Back in line!!!

We have been waiting...

waiting for news, waiting for a birth certificate, waiting for God to move mountains...

I have been asked if I have learned patience yet.  I am not sure I know the answer to that one.  

I can tell you that it has been painful waiting. 

It has been prayerful waiting.

I am not sure it has been patient waiting. 

BUT.....TODAY...another obstacle was moved!!!

I love it when we cry out to God in a certain situation, and then HE answers our prays in ways we do not understand.  It takes the human factor out of things and clearly shows that it is ALL HIM!!  

We learned this morning that the passport agency of the Philippines will issue a passport in the name of "baby boy"!!!  

Because of this our dossier will be put back in line to be presented to the ICAB for referral!!!!!!  

How is it that it can be done now and it couldn't in March when we learned that Aaron could not be hosted??? Or why not all those months in-between?  

My answer is so very simple....BUT GOD!!!   

He has a plan and purpose for our son, and our family as a whole.  

HIS timing is perfect!

HIS ways are perfect!!

HIS plan is perfect!!!

There is a LITTLE part of this story that makes it all so much sweeter!!!  

After telling me the fabulous news this morning, and hearing a very loud squeal in her ear, the fabulous gal from our agency went on to tell me more.

She told me that earlier this week they learned that we would not be able to get Aaron's corrected birth certificate until DECEMBER!!! 

If that happened, we would then have to go back in line for a referral (which could take weeks to months considering how the ICAB is already backed up and the fact that government offices are closed most of December)...then we would have had to wait the three months it usually takes to get visa approval to travel.  

All that to say...it could have been spring or summer of next year before we traveled for our son!!!!!!!!  

So you see...this new turn of events is nothing short of God's gracious answer to many prayers from those around the world specifically praying for our Aaron!!

I do hope that one day God will reveal the reason we needed to wait longer.  I love looking back and seeing his sovereign hand in our lives!!!

But until then...we will shout out his faithfulness from the rooftops!!!

I have been working on some new children's worship the last few weeks...one of my new favorites completely expresses how I feel today:)

Have a listen...

Finding our groove

We have not fallen off the face of the earth...

just spinning to find our way back to some sort of normal schedule.  

School began Tuesday and we are finding our groove!!

Some of us get very cozy during essay writing

Some of us were rockin' out the vocab 

But all of us were super excited for a special worship night at our church with Kari Jobe!!!!!!!

(yep, she is the gal I pretend to sing like in the shower...shh don't tell)

Our church was PACKED OUT!!

But we were so very blessed to worship with her from this distance

Kari does not do performances...

She engages in authentic worship and pours her heart out to the Lord.

What an evening of total peace and surrender!!

I spent the evening and into the night crying out to God concerning our adoption delays!!!  

Stay tuned...I cannot wait to share how God is movin' and shakin' on sweet Aaron's behalf!!

Wearing a Crown...

As the day approached anxiety ran high for one crowning princess.  

The closer we got to the date, the more she questioned wearing a crown.

  

After years of diligent work she wavered in finishing the very last small assignment.  

You see, the enemy of her soul did not want her to take a stand for Jesus.  

he didn't want to see her honored for the things of Christ, 

nor feel beautiful as a princess....daughter of the most high God.

She overcame the temptation to quit and completed the last assignment.  

Then the ugly nothings that were whispered in her mind questioned her beauty, 

her ability to be loved and accepted.  

She is a gorgeous young lady who was created by the one true God 

to do great things for HIS kingdom!  

She is treasured, she is valued, she is loved, and she is wanted.  

But somehow those ugly whispers rang stronger than our words of affirmation.

Somehow she believed that if she could just change her appearance,
THEN she would be seen as beautiful and worthy of a crown.  

But the tempter is a snake...a liar...a thief.  

His goal is to rob, steal, and destroy.  

Once we step over the line to listen to the whisper, he screams words of condemnation...

that we are not worthy, that we will never amount to anything, 

that no one will want us because of the ugly of our sin...

