Weaving the most beautiful tapestry you could ever imagine...

I am at a point in my walk where a particular subject keeps coming up...it is like the Lord is graciously showing me in blinking lights His awesome wisdom, power, and creativity over and over again through the way He connects us.  And I am grateful.

 

He is showing me His handiwork- His handiwork in weaving together lives, crossing paths, and writing chapters in lives that overlap . His providential placement of people and events in my life makes me stand back in wonderment.  How He uses those crossed paths to affect others and bring Himself glory has me amazed. And how He continually makes these events happen as if they were planned before time began (which they were) utterly astounds me. We tend to look at life as a bunch of random, chance happenings. Probably because it is too overwhelming to think that any one thing or person could arrange it all.  But He does. When you take the time to step back and connect the dots of your life-it is out of control crazy how awesome His plan is. Step back and look at your tapestry.

 

Case in point- on our first trip to Ethiopia we were with four other families from our adoption agency. These families were from Texas, California, Connecticut, and Washington state.  We stayed together in a small guest house in Addis-we traveled north to Mekele and back together on an airplane and shared some of the most special, emotional days of our lives together. We braved Addis Ababa traffic in a "blue donkey" together.  We broke bread together. One of these families briefly worked with an Ethiopian NGO in Korah(the massive trash dump for the city of Addis). . She had some familiarity with the area and some folks there-and she knew a driver, so we took a day trip there together when we got back to Addis. The threads had been put in place on the loom for this tapestry.  While there, we saw some of the most gut-wrenching poverty on the planet. "Korah" means "cursed" in Amharic.  Folks who live there are often considered cursed because of poverty and sickness. We left Korah changed that day.

These are typical homes found around Korah. The mountain you see in the background is actually trash. These poorest of the poor dig for items they can recycle for a little money AND they dig for their meals here.

 

Fast forward  a couple of weeks...our family along with another family from our adoption agency decided to sponsor a child through an American non-profit  group that was helping this Ethiopian NGO(that we were made aware of by the same adoptive parent who brought us to Korah).  We did not realize that this group would soon be severing ties with the Ethiopian NGO.  We had learned the stories of the children we were sponsoring...we had seen where they lived...we knew that they were relying on us to pay their school fees(in Ethiopia everyone has to pay to go to school-so obviously the very poor have no chance unless someone comes along side them to help). We also were excited about the fact that our friends in Ethiopia had rented a structure in Korah where the kids could come and learn about the Gospel.  They also could receive tutoring in their school work. Occasionally they would be able to receive a meal there. If a church or another entity did not come alongside this Ethiopian NGO, they would not be able to continue their work in the community. They would lose the building they rent which serves as a community center where Jesus is shared with these children. Our kids would not be able to attend school.

 

 

 

Fast forward another couple of weeks....our family traveled back to Ethiopia for our adoption embassy trip. This time, only 2 other adoptive families from our original group were there, and one left shortly after we arrived.  One family spent the entire week with us and happened to be the other family that decided to sponsor a child in Korah. The Lord knew what He was doing when He planned for us to spend a second week in Ethiopia together. We were on a mission(that we were unaware of at this time)-and it was not just to bring our adopted children home.  Part of it involved wrecking our hearts AGAIN for the people of Korah and He would use both of us in this next series of threads.

 

Proverbs 24:12

" Once our eyes are opened, we cannot pretend we do not know what to do.  God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know and holds us responsible to act."

 

So-the Box family and the Easters went back to Korah. We visited our friends at ACDO(Access Children Development Organization). Nati is a young fellow who is currently in college.  He was a Compassion International kid y'all-an American family sponsored him so he could go to school. Good stuff. He loves the Lord and is studying social work in college now while giving back to his community.  His brother Ashu works for a local church and also helps with the organization, and Areghegn is the head of the NGO there. They love the Lord. While we were there, we actually went in to the homes of the children we sponsor. We brought them clothing, food, and prayed for them. We took our friends from ACDO out to a traditional Ethiopian meal and discussed how we could come along side them and help share Jesus with the people of Korah. We collectively decided that the Box and Easter family would continue to sponsor our children by privately sending money until we could get a non-profit up and going in the states to help solicit more sponsorships. We have had a couple of other friends and family members who are trusting us to arrange their sponsorships as well until we have an official non-profit in place. We are sharing Jesus with these kids...one kid at a time. We prayed that ACDO could hold on in the meantime financially(because starting a non profit in the US takes a stupid long time and requires stupid hoop jumping). Yes-I said stupid.

