Tuesday, April 30, 2013

'Tis so sweet...


I tend to sing the second verse to this song around the house a lot:

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take him at his word;
Just to rest upon his promise;
Just to know, thus saith the Lord.

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!
How I've proved him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more.


O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust his cleansing blood;
Just in simple faith to plunge me
'Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

I'm so glad I learned to trust thee,
Precious Jesus, Saviour, Friend;
And I know that thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

I love old hymns.  They can really minister to my heart. So can Todd Agnew's songs.  And I just discovered Bethel...:)  

I really love when I'm reading the Bible and I recognize the verses from contemporary Christian music because nothing is more powerful than the Word of God.  Music can help us memorize it and get it where it needs to be...hidden in our hearts, etched in our soul forever.




Monday, April 22, 2013

The Word is Powerful

The name of Jesus brings conviction to the hearts of sinners, hope to those who can find hope in nothing else, and healing by the precious blood of the lamb that was slain that we might be saved.  

MIGHT be.  Amazing!  Unfathomable!  

Jesus hung on a cross and died for us to have a chance to be reconciled with him…whether or not we choose to accept Him.  He gave his life just that we might be saved.

Oh how I love Jesus.  He is the Word made flesh.  The words of God are the most powerful and the Bible says in Isaiah 55:11 that His word does not return void. 

There are four bible verses on our shower curtain.  Yes, on our shower curtain!  It’s very pretty. 


Joshua 24:15 says, “But for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”
I love looking at that verse and knowing that “me and my house” live to serve the Lord.  I am so thankful for my husband.  I am thankful that the Lord saw fit to draw us together, so imperfectly perfect for each other, two sinners saved by grace and desiring to make an impact for the kingdom of God.


Psalm 98:4 says, “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.” 
Boy do we love to make joyful noises!  We love to sing and praise the Lord.  We love to sing and be silly with it sometimes.  Laughter and joy are so necessary when doing the work of the Lord.  He wants us to be happy and serve Him with cheerful hearts!  

Even when it's hard.  That's also when it can be the sweetest.  I pray that the power of God's word reigns in your life today and that your praises drive away the enemy.  In Jesus' name!

Stay tuned for the other two verses...unless you have the same shower curtain and you know what they are.  I've never seen this at anyone else's house but if it is sold at the store everyone shops at, others must have it too.  :)

Please continue to pray for our girls!!

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Victory in Jesus!!!



We know we have it...but don't you just love to hear testimonies that make you want to shout about it??

First there was THIS POST by a busy mom working on her fourth adoption from Eastern Europe.

The Lord put it on her heart to ADVOCATE for some young men she had met on a recent mission trip.  And she obeyed.  And then there was a MIGHTY MOVE OF GOD as his Spirit moved on people far and wide to pray and pray hard for these young men.

God said MOVE and the BODY OF CHRIST moved!!!  What an awesome thing!

The cries of the people went up and GOD HEARD!

And GOD ANSWERED!

THANK YOU LORD!!!

Not only did "Sebastian's" family find him, but "Ianto" will be his brother!  Oh what a glorious day it was yesterday to get this news!!

I've been shouting and praising and there were tears of joy.  And now I want to testify about how the members of the body of Christ were called to stand in the gap for these teens.  I was just one of many.  I know there were SO many.  God stirred his army and it went to BATTLE!  Prayer warriors stormed the gates of heaven for these children that the Lord loves so dearly.

My heart was so heavy for them.  I had briefly read about them before.  I had seen their pictures.  But then suddenly a few days ago, something changed.  God pricked my heart to pray for these boys as unmistakably as if He had called me on the phone and asked me to do it.  What an honor to be called and used for God's purpose in this situation!

I can just see Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Father...leaning in...saying, "These are my sheep, Father.  They follow me.  They believe in me and the power of your Word."

Oh thank you Jesus, our advocate in heaven!

What a joy to be an advocate for His orphaned sheep.  <3

And now there is this post.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.  Psalm 48:1   

Keep praying!  Joseph and others still need a family!






Saturday, April 13, 2013

The Up Look: APPLE GIVEAWAY!!!