The truth is...we are ALL sinners, saved by grace!  

All sin is ugly...but Christ trades beauty for our Ashes.  

So in Christ's strength...our baby girl put satan under her feet...and a crown she wore!

She was honored for the work she accomplished,

but more importantly she boldly took a stand for Christ!!

She stood with seven of her peers 

Was reminded that God made her beautiful, and HE longs for us to see what HE sees....

I pray that the truth of this special event resonates in my sweet girl's heart.  

She is a beautiful princess...daughter of the the Most High God!!!

She has beautiful wrapping paper, but her true beauty is on the inside!!  

May she shine like the stars of the universe for HIM all the days of her life.  

May she find her identity and worth in the ONE that created her for HIS special plan and purpose!!

May she walk BOLDLY for JESUS, putting satan under her feet, all the days of her life.  

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.  Proverbs 31:30

choosing to rejoice...a different part 3

Well friends...I have been gearing up to write Rejoicing part three (a referral for Aaron)!!

We received a verbal approval of our  I-800A (US immigration clearance) on July 16th 

and got the hard copy in the mail on July 21st.  

The social workers present dossiers to the ICAB (Inter Country Adoption Board) on Fridays.  

So we waited anxiously to hear if we were approved for our Referral on July 27th or if they will present us on August 3rd.  

Today I received a conference call from the director of our agency and our agency contact for Philippines adoptions.  

I was SURE they were calling to tell me that we have a referral!!!!

Instead, they called to say that we still do not have a birth certificate for Aaron.  (remember that this was what prevented us from bringing Aaron home for the summer hosting program)

We do not know where things are in the process or how long it might take to get it.  Unfortunately it appears that the ICAB will not give us a referral without the appropriate birth certificate.  

We have had so many opportunities to see where our hope rests throughout this journey.  

We have told Christ that we will praise him when things go well, and when they do not!

So, I am once again humbled and reminded that the timing...and the journey as a whole is not mine:)

My mama's heart is having a hard time today with this setback.  

The enemy of my soul wants to discourage..whisper ugly nothings in my ear that once again we will not be getting the littles that our heart longs for.

But I am choosing to walk in truth and rest in the knowledge that our God is greater than this problem!!! 

 God is MY refuge and Strength, and ever-present help in trouble!! (Psalm 46:1)

  "Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress;

my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief...

But  I trust in you, Lord; 

I say, "you are my God."  

My times are in your hands...

Love the Lord, all his faithful people!  

The Lord preservers those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full.  

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord." (from Psalm 31)

Once again I am reminded how very easy it is to rejoice in the Lord when all is well, when we get what we want, when our hopes and dreams all fall into place the way we plan.  But we are not to stop rejoicing when things look bleak, when there is a setback.  

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish it's work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."  (James:2-4)

So today, I rejoice...

I rejoice in the fact that I am loved by a heavenly father who gave HIS SON to pay for my sins

I rejoice that the enemy sees us as a threat for the kingdom of God

I rejoice that God has blessed me with a fabulous family

I rejoice that HE has hand picked Aaron for our family and in HIS time our sweet boy will come home

I rejoice that through this journey HE has given us a heart for littles around the world that are in need of love and a family

I rejoice that HE knows my heart even when I cannot articulate what is held there

I rejoice in our journey knowing that this setback is so little in the big picture of 

ALL GOD PLANS TO DO IN AND THROUGH US

Rejoicing part 2...

As I mentioned in the last post...we have MUCH to rejoice about!!!

God's faithfulness is simply overwhelming!!

In this post I want to share about God's faithfulness in another baby girl's life.

Our sweet Kylee returned to our home at the age of four.

At that time she enrolled in a program called Missionettes (now M-Pact)

Over the past 7 years, our pink wearing princess 

not only grew beautiful wrapping paper on the outside...

But she has been growing beautifully on the inside where it really counts!!

I believe whole heartedly that it is a parent's responsibility to grow our children in the ways of the Lord and to be intentional in that responsibility.  It is not the job of the children's pastor or Sunday school teachers to be the primary instructors in our child's spiritual growth.  

