones Dozen."

At Any Cost is the story of a couple who not only believe God calls each of us to trust Him more than we ever thought possible, but are living proof of God’s immeasurable grace and unfathomable love. Join Mike and Hayley on their inspiring journey of faith and obedience to the call God placed on their lives. You might just discover where God is leading you next.

Genres: Adoption, Nonfiction, Africa, Christian, Memoir, Biography, Religion

223 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 4, 2015

About the author

Mike and Hayley Jones already had two biological sons (ages 9 and 5) when they decided the time was right to pursue adoption. After a 3-year process, the family now calls themselves the Jones Dozen. All eight adopted children (ranging in age from 5 to 16) are biological siblings, comprised of seven boys and one girl, who came from a family where the father had died and the mother was unable to support the family. The Joneses make their home in Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville.

Reviews

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 4 out of 5]

About this book:

“In At Any Cost, for the first time Mike and Hayley Jones share their remarkable chaotic, intercontinental story of adopting eight siblings from Sierra Leone. Facing doubts from within, character assaults from without, and a mind-numbing bureaucratic jungle, the Joneses and their two young biological sons embarked on a 34-month heart-wrenching odyssey that gave birth to "The Jones Dozen".
At Any Cost is the story of a couple who not only believe God calls each of us to trust Him more than we ever thought possible, but are living proof of God s immeasurable grace and unfathomable love. Join Mike and Hayley on their inspiring journey of faith and obedience to the call God placed on their lives. You might just discover where God is leading you next.”


Series: Non-fiction.


Spiritual Content- Revelation 12:11 at the beginning & Every chapter starts with a Scripture (16 chapters); 46 Scriptures are quoted, referenced or mentioned within the chapters; This whole book is about doing what God’s called you to do, therefore many (many, many, many, many…) talks about God, peace & The Call; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God but not all Scriptures are when referring to Him; Prayers; Mentions of those in the Bible;
*Note: A mention that Satan “fights like hell” to keep the orphans feeling unloved and unwanted; A couple mention of witchcraft, demons & curses.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘oh my gosh’, a ‘shut up’, and two ‘stupid’s; Mike says he partied & cheated on his then-long-time-girlfriend in college before his was Born-again; A mention of clubs; 2 chapters are about the authors' first years of marriage, separation and getting back together; Mentions of a Grandmother, her time period & race (mentions of different water cups, etc. When she says Negro she’s corrected to African-America); Mentions of dead animals & hunting animals for food (barely-above-not-detailed); A mention of marijuana;
*Note: Mentions of tattoos and on the spine there’s a picture of Hayley’s wrist with her tattoo (it says “Faith”); A mention of Starbucks.


Sexual Content- A birth & blood (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of conceiving (nothing sexual) & nursing; A mention of a period & “practicing” to have a baby; A mention of trafficking;
*Note: Mentions of kids’ underwear.

{Non-fiction}
226 pages

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Pre Teens- One Star (and a half)
New Teens- Three Stars
Early High School Teens- Four Stars (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Five Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars (and a half)
If y’all have followed this blog for a while, you’ll know I very rarely give out a 5-star rating. Just as rare is a 4 and a half-star rating. My goodness, this book was great! Faith, Trust, Love, & Adoption about sum up this non-fiction! I nodded my head more times and plan on quoting this book on Goodreads! I absolutely loved Mr. & Mrs. Jones’ Faith & their outlook on The Call (which I agree 150% of out a 100%). Definitely a keeper for me! I do wish the publisher had included pictures in the middle the book, like most Autobiographies out there today. But, I did find this video on the family that is really well done! Click Here to watch it!


Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Worthy Publishing) for this review.

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspiring read. For those that like books like this, its a good read.

I enjoyed it, and it was heartfelt

[Michele Morin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Great Eight

My youngest son’s best friend is an adopted orphan from Africa. Their first “play date” was barely impacted by the language barrier, and they have been friends for so many years that they can just barely remember life without each other. For this reason, Mike and Hayley Jones’ story about their adoption of eight (yes, eight!) siblings from Sierra Leone was especially interesting to me, for in it, they share their journey of choosing to adopt and then bringing those children home At Any Cost.

DSCN0436

I still remember the admiration I felt for my friends when they adopted my son’s buddy and his sister after their father had passed away and their mother could no longer care for them. A third-world child does not have to lose both parents to be considered an orphan, and this was also the case for the Jones’s children.

Mike and Hayley are transparent about the fact that foreign adoption has significant obstacles and challenges. Their situation is unique in its magnitude because of the number of children added to their family of four, but all the inconveniences and frustrations they report are part of the adoption journey and impact a family on financial, emotional, and relational fronts.

