Hand In Hand

Just a quick update on our matching grant from Hand In Hand.  We should have a final # this week and will update you all on what God did with this wonderful blessing for our next adoption.

A few have asked us so if you missed the deadline and still would like to bless our adoption you can send that directly to us or use the donate button on this blog.  We still have quite a bit of funds to raise, but God is working and blessing us so!  You may also send to Hand In Hand to bless another family with a matching grant too; they are wonderful!

More regular blog posts to come after the holidays.

Also, if you feel led please pray for our sweet son this Thursday.  He is having major dental work done in the hospital surgery room.  Please cover him in prayer for an easy time and quick recovery and bring peace to our nervous hearts.

To God be the Glory!

Until they are all home......
Jeremiah 29:11

Hand In Hand

UPDATE- 11/9/12




My Family and God know the goal we need to reach so we can begin to start applying to agencies and we are off to a great start, So Humbled and Thankful!
 

This is just a reminder that if God has lead you to donate that those donations should be postmarked by Nov. 30 in order for our family to receive credit.



Please continue to keep us in your prayers. 

We are excited to announce that we have been blessed with a matching grant opportunity!  This is pretty exciting as they are hard to get, but God has blessed us. 

Below are the letters that have been sent out via mail, and I am hoping reach all that I  did not get by mail. 

Will you prayerfully consider blessing our family?  Our need is to reach $14,000.00 so we can begin applying to agencies to bring our next little one or ones home soon!  Thanks & God Bless

All donations need to be postmarked by November 30, 2012.

Dear Family and Friends,

 

As many of you may have already heard we feel that God has called us on a new journey to provide a “forever” family to a child through the process of adoption.  We have started down this path of adoption and will be excited to bring a child into our home within the next three to nine months.  We have felt led to pursue a child or twins domestically here in the United States and will be applying to agencies and then waiting for the specific child or children God has for us.

 

This road to adoption is full of many joys and challenges, the greatest joy being the inclusion of a child into our family and the greatest challenge being finances.  The costs of adoption include the expense of a home study, adoption agency, lawyers, travel expenses, etc., with the total cost ending up somewhere around $30,000. 

 

We were recently awarded a matching funds grant to help with the expenses of our adoption through Hand in Hand Christian Adoption, Inc. a non-profit private operating foundation.  Hand in Hand will match any funds that are donated through our friends and family for the expenses of our adoption directly to our agency. All funds received through our friends and family will be matched dollar for dollar by Hand in Hand up to our awarded grant amount.   All donations are tax-deductible.

 

Please find enclosed a grant award letter that will explain more about the matching grant program from Hand in Hand Christian Adoption, Inc. You can find out more about Hand in Hand through their website at www.handinhandadopt.org.   You may also contact Hand in Hand Christian Adoption, Inc. with any questions you may have.  They can be reached at 913-248-5015 or by e-mail at handinhandadopt@gmail.com.

Please send all donations made payable to “Hand in Hand Christian Adoption” postmarked by November 30, 2012 to: (for tax purposes please include our name on the outside of the envelope only…do not put our name on the check itself)

Hand in Hand Christian Adoption, Inc.  

            Kent & Carrie Stamm
             18318 Mimosa Court  

Gardner, KS  66030   

Thank you for your prayerful consideration in helping a child find a “forever” family.

"Children are a heritage from the Lord. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior, blessed is he whose quiver is full of them." Psalm 127:3-5

You can follow our next adoption journey here:  www.itsgodsgospel.blogspot.com

 

Walking Hand in Hand,

 

 

Kent & Carrie Stamm
carriestamm@gmail.com

 

Start of Letter from Hand In Hand....I could not figure out how to get the logo on here, but hopefully will later today.

 

October 19, 2012

Mr. & Mrs. Kent Stamm

Dear Kent & Carrie:

We have reviewed your application for a matching grant and are pleased to inform you that you have been awarded a dollar for dollar matching grant up to $7,000. The specific amount received will depend on the amount of funds donated by family and friends on your behalf. The grant amount includes both the funds raised and the funds matched by HANDinHAND Christian Adoption, Inc. If you raise $3,500 from family and friends, HANDinHAND will match those funds for a total grant of $7,000.