This is Yenesu-the child we sponsor, standing inside his home.  I sat on that bench when we visited his family. By sponsoring him, we are allowing him to attend school-the first step in stopping the cycle of abject poverty that keeps his family hostage.

 

Suzanne's sponsor child in the green dress is Tihunia. Through Suzanne's sponsorship and extra gifts she is able to attend school and also move to a structure with concrete walls and a tin roof. This is a huge thing-especially during the rainy season in Ethiopia.

 

 

And then a plan took effect.  A plan that the Lord had already chosen the thread for...the thread that would be woven into an even larger tapestry than we would imagine at the time. One of the things that happens at the ACDO center is that there are women who are learning the trade of making beaded jewelry. On our first trip we purchased a couple of necklaces.  On our second trip, Suzanne purchased a bundle-not really sure of what would happen with the hundred-plus necklaces she purchased.

 

Our sweet lady friends in Korah making jewelry at ACDOs center. By buying this jewelry, we are empowering women and providing job opportunities. 100% of the proceeds of the sales of this jewelry go to the women. We are working to establish relationships with them and to help them see their value in the God who made them. If you are interested in this jewelry and supporting the women of Korah-please contact me.

 

 You see, Suzanne works with another non-profit in another African country.  In fact-a couple of weeks after our trip to Ethiopia she was traveling to Kenya with Mercy House. Many of you have heard about it.  Mercy House Kenya is headed up by the same woman (Kristen) who blogs at We are That family. They were in the beginning process of starting something called Free Trade Fridays where American women could join and receive a special free-trade item once a month.  You can read about it here http://mercyhousekenya.org/blog/2014/7/20/introducing-fair-trade-friday.html .

Well..in all His wisdom and tapestry weaving goodness-The Lord blessed this Free Trade Friday idea and they will be using some of the necklaces from our dear friends in Korah.  So what is sooo cool about this?  The fact that the Lord put Suzanne in two places at just the right time...to bless the poor and to bring Him glory. Two tapestries connected to make an even larger one.  He introduced her to the ladies at Korah in Ethiopia and gave her an opportunity to bless the ladies at Mercy House Kenya as a result. The sales of the necklaces through the Mercy House Free Trade Friday opportunity will help the ladies in Korah and the ladies in Kenya.  Our God is big, y'all.

 In addition-he brought Suzanne and I together-both of us with a strong hunger to get a non-profit off the ground here in the states so we can continue to help the folks in Korah. We want to have an organization that can handle the sponsorships of these children(60+), help promote and sell the jewelry made by the ladies, and even bring together folks to travel to Ethiopia to minister in medical and other ways to the community.   I don't know what He was thinking when he put two VERY strong-willed adoptive mommas together..but I am sure it was because what we will be doing will be requiring some extra strong will! That particular thread in the tapestry must be a very colorful and strong one! I am very thankful for my new friend Suzanne.  I am thankful for other believers who are passionate like her. I am grateful that the Lord let us cross paths. To Him be the glory in our friendship.

 

In the meantime-I would like to ask for some specific prayer requests.  Please join me in praying for the people in Korah.  That Jesus is made real to them by the efforts of the men at ACDO. Please pray that the Lord sustains ACDO until a stateside organization that we are forming(Caring for Korah) can take on the huge task of gathering sponsorships on a larger scale and supporting their work. And pray for the men at ACDO that they do not grow weary of doing the work of the Lord.

As soon as our organization gets going-we will be seeking sponsorships for these children. Sponsorships will be $40.00 a month.  Perhaps you can start praying about this opportunity-making room in your budget for it ahead of time.  We will need at least 60 folks to step up the the plate on this. Is the Lord calling you to be a thread in this tapestry?