Finances

The cost of adoption is astronomical even if, like the Joneses, it is a private adoption with no agency fees. Travel costs for the family begin immediately and continue throughout the process, culminating in airfare and visas for all. The Jones family chose to sponsor all eight children from the outset, providing food, medical care, education, and clothing for them in the interim period before bringing them home. Their moderate ranch-style home required extensive renovations (including wiring and septic) to accommodate a family of twelve. They even needed to purchase a larger vehicle.

Sierra Leone is considered one of the world’s poorest countries with 70% of the nation living below the poverty line. A decade of civil war and then the Ebola epidemic of 2014 have exacerbated the poverty, contributing to a very poor quality of life over all. Therefore, the children came to the United States with medical and dental issues that needed resolution in addition to the fact that they had been nutritionally compromised. Because of educational gaps, the older children are being homeschooled to allow them to catch up to their peers.

Emotions

Mike and Hayley exercise remarkable restraint and good judgment in sharing their story of adoption while protecting the privacy of their adopted children, whose individual stories are, rightly, their own to share — or not. I applaud the Jones’s approach to their memoir, because they each share from a different perspective. Hayley was the “travelling parent,” making at least 8 trips to Sierra Leone at various stages in the adoption process, while Mike was the “anchor parent,” tending to the needs of their two very young biological sons, overseeing the extensive renovations to their home, holding down a job, and keeping the ship afloat during the three year endurance contest that continually seemed to be “almost done” . . . but then something else would fall through.

The adoption process taxes the family on every level. Disappointment and frustration over injustice and inefficiency, heart-breaking separations from both family and the adopted children, and pain over the sad situation the adopted children leave behind are just the beginning. Hayley confessed that throughout the three year process, she was always missing someone. If she was in Sierra Leone with the eight adoptees, she was missing her husband and two sons at home. If she was in the United States, she was missing her African children and anxious about their welfare.

Family and Marriage

Mike and Hayley traveled a rough road with their marriage from the outset. For a time they separated, but, having worked through their issues, by the time they decided to adopt their marriage was on solid ground. This is a critical point, because the adoption process put them on separate continents for prolonged periods of time, introduced financial stressors, emotional hardship, and just plain practical headaches that go far beyond the normal stress-load.

Being convinced that they were following God in their desire to adopt carried the Jones family through the many obstacles. They involved their two biological children in the journey of prayer, and they clung to every milestone as assurance that they were on the right track in their obedience to God.

Communicating their decision to parents and grandparents held its own difficulties, particularly because of the racial difference of the adopted children. The Joneses were ecstatic when they realized that old patterns of racism within their family tree were being overcome.

Adoption is a rich biblical metaphor that is part of God’s demonstration of love for His own children. We are taken in, and the transaction was initiated by God at any cost. It is a beautiful picture of redemption, in which something broken is transformed into something beautiful. Hayley and Mike describe their own situation in the same terms. They and their children still feel ties to “family” in Africa. Hayley calls her kids, ” My world changers. They all pray for God’s mercy on their village and want to share Jesus with them.”

Adoption is a journey of faith and sacrifice. It is the love of God made visible on this planet. At Any Cost is a realistic and heart-warming portrayal of one family’s heart of obedience.


This book was provided by Worthy Publishing in exchange for my review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Jennifer L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was offered the opportunity to review At Any Cost: Overcoming Every Obstacle to Bring Our Children Home, I was excited to read it. Out of my circle of friends, I have only known of a couple to adopt more than one child at once. A friend adopted two brothers from Africa, and other friends adopted two unrelated children in one trip from Asia.

But the Jones family had much loftier goals -- they wanted to adopt a sibling group of eight from Sierra Leone. Before the Ebola outbreak, this country wasn't on most people's radars.

I think it might be easy to pick up this book and point fingers. Why EIGHT children? Was it really needed for Hayley to be overseas that much? How can they afford it? But I have also learned that you shouldn't judge anyone. This family did what they felt was best for all their children -- their biological ones and the eight they adopted from Africa. They received their fair share of criticism, too.

This book doesn't sugar coat the adoption process. It talks freely of the problems they had -- from holds on adoptions in Sierra Leone, to the cost of flights (nearly $2,000 was the cheapest!). Even the fact the children had to go on a ferry was a concern.

Describing the children's life in Africa is a huge contrast to our lives in the United States. From how they hunt for food to relationships, the culture is much different.

I highly recommend this book for anyone. If you are thinking about adopting, it will give you an idea of some of the problems -- and joys you will encounter. If you have friends who are adopting, it will give you a bit more of an idea what they are going through and may give you ideas on things you can do to help and encourage them.