All monies will be disbursed directly to your adoption agency, adoption lawyer or other adoption expenses after HANDinHAND has received an approved invoice from one of these sources. Monies already paid will not be reimbursed. Only outstanding balances will be paid by your awarded grant. Monies will be disbursed up to the amount of the final awarded grant. Funds received over the grant amount will go toward your adoption expenses not to exceed the outstanding adoption costs. Funds received over outstanding adoption expenses will help other children find "forever" families through the general fund of HANDinHAND Christian Adoption, Inc.

All donated monies must be in our HANDinHAND office or postmarked by November 30, 2012 to be considered in the dollar for dollar match for your specific grant. Funds received after this time will go toward the general fund of HANDinHAND Christian Adoption, Inc. to continue to help children find "forever" families.

In the case of a disrupted adoption, monies will be held for your use for up to 1 year from the disruption then after that time will be used to help other children and their families through Hand in Hand’s general fund.

We are so excited to be able in a small way to help a child find a "forever" family. Thank you for being obedient to God’s call in your life to help a child. We appreciate your heart and look forward to working with you in accomplishing this goal.

Sincerely,

Trudy A. George

President

HANDinHAND Christian Adoption, Inc.

Pure Crazines....

Big things are coming, crazy God things that ONLY HE can explain or know.  We are  stepping out in pure Faith on a lot of things....some I hope to announce soon.  I find myself saying I don't know a lot, but with peace and an excited heart because decisions have been made and are being made and only God knows the out come.

With that said this is why I love this picture!  It is so not the perfect family pic, but filled with so much joy amongst so much craziness!

 

Please pray for us. Pray for our family and our changes. And specificially pray for our next adoption that God provides all the finances in his time so we can apply to agencies, and that we trust in him and have patience in his timing.

God Bless!

147 Gift Orders...Order Quick!

Christmas is coming and in order to help you out we are selling some great product!

These gifts will not only give once, but three times!  Help support our adoption, Give food, water, and medicine to a child in need, and help beautiful African Mothers support their families.

Order soon while supplies last!  Just leave a comment or send me an e-mail at carriestamm@gmail.com.

Thank You and God Bless!

 

These beautiful Haitian Earrings are wonderful gifts for Mom, a sister, or a teacher.  They also come in brown, but I had trouble uploading the pics.  There are plenty of the blue, brown, and clear, but only 8 green so order soon.  Cost $15.00

Ugandan Bead Necklaces are still available to order and I have 2 red in stock at home.  Cost $20

 

 

Brown 147 Ball Cap- Cost $20

Leather Helping 1 Home Cuff-$10.00

Butterfly Tee- Cost-$27

Sizes S, M, & L

Long Sleeve Grey Tee-Cost$30
Sizes Small - XXL

Unisex Navy Tee- Cost $20
Sizes XS-XXXL

Kaboom Toddler Tee-$17.00
Size 2T-4T

Green Youth Tee-$20
Size XS(4)
S-(6-8)
M-(8-10)
L-(12-14)
XL-(14-16)

Order Today!
Thanks!

 

We Have a Choice

We have a choice to REFUSE to remain UNCHANGED.

We have a choice to let Real pictures like these not just touch us for a moment, but for a lifetime.



We have a choice to make that change that will move our hearts from momentary sympathy, to a lifetime of loving and serving God’s people, his children.

Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

What if we stay unchanged?

Where would they be?





The answer.... it is heart breaking.... heartbreaking for the ones without family, and heartbreaking for the families still together that are suffering from basic need... while we live with more than we need....

What will I do?

What will you do?

More importantly, will we do it today?


For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
~ Philippians 2:13

Refuse to remain Unchanged Today

The New Step One Is Complete!