And finally-take a moment to step back and look at the tapestry the Lord is weaving in your life.  Why does He have you where you are?  Who has He allowed to cross your path? What is His purpose in doing so? He is big. He has a plan. Look for ways to bring Him glory in the middle of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

How He Loves......

I got a request today to blog on a particular subject. A friend of mine and a mom of several bios wanted to know how we dealt with the fear of not loving our adopted kids as our own. Her family has considered adoption but this question haunts her. Her raw question hit on a layer that I have been avoiding visiting in this adoption story-but I am thankful that the Lord used her question for me to peel the layers of this stinky onion down to the core.

 

Our homestudy had us read books on connecting with your adopted child ( Dr Purvis is the go-to on the subject-if your agency or homestudy does not require this reading...Do. It. Anyway. It is one level~maybe two~ below Holy Scripture to adoptive fams). It is a very common issue/concern. But we now find ourselves in the middle of reality.  We have two kids that look like us, that I rocked and bottle fed(no I did not breast feed-haters gonna hate)...that I have driven to ball practice for umpteen years. We have two kids that grew up on the other side of the world...their eating and personal hygiene habits are foreign-they dress differently(given the opportunity...which is becoming fewer and far between), they have coping mechanisms developed from living in an orphanage that kinda grate on your nerves. We constantly need to make sure we are not putting too much pressure on our bios with the ways they cope with these two new additions-while at the same time not letting the two new ones rule the roost and get everything they want. It is definitely a circus balancing act. I would venture to say that our bios may be feeling a little second class right now-while the whole family dynamic is adjusting and settling in to the new norm. While I would have told you the training portion of our homestudy and adoption was bogus 3 months ago-I am glad we have that under our belts now. It is a good thing. I will return to those books and notes.

 

A couple of months ago, a friend and I started a "secret" Facebook group that we moderate called Christ-Centered Ethiopian adoptions. We saw a need for a page that honored the Lord appropriately in our adoptions-and was also an honest and "real" discussion zone. It is a safe place where no agency employees are allowed...people are "vetted" before they are allowed to join to protect the members who are participants. People can ask raw questions about the process, ethics, agencies, anything.  Another member organizes a virtual prayer vigil every week at a certain time for anyone who has requests(lots of requests mind you-adoption is tough....bathing it in prayer is the only way to go). This group has been a huge blessing to our adoption journey and there are families there who have adopted numerous times-there are adult Ethiopian adoptees, and there are families still waiting on referrals. The Lord uses Facebook-don't care watchya say. I mean how cool is it to connect on the internet...and then actually MEET someone on the other side of the planet- who is actually from your side of the planet --but they are adopting from the same country as you-- at the same time as you? That has goosebumps written all over it. This was the perfect place to "float" my friend's question.

 

My first reaction was to answer her with this morning was "the Lord makes it work"...in fact, I did. I know without a doubt that I love the Lord and the Lord made this possible and that He has "got this".  What I didn't tell her is one of the most common phrases in adoptive circles is "fake it till you make it". I'm telling her now behind the safety of my keyboard. I am not going to lie...we have dug in and will fake it till we make it. Sometimes the Lord blesses us with that mentality-the ability to ride it out. Fake it till you make it isn't giving up on the Lord.  I fully believe it is a strategy..a  tool that He gives us. If we weren't faking it some days...we would not be too God-honoring. There, I said it.

 

This is not to say that we do not love our two new children. I love them enough that I will go all momma-bear on someone else who picks on their inability to understand a game under their breath among other youth. I love them enough that I have an intense need to protect them(particularly in Wal Mart parking lots). I love them enough that I understand the need for the fine ratio of discipline vs. compassion in their young broken lives.  I love them enough that I cry for them.  I cry about their stories and I cry with their stories. I love them differently. But I do not love them any less. I love them differently. Just as in a marriage-sometimes you have to work at it. Love takes work. Can we all agree?

 

This is one of those subjects that the writer in me is having difficulty finding the words to describe. I don't want to take away from the love that is there-but I don't want to sugar coat it and tell a potential adoptive parent it is all rainbows and unicorns. Adoption is hard. Ain't nothing about it easy.