That being said...I am so very thankful for the fabulous mentors that have partnered with my husband and I over the years to help our sweet girl become who she is today!!!  

One program that has helped our sweet Kylee grow in the ways of the Lord is M-pact.  

Since she was in preschool, Kylee has been learning biblical truths, memorizing scripture, and discussing topics that are the foundation to our faith.  She has been doing lessons, reading her bible, and  working on projects that help her gain ownership of her beliefs.  

In a few short week, Kylee will be getting into a white dress, pulling on her fancy shoes, and getting her hair done...

She will be escorted to the stage by her Papa and will be crowned "Honor Star" with 8 of her peers.

This week I have been in the process of going back over old photos, pulling out awards, and rejoicing over Kylee, her life, and her accomplishments!!

Our sweet girl has had many obstacles to overcome throughout her 11 years.
But our faithful heavenly father works ALL things together for our good!!!

Kylee Hope,
 you sweet girl are a princess,
daughter to the Most High God!!

You are wanted,
you are loved,
 and you are a priceless gift from the Lord!!

You were delicately knitted in your birthmother's womb
and God has TREMENDOUS plans for your future!!

You have been given fabulous gifts and talents to be used for God's glory!

You have such a sweet love for littles and critters.

And you have a love of justice... refusing to cower in the face of opposition.

God has grown you to be a leader sweet girl.  May you know and embrace your identity in Christ.  May you choose to seek HIM in all your ways.
And May you shine the light of Jesus in a lost and dying world!!

We love you sweet girl and are so very proud of the young lady you are growing to be!!  

And yep, your Mama will probably be tearful as I place that crown on your lovely head...

but they are tears of rejoicing...rejoicing in God's extreme faithfulness!!!!

Rejoicing part one...

We are in a season of rejoicing in God's faithfulness!!  

Our oldest baby girl has returned home safely...and once again...changed!

We arrived just a few minutes before the group Wednesday evening...

And there were hugs all around!!

 Kylee was excited to have her sister home...

but there was some serious rejoicing when she was handed her souvenir from the trip.

It was a super cool sling shot!!  Oh does Mélika know her sister well!!

After our reunion...and a quick bite to eat....

Mélika went right back into her other love...worship!!

Later, we stayed up until wee hours hearing details of how God moved mightily...

how HE protected our baby girl and her team repeatedly over the two weeks...

and how Mélika's heart was once again broken for what breaks HIS!!

This is the team plus the missionary's three children.  

My beautiful clown!

Much of the communication barrier was crossed with skits.

And they also did some work projects while in Pavia.

Who says work can't be fun?!

LOVE!

 Preparing for another children's program.

Littles that stayed behind after the program to ask Jesus into their heart!!

God has blessed her with the ability to sleep ANYWHERE!!

And I mean ANYWHERE!!

And...Oh her heart for littles!!

One of the sweet littles with his new salvation bracelet:)

The workers are few...and the task impossible in our own strength.  

But when we step out to what God has placed on our heart...

there are no limits to God's faithfulness!!

We welcome her back home knowing that she will venture out of the nest again soon.  

Each time she goes it becomes a bit easier for this Mama to open my arms and send her off 

with my blessing.  

Each time God has confirmed her calling a bit more...

each time she has grown more in the likeness of the warrior princess HE has crafted her to be...

Each time we see the glimmer in her eye as she lives out her calling...

Each time my heart swells with gratitude that our baby girl runs after the LORD and is willing to step out with BOLDNESS!!

So we are thankful for the time we still have with Mélika in our home.  

And we rejoice in God's overwhelming faithfulness!!!

For the love of littles...

I have avoided posting lately because I just have not had words to express what has been transpiring in my heart.  

We have been in a season of stretching, molding, and changing for quite some time.  

There have been times that I have asked God...haven't we stretched enough already???

But then, HE shows us areas where we can continue to be crafted.  

Over the past two weeks much has happened.  I have wanted to share, but truly lacked words.  