Sorry for being so absent, but I have been in my canning/freezing season and just tons of other things. I plan to start blogging regularly soon, so I hope some still read. I haven't run out of things to say, just haven't had time. :)

My news today on the switching over from a foreign adoption to domestic is the home study has been transferred over and complete! YAY

With that said we have a lot of fundraising to do. We are essentially starting over and will need to raise at least 28k. I know with that we may receive more negativity and many other things, but the thing we are most at Peace about is that we are completely in GOD'S WILL. That gives us so much peace, and the strength to move on because he is about to bless us and another one or two of his precious children.

So we ask for your prayer that God gives us the wisdom we need to press on and do his will in this adoption and everything. We know he will provide and we trust that.

Your prayers and support mean the world.

With that said I will leave you with a quote I put on FB the other day. No one, besides God of course, says it better than Mother Teresa!

“At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by ‘I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.’”
-Mother Teresa

Bead Necklaces-Pics

Adoption update coming soon, but for now, I have 6 Bead Necklaces to sell. The sale of these necklaces I have on hand will help us purchase additional profile books about our family so we can start applying to agencies in about 2 weeks for birth families to view.
I know most of us our visual people, so I have taken pics of the necklaces I have on hand now. They are $20 and I can mail them anywhere.

These would make great gifts to keep on hand when you want to cheer up a friend, or to give to teachers at the start of the school year.
For those who do not know the story of the beautiful necklaces here it is:
These necklaces are made from recycled paper by Ugandan women as a way for them to provide for their families. The roll the beads by hand, dip them in varnish, and thread them onto the string. Prior to learning how to make these beads, most of the women “picked trash” or turned to prostitution to provide for their children.

The purchase of one of these necklaces helps in 3 ways. One for the Ugandan women and their families, two you will also feed a child in Uganda, and 3 you are helping us bring a child into our family through adoption. Very cool!






I have 2 red

A Hard Decision

So I have been pretty MIA in a lot of things lately and it’s time to share one of the reasons. Our family has lot of changes being talked about, being made, and waiting on the Lord to reveal, but one decision we have made just recently has to do with our adoption journey.

If you note our timeline for our journey to adopt from Ethiopia we started thinking in Feb of 2011, and officially signed on in May of 2011. We have been on the wait list for 9 months now, and that wait is still a very, very, long one. We were initially ok with the wait, but felt another path being pressed upon us. We tried to request a change in policy with our current agency about allowing concurrent adoptions, and that became a complicated path. There were times of hope that this could work and we could stay the course as we wait, but it simply didn’t work out.
The short of this all is that we are in the process of terminating our contract with AGCI and stopping our Ethiopian adoption, and then at the same time in the beginnings of starting a new adoption journey domestically. This is the short and simple of it.

To be honest I am not going to share all of the painful, hard details of the change here, but our decision was not made lightly or easily. It was hard and painful, but we know we are where God wants us to be.

A friend of mine who is adopting for the second time said something like this when their journey took a completely different turn…”Sometimes God leads us in one direction only to take us in another.” At the time I read this, this statement made sense but also hit me at a level I didn’t completely understand at the time, until now.

I do not doubt that we will indeed return to Africa to adopt again; in fact we plan on it, but right now God has us here on a journey that is unknown, and to be honest, a little scary.

There are some of you who will no doubt have questions, and I will gladly answer them. I invite you to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at carriestamm@gmail.com. There are just too many things to try and write out and explain on the blog.

Truly I want to end this very sad and hard post with pure joy. Joy in our next step, and request for prayer as we are completely laid bare before our maker and trusting him in this with everything we have. Thank you for your support and love; truly means so much.

As things progress more we will keep you updated on our domestic journey.

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

~ Philippians 4:6

Are you Comfortable???

Are you Comfortable?

I have been thinking about this a lot lately.

As sinful people we all tend to quickly judge, question other people’s actions, and think we know what is best for others. And as a sinful people when others come at us with concern that comes out as, here is what I think you need to do instead, we get awful defensive, don’t we? I know I do.

So let’s go back to the question… Are you Comfortable???

Most of us, though struck by tragedy at times, are pretty comfortable and secure in our lives, aren’t we?

We like that predictability, and we like to prepare and insure almost everything. You know, Just in case….

