First things first...Thank you to everyone who prayed for me, invited me to lunch (Kelly :), called, texted, hugged me, commented on the blog/facebook, and generally took care of me these past few weeks! I was in a low spot and the Lord saw me there, met me there, and used many of you and His LIVING word to encourage me out of there. With that said, I'd like to encourage you with our new waitlist number for February 2012...#92! I'll take moving 4 spots in a month over none any day!!
We are also celebrating with some friends who live in Jackson and another couple who live in Clinton (that's right...Ethiopian adoptees right down the road!!) are adopting a sweet toddler girl and boy respectively from Ethiopia because they just recieved clearance from the US embassy to GO get their children and BRING them home!! We can't wait to be at the airport when they both arrive home next week! I will actually post some pictures on my blog then :) And there is another wonderful family from our Madison campus at church who are leaving tomorrow to go pick up their daughter in China and bring her home forever! I love how God is moving people's hearts in our church to adopt and care for orphans!
Last, but not least, we are having a Garage Sale Fundraiser this Saturday, March 3rd from 6am-noon in crossgates west subdivision across the street from the Pearl Wal-Mart. Michael is my knight in shining armor who will be running around with my father-in-laws truck friday while I'm working and it's his 'day off', picking up donations from all you lovely people who are helping out with this one! Thank you, and come on out if you're in the area!
February 29, 2012
February 20, 2012
discouragement dies with gratitude
Discouragement.
It's a one word description of where I am-and I don't believe I'm alone.
There are some reasons I'll let you in on...adoption wait times extended....slow down of referrals of children (especially infant girls)...additional government restrictions....no other avenues makes me frustrated....down a staff member at church, and my friend from 'Lovin Much' says it the best:
And with all that...My FAITH waivers. My HOPE falters. My WORRY builds. My PASSION fades.
But thankfully HE remains constant, true, stable, trustworthy and always faithful. ALWAYS. FAITHFUL.
That's what keeps me going month after month after month...God's constant faithfulness. His gentle reminders that He is with us. His soft whispers that He is in control. His quiet confirmations that this is His plan. His sweet reassurance that this wait is all part of His timing.
But, I'm tired of the discouragement, so it's got to end. One thing that is true of discouragement is that it's a choice-and I'm going to choose to be done with it. (Y'all can really hold me to this-please, I need all the help I can get!) I really feel like I'm warring right now. To stand still is really to fall backwards, and I must press on and move forward in my faith!
A dear mentor of mine taught me to fight discouragement with gratitude. This is not my natural bent. My spirit really has to fight my flesh in this area. I heart pessimism :) I heard a quote yesterday from a movie that kind of describes my attitude in my 'natural man' regarding this. It goes like this "I hate optimisim. It's too *dang* tiring!" But something supernatural happens when I remember God's goodness...counting my blessings...one. by. one. ahhh....worship...an entering into God's presence-His help.
The battle is in my mind and I need God's word to fight in it. so here are some of my weapons today:
"Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, so walk in Him. Having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with Gratitude." Colossians 2:6 & 7 I just love those 'solid' word pictures when I'm feeling so shaky!
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the Peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6,7 yes, I'll take some more of that please!
"Set your mind on things above, not on the things of this earth." Colossians 3:2
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body: and be thankful." colossians 3:15
Finally, I'd like to ask you to pray today. The Truth is that God is Greater, we carry His powerful name, and He desires to hear from us and answer our cries! (amazing) James 5:13 "Is any among you suffering? He must pray."
Please pray for the orphans in Ethiopia (and around the world) who are suffering because of broken sinful systems.
Pray for those families who are adopting that our faith would be rooted and grounded and would grow to be a beautiful thing for God's glory. (God's just as interested in molding our character as He is rescuing little ones) 1 Peter 1:6-7 "You have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
I'm so thankful for God's faithfulness to carry me! How can I be praying for you?
It's a one word description of where I am-and I don't believe I'm alone.
There are some reasons I'll let you in on...adoption wait times extended....slow down of referrals of children (especially infant girls)...additional government restrictions....no other avenues makes me frustrated....down a staff member at church, and my friend from 'Lovin Much' says it the best:
And with all that...My FAITH waivers. My HOPE falters. My WORRY builds. My PASSION fades.
But thankfully HE remains constant, true, stable, trustworthy and always faithful. ALWAYS. FAITHFUL.
That's what keeps me going month after month after month...God's constant faithfulness. His gentle reminders that He is with us. His soft whispers that He is in control. His quiet confirmations that this is His plan. His sweet reassurance that this wait is all part of His timing.
But, I'm tired of the discouragement, so it's got to end. One thing that is true of discouragement is that it's a choice-and I'm going to choose to be done with it. (Y'all can really hold me to this-please, I need all the help I can get!) I really feel like I'm warring right now. To stand still is really to fall backwards, and I must press on and move forward in my faith!
A dear mentor of mine taught me to fight discouragement with gratitude. This is not my natural bent. My spirit really has to fight my flesh in this area. I heart pessimism :) I heard a quote yesterday from a movie that kind of describes my attitude in my 'natural man' regarding this. It goes like this "I hate optimisim. It's too *dang* tiring!" But something supernatural happens when I remember God's goodness...counting my blessings...one. by. one. ahhh....worship...an entering into God's presence-His help.
The battle is in my mind and I need God's word to fight in it. so here are some of my weapons today:
"Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, so walk in Him. Having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with Gratitude." Colossians 2:6 & 7 I just love those 'solid' word pictures when I'm feeling so shaky!
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the Peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6,7 yes, I'll take some more of that please!
"Set your mind on things above, not on the things of this earth." Colossians 3:2
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body: and be thankful." colossians 3:15
Finally, I'd like to ask you to pray today. The Truth is that God is Greater, we carry His powerful name, and He desires to hear from us and answer our cries! (amazing) James 5:13 "Is any among you suffering? He must pray."
Please pray for the orphans in Ethiopia (and around the world) who are suffering because of broken sinful systems.
Pray for those families who are adopting that our faith would be rooted and grounded and would grow to be a beautiful thing for God's glory. (God's just as interested in molding our character as He is rescuing little ones) 1 Peter 1:6-7 "You have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
I'm so thankful for God's faithfulness to carry me! How can I be praying for you?
February 7, 2012
February Giveaway
ok, I know I'm either posting about a giveaway or a fundraiser right now in my life-but that's just where this adoption process is at right now :) Not a lot of movement in numbers, so I've gotta fundraise-or in this post's case-let you know about a fun giveaway! My friend Katie is adopting domestically and she is SO talented on her sewing machine. She's sewing to fundraise for her adoption and you can help get the word out and enter to win some of her cute stuff by going to my other friend, Alison's blog :) confused yet? Just check this out!
February 1, 2012
January Waitlist #
So a little update on what's been going on in our world...Myles has been poo poo potty trained!! This has been all consuming the past two weeks and I am SO proud of my big boy!
So last night we got our official January number...we are #96 for a girl! and unofficially we are already 95 :)
As you can probably tell our numbers have been S.L.O.W moving with an average of 2 spots a month. We were told last week that the wait times are 24 months or longer-and we've already been waiting 7 months. Please pray for us! We are praying through some things in this journey and I can't wait to see what God does, what steps He has for us, and how He's going to provide once again!
I had the privaledge of going on an adoptive mom's retreat this past weekend called Created for Care. It was a wonderful time of connecting with other moms, being encouraged in quiet times with God, and learning a ton from excellent speakers! There's an upcoming retreat in March if any of y'all are interested :)
taking one step at a time,
Megan
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