Brittany Salmon - It Takes More than Love: A Christian Guide to Navigating the Complexities of Cross-Cultural Adoption

I know countless families who have asked for just this book. I am glad that it was written, and that Brittany Salmon is the one to write it. Every adoption brings difficulties and challenges. Transcultural adoptions can sometimes be even more confusing, for parents and children and birth families, all wanting to love each other and to do the right thing. This book raises difficult questions, offers authentic reflection, and can help families think through how best to approach these matters. It takes more than love, but it takes nothing less. This is a book of love and of hope.

RUSSELL MOORE, author, Christianity Todays chair of public theology, and director of the Public Theology Project

For anyone with even a passing interest in transracial adoption, this book is required reading. As someone who has been personally and professionally involved with adoption for twenty-five years, I only wish this book had been available decades ago. Brittany addresses core, significant issues with clarity and graceand a holistic gospel perspective anchored in love. This book will help countless children and families.

KELLY ROSATI, adoptive mom and child advocate

It Takes More Than Love is a wonderful resource for adoptive families, or anyone that knows an adoptive family! Brittany provides a compassionate, gospel-informed perspective on adoption with all of its complexity. This book, which beautifully incorporates perspectives from not only adoptive parents but also adoptees and birth parents, does a marvelous job highlighting the inherent dignity and worth of every person. What a gift.

LAUREN MCAFEE, cross-cultural adoptive mother; Ministry Coordinator, Hobby Lobby Corporate

Most parents would do anything to give their children the love they need. In It Takes More Than Love, Brittany Salmon equips not just parents but all of us to love transracial adoptees well. By listening to and elevating the voices of transracial adoptees, she identifies how a color-blind approach to adoption is harmful and provides action steps to better support transracial adoptees. Brittany shows how embracing Gods beautiful, diverse design for people through gospel-centered antiracism work demonstrates to transracial adoptees that they are seen, known, and deeply loved.

NATHAN BULT, SVP of Public & Government Affairs at Bethany Christian Services

In It Takes More Than Love, Brittany navigates the nuances of adoption in a thoughtful way that honors adoptees, birth parents, and people who build their family through adoption. As an adoptee, Im deeply grateful for Brittanys attention to issues of navigating trauma, the importance of representation, and race. This book is a vitally important resource for Christians stepping into complex spaces.

CHELSEA SOBOLIK, Director of Policy, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission; author, Longing for Motherhood

It is tempting to think that if you just give a child a loving home and family that it will all work out and everyone would live happily ever after. This romantic ending only happens in fairy tales. Adoption is far more complex and unpredictable, yet worthy of pursuing all the ways possible to care for the orphan and oppressed. Brittany Salmon helps prospective and adoptive parents consider as well as prepare for the complexity of transracial and cross-cultural adoption, not only through the eyes of an adoptive parent, but through the often unheard voices of adoptees.

TONY MERIDA (pastor and author) AND KIMBERLY MERIDA, adoptive parents of five

Humble, honest, and insightful. With her eyes fixed on Jesus and her heart gripped by the gospel, Brittany provides an incredibly helpful guide on how to honor Christ in cross-cultural adoption. This book is a must-read for all who are involved in such adoptions.

BRYAN LORITTS, author, The Dad Difference

Joy and sorrow. Early in the book Brittany Salmon accurately uses that phrase to describe the juxtaposition that exists within cross-cultural adoption. Adoption matters, and it is beautiful, but we need to tell the whole story of adoption. We need to be honest about the complexities and the challenges. In this book, Salmon does just that, all while showing how we can honor God in the midst of our adoptive stories. I am glad to recommend this book as a resource for those who are involved in cross-cultural adoption.

MICAH FRIES, Director of Engagement, GlocalNet; Director of Programs, Multi-Faith Neighbors Network; author, Leveling the Church

As a cross-cultural adoptive mom, I wish I had had this book when we adopted over a decade ago. I will be giving it to all our adoptive friends plus those who love and support them. This is a rich resource for not only the adoptive family, but for their entire community. Brittany speaks from years of experience and educationshes a seasoned mom as well as a strong and gracious advocate for first moms and adopted children. She centers the right stories and the right wisdom. The adoption community has needed this book for far too long. Im so glad to have it now.

JEN OSHMAN, author, Enough about Me

Love is required in any parent/child relationship, and Salmon offers tangible ways to express that love amid the complexities, joys, and sorrows of cross-cultural adoption. Anchored in Scripture, It Takes More Than Love offers adoptive parents, ministers, and friends a realistic yet hope-filled window into the trials and beauty of cross-cultural adoption underscored by proposing a biblical motivation and approach to inform this sacred journey to Gods glory.

WALTER R. STRICKLAND II, Assistant Professor of Theology, Southeastern Seminary

I opened this book not knowing what to expect; to say I was pleasantly surprised is a gross understatement. It is impressive. Brittany is brilliant, speaks with candor, and is humbleand she has done her homework. Most importantly, she practices what she preaches. And while this is a book about cross-cultural adoption, I cant help but think it a primer for living wisely and faithfully in a multicultural country and church.

MARLENA GRAVES, author, The Way Up Is Down: Becoming Yourself by Forgetting Yourself

Brittany tackles a complex subject with so much wisdom, humility, and grace. It challenges you in personal and practical ways. Highly recommend for anyone considering adoption or who has been impacted by adoption in some way.

LAURA BRUDER, Executive Director of BraveLove

2022 by
BRITTANY SALMON

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

All names and some details in the Adoptee Voice sections have been changed to protect privacy.