 

A quote from a good friend of mine sums it up: "A lot of adoptive moms that I have talked with have been afraid to be honest about this topic for fear of judgment. Sometimes it's just a different kind of love".

 

She is in a tough place with kids that she adopted several years ago. For lack of a better word, they  may not have "attached" yet. This is real.  This happens-more than we care to discuss. Adoptions do fail by the way. There are sites that exist to re-adopt/re-home children from failed adoptions. But guess what-my friend is in it for the long haul. She has bios, she has another adopted child that is not so "hard to love".  The saddest thing I grieve for in this friend's situation is that she currently does not have a church family to help her with this part of her journey. My prayer for her is that the Lord will send her support in the form of a church family, one that will come along side her in the trenches and offer her some respite  ....believe me-it makes a BIG difference. I really want her to come park an RV on our property and live here( I am not kidding)...but an RV would be hard with 6 kids and a hubby-especially when his commute to work was 18 hours one way.  

This is one thing I would say to my friend who posed this question today....surround yourself BEFORE you start the process with God-fearing, Jesus-loving, not-gonna-dump-you- if- your-are- honest friends that can help. Adoptive mommas get it. Special needs mommas get it. Keeping up with the Jones,' gotta get my kid on the varsity team and in the latest fashions, and into a good college mommas don't always get it. Get you some mommas who "get it" in your circle now. Mommas that don't care if your 10 year old adopted daughter wears a Christmas sweater out to dinner in July in 90 degree heat because it is "prutty'.  The Lord uses these wise women in HUGE ways in adoption. Their wisdom is like a soothing teething ring in the early stages....a warm blankey in the stages to follow. Get you some. And you are welcome to move your RV to Easter Creek Farms anytime. I am honestly thinking about starting a commune.

 

 

 " I always knew I would love my daughter as my child...it just wasn't immediate. And I will try to explain better: I loved her from the beginning: I loved her sweet face and her story, I loved that a long journey was coming to an end, I loved her eating Cheerios from my hand the first morning she stayed with us. But she was a stranger and that's just the truth with adoption."

 

and more from David-

"With adoption, you have photos, you have reports...but the reality is one day you don't have a kid and then the next you do. So it takes a while before that becomes a normal part of your life. I just don't think there is a way to process it that is similar to pregnancy and birth. It's different.

For me, about three weeks after we got home our 13 month old was getting blood drawn, and the nurse kept missing her veins and she was screaming bloody murder. I wanted to punch the nurse in her throat and that's when I realized...oh yeah...she's my kid! I'm about to punch a stranger (a woman even!) in the throat because of what's she's doing to my kid!"   

On the other end of the spectrum, an adult adoptee friend said this "It doesn't matter what anybody says. Any child who is adopted into a family that has a biological siblings ALWAYS feels second."

This makes me sad. I honestly shed tears over this. The only response I can generate is this-this child  probably also felt second when one of their siblings got to stay with their bio family but they got dumped at the orphanage. They probably felt second when other kids got adopted from the orphanage before they did. Even in  a family of no bio kids...this child will have feelings of being second, unworthy, unloved because they are "different". This is the broken, fallen world that creates the need for orphanages and adoption in the first place. This is just a clearer picture to me of the need of a Savior-the desperate need for a redeemer in all of this. How do non-believers even deal with this process? Insert the obligatory "smh' here.  Once again I will defer to the Holy Father to heal those wounds.  Nothing I can do will be sufficient...whether I have zero bio kids or 30 when I adopt. My prayer is that I am able to do precisely what the will of the Father is in this child's life for His greater glory. I will leave the child's feelings of being second to the Creator, the Healer, the Father. He can deal. He can work masterpieces out of torn apart hearts and weeping souls-He can take a second place citizen and make them a King or a Queen. I defer.

 

And perhaps the most poignant response to the question I posed to the group was this:

 

" Our fears are what stand in the way of loving an adopted child...not our capacity to do so. It is there. God put it there" Clairissa

 

Thank you wise-adoptive momma that "gets it".