Win an apple product by donating just $10!!  Can't beat that!  Hurry to the link below for more info!

Good Luck!

The Up Look: APPLE GIVEAWAY!!!: We are having an Apple Giveaway!!! Thanks to a VERY generous Donor, we have several Apple items that will be included in our giv...

PS...Let me know what you win!

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Cuteness Alert!


Oh my goodness, I just want to reach into this photo and scoop her up!!

"Maeve"




Images are powerful.  I have noticed that the blogs I read that are punctuated by pictures really captivate my attention.  This is part of the reason Reece’s Rainbow is such an amazing advocacy group.  It is one thing to hear about mysterious orphans in need, but a completely different experience to look into the eyes of a child with a name who desperately needs a home, a family, parents with arms waiting to love, hold, and nurture them.  It is hard to look into the faces of these children and not be moved by the Holy Spirit to action.  He prompts us to pray, advocate, donate our time, talents, and belongings.  Some of us are called by Him to adopt.  No one is called to do everything and that’s ok.  It’s more than ok, it’s divine. 
 
God’s word speaks in Ephesians 4 about each part of the body of Christ fitting together perfectly and doing its own special work so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.  That’s us church!  We are the body of Christ.  What a privilege to be called by God!  We consider it an honor that he would use our imperfections and our weaknesses to show His power. 

In 2 Corinthians 12, Jesus says “my strength is made perfect in weakness.”  That verse has never been so precious to me as it is now.  We are nothing without Him.  Without Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are weak and powerless and defenseless against the enemy.  But if we are willing members of the body of Christ, He can use our arms to reach, our hands to heal and our words to teach, as Casting Crowns sings in one of my favorite songs, “If we are the body”.  If we follow wherever He leads, He will guide us and plant us where we need to be to show His love to others.

On our journey through this life, we have not always been obedient and willing.  Even now, we sometimes have to laugh at the little wild donkey in us, catching a whiff of worldly pleasures on the wind (If you didn’t just chuckle a little, you can read all about this donkey in the Bible).  But we are ever more faithful as we spend more and more time seeking Him, serving Him and obeying Him.  That’s why we have a blog we never thought we’d have.  It’s why we’re traveling to a country we never imagined we’d see.  An ever stronger desire to fulfill the will of our Father is the sole reason we will be beyond blessed to bring home our second daughter. Lord willing, a few months from now, there will be one less orphan in the world.  <3

Thank you, prayer warriors, for praying for our girls!

Monday, April 8, 2013

Advocacy - Meet Kanani!

In this post, I mentioned functioning as the body of Christ.  One of the very important callings in the orphan crisis is advocacy.  Joanna from Canada is an awesome advocate for children listed on Reece's Rainbow.  Her passion is contagious.  I'm sharing Kanani with you today because Joanna asked me to, in honor of Kanani's 5th birthday this month. 

Yes, her fifth.  She has already been transferred and that is bad news.  Her chances of survival are less with every passing moment.  To find out more about being transferred, watch this.  Please look at Kanani's picture.  Please pray for her.  It's the least I can do for one of the least of these, but God has asked me to do a little more for this little one today.  So I'm praying and I'm sharing.   

Meet Kanani!

Girl, born April 2008 Anophthalmos of the left eye, optic atrophy of the right eye, spastic tetraparesis
Kanani has been transferred!
Lovely Kanani needs a family to help her reach her full potential.
From a family who met her in May 2012:
Kanani is very sweet girl. She is well cared for in a good orphanage by caring nannies. She gets lots of outside time when it’s warm out but this time is spent lying down in the stroller as she can’t sit on her own. She can hold on to your fingers and seems to just love to have attention although with her eye troubles it is difficult for her to respond. She likes to have her cheek stroked and her hand held. She is quite stiff and in need of physiotherapy and most of all love and attention. We were told that she will be transferred to an institution very soon unless a family is found as children at this orphanage are typically transferred at age 4.
Large families welcome; travel required.
$3567.20 is available towards the cost of my adoption!

Donations are tax deductible.