The first week we saw our oldest daughter off to do what she was made to do....share the love of Jesus with children from every nation, tribe, and tongue.  We have had few updates along the way but I look forward to hearing every last detail when she returns home Wednesday.  

THEN...I prepared to step out to serve at Royal Family Kids Camp.  

This is a camp where foster children (ages 7-11) can have positive, fun, life changing experiences.  

A place where they learn about a loving God and are accepted for who they are.  

I knew there was a reason that I was to attend this camp, this year...

I also knew it was going to MESS ME UP!  

The counselors and staff arrived at camp Sunday afternoon to begin set up.  

Monday, before lunch, our 46 campers arrived.  

Some exited the bus with stoic faces, some with fear, others that had been to camp before ran off the bus ready for the fun week ahead.

Throughout the week the campers were able to swim, fish, canoe, construct things out of wood, 

make crafts, dress up, and play games.  

They sang and danced, learned bible truths, and were given a listening ear.  

They were able to eat their fill of yummy food,

watched a movie with popcorn, participated in "Olympic" games, and had a birthday party.

  

Through these activities, the love shown by adult volunteers, and MUCH PRAYER...these campers we able to have fun, POSITIVE experiences.  Their protective walls that were constructed around their hearts were able to come down, the prickly exteriors shed.  

The truth of the matter is...they are kids!!  

Kids that thrive under praise, kids that melt in a safe hug, 

kids that have feelings, and desire to be wanted!

So many times we as adults have preconceived ideas of foster children.  

We see their pasts, their baggage, their family ties.  

We see the rough protective exterior and feel the need to run the opposite way.  

When considering adoption, many of us are terrified of our home grown children.  

If it were not so there would not be approximately 424,000 in our foster care system.  

Please hear my heart...I am not pointing fingers or casting judgement...I am sharing where I have been.  

We considered adopting from the foster care system when we started this journey.  

We went to the meetings and asked many questions.  

The truth of it...we had hoped to have a baby again...

we know first hand the challenges of raising children who have had less than optimal beginnings.  

WE thought we would take an EASIER route this time:)  

I chuckle as I write this...because our heavenly father had an entirely different plan for family.  

AND I AM SO VERY GLAD HE IS GROWING US FOR HIS PLAN!!

In a few months we are bringing home a 12 year old son!!  

An older child...something we had feared and ran from in the past:)  

BUT our heavenly father has been stretching us, growing us, and preparing us for HIS plan!  

God has given us an unexplainable, unconditional love for our son we have yet to meet!!

And in the midst...HE introduces me to 46 older children that live in my own backyard.  

My heart aches for these littles and some of their situations.  

My husband came to camp on Wednesday evening to help with the "olympic" games.  

He of course represented Canada and lead the hockey activities.  

In those few hours I found myself introducing hubby to each and every child and hoping he would fall in love with each of them in two hours as I had over the past three days!!

Although hubby didn't experience 5 days and nights with these precious littles...

God used the short time that he was there.  He met the littles, heard my stories, and watched the video wrap-up of RFKC 2012.  

On our way back from church this morning, hubby was quiet.  I didn't think too much of it at the time. 

Later he approached me and said, "Sorry I was quiet on the way home...God was confirming in my heart that we need to adopt SEVERAL MORE CHILDREN....I was trying to think of tangible ways of reducing expenses and stretch each dollar."  

LET'S JUST SAY THAT HE KNOWS HOW TO GET MY ATTENTION!!!

I have been praying for a house full...in the past, hubby has said one or two more.  

Today we have moved on to a whole new chapter!!  

I don't know where our other children will come from.  

They may be from the Philippines, other countries, or our backyard.  

What I do know is that we are continuing to be stretched, molded, and grown for God's great plan!!!

We are called to defend the fatherless, look after orphans their distress, and love those in our territory.  

We will continue to walk the journey God places before us... 

as HE continues to grow our heart for littles!

I urge you to be in prayer as to what HE may be calling you to do...for the love of littles!!!