We have schedules, and plans for our future’s and our children’s futures. Our lives are figured out and barring no unexpected catastrophe, life is good and sweet and predictable. We’ve worked hard and we deserve what we have worked for. We have all experienced tough stuff, some more than others, and we deserve to just do what we want and make ourselves happy. Our plan will be to just cruise into heaven when the time comes at the ripe old age of whatever and God will say to us “Way to go, you collected all this stuff, and did all these things for you. Oh, and you went to church every Sunday to spend an hour with me and fellow Christians and did a few charitable things here and there. You provided a secure future for your family and rested well in your retirement years. Way to go Good and Faithful Servant...

EEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!(This is my brake noise) :)

Whoa…I am not so certain God would say this, are you? And actually, I really don’t think this is what I want to hear God say to me, his child whom he brought to this earth for a purpose. My only purpose really, which is to do HIS will.

Recently my husband and I have been making decisions, or are on the verge of making decisions that have brought some interesting responses and that make me step out of my comfort zone big time.

I have found that adoption is one of those things that God has willed for our family and one of those things I can’t control or predict one single bit. I have to rely COMPLETELY on God. COMPLETELY!

And here is something I realized. I LOVE IT! I love seeing him move in ways that only HE can do. I have seen him move hearts to pray, to give to families, to support them emotionally, to ask questions so they can understand, and so many more things.

I have seen unthinkable things in adoption that bring about God Moving Miracles and it brings me to tears all the time.

There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t look at my children and thank God for the gifts he has given and the stretching he has done. Because the journey does not end just when they come home, and I have to rely on him as I love them through the hard. I won’t expand on my children’s individual situations here, but they both started out their life with a huge loss and a lot of hard. Sometimes those things effect their behaviors, but I know it, and I just love them that much harder. They are beautifully and wonderfully made.

It absolutely excites me and scares me the desire God has placed in Kent and I’s hearts to bring more children home.

I love how God doesn’t look at our age, our bank account or future plans; he simply just lays his desire and plan on our hearts and asks us to let him carry it through.

That’s it.

No matter how hard it gets, and it is always hard, he carries us through and ministers to our hearts so we can love his children.

I am so in awe of HIS story for our lives. Every Day.

So the conclusion to all this is.. I think everyone should adopt so they can know what I mean.

Ok, not really, I just wanted to see if you were still reading.

I do believe we all need to make a conscience effort to step out of our boxes every day and lean on God to do it.

Instead of making yourself, schedules, and things your priority start the day out asking God to please help you see what he wants you to see for the day, and to do what he wants you to do in every moment of your day.

My family and I have committed to try and do this, and we will fail, we are sinful beings, but we will get back up and face what the Lord has for us.

We are making a lot of decisions and contemplating a lot of things that are soo outside the box, and uncomfortable and it is so exciting; truly!

I wake up every morning, go downstairs, open my Bible, and I just beg God to help me see him, and to be with me, because I NEED him Desperately.

So love, hate, or plain don’t care about what we do or say or ask, but if anything please ask God to move your heart and see the things he wants you to see and love.
Don’t judge, don’t make conclusions, but pray and truly seek him.

It’s amazing what God does to our hearts when we stop talking with our eyes, and just start loving his people even when what they do makes zero sense.

If we all did this I truly believe I would never have to ask others to open their eyes to the need of the lonely, the widow, and the orphans and then to act on it.
Over and over in God’s word it talks about loving each other. It’s hard a lot of times, but more and more I am just doing it. It’s amazing how much this ministers to me and those around me.

So I dare you..

Start loving others truly with everything you have and just see for yourself the beautiful working of our Father. It may hurt and stretch you farther than ever, but it will bring you that much closer to God and his will for you and that friends is EVERLASTING.

Hebrews 6:10

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work & the love you have shown him as you have helped his people & continue to help them.

And the Winner IS..........

OK, the winner!!!

Our friends, the lovely Ripke family won the $500 give a way!! Plus, Our Awesome friends are splitting the winnings between 3 families adopting, AND they are adding $25 of their own to make it an even split! Seriously, how cool is that??? Love it.

This just warms our hearts, and I have been so excited to see what the Lord was going to do with this money. Just Awesome!