Please also go here to see more pictures of Kanani and read more from families who have met her.  Also, near the top of the page, you will see links to Joanna's posts entitled "The Reality" which I recommend as well.  

My prayer is that everyone who sees this will say their own prayer today.  Ask the Lord what He would have you to do.  It may be little or it may be much.  Pray, share, donate, adopt???  God bless you as you serve Him!

http://askingwithfaith.blogspot.ca/p/about-kanani.html

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Thankful for you!

Thank you so much!  Someone so kindly boosted our fundraising rocket off the launch pad yesterday.  YAY!!!



Also, twice this week, our oldest daughter was showered with gifts and love for her first birthday.  We are so thankful for our family and friends.  So much giving for two sweet baby girls.  They are precious to us, and oh so precious to HIM.

Matthew 19:13-14 says:

Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them.  But the disciples rebuked them.  Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

Please keep praying for our girls!

Friday, April 5, 2013

Button Button, Who's Got the Button?

We do!  Isn't she lovely?  

Click on Maeve's picture to go to our Family Sponsorship Program page on the Reece's Rainbow website and read a little about our journey.

While you're there, you may see some other sweet faces to love.  <3

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

Psalm:139 13-16

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Perspective

The first time I saw this picture, it really made me laugh.  I love a good laugh, don't you?   


Today, when I saw this, instead of laughing at cartoon Noah, I sympathized.  Poor Noah...trying so hard to keep up with that "energizer bunny" woodpecker.  

We've been like that today...zooming here and there, trying to complete tasks and documents and keep up with our adoption paperwork (and our one year old <3) and my perspective is a little different looking at this picture.  

The thing is, we've really just begun this journey.  There's a long road of paperwork ahead and possibly (wink wink) a speed bump or road block as well.  That's life though.  There's always something to accomplish, goals to work toward.  

In everything we do and go through, we always have a choice.  We get to choose our perspective.  Isn't that great?  We can choose to praise the Lord through it all and feel His presence all around us as we work.  We can choose His joy over our concerns.

We can choose our perspective, and we choose gratitude and cheerfulness. We are so glad to have made one more phone call (or five), checked a few more to-dos off the list, and be that much closer to a sweet baby girl on the other side of the world. 

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.  Proverbs 17:22

Word of the day: choose!

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Showers of Blessings!

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

So blessed!!  It's been another day of having our socks blessed off.  Have you been really loved on recently by some special people in your life?  Isn't that a good feeling??  

We were so blessed (yes, it's the word of the day!) today by our bio family and our church family.  Wonderfully blessed.  God uses people with a physical presence in our lives to be His arms around us, His smile on us, His compassion toward us.  And yet...

as hard as it is to fathom...

our heavenly Father wants to give us even more.  

He wants to give us more than we can dream or imagine!

If we allow Him. 
If we ask Him.
If we seek Him.
If we desire Him.  
Earnestly.
Above all things.

Ephesians 3:16-21

16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.


Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Prayer is POWERFUL

What a roller coaster of emotions the process of adoption is already!  So many joys and unknowns all rolled into one.  Our utmost desire is to shine the gospel light in every corner that our story is whispered.  

All major life events cause an increased focus on the individuals experiencing those events and this naturally increases stress levels.  Things such as going off to college, getting married, expecting a baby, being diagnosed with a life threatening illness and adopting are exciting life changes that prompt family and friends to rally to support their loved ones.  

We are so thankful for those of you already rallying!  A dedicated group of prayer warriors is invaluable and much appreciated. It is our prayer that during this time of great need, our testimonies will reflect our love for our heavenly Father as we strive to honor and obey Him on this adoption journey.

Please cover us with your prayers daily.  Please pray that as we share our news, our audiences will see not us, but the heart of Jesus using us for His glory.  Please pray that the enemy’s tactics will be blocked by a hedge of protection around us – not only for us, but also for those who need to see Him move, and for those who need to be awed by His use of two unworthy, ordinary people.  

We are so thankful for His blessings on us, and for this precious baby girl the Lord has drawn our hearts to, causing us to step out in faith and work toward adopting her.  We’re so glad we were listening when the Master called us to be His hands and feet even though we do not know how this journey will unfold.  