 

And it is with this attitude I move forward. This same friend reminded me that humans are such creatures of comparison. What difference does it make if we love them differently?  God put the ability for me to love that child there. I love each of my bios differently don't I? So-whether it is a different type of love than I have for my bios or the same...it was put there by my God-which means I have no right to question it. The same Father who adopted me in to His own family although I was unlovable, unworthy, and undeserving put the ability in me through His Holy Spirit to give this child the type of love required. If it is not the same as my bio children-so be it. It is of Him and that is all that matters.

For Such a Time as This...

Esther 4:14

"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this."

We all have inherent personality traits.  I am convinced that these are planted in us for God's glory and His glory alone. His providential timing as evidenced in the Book of Esther, is always right.

 

10  years ago(even 5 years ago)...my strongest set of personality traits were being tenacious....pushy....goal-oriented....won't-take-no-for-an-answer. These were traits that got me in trouble. These were traits that made me look like a lost soul(which I was). These were traits that made me look like the world. They were traits that helped me in business(to an extent).  They helped me get what I wanted at the time. I spent a lot of time refining them-for the wrong reasons.

 

Then He saved me. The Holy Spirit came to live in me....and it all changed.

 

These same traits helped me through this adoption process. I am convinced they were planted in me years ago in my mother's womb to help me through this season of our lives. The difference is-I was able with the help and direction of the Holy Spirit, to use them with His guidance and for His glory. If you have ever been through an international adoption process...you know the amount of obstacles that can come up-the bureaucracy-the amount of phone calls and emails to push things through and keep your file out of a pile. You also owe it to the children you are adopting to make sure that ethics are in the forefront with how they came in to the care of the orphanage, etc. This takes hours of research about your agency, the orphanage and asking of a lot of hard questions. You cannot feel defeated...you cannot give up.  You cannot get your feelings hurt. I mean we were fighting for the future of two children on the other side of the planet. The difficulty I experienced at first had to do with reconciling wont-take-no-for-an-answer with humility and meekness.  Guess what folks....they CAN coexist. There is a such a misperception of what meekness and humility means. Paul describes to us how the traits can coexist in 2 Corinthians 10 where he discussed meekness, but he also lets us know that he was capable of being bold if necessary.  The humility that was watered and fertilized came about in the form of my submitting to the Lord...NOT a lost world. The Lord was in control of the situation-not us. The meekness that developed was a result of the fact that although I was provoked endlessly during this process, I needed to submit to the Lord  and ask for His direction and not be confrontational. My need to be in control was turned over to Him. In return He reminded me that He was in control-I was in His will- and I had no reason to worry. And let me tell you-when it is soooo obvious that you are in the middle of God's will...there is a peace in all of the actions necessary to see it to the end. He directs your paths. By no means do I have this humility and meekness thing totally accomplished(I can hear my family giggling when they read this-and also my real estate clients)...they are fruits that will need constant fertilizing in my life with the Word until the day I die. But what is so amazing is to see AGAIN and AGAIN how the Lord can use what could be used for evil in this world for His good and His glory. I mean who else can take a control-freak personality and tweek and twist it to actually work for His glory....

 

 

And just to drive home the point-the Lord has let me see personality traits in the rest of my family that are quite clear were planted there for such a time as this. Hannah's nurturing spirit and her "mothering" personality have been HUGE in the first weeks of these kids being home. Crosson's and Tony's patience have been out of this world. The fact that Tony himself was adopted cannot be overlooked....surely the Lord has used this part of his story to plant another level of compassion in him that exceeds my understanding. These traits and details that have taken a lifetime to develop are being used for His glory. I simply cannot imagine going through this process several years ago when I first felt the tug to adopt-before I was saved.  The Lord had work to do...and His timing is perfect. I am grateful that He has revealed this to me in hindsight.

 

I posted on facebook the other day that it was so cool to see how God doesn't leave out any details when he writes an adoption story. He has it all covered. He has made provision, He has prepared hearts and personalities, He has placed all of us in the same family on purpose with a purpose and He has equipped us for it.  Let me never forget-even when the going gets tough-that He wrote this story. Before the beginning of time He wrote it, for such a time as this. I am trusting in the Author of Creation.

Kindehafty Easter 9.28.2003

Hagos Easter 4.20.2002

 

Oceans...

Last week the Lord led us on a journey that had His fingerprints all over it. I thought I'd share some of His goodness.