I will IM the families they have designated, and Thanks again for all the support and prayers!

Ryan And Sarah, may God bless you abundantly more for what you have given to his children....

Jeremiah 29:11

Baby Steps

First, I again want to thank EVERYONE who shared, donated, offered words of support and love, and prayed during our give a way. We still have funds to raise and your continued prayers for this are much appreciated and never taken for granted. Will announce winner soon!

Baby steps are what my family and I are taking in this journey. We may look like we are just jumping before anything, but what we are doing is actually taking baby steps in GOD’S plan for us and the children he has impressed upon our hearts to be in our family.

You see only HE knows the bigger picture and how this will all turn out.

What he asks of us is to TRUST and to FOLLOW, and to KEEP our eyes on him.

Now I have a confession.

For a long time my eyes, and my heart have focused on the negative we have been receiving and the hurt in my heart that not everyone understands what and why we are doing what we are doing.

No longer will I be doing that. I dug deep into God’s word this weekend and what I have learned is that I am being concerned with Worldly ways and Worldly views, and God’s ways are always best even when it seems crazy or unlikely.

All I have to do is TRUST him and God Does the Rest!

I can’t change hearts, only GOD can.

What I can do is share how he has changed ours and continues to shape them for what he intends.

The Holy Spirit leads and if we allow it God will do great things within us and for others.

Over and over again I have watched adoptive families Give everything they have.

I have watched them pour everything into the children they have, and the adoptive journeys they are on.

I have watched them pray for, give of themselves and their resources, and share with other families when they have need of their own. I have watched them hurt and pray when others having difficult times on their adoption journeys and when they are home with their children. I have watched them rejoice with every little victory and when families are united with their little ones. All the while they are on their own journeys. They understand and they get it and that is why the adoption community grows and we all lean on each other. It is a beautiful thing God has done by connecting us all.

I have also watched God stretch and grow hearts of people that are not called to adopt, but are called to stand with others who are. They too, pray and share in our joy and heartaches.

Every single one of you touches my heart deeply and you are in my prayers. We couldn’t get through every trial, struggle, and moment on this journey without your support and love.

If there is one thing I have heard and read over and over by families adopting, it is they would love to sit down with all family and friends of families adopting and tell them to support them. Show them love and care even when you don’t understand.

They need it; we need it.

But, even when we don’t receive this we have GOD and truly he is all we need. He never leaves us and he has our back at all times.

...Because truly our baby steps are just part of HIS bigger picture.

So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.

~ Deuteronomy 31:6

Give A Way Update

There is still a little time to enter if you want or missed out. We will be compling the list of entries later today and then annoucing the winner.

GOD HAS BLESSED US WITH $1,040.00!!!! Thank YOU doesn't quite seem enough, but Thank You.

We still have another $1,960.00 so please prayerfully consider donating.

Check Back later for the winner!

Thanks, and God Bless!

There is still time to donate....

We are at $1,000.00 out of $3,000.00... See below for details. God is Good!

And for all you local folk, when you go to Mancino's today part of the proceeds will go to the Rice Family's Adoption. You can read more about them here.

Update-We are GIVING AWAY $500.00!!!!!!!

Give A Way ends tonight!
Monday afternoon update** We are at $825 out of $3,000.00. Please keep the prayers coming and please prayerfully consider sharing this give a way with others and or giving. We can't do this without you,God's army, to help us complete this goal and give a child or children a home. We are humbled by everyone's prayers and thoughts of support and all the generous donations so far. God bless you all!

**Saturday Update** As of 3 p.m. we are at $670 out of $3,000.00 in our give a way! We are humbled by your prayers and generosity. Please continue to pray and help if you can so we can reach our goal by the end of Monday. We Love seeing the Lord move, and cannot wait to see who we can bless back with $500!! Thank YOU!


**UPDATE** So far on day 4 we are at $220 out of $3000.00. I love seeing God move hearts, and I cannot wait to see who he will bless with $500!! There is still time to share, give, and enter, please prayefully consider. Thank YOU!! **

Yep, that’s right; we are giving away $500. This exciting opportunity comes along with some exciting news: WE ARE STARTING ANOTHER ADOPTION!


