Adoption is not a second choice—it is a sacred calling that reveals who we are, where we belong, and why we were chosen.
Imagine discovering that the deepest questions about who you are did not begin with biology, but with belonging. In You Have Been Chosen, Mary Muchiri invites readers into an intimate, intellectually grounded, and spiritually reflective exploration of adoption—not as an abstract social issue, but as a lived reality shaped by love, loss, culture, and faith. Drawing from her personal journey as an adoptive mother and from the voice of her adopted son, Muchiri reframes adoption as both a human story and a theological truth.
Rather than presenting a single perspective, the book carefully examines the full “adoption triad”: birth parents, adoptive parents, and adopted children. Muchiri approaches each with empathy and seriousness, acknowledging unanswered questions, emotional wounds, and ethical tensions that often remain unspoken. Her narrative moves fluidly between memoir, cultural commentary, and biblical reflection, allowing readers to see how adoption resonates differently depending on where one stands within the story.
What distinguishes You Have Been Chosen is its cross – cultural depth. Writing from her Kenyan heritage and academic background, Muchiri highlights how adoption is perceived in African and Western contexts, particularly where childlessness carries social stigma and silence replaces compassion. These cultural insights add weight to the book’s central argument: that adoption must never be reduced to charity, convenience, or sentimentality, but understood as a lifelong covenant grounded in dignity and responsibility.
Theologically, the book draws a compelling parallel between human adoption and the Christian doctrine of spiritual adoption into God’s family. Muchiri explores scripture with scholarly care, presenting adoption not as an afterthought in Christian faith, but as a defining metaphor for identity, grace, and belonging. Her discussion is accessible without being simplistic, making space for readers who are questioning, grieving, or seeking reassurance rather than easy answers.
You Have Been Chosen may remind readers of works like The Primal Wound or Philip Yancey’s spiritually reflective nonfiction, though Muchiri’s voice remains distinctly her own—measured, compassionate, and grounded in lived experience. It will resonate strongly with adoptive families, adult adoptees, church communities, counselors, and readers drawn to faith informed discussions of identity and belonging, offering a persuasive message that speaks softly yet powerfully: identity is not accidental, belonging is not transactional, and being chosen—by family or by God—is an invitation to live with purpose, humility, and hope.
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Author: Mary Nyambura Muchiri (Ph.D.)
Page Count: 128
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Reviewer: Charlotte White
