A podcast listener named Chris writes in to ask this, Dear Pastor John, my wife and I

adopted our youngest son from Ethiopia just over a year ago what a gift he's been to

us.

He's a toddler now and beautiful differences in our skin color and hair type will stand

out to him soon if not already.

The question we wrestle with is how soon do we start the discussion of his adoption with

him?

Great question.

I'm glad it was asked and I pulled Noel and Talitha together last night to ask them this

question from a wife and daughter.

Talitha is adopted.

She's 18 now.

She remembers a lot of how we did this and so we asked her how she felt about it and so

what I'm about to say is coming with both of their input not just me.

Talitha said that the things she appreciated and values and remembers might not always

work with all her friends that she knows who are adopted so I don't want anybody to say

we've got the last word here every family is the same it's not.

Our conviction is that from the very beginning I mean as soon as this kid can hear you talk

adoption should be a reality spoken of the way birth and eating and playing and sleeping

and all other ordinary realities of life are talked about.

So you just talk about it there's adoption so you're two year old here's you talking

about children being adopted and children being born and he doesn't know what either of those

...