After much prayer and pursuit of God’s will we are going to start a domestic adoption. While we are so very excited to answer God’s call to care for orphans; we cannot officially start until we raise the initial funds of $3,000.

Now let us tell you how about your chance to win $500.

We are going to give $500 from our “first fruits” to help one blessed donor with their own or someone else’s adoption, their favorite mission or their church/synagogue. We are so very excited to see who God will bless through His gift of donations to our adoption.

There are two steps to enter:

1. Go to Facebook and click like, please post to your face book page, blog, or send an e-mail to all your friends telling of our giveaway. (Just make sure to let me know you are doing this so I can track your entry) You can message me on Facebook, leave a comment on our blog, or send me an e-mail at carriestamm@gmail.com.

2. For every $10 you donate you will receive an entry. So if you donate $50.00 that gives you 5 entries plus a 6th entry for telling your family and friends.

How you can donate?

You can easily donate by going to our adoption blog and clicking on the donate button, and your payment will be processed through PayPal. A donation receipt will be provided after you make it. Blog www.itsgodsgospel.blogspot.com

If you do not want to use PayPal you can mail your donation to P.O. Box 430 Archbold, OH 43502.

Please just leave me a message if you are going this route so I can make sure to count your entry.

Easy Peasy!

Our family is stepping out in faith, but it takes God’s army to give a child a family.
I borrowed this statement from another adoptive Ma Ma, and it is so true! We cannot do this without you.

Adoption is truly not for the faint of heart, and it is not for every family. We have to rely on the Lord completely through the good the bad and sometimes the ugly. We not only need your financial support, but your love and prayers especially. We need support to help heal and love the children with whom God is blessing us. We just couldn't do it without you; truly.

So as hard as it is to ask we are asking for financial, emotional, and even more important your prayer support as we seek God’s will in our next adoption.

Let’s see what the Lord can do and give $500 back to Him as we do it!

Give a way starts today and will end on Monday June, 11th! Winner will be announced sometime on Tuesday, June 12th.

Thank you all so much and God Bless!

Psalm 115: 1-2 Not for our sake, God, no, not for our sake, but for your name’s sake, show your glory. Do it on account of your merciful love, do it on account of your faithful ways.

Strawberry Season! A Jam Fundraiser

It's Strawberry season, and it will be short so you need to act quickly!

We just froze and made some jam out of 5 flats of Strawberries last night.

As a fundraiser for all you local friends I will make your freezer jam for you for a donation to our adoption.

If you are interested send me a message and I will e-mail you what supplies I will need. Then all you need to do is drop off and I will make you the best strawberry jam you have ever tasted. The great thing is this keeps for well over a year in the freezer! carriestamm@gmail.com

Here are some pics to get your taste buds going!

Catching UP

Life has been crazy and we are still just waiting for little one or ones in Ethiopia...it can be a little depressing, but the Lord is working in our hearts and I believe he has many things in store!

April Numbers

Girl 107
Boy 82
Twins 37

March Numbers

Girl 109
Boy 86
Twins 38

The Bad 11 Letter Word

FUNDRAISING

Yep, you read that right. It has now been added to my list of bad words.

To be completely honest, I DO NOT like to do it, at all, for anything. I love to help others out in their fundraisers, but it is so hard to do it for myself.

Our first two adoptions we were fortunate enough to not have to do it much at all, but this one needs completely funded with help. I know God can do it and the money is not for me but for his will, and that never has been a doubt.

The adoption journey is hard enough, but fundraising can be harder than the paperwork, the wait, the attacks from Satan…of course fundraising is one of the best places for Satan to attack isn’t it?

When you ask Family, Friends, Church Members, Co-Workers, and everyone else in between to help you with money it is just not easy and hard.

When I ask, most will Judge. And Most will have an opinion on the manner in which I asked, or why I am asking, or think why is it my problem to help you with your “calling”? Some have stated it’s like you’re trying to make me feel guilty.