[Janice Cafarelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book on GoodReads. While I applaud the Jones family faith and determination to bring the 8 siblings into their home with this book I felt more like I was preached to and brought along their struggle with their faith more than I was being told the story of getting these 8 children into their home. I think if the religious aspects of the story was toned down a bit and the details of what they and the children went through to bring them to a loving home was expanded on it would improve the books rating.

[Elizabeth Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it, I loved the Biblical wisdom.

This isn’t a criticism of the family, but international adoption in general. With a still living parent and relatives, can’t the money raised be used to support the family so they can continue to stay in their home country with their family, rather than for adoption?

[Ashli VanWyk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story of an amazing couple overcoming all obstacles and trusting in God to bring their adoptive children home. I wish it would have focused more on life with the kids than the journey to bring them home. I suppose that is for another book though!

[Linda]

This is a hard book to rate- I liked reading about Mike and Hayley's progression of faith and how it led them to consider adoption, and I would be completely on board with the actual adoption if the situation was a little different. I may have missed a better explanation about the children's situation in Sierra Leone, but as I understand it, they still had a mother who could take care of them if she had some support after their father tragically died. It's hard to get behind taking a mother's children away from her, rather than financially and physically supporting her. Given that money had to be raised for every aspect in this adoption, could the money not have been raised on the mother's behalf to be able to keep and raise her own children instead? Maybe there's more to the situation that wasn't discussed, and probably should have been. I fully support adoption when the children are orphans, but situations like these feel exploitative.
The other issue I struggled with was the partial abandonment of the Jones' biological children. They admit that their boys struggled during the adoption process where one of the parents had to be in Sierra Leone for long periods of time. I wonder how they have managed to adjust to the situation since.
Lastly, I think I would have enjoyed reading more about the children themselves, and how they adjusted to their new life, over the very detailed account of the adoption process. Maybe a follow up book would be a good idea.

I have to say I am impressed with Mike and Hayley's strong faith and tenacity to make a positive difference for others. They are good and faithful people who work hard and care deeply for others.

[Liralen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picked up because I was looking for a quick read, but I am not the reader for this book and it was not the book for me. I knew going in that there would be a religious focus, but this reads less like a memoir with a religious emphasis than it does like the authors' testimony thinly disguised as a memoir. It's a short book, so there would have been plenty of room left for discussions of (e.g.) the complexities of the ethics of adopting kids who have a living birth parent(s) who loves them but is not financially able to care for them, but...the way the book is written, I wonder whether the authors might have considered such discussions to imply a lack of faith, and thus be taboo.

In any case, a well-intentioned, quick read; I hope everyone involved is living their best lives.

[Diane Stephenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells of the desire of one couple to adopt 8 siblings in Sierra Leone. The government blocked adoptions for some time, and it took about 3 years for them to finally take their new family home. Hayley spent a lot of that 3 years at the orphanage getting to know these kids. Mike looked after their two natural children while she was away. Then he would fly over for a time. It was a joyous time when Haley actually got the papers to adopt these children. It is a great read.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

You are given a clear understanding of the purpose of this book right in the beginning chapter. I think the Jones family did a great job setting expectations when they said, “This book is not just our family’s story, nor is it a how-to book about adoption. This is a book about redemption. It’s also about listening to what God has called you to do.”
It was a treasure to read about their journey.

[Joan Arning · Rating 5 out of 5]

You will shed tears of joy at how God answers prayers in His timing as Mike and Hayley Jones work to adopt eight children from Sierra Leone. I recommend At Any Cost to anyone who has questioned if God will supply their need.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful telling of the family's pursuit of adoption, and more importantly, listening to God. I love the way they shared so openly and honestly about their faith and their struggles. It was a quick and easy read, and worth it. May this family be blessed for many generations to come.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story of human weakness and God’s strength in dual country adoption. Mike and Haley were lead to adopt 8 siblings. And despite major setbacks, their faith and resolve remained. This Is a story of God providing what he put on their heart and their obedience throughout.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great reminders that God does still speak to His children and that we can trust Him to fulfill that which He has spoken.

[Rebekah Kopenski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this family's story of struggle and faith and pursuing God's plan for their life. So encouraging.

[Hannah K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good! Inspired me!

[Katy]

Easy to read, but also thought provoking.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t stop reading this book. So many times tears welled up in my eyes and joy in my heart for the power of God in this family’s life.

[Diane Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since we have adopted from a third world country as well I "got" so much of this story. Their story is a true inspiration to me!

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so inspired by their faith.