There are families whose children did not make it to their homes in America because they passed away before their mamas and daddys could get to them and hold them close.  Those families will tell you through their grief and their tears that they seek above all to glorify our Father in heaven, just as we do, whatever His plan may be.  

Thank you for rallying!  Thank you for praying!  To God by the glory!!   

Woo hoo!

Woo hoo!!!!!  This mama’s heart is sooooooooooo happy, thanks to some sweet folks in the RR family.  What a blessing they have been to us today!

 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.  Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy    Philippians 1:3-4


I am thankful for these good times.   Joy filled moments spent praising the Lord and being filled by his Spirit will buoy us when circumstances are tougher.  Thank you Lord for such mercies today!





Monday, April 1, 2013

Welcome!

Hi! Welcome to the blog we never thought we'd have!  We are in the process of adopting a precious baby girl with Down Syndrome from Eastern Europe, a daughter we never imagined we would be blessed with.    We are so excited about what the Lord is doing in our lives.  We are so thankful that our God is not limited by small human minds.  He has plans for us that we cannot even begin to fathom.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  Jeremiah 29:11 
   
He is constantly refining us and preparing us for what is ahead and we are trusting Him to lead us and guide us as we work to bring Maeve home.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.  Ephesians 3: 20-21

The Facts and Figures


What we are doing


Following our Shepard!  We are called by our Lord and Savior to adopt and we know this through signs and wonders going back for years in our lives.  We only recently recognized that God was calling us to step out in faith at this time and pursue the adoption of a child with special needs in Eastern Europe.  The call was that specific, and for that we are grateful. 

About our child

“Maeve” (a code name given to her on the Reece’s Rainbow website) is approximately six months old and has Down Syndrome.  We are not aware of any other medical concerns for her at this time, although that does not mean there are not or will not be any more, just as with any child.  There will be issues to work through that will stem from living in an orphanage and have nothing to do with DS.

Since this is an adoption of a child with special needs, the process will be quicker than adoptions of non-special needs children from other countries and should be completed by November at the latest.  We are praying for sooner, but will continue to seek the Lord about this and earnestly desire to be on His timetable not ours.

About Down Syndrome

Listed below are a few facts about DS in the United States from http://www.ndss.org/Down-Syndrome/Down-Syndrome-Facts/.  You may be surprised by a few of these…I was!

·         Down syndrome occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21. This additional genetic material alters the course of development and causes the characteristics associated with Down syndrome.

·         There are three types of Down syndrome: trisomy 21 (nondisjunction) accounts for 95% of cases, translocation accounts for about 4% and mosaicism accounts for about 1%.

·         Down syndrome is the most commonly occurring chromosomal condition. One in every 691 babies in the United States is born with Down syndrome.

·         There are more than 400,000 people living with Down syndrome in the United States.

·         Down syndrome occurs in people of all races and economic levels.

·         The incidence of births of children with Down syndrome increases with the age of the mother. But due to higher fertility rates in younger women, 80% of children with Down syndrome are born to women under 35 years of age.

·         People with Down syndrome have an increased risk for certain medical conditions such as congenital heart defects, respiratory and hearing problems, Alzheimer's disease, childhood leukemia, and thyroid conditions. Many of these conditions are now treatable, so most people with Down syndrome lead healthy lives.

·         A few of the common physical traits of Down syndrome are low muscle tone, small stature, an upward slant to the eyes, and a single deep crease across the center of the palm. Every person with Down syndrome is a unique individual and may possess these characteristics to different degrees or not at all.

·         Life expectancy for people with Down syndrome has increased dramatically in recent decades - from 25 in 1983 to 60 today.

·         People with Down syndrome attend school, work, participate in decisions that affect them, and contribute to society in many wonderful ways.

·         All people with Down syndrome experience cognitive delays, but the effect is usually mild to moderate and is not indicative of the many strengths and talents that each individual possesses.

·         Quality educational programs, a stimulating home environment, good health care, and positive support from family, friends and the community enable people with Down syndrome to develop their full potential and lead fulfilling lives.