All this just rattles me up and wants to make me just be quiet. No one likes to be vulnerable, and when you fundraise it is the most Vulnerable spot to be in.

But the truth is I CAN’T BE QUIET! I’ve tried, it’s too hard, because what I know and feel in my heart is just too GOOD to be contained Y’all! SERIOUSLY! You want to get in on some if this goodness!

With that said here are stmt’s I have made or am making today.

1. I do not believe that everyone I ask to help us is meant to help us. What I ask is that you truly seek God in the decision about us and anyone reaching out with a way to help the children of God here in the U.S. and around the world.

2. Understand that it is hard for me to ask, but we are truly seeking God in all of it, and adoption is one of the ways God has put on our hearts to love the least of these. It is only one of the ways we are doing it, but the most costly at this point.

3. Please know that I can’t make you feel guilty, only you can. If you feel guilty by the things I have said then talk to God and ask him why? Maybe he is touching your heart for something special that will open your world up like never before. I know mine has been and continues to be.

I have had this post on my heart a long time. What I want to come from it is hopefully more of an understanding and to let you all know that we are doing what God wants us all to do. Care for the least of these in whatever way he shows us we should. The bible is our book on life and how to live it. I am just asking if you want to be a part of helping us give an orphan the love of Christ in tangible/physical way.

God mentions the least of these all over the bible. I read new verses all the time! I love that he knows we need to be reminded. If we don’t keep these things in front of us all the time, we forget them, and go on with our normal lives, but I do not want that, do you?

I hope you understand my heart here, and I pray that we are all touched with the things God wants us to see and act on the things he wants us to do.

Lastly Here is a link to a dear sister in Christ, Kim’s blog. Her post yesterday and a portion of the article she copied spoke so much to me and had me nodding my head in agreement the whole time. I pray it touches you too.

Want to Help?

Want to help a starving street child in Uganda have food for a day?

Read the link below first. I will be doing this with my children in the next week or so to mail off. If you want to help or give us items to put in the bags, let me know. Thanks!

LINK

This really hit me in the heart....

A few weeks ago we received the middle picture of Alejandra @ 1 year old in the mail from Food for the Poor. The part that you can't see is Aljendra only weighs 8 lbs!

We had hung this pic on the fridge and have been praying for this little one ever since.

The other day, I decided to put the two pics of my lovies on the fridge and just randomly threw them up there. I looked back at it a few minutes later and it just hit me hard, and I had to fight the tears. You see Alejandra is a little orphan in Guatemala. My children, who were once orphaned, could be in that very same crib fighting for their lives and hoping for the love of a family.

Break my heart for what breaks yours God.

What's it Going to Take??

Yesterday I read THIS written by my friend Linny and I kept saying AMEN over and over in my head while I read it. She was saying the things that have been on my heart for a couple years now and even more so in the last year. (Please take a moment to read her post)

So, what is it going to take?

What is it going to take for more of us God Fearing, God Loving Christians to Do more?

How can we ignore the needs of 163 million orphans???

How can we continue to live with our excess and feel good about that?

Like most nights, I went to bed last night thinking about this. I am restless with thinking about the children of the world who are suffering, being abused, living in cribs, living in the street, starving, and most importantly searching; searching for love. A great Love we can only know through God, but a Love that you and I can physically give them here on earth.

I mean, how do we expect to spread the gospel if we aren’t showing them the gospel.

Every day I think about this and I plead to God to show me what more can I do. This isn’t just about adoption folks, because unfortunately adoption isn’t the answer or option for all these children, but this is about spreading the love of Christ.

This morning I was reading in Matthew 6: 25-34. The short version of these verses is DO NOT WORRY. Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body and what you will wear. God provides us with what we need for today, and tomorrow will worry about itself. We plan and we save and we worry about our families and providing for them when in all truth we have more than enough and we should be sharing more; GIVING more. Giving more of our things, and giving more of ourselves.

I have to be honest and say that I get angry. I get angry when people brush off 163 million, or use excuses as to why they haven’t done anything, but it’s because I am so passionate and I want you to be too! If you say you love Jesus then allow God to show you what he wants you to do! He will tell you and he will direct your paths. He will show you things you could have never imagined.