Six children met their forever families in a little town in the northern part of Ethiopia. Some had waited years for this day.

Psalm 68:6

God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun scorched land.

John 14:18

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

 

~~~~~~~

 

Kids who rarely get a cooked meal got a shower, new clothes, a traditional dinner served at a restaurant, fellowship with friends, and a good pick up match of soccer with an American family that sponsors them. They  also prayed for our American friends. Humbling. A beautiful picture of the Church.

 

Romans 12:3-5

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

 

~~~~~~~

 

 

Hearts were broken for the poor. Eyes were opened.

 

 

 Job 30:25

Have I not wept for the those in trouble? Has not my soul grieved for the poor?

 

 

 Proverbs 22:2

Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all.

Jeremiah 22:16

He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me declares the Lord.

Proverbs 21:13

If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.

 

 

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We received the blessing of hospitality.

 

 

Leviticus 19:34

You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

 

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Every day we were in Ethiopia(except for Palm Sunday), people were already up and working by the time we stepped outside. They literally worked from dawn to dusk.  In fact, some athletes from a local school were up and running every morning in the dark at 4am on the street below our balcony at our hotel in Mekele.  

 

Colossians 3:23

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not men.

 

 

 

 

 

~~~~~

We saw a group of folks who don't own televisions(or houses or cars) crowding around a tv at a street vendor to watch The Passion during Holy Week. The Gospel is TRUTH and it brings HOPE.

 

Colossians 1:5

because of the hope laid up for you in Heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel.

 

Colossians 1:23

if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel what you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

 

 

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We witnessed the beauty and intricacy of His creation from the sky-through the workmanship of those He created, and from the ground.

 

Psalm 104:8-12 

The mountains rose; the valleys sank down to the place which You established for them. You set a boundary that they may not pass over, so that they will not return to cover the earth. He sends forth springs in the valleys; they flow between the mountains; they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. Beside them the birds of heaven dwell; they lift up their voices among the branches. 

 

 

John 1:3

All things came into being through Him, and without Him not one thing came in to being

 

 

 

 

 

 

~~~~~

We were reminded that every day is a gift

James 4:14

Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

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We were reminded of our purpose...to share the Good News of the Gospel...to live it out.  In His goodness He showed us examples of this calling in places we would have never imagined. We witnessed His mercy and grace in some of poorest places on Earth. We witnessed His joy in people you would never of thought could have joy. We witnessed His faithfulness. We experienced His peace. We saw Him move. He blessed us with new friends. He enlarged our family. Our God is good...in all the earth He is good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have news!

Well....we find ourselves relaxing(finally) after a whirlwind afternoon.  We got the news today that our court date has been scheduled.  The court date where we actually become the legal parents of our two children in Ethiopia is April 15th!!  This was fantastic news since we thought we would not be scheduled until some time after the 25th.

The best news is...for this momma who the Lord has been graciously teaching patience for the past year...is that we get to leave A WEEK FROM TODAY! I was only able to get our flights scheduled for Tuesday(not Wednesday as our agency recommended). Considering I am probably going to hold my breath until we leave...the earlier we leave the better!

Just so you know...the devil has been trying to get all up in my joy the past couple of days..I have been having computer problems...patience problems....sleep problems.....scheduling problems and car problems....but this sister ain't got any problems tonight! I really never had any to begin with-I just took my eye off the prize thinking I could handle all this myself.  I am basking in the love that my Redeemer has for me and my family tonight.  I am rejoicing in His faithfulness. We are shutting down that enemy scheme by praising our awesome God, giving Him all the glory, and remembering all the times He has carried us through this.


"Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass."

1 Thessalonians 5:24

No worries that we spent $1500.00 more on travel than we thought we would.  No worries that our den and carport are FULL(I mean F.U.L.L.)  of donations from over 20 families to sell at a fundraiser yard sale April 12 that we wont be here to have. Just pure and simple joy in the fact that He continues to carry us on this journey that we could never have even started if it weren't for Him.