Here are some Myths & Truths About Down Syndrome from the NADS website:  http://www.nads.org/nursing/myths-truths-DS.html


Myth: Down syndrome is a rare genetic disorder.


Truth: Down syndrome is the most commonly occurring genetic condition. One in every 691 live births is a child with Down syndrome, representing approximately 6,000 births per year in the United States alone. Today, more than 400,000 people in the United States have Down syndrome.

Myth: People with Down syndrome have a short life span.


Truth: Life expectancy for individuals with Down syndrome has increased dramatically in recent years, with the average life expectancy approaching that of peers without Down syndrome.

Myth: Most children with Down syndrome are born to older parents.


Truth: Most children with Down syndrome are born to women younger than 35 years old simply because younger women have more children. However, the incidence of births of children with Down syndrome increases with the age of the mother.

Myth: People with Down syndrome are severely “retarded.”


Truth: Most people with Down syndrome have IQs that fall in the mild to moderate range of intellectual disability (formerly known as “retardation”). Children with Down syndrome fully participate in public and private educational programs. Educators and researchers are still discovering the full educational potential of people with Down syndrome. The word, “retarded” is also no longer an acceptable word to use when referring to individuals with Down syndrome or any level of “disability.” It remains an inappropriate and hurtful word.

Myth: Most people with Down syndrome are institutionalized.


Truth: Today people with Down syndrome live at home with their families and are active participants in the educational, vocational, social, and recreational activities of the community. They are integrated into the regular education system and take part in sports, camping, music, art programs and all the other activities of their communities. People with Down syndrome are valued members of their families and their communities, contributing to society in a variety of ways.

Myth: Parents will not find community support in bringing up their child with Down syndrome.


Truth: In almost every community of the United States there are parent support groups and other community organizations directly involved in providing services to families of individuals with Down syndrome.

Myth: Children with Down syndrome must be placed in segregated special education programs.


Truth: Children with Down syndrome have been included in regular academic classrooms in schools across the country. In some instances they are integrated into specific courses, while in other situations students are fully included in the regular classroom for all subjects. The current trend in education is for full inclusion in the social and educational life of the community. Increasingly, individuals with Down syndrome graduate from high school with a “typical” diploma, participate in post-secondary academic and college experiences and also receive college degrees.

Myth: Adults with Down syndrome are unemployable.


Truth: Businesses are seeking young adults with Down syndrome for a variety of positions. They are being employed in small- and medium-sized offices: by banks, corporations, nursing homes, hotels and restaurants. They work in the music and entertainment industry, in clerical positions, childcare, the sports field and in the computer industry. People with Down syndrome bring to their jobs enthusiasm, reliability and dedication.

Myth: People with Down syndrome are always happy.


Truth: People with Down syndrome have feelings just like everyone else in the population. They experience the full range of emotions. They respond to positive expressions of friendship and they are hurt and upset by inconsiderate behavior.

Myth: Adults with Down syndrome are unable to form close interpersonal relationships leading to marriage.


Truth: People with Down syndrome date, socialize, form ongoing relationships and marry.

Myth: Down syndrome can never be cured.


Truth: Research on Down syndrome is making great strides in identifying the genes on chromosome 21 that cause the characteristics of Down syndrome. Scientists now feel strongly that it will be possible to improve, correct or prevent many of the problems associated with Down syndrome in the future.

***This information is about DS in America.

The call

I have read blog posts by other families addressing the concerns of some critical commenters in which they responded to the age old question about why they didn’t adopt one of the many orphans in the US.  First of all, to give a little perspective, asking this question would be like asking foreign missionaries why they didn’t stay in their home country and witness to the lost people there.  People called by the Lord to be His hands and feet in parts of the world other than where they were born are just that – called.  Secondly, if we are the body, then we are not all the same part nor do we all perform the same function.  This is divine design and when we are obedient, the body of Christ works in harmony to accomplish the will of the Father by doing separate tasks but also coming together in unity to lift one another up in prayer and boost one another’s spirits by offering an encouraging word.

