Molly Anne Dutton was crowned Auburn University’s 100th homecoming queen during half-time activities last Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The horticulture major from Gardendale and four other finalists for homecoming queen announced their campaigns to benefit special causes. The Auburn Plainsman stated that Dutton wanted her campaign to benefit the Safe Harbor center, which focuses on prevention of sexual assault, as well as support and counseling to survivors.

Dutton’s life story also inspired an adoption awareness campaign called “Light Up LIFE with Molly Ann Dutton!” to benefit Lifeline Adoption Agency in Birmingham.  According to published news articles, Dutton’s biological mother, who was living in California at the time, was the victim of a sexual assault.

When her mother became pregnant as a result of the attack, her husband demanded that she abort the child or face divorce.  Her mother chose life for her baby and placed her with an adoption agency. Dutton is the youngest of six children, four of whom were adopted.
Dutton wrote, “Resources like Lifeline Adoption Agency provided my mother support after such a devastating altercation. Not only did it provide her light in the darkness, but it also provided me a life to live. Please help me bring awareness by supporting me, Molly Anne

Dutton, ballot position No. 3 for Miss Homecoming!”

“Lifeline Children’s Services is a full-service adoption and orphan care ministry, serving families and children in the United States and around the globe.  We began as a domestic adoption ministry, caring for women walking through unplanned and often crisis pregnancies,” their website states. Dutton said in an interview, “Because that resource was made available to my mother, she decided to give birth to me. And here I am talking to you guys 22 years later.”

I once read a book about the life of Ethel Waters, a talented singer and actress who appeared in Broadway plays and Hollywood movies. Her life story includes the tragic fact that she was conceived as a result of a sexual assault when her mother was a young teenager. Despite the circumstances of her birth, Waters rose to stardom and blessed millions with her voice.

Every life, both born and unborn, is precious. Adoption is a viable option.  Adoption is a picture of the Gospel message. We can be adopted into the family of God.

The Apostle Paul writes that Jesus was born and died “to redeem us that we might receive the adoption” as his sons and daughters (Galatians 4:4-6).  We can be born again into the family of God through Christ’s sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins.

Ever since the earliest days of mankind, families have been formed through adoption.  In fact, we read about adoption in the Bible.  Moses was adopted and grew up in Pharaoh’s household (Exodus 2).  A young girl named Esther, who had no parents, was adopted by her cousin Mordecai. You can read her story in the book of Esther. She later became Queen of Persia.

Deuteronomy 30:19 reads, “I have set before you life and death…therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.”  Molly Ann Dutton’s biological mother chose life under tragic circumstances. Now, her daughter can celebrate “LIFE!”
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Jan White is an award-winning religion columnist.  Her email address is jwhite@andycable.com.