Growth...of our family...in our walk with Christ...in all things to worship HIM!

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Wrecked...All I Really Want This Christmas

Maybe it is the fact that Thanksgiving is so fresh on my mind.

Maybe it is the joyous Christmas season of celebrating the greatest gift ever given
JESUS
and sharing priceless memories as a family.

Maybe it is the season where hearts are open to giving.

And where I am asked what I would like for Christmas.

Whatever the reason...
my heart, already wrecked for the orphan, breaks for those not yet chosen!!!

At times I wish God could place a viewfinder from my heart so folks could see the overwhelming love and pure joy that comes from adoption.  

I wish folks could truly see the priceless unconditional love that can come from welcoming an 
older or special needs child into your heart and home.  

How that love is planted, nurtured, and grows into something breath-taking.  

Oh how I long to remove the fear that holds so many wonderful families from stepping out!!

How can I better explain God's unwavering faithfulness
and that when HE places the lonely in family
HE will provide every step of the way as we step out in faith.

How do I help people understand why we are praying fervently for God to help us 
sell our beautiful home so that we can find something less expensive... 
freeing up finances to feed more treasures.   

I think the only way to express it is with the children themselves!

Have you gone to AdoptUSKids and looked at the GORGEOUS children who are 
legally free and waiting for a forever family??  

I can tell you...I have!  And I lose my heart each and every time!
If for nothing else, take the time to pray for each of these treasures 
to be placed in their forever family.  

When you realize how long it takes to say even a sentence prayer 
on behalf of each child in your home state alone....
then you begin to see the magnitude of children,
by no fault of their own, who wait for a family.

You can swing over to 
to see treasures from China who are in need of a forever family.  
or 
Where you can see photo lists of children around the world 
longing for a forever family.  

There are many, many, many other places to learn of waiting children.  

But, I want to tell you about some beautiful faces that I have seen...
some I have wrapped my arms around...
who wait in the Philippines.
These are faces that, because of country restrictions, 
cannot have their photos on the web or social media.

Let me start by telling you about "J", a precious 12 year old boy 
that I had the pleasure of meeting and wrapping my arms around in January.  
This sweet spirited young man lives in an orphanage in the Philippines.  
"J" loves to run and play,
and has gentle eyes that can melt your heart.
Although he has some developmental delays...
his English is better than most in the orphanage!!  
He looked in my eyes, politely answered my questions, 
and was engaged for the duration of our conversation.  
Our oldest daughter, who also has a sweet spirit, 
was so very drawn to this young man!
They spent time talking and playing together. 
When I think of "J", and his tender heart,
I become overwhelmed with the reality that he has watched 
COUNTLESS 
children leave for their forever family!!!! 
Can you imagine waiting your entire life for something as important as a family...
and regularly watching others that you have grown up with...
leave for their family??
I know God has hand picked a Mommy and Daddy for this treasure.  
And I am praying daily that his family will boldly step forward for their precious son!

This week I learned about a sibling group (16, 11, and 9 year old boys).  
Yes, my heart is wrecked again!!
The oldest brother is tall (compared to his brothers that he has his arms around) dark, and handsome.  He has a genuine, heartwarming smile as well.  The middle brother (who turned 11 yesterday) has a shy grin, and the youngest pumpkin has a glowing smile and cute little glasses:)
These three are very bright, healthy boys that long to have a family, an education, and a future!!
They need a family to step forward for them immediately because the oldest boy will turn 17 in February.  My understanding is that he can only be adopted with his siblings up until age 18 (The ICAB gives two extra years for children that are part of a sibling group).  Because of the length of the process, they need a family to step up NOW!!

What I really want for Christmas this year?  
I want families that have a heart for adoption to not allow fear, or money to stand in their way.  
I want "J", and the three brothers, to have a family willing to call them treasured sons.
I want people to see that when we ask Christ to break our heart for what breaks HIS...
we become wrecked for good and are willing to pray one more treasure into his/her forever family!!!

Please take a minute to watch my new favorite song...


And think about what you really want this Christmas:)





Monday, December 2, 2013

Too Good Not to Share

As God continues to stretch and grow us, 
there are times when we look to others, in the body of Christ, for encouragement. 

As my heart longs to be a mom of many, 
I often look to seasoned mamas who walk their lives outloud
being real, giving all glory to Christ.  

Although I have only met her in the bloggy world, 
Miss Linny, over at A Place Called Simplicity   
is one sweet mama of many that blesses me so very much!!

Because of her encouragement I am going to choose to share a
Memorial Box Monday Post as well:)


I shared in earlier posts of how God was so very faithful 
in providing every last penny we needed to adopt our son, 
and how HE went above and beyond to bless our socks off...
just because HE can!!

Over the past several months, 
we found ourselves in a difficult position financially.
No, I am not just talking about adding a teenage boy that can eat you out of house and home:):)

In what felt like a very short time, 
we had preparation for braces for one child,
extensive dental for another.
There were physicals, specialist consults, ultrasounds, 
and a surprise surgery.  
We had a need for an orthopedic specialist,
and three batteries of allergy testing.

Quite frankly, it was the making of a medical/dental snowball 
that felt as if it could consume us at any given moment.


I probably should not admit this, 
but at some point...we stopped opening the envelopes.
We just filed them unopened into a plastic bin.

The enemy of our soul wanted us to feel 
overwhelmed...
hopeless...
irresponsible...
defeated. 

But the truth is friends...
We are more than conquerors in Christ (Romans 8:37).  

We knew in Christ's strength we could open the envelopes and calculate the debt accumulated.  
We had to know the total so we could hand it over to Christ 
and trust HIM to lead us in how to meet the need.

We tucked our children into bed, and took out "the bin".  
Together hubby and I opened, piled, organized, and calculated.

We wrote that ugly number down, circled it, and started petitioning for God to intervene.
We prayed together, we prayed alone, we prayed with the kids for God to provide.  

We had no idea where the money could come from.  
We had already completely cut everywhere we could conceive with our human minds.  

But GOD!!!

Two weeks after writing that number down...
God provided in one lump sum...
from a source we would have never guessed...
JUST BECAUSE HE CAN!!!

Friends, 
I can tell you God does not always answer within two weeks,
and rarely in my experience has he answered in one lump sum...

But what I can tell you is this...

HE IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL
in each and every circumstance!!!

And each time he answers the petitions of our heart,
our faith grows to new levels and we have confidence to step out boldly for HIM!!!