We are humbled, honored and grateful that the Lord has opened our eyes to the plight of special needs orphans around the world.  We are thrilled that He has called us to adopt one of these precious children because we could not do this of our own volition even if we wanted to. 

He could have just called us to pray fervently, as He is calling some of you to do.  He could have pressed on our hearts to give to other adopting families sacrificially as so many have done to help redeem the lives of children living in conditions we cannot even fathom.  He is calling some of you to pray, some to give, some to advocate, and some to adopt.  What a blessing!

The need

If you search a little, there is much to read (and see) about the appalling conditions of orphanages for special needs children in other countries.  I must offer a disclaimer in that I have not personally substantiated and verified each of the following statements.  I have spent hours reading the firsthand accounts of others who have adopted (as well as watched videos) and the following is a condensed version of much of what I have read and seen. 

These children are not afforded the same rights given to American disabled citizens.  We have read that some countries are basically not handicap accessible.  There is no need for this since many disabled people are squandered away in mental institutions.  Our sweet girl and countless others were given up by their parents because they were born less than perfect in the eyes of a truly deceived society.  I have read countless places that many babies with illnesses or deformities are abandoned because their families cannot afford to care for a child with medical needs in their struggling economy.  There is also a societal stigma attached to DS and other disabilities.  Some who have traveled to Maeve's country say it is like stepping back in time.  Even if parents truly desire to care for their child, social stigma and pressure from their own families make it impossible.

It gets worse, when at the average age of five, these children are transferred to adult mental institutions and most do not survive the first year.  I’ve read 80% but what if that is an inaccurate figure and it’s only 65%?  Does it really matter?  Any child sentenced to die because they were born disabled, deformed, or with an extra chromosome, is one child too many.  Oh my heart. 

There are a lot of reasons for this, starvation among them. The baby houses are not as severe, but there is still neglect.  Lack of love, attention, stimulation, proper diet, and basic human needs cause these children to be underweight and lethargic. The tears are coming as I’m writing this but it must be said.  Their story must be told. 

It is so sad to think that we could even say that the baby houses are “better” than the institutions in which they will be neglected even more severely after being transferred at as young as four years old.  At the institutions, some never leave their bed or crib and some are tied to it.  Rows and rows of beds and cribs with silent children because they learned long ago that no one was coming to respond to their cries.  Some leave their bed to sit on a bench and do nothing, look at nothing, know nothing except that they will be led back to bed to do nothing and look at nothing. 

Does this sound extreme and insane?  It is.  It is also real.  Please pray for these children.  Please advocate if you are called to do so.

This edition of 20/20 tells about a boy in a Russian baby house and then an institution before he was adopted.  http://www.nbcnews.com/id/21134540/vp/42535819#42535819

     

Another mother

There was one story told of a woman who visited her child every day at the baby house while an American couple was there making their daily visits with their new soon to be officially adopted child.  She loved her child and wished to be able to raise it herself.  She visited every day.  She was in distress over the situation and asked her mother what to do.  Her mother told her to stop visiting her child.  What if she was our mother?  What if our mother, that we loved and trusted to tell us what was best, told us to abandon our child? 

How we are going to do this

We’re not!  God is.  (Big sigh of relief…) You can read on the RR website that adopting Maeve will cost approximately $25,000. We do not have $25,000.  (Surprise!) :)  We did not even have the initial costs to begin the adoption process until God provided.  We live in a one bedroom house and thought that would surely be a road block to begin this process, but nope…He said do this and He is making the way for us in all things big and small.  We are excited to see God continue to melt the mountains like wax to bring His plan to fruition.   

In the book of Joshua, before Israel crossed the Jordan River, it was commanded that the Ark of the Covenant was to go first because they had not passed that way before.  As soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge, the flow of the water was cut off and the priests stood there – on the dry riverbed – while the nation of Israel crossed over. 

WE have not passed this way before!!  Our God will go before us and make the impossible possible or we will not go.  WE cannot bring Maeve home on our own.  We don’t have the power.  But our God is greater, stronger and higher than any other.  When He brings this to pass, it will be to His glory.  He will be due all the honor and praise.  So we’re starting now – Praise the Lord!  He is mighty to save!