Special to Iredell Free News
The Rev. Robert W. Lee, raised at Broad Street United Methodist Church in Statesville was instilled with the idea that prayer was important. But it wasn’t until Lee and his wife Stephanie adopted two girls from Catawba County that the pastor turned author really came to understand the power of prayer.
“It was every night, sometimes on my knees begging God to allow us to adopt these kids—they, along with my wife, are my everything,” he said.
After successfully completing the adoption of Phoenix and Athena Lee last year, Lee turned his attention toward making sure that those at every stage of the adoption and foster process have resources for prayer and presenting the needs of their hearts to God.
“Fostering Hope: A Prayerbook for Foster and Adoptive Families” seeks to give voice to concerns known to those adopting, fostering, and living into forever families.
Lee edited the work for Smyth and Helwys Publishing.
“Having recently become an adoptive grandparent, reading through these pages touched deep places in our experience and prepared me for things that lie ahead. The prayers resonate with thoughtful spiritual insight, bold honesty, and deep love,” the Rev. Dr. James A. Harnish, a retired Methodist Minister, said this of the book.
“Along with providing a devotional resource, it made me aware of things I had not considered and will be a beautiful gift of wisdom, guidance, and faith to everyone who shares in the experience of adoption.”
From prayers of godparents, stepparents, parents, children, and friends of adoptees and foster children, this book resonates on a variety of levels for each identity. Even Lee’s daughter has a prayer in the book. Athena, 5, was excited to help her dad with the project, and her prayer is featured prominently as a prayer before meals for adopted families.
“It is my hope this book will be a gift for people—and used as a gift for people. I was raised with prayerbooks, from the ‘United Methodist Book of Worship’ to the ‘Book of Common Prayer,’ and I
know deep down those prayerbooks guided me. It is my hope that the prayerbook will guide others as well,” Lee said, “And in terms of using the book, I hope it’s a starting point, a guidepost, not a hitching post. I hope it leads everyone to a deeper understanding of God and their place in the family of the world.”
The book is available in print and Kindle format on Amazon, and copies are available for purchase at GG’s in Downtown Statesville. Learn more about the book at www.roblee4.com.