[Joann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following Jesus is not hardwork, it's heartwork.

At. Any. Cost. Do you dare?

So often, we pray "Jesus, use me." And yet when He nudges us in our everyday lives, how quick are we to respond with a resounding "yes!" Instead of responding with an immediate yes, we say "we'll pray about it," which more often than not is our attempt at giving ourselves more time.

The good news is Jesus knows that we will hesitate, delay, and many times try and bargain our way out of a situation. Yet despite all of this, He still chooses us.

The other good news is that if we're being honest, all of us Jesus followers have faced this on more than one occasion. Hayley and Mike Jones are no exception.

There's a popular saying "family first." This is a beautiful story about struggle, surrender, sacrifice, and ultimately living a life of significance. Hayley and Mike Jones are incredible examples of living by faith and what it means to put Jesus at the center of your life.

They remind us all that following Jesus is not without struggle. Instead, it's through our struggles, through the nitty and gritty of life that Jesus reveals Himself strong. It is when you and I are willing to lay down our pride and exchange it for His ways, our need to control everything and everyone for complete and total surrender, and our grand plans for His divine purpose- that Jesus creates a breathtaking mosaic out of our broken pieces.

Surrender leads to significance.
Chaos offers us compassion.
Delay fuels our determination.
Prayers are powerful.
God's timing is perfect. Ours is not.
"When God says it's time, then and only then is it time. And there is nothing you can do to stop it."-Hayley Jones

Time and time again, the journey of the Jones invite us into a deeper relationship with God, to an experience of life above and beyond our wildest dreams, and a heart overflowing with love, that family, takes on a whole new meaning.

"When God calls you to do something, go for it, all the way. Have faith. He will see you through, and His timing is absolutely perfect."-Hayley Jones

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

"At Any Cost" is a personal memoir of a couple who adopted eight siblings from Sierra Leone. Their family is known as, "The Jones Dozen" They already had two young biological boys. Author's Mike and Hayley Jones gave each child a new name with special meaning. An example is Zion, which means `Jesus returns for His people.' His return will be on Mount Zion.
It is amazing how God worked in Mike and Hayley's life. First with their biological children, then with their adopted children. I am reminded how God is working in and through my life.
It took three years for the adoption to go through. Most of the book is about the process of adoption. Which may be fine for those going through the adoption process. However, I do wish there would have been a chapter written from the children's point of view.
My favorite quote is from page 212. "You don't need a Savior unless you need to be saved from something. You don't need a redeemer unless you need to be redeemed from something. You can't fully experience God without getting refined in the fire by Him, and you will never, ever be the same."

I received this book complimentary for my honest review from Worthy Publishing.

[Hallie (Hallie Reads)]

This review is also posted on Book by Book.

At Any Cost: Overcoming Every Obstacle to Bring Our Children Home by Mike and Hayley Jones tells the inspiring story of one family’s journey to follow God’s calling while facing the challenges and obstacles of international adoption. This book provides an interesting read, full of varying emotions and incredible faith. Overall, I really enjoyed reading At Any Cost and learning of the Jones’ incredible experiences. I would certainly recommend it to readers who enjoy uplifting personal stories or are potentially interested in adoption. I think it is definitely worth the read.

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of At Any Cost and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Nikki Kitchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. It's inspirational and reminds people what is important. If we had more people like Mike and Hayley Jones the world would be a better place. I have to admit, this book isn't going to become one of my favorites but I think it's one everyone needs to read. I do wish they gave more details about the story but the reader is taken on the emotional journey of this couple. I like that they were honest about their marriage struggles. I think it helps people see that if you remain close to our Heavenly Father and work together you can save your marriage and grow closer and stronger as a couple, which in turn makes your family stronger.

I won this book on the Goodreads Giveaway. (And boy was I excited!) It took me a little while to get started but one I did it didn't take me long to finish. It's a good story and easy to read.

[Kay Terrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I needed tissues for this beautiful book. Story of Mike and Hayley Jones being called by God to go to Sierra Leone to adopt 8 siblings to add to their own two is an amazing three year journey. I felt their ups and downs (lots of tears and tissues on my part). I fell in love with this beautiful family and am so amazed at their faithfulness when things became difficult.

[Tbsorrells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful testimony of God's faithfulness and obedience lived out.

[Chantelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

[Adeline Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely encouraging and inspiring!

[Jordin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story of following God's plan for your life, even through the hard things, the impossible things, with child-like faith. And to think that this is a true story! It's amazing. I absolutely recommend this to anyone with an interest in adoption, or anyone with a love for our Heavenly Father. I'll be praying for your family Mike and Hayley Jones!