Thankful

As we celebrate Thanksgiving and I think about all that I have to be thankful for, it's the big things that come to mind first...

Jesus, my Savior and Lord... obviously!

husband

children

family

friends

health

home

and then I realize how much more I have to be thankful for...

how much more I take for granted...

because I have always had ...

mom and dad

shelter

clean water

food

medical care

and the list goes on and on....

When I think of the millions of orphans in the world that do not have anything...

it breaks my heart.

And I am thankful for that too.

I am thankful that my eyes have been opened.

I am thankful that my heart has been touched.

I am thankful that my Father is faithful...

and that He will not "leave them as orphans".

I am so thankful.

Are We?

"Are we, like Christ, willing to respond with compassion and urgency to those who suffer? 

Are we willing?

Do we have the kind of faith, the moral courage, the depth of love, and the strength of will to rise up off of our padded pews to demonstrate the good news to the world?

One way or the other, this will be our defining moment."

"The Hole in Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns. 

The Lord IS Good

Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before Him with joyful singing.

Know that the LORD Himself is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Psalm 100:1-3

Which Way Lord?

"As you look... you see a twisted, complicated path, with branches going off in all directions.  You wonder how you can possibly find your way through the maze."

The path we are on right now is...  Twisted.  Complicated.  a Maze.

When we hired a new lawyer this summer and seperated from the agency we were using, we knew it was the right thing to do.  We had no idea what we were doing or where it would ultimately lead us, but we knew it was God's will. 

We stepped out in faith.

"We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield." Psalm 33:20

We stepped out not knowing what we were supposed to do next.  We stepped out completely trusting the Lord for direction. 

It was a little uncomfortable.

"I remember the One who is with me always, holding me by my right hand.  I recall His promise to guide me with His counsel, and I begin to relax."

We have recently discovered that if we would not have followed the Lord's prompting for me to travel to Kampala and then hire a lawyer to complete our adoption... we would have lost our children.

"He is my refuge and strength, an ever-present and well-proved help in trouble."

We still have obstacles to overcome regarding our adoption.  There is still a twisted, complicated path ahead of us.  We need wisdom, discernment, direction...

We need the prayers of the saints interceding on our behalf.

"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16b

I am learning "to turn my attention more fully to Jesus and to enjoy His Presence." 

In the midst of all that is going on regarding our adoption...  He has set a vision on my heart.  A vision so big that it will ONLY be accomplished by His hand.  A vision I look forward to sharing with you.  Soon.

We are seeking His guidance.

He is preparing us.

It's not about me.  It's not about our adoption.  It's about Him.  It's about His purposes being fulfilled.  It's about His name being glorified.

I have to admit... I am excited to be out of my "comfort zone". Excited to see where the Lord is leading us.

He is teaching me to keep my focus on Him.

'Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "this is the way; walk in it."'  Isaiah 30:21

He is faithful.  In Him my heart rejoices and I trust in His holy name!

Seventeen

Our beautiful Katherine is 17. Seventeen! 10+7.

She loves Jesus with her whole heart.

And desires to serve Him wherever He calls her.

She is a sweet friend to her brothers and sisters.

She is using the gift God has given her in dance to bring Him glory.

She is FULL of joy!
And brings much laughter to our family!

The joy of the Lord is definitely her strength!

We are so proud of you precious girl!!

You are truly God's gift to our family!!

Happy 17th Birthday!  We love you!

Quote

"... one of the highest and best ways of expressing our love for God is by demonstrating His love tangibly to those around us.

We achieve this by showing compassion to
the most vulnerable of God's children
and fighting for justice."

~Richard Stearns

Remembering our Soldiers

THANK YOU, to all soldiers, who have fought in the past and who continue to fight to secure and protect the freedom of this great nation.

God bless you and your loved ones.
God bless America.

Off and On

My beautiful girl got her braces OFF this past week!

We have the best orthodonist!

And... my handsome son got his braces ON!

Special Song

I was blessed by this sweet song posted by Jena... so I wanted to share it with you.



You Made Me Your Own
Adam Cunningham

Feeling like I don't belong
to anything or anyone
am I not good enough
for anyone to love

Every single day that passes
I'm well aware that my chances
go from good to bad
to find a mom, to find a dad

 Then, someone told me 'bout the Father
and someone told me 'bout the Son
I got down on my knees right there
and now I am one

And you made me your own

you gave me your home

and the love that I need

you made me your own

and now I am complete

you made me your own

I'm looking for someone to love
asking praying God above
why it's not fair
I just want someone to care for

When they call out in the night
sing a lullaby til it's alright
and kiss away your fear
I will be right here

Now you came in a different kind of way to me
but I will love you more than that you see
the Father brought me into His perfect family
now I can see

Chorus

Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
You made me your own

Something to Think About

"Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, suffering, and injustice when He could do something about it."

"Well, why don't you ask Him?"

"Because I'm afraid He would ask me the same question."

~Anonymous