We will arrive in Addis Ababa next Wednesday after connections in Houston and Frankfurt, Germany.  We were able to get 2 ten hour flights instead of one 20 hour one. This is a praise for this 6 foot momma who may not get an aisle seat. When we get to Addis a day ahead of the other 4 families from our agency...we hope to visit some American missionaries in the city that we have connected with on Facebook.  On Friday we will travel on another flight with the other families to meet our children at their orphanage in the northern part of the country. On Monday we will return to Addis WITH OUR KIDS for a court date of April 15. A major praise in this is that our kids will be coming to the transition house in Addis(where they will stay for the next month until we come back to get them)with a friend who has lived with them in the orphanage for the past year.  This friend will be moving to Texas...so our kids will be able to keep in touch and maintain a friendship with visits.  I cannot tell you how grateful I am for this connection they will be able to maintain. It is such a blessing for young lives who will be losing so many other connections.

After our court date we will travel back to the states(on two more 10 hour flights. YES). Over the next 3-5 weeks the kids get new birth certificates, passports, and visas which will allow them to come to the US as US citizens the second they step on US soil. When we get the call...we go and pick them up and bring them home! Hannah's graduation is May 17 so there may be some tweeking of dates for our second trip...but we have a little flexibility with scheduling that one...so NO WORRIES devil..no worries.

We are heading to Ethiopia folks.  The plane tickets are purchased. The guest house is booked. The kids know we are coming.  They know we are coming.

"Praise the Lord, everything He has created, everything in all His kingdom. Let all that I am praise the Lord."

 

Psalm 103:22 

 

 

Preparing Hearts-as only He can do.

For 13 years of my married life, and several years as a child, I attended a very liturgical church.  The 40 day season of Lent that begins the day after Mardi Gras (as it is known in Louisiana-Ash Wednesday to the rest of the world) was celebrated with  traditional services that commemorated various days during this season. Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday...all culminated in the Easter Sunrise Service either at the cemetery or at the lake. This season of Lent was one where you prepared your heart for the Risen Christ through fasting and liturgy. 

Our new church home of a couple of years does not participate in these traditional services...in fact our sermons have been verse by verse through the book of Philippians for the past several weeks-that will preach! But one thing is certain...we have been preparing our hearts for the Risen Christ! In our household, that has come through some amazing parallels that only the Lord could have orchestrated.

You see, we are in a season of preparation like none other in our lives.  We are preparing to welcome two new children in to our home. We are preparing paperwork, sleeping arrangements, finances, and travel. But we are also preparing our hearts for the unknown. Step by step through the process, the Lord has made Himself real to us and has reminded us of our purpose. Step by step He has reminded us of our need for Him.  He has reminded us of His love for us that was made so excruciatingly evident as He hung and bled on the cross. And without doubt, He has reminded us of His power and sovereignty through the empty grave! 

"The preparations of the heart is man, and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of man are clean in his own sight, but the Lord weighs the motives.  Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established.".  Proverbs 16:1-3

As we work within the limitations of our human abilities to prepare by decorating rooms , reading books, making rag dolls, and learning about the Ethiopian culture.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

We rely on the Holy Spirit to prepare hearts, to do away with fear, to comfort and console the lonely-these things only He can do.
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As we pray and ask for guidance, direction, freedom from fear, and peace as we prepare for our new children....
...we are reminded in Matthew 28 that an angel of the Lord told the women "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.  He is not here, for He is risen, just as He said."

The most important preparation has already occurred for those whom the Lord has called.  The Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins so that we may be adopted in to His family and share in His inheritance. How can we even fathom being afraid when the same Spirit that raised our Lord from the dead lives in us!!!! This has prepared us for all He has called us to do and we are thankful.

In Matthew 28:19 our risen Lord tells us  " Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  As we prepare our hearts to remember the Risen Christ by reading and meditating on Scripture and prayer during the Lenten season, we pray that He goes before us to prepare hearts as only He can do in Africa.  As we prepare to be obedient in following His command, we pray that He alone receives the glory. As we ponder the enormity of the risen Christ-the world-changing, history changing  event that took place two thousand years ago, we pray that He chooses to resurrect two lonely children out of the dusty mountains of Northern Ethiopia and calls them to a relationship with Him. He alone is able.  He alone is worthy.