The Lucky Few 

Releases March 21, 2017

These are the faces that call me “mom,” the three children who made me a mother.

When I started my journey into parenthood I never thought it would look like this. I never planned on having three adopted children, and I certainly never imagined that two of them would have Down syndrome. But like most of the things God does, once we stepped into the craziness and confusion of the unknown and unplanned, we quickly realized that we were indeed among the lucky few.

When my husband and I decided to grow our family ten years ago, we were surprised to find that getting pregnant was not as easy as we had thought it would be. And as we navigated the ups and downs of infertility, God led us down the path of adoption. Of course, we would adopt! Not what we had originally planned, but certainly a wonderful option.

But just as we began to get a comfortable grasp on growing our family through adoption, God introduced us to Macyn Hope, a very sick little girl with Down syndrome who desperately needed a family. As we continued to follow God’s calling, first with Macyn, and later with Truly and then August, we found ourselves further and further from the comfortable paths we thought our lives would take, and instead moving down some very scary, and often painful roads.

Even though at times His plan seemed terrifying and even downright foolish, little could we have known how much goodness, blessing, and joy would flow out of loving these three little people He’s put into our lives. No, it’s not been easy: not the open-heart surgeries or the challenges of raising two children with Down syndrome or the complexities of dealing with birth-families or the struggles we’ve had with the public education system. But through it all, every new and uncomfortable situation has only proven to be another chance to see how very good God’s plan is for our lives and how downright lucky we are to be able to live it out. 

 It’s only the lucky few that recognize that the most beautiful things in this life are often found in the differences. What some would see as misfortune, I’ve learned to see as nothing more than pure luck.

“A page turner. A hope giver. A life changer. Lucky are those who read these pages—their hearts will explode with the joy that we all truly get to be the luckiest of all.” –Ann Voskamp, author of the New York Times bestsellers The Broken Way and One Thousand Gifts 

“I absolutely love this book. I love Heather Avis dearly, and her warmth and passion and fierce love come through on every page. This is a story about adoption, about family, about special needs . . . and really, more than anything, it’s a story about faith. I’m so incredibly inspired by the way Heather listens to God’s voice, and as I put down this book, I prayed for more of that kind of faith in my own life.” –Shauna Niequist, author of Savor and Present Over Perfect

“If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the task before you, you will find a companion in this book. This book details the incredible adventure of the Avis family as they face some of life’s greatest challenges and turn them into beautiful opportunities. It gives each of us hope in our own journey full of insurmountable odds.” –Donald Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Blue Like Jazz and Scary Close

“Heather is a modern-day superwoman goddess warrior with a heart that is brave and true. She doesn’t pretend parenting is easy or that she hasn’t faced darkness and been broken many times over. But she is honest. She chooses to risk every time. She chooses love every time, and even in the face of great struggle, she has said yes and jumped. Heather’s face showed up for me the moment I was crumbling. I was scared for our daughter, and her words breathed hope right into my trembling soul. This book will make your heart and arms open wide. It may cause your family to grow in numbers or move you to hold close the babies you have—plus ugly cry. It may cause all these things. This book is a testament to the power of a mother’s love.” –Lisa Gungor, songwriter, musician, and other half of musical collective “Gungor”

"When I first met Heather Avis, I was drawn to her family’s story because we share a love for foster care and adoption. But The Lucky Few is about so much more. Heather shows us what it means to seek after the heart of God, and she inspires us to do the same. You’ll want to buy this book for everyone you know." –Andy Stanley, Pastor, author and communicator

“What started as a social hashtag has turned into a movement for the way we look at our lives. In The Lucky Few, Heather Avis shares a story that is honest, raw, hopeful, and deeply inspiring. May we all see the world—and its people—through this beautiful lens.” –Rachel Hollis, author and lifestyle expert (TheChicSite.com)

“Heather Avis is a guide for all of us ‘lucky few’ walking in the wilderness. She reveals the exquisite beauty always hiding within the brokenness, the promise that in the darkness God is up to something bright and colorful. Joy is always waiting in the paths we would never choose for ourselves. As I read it, I felt like I was sitting with a good friend over coffee, letting her remind me all over again to notice God’s grace right here in the middle of my own story.” –Micha Boyett, author of Found: A Story of Questions, Grace, and Everyday Prayer