We all are way too comfortable in our lives and we need to let God wreck us for the things his heart desires.

I could take all day and tell you stories, and show you pictures, but if you haven’t gone and seen it with your own eyes or allowed just one to touch you then my words mean nothing. They may touch you for a moment, but all too soon that moment is forgotten.

I was oblivious at one time. I lived my comfortable life, and still do in many ways that I want to change. I did what I wanted when I wanted and then I adopted and I saw what the Lord wanted me to see and I am forever changed and broken. The things I saw in Guatemala and Ethiopia are forever etched in my mind and on my heart, and the things I have seen in my own back yard too.

I know I am supposed to be doing more and I know God has big things in store. Things that will be scary to do, but all will be done in faith and that’s what he wants us to do.

He wants us to trust him with all our hearts, and lean not on our own understanding, but acknowledge him in all our ways, and HE will direct our paths…. (See Proverbs)

I no longer want the perfect life for me or my family….ever

The perfect life, the American Dream if you will…not for me and not for my kids…

What I want is an imperfect life for them made perfect by God.

I want my family to be in the center of his will, no matter how hard it is, all the time and I want us to serve and show the ones he wants us to his Love.

So, How about you?

What will it take for you to be broken for the least of these?

Are you willing to find out? I am, and I hope you are too.

Love Coffee?

HERE is our link for our latest fundraiser. It's all about coffee. Just click on our link and you will go to our families storefront to buy some of the best coffee you have ever tasted! I have had this coffee and it is great! Actually there are 4 great things about this:

1. Fair Trade
2. Organic
3. Ships Directly to you!
4. Every purchase of Coffee or a shirt puts $5 towards our adoption!

So do you need a great gift for that coffee lover in your life, or do you just love coffee like me, just click Here and shop away!

Thank You And God Bless.
Please help us spread the word.
We thank You and EJ and Mo Thank You!

February Numbers

Girls- 115
Boys- 90
Sibs- 41

1 Day, 1 Click, 1 Moment...make a difference!

Go Here for details...please! We did it! My daughter is Guatemalan and this is one way to help those who are living in an orphange or cannot afford school.

God Bless!

January Numbers

Girls- 119
Boys- 95
Sibs- 42

So we had around 5 months of paperwork, and now about 3 months of waiting and I am going to be straight up honest...I am unemotional about it at this point because the end is so very far away...waiting is hard no matter how many times you adopt and this is the longest wait yet....just seems crazy when there are so many children in orphanages w/out families. Ridic....

So as I work on my attitude and resting in God's plan please pray for all the orphans and widows of the world today.

God Bless

I will not doubt-I will TRUST

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

~ Proverbs 3:5,

This was my verse of the day. The perfect verse I needed to hear and read and soak in today.

Adoption is hard, life is hard, and trusting God when there is so much doubt and question is even harder, but I need to do it because his ways are always better than mine. Always.

With that said here are some things that came pouring out of me today. Things that make me want to doubt, and then the truths that make me want to continue to trust.

I will not doubt when the funds have not come in for the first half of this adoption that we have borrowed.

I will not doubt when others say aren’t two enough? Don’t you have enough on your plate already?

How are you going to care for more? I will not doubt.

How will you provide a future for more? I will not doubt.

How will you feed more? I will not doubt.

Don’t stretch yourself too thin. I will not doubt.

Should we have started this adoption considering our financial situation right now? I will not doubt.

I will not doubt with this incredibly long wait.

What I will do is…..

I will Trust this oh so strong desire the Lord has placed in our hearts for more children because it does not go away.

I will Trust that when the Lord gives us the vision he will provide the provision.

I will Trust in the Lord’s plan and not my plans.

I will Trust even when everything and everyone tells me not to.

I will Trust because that’s what my God wants me to do.

I will Trust because his heart is for the orphan and he wants nothing more for them to be loved and cared for.

I will Trust that even when things look bad he has this right where he wants it and he is there to see it through.

I will Trust even when it is hard.

I will Trust.

I will Trust.

I will Trust.