Please pray...

I can not provide details at this point, really I would if I could....

but would you please join my family in prayer...we are awaiting a couple of decisions that could really change things....just pray that the answers would be a resounding YES!

But know that regardless of the answer, we believe God has a plan and "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever!" Hebrews 13:8

She walks!

Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk."

John 5:8

This week we saw this verse played out in real life. Our little Lucy, the girl who was abandoned on a beach as an infant. The girl who was forced to sit on a mat, alone, and unfed in her first orphanage. The one who only ate if the other children decided to toss her food scraps. The girl who nobody would touch because they believed her to be "cursed" due to her "abnormalities".  The girl who finally got moved to another orphanage and once again was left to sit alone: unkept, unloved, parasites coming from her head, her body deteriorating by the moment.

Today...Jesus said, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk!" and she did... with a smile on her face and giggles in her heart!

Oh..how we love her and Oh how we love HIS power and promises!  


(She is so tired from all the walking that she falls asleep eating at the end of the video!)

Lukewarm

 

I grew up in a big old house. Story is it used to be home to the Catholic nuns in town. There were old wooden floors, huge sliding doors, steep staircases and a big claw foot tub!  I remember soaking in the tub as a child. My sisters and I would play for hours with our little people boat, barbies and ponies until our skin was wrinkled and our bodies were shivering. 

I remember sitting in that water, just playing and playing without a care in the world until eventually the water would get lukewarm. The comfort of the hot water would disappear and the bubbles would disappear. We could see a grayness come over the water and our bodies responded with goose bumps and chills. 

This week I read a quote from Francis Chan's book, "Crazy Love" that reminded me of those days as a child. 

"Lukewarm people say they love Jesus, and He is, indeed, a part of their lives. But only a part. They give Him a section of their time, their money, and their thoughts, but He isn't allowed to control their lives."

OUCH!  Am I the only one who can relate to that and feel a tinge of conviction?  I mean maybe I am...but come on...when we are real, when we become transparent, what might God look down and see in us?

A tub full of steaming hot water....bubbling over with excitement and joy over our Lord and Savior....inviting others into our tub of His gracious love, His loving arms, His warm heart?

Or....a lukewarm tub...doing a little here and there...going to church on Sunday...saying "Praise the Lord" here and there...giving from our wealth but not from sacrifice?  

OUCH!

Dear Lord...help me not to be lukewarm. Help me to be steaming hot for you. On fire for your Word, your Will. Bubbling over with joy that comes only from you!  

"The Lord says, 'These people come near to me with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." 

Isaiah 29:13

My baby is growin up!

So this week we celebrated the birthday of our daughter, Faith. She is 8 years old. It is so hard to believe...this little precious 7 pound, 7 ounce babe has grown up into this little precious 8 year old! Well, with our American birthdays come American birthday lists...items she is wanting people to buy for her...

#1   on the list:   LUCY IN OUR HOUSE!  (Um...God...need ya on this one!)
#2   a camera  "A REAL camera Mommy! Not a kiddy camera!"
#3   a robe  "So when I get out the shower I can be warm, and I can wear it over my jammies in the morning   too!"

That was her list. That is what she wanted. And she approached us with the confidence that we would come through.

But you see...#1 is out of my control.
                    #2 Daddy was going to take care of.
and              #3 quickly became an issue...

I scoured the stores for a size 7-8 robe. Nothing to be found at our local Walmart. Nothing to be found in my 40 mile one-way trip to the stores in Altoona. Nothing to be found in the 1 hour one way trip to Ankeny....hmmmm....it was Wednesday. Birthday was Thursday!  Now what?

Rearrange the day. Cancel some meetings. Drive to Oskaloosa with the hope and prayer that JC Penny's had a robe in size 7-8!

As I went on this search for the robe, I began thinking about my God. You see sometimes I just want what I want. I don't see the rearranging, or changing, or resources my God is doing to answer my prayer. I don't understand why there is a delay. I don't get it as to why He can't just drop that prayer request right in my lap! And, often, just like Faith didn't see my frantic search for the robe, I don't see God's work (although I highly doubt it is frantic) behind the scenes!

But, then I thought even more deeply on this. You see my daughter Faith never once doubted that the three items on her list would be provided! She had full faith as she opened each gift that one of them would hold a camera and that one would hold a robe. And I do think that when she asked, she fully believed that God could even provide Lucy in our home on Thursday morning if He so chose! 

She approached her parents with full FAITH! She had no doubt we would provide!

The Bible tells us that God also expects that from us. I am thinking I fail at that! I am thinking I lay my requests out there but I don't always FULLY believe in God's resources, in His persistence, in His promises to me as his daughter!

So...the gifts were opened...the camera was unwrapped, the robe was worn this morning with the pj's as she awoke from bed, and we are approaching God with BOLDNESS and CONFIDENCE for His provision of #1!!!!

Ephesians 3:12: "In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence."

 

Pure Joy

You know there is something to be said for transparency...full blown honesty...just laying it out there and saying, "Hey ya'all I need prayer today!" 

James reminds us, "The prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective!" 

Ya'all prayed...and guess what...pure joy....

PURE JOY!  That is what has come over me! 

After my post earlier today, Doug walked in with chocolates! He hadn't even read my post yet...and he had chocolate for me! God just knows!

Then my friend texted me and said, "Hey, maybe you should pursue a medical visa for Lucy. It is a route to getting her here and treated while you continue with the adoption stuff."

Then my other friend happens to have a connection to a senator's office and within minutes has us connected with some people in the political arena who may be able to help push this along...

Then...I get on the blog and read the comments from my family...PURE JOY I say...PURE JOY!

God knows....He just knows...and I will simply obey!

Thanks for praying! Now...what about your holes? Have you let Jesus- the giver of all creation, the lover of our souls, the healer of all healers fill your hole today? Trust me...He can do it!!!!

Hole in the T-shirt

So our son Luke has this habit that drives his dad crazy. Periodically his nose runs a clear liquid. And because he is Luke...because he is the middle child...the one who has been on the go since the minute he was born...the one who came into the world in an instant and hasn't sat still since...the one who will not dare stop to run to the bathroom, grab a kleenex and wipe his nose...he wipes it on his t-shirt. He just pulls it up from below his chin and wipes his nose when it runs. Gross right? I know...and it drives his dad crazy!

Well, as much as we try to get him to get a kleenex, he just keeps using his t-shirts. And he does it so often that several of his t-shirts have a small hole in them right at the neck line. It is a visible sign that he just can't break the habit.

Today I am teary eyed for some reason. I feel the hole in the t-shirt. the visible sign of the habit.

My heart feels a hole. When I look at pictures of our little girl in Africa, I usually smile and even giggle at the work God has done. But today...I feel the hole of my habit of loving her so deeply I don't understand it.

So today, I could use some prayers of uplifting...some prayers to fill the hole...something to break the visible sign of sadness over the habit of loving her and not being able to touch her...

And today I pray for you...whatever your habit is...good or bad...that you might have peace in seeing the hole...peace in feeling that hole...peace in knowing that you can use the visible  to claim the invisible faith in our savior, Jesus!

Oh...love this update...

AND this is what the money, time, effort, fasting, and PRAYER do in the life of a child....

From Jessie's blog:  http://anyroadanycost.blogspot.com

A Light In The World

If you all don't know Lucy and Moses can I just introduce them again?! After a morning of meetings and sometimes feeling my my head may explode all I have to do is walk in the babies room. You step in and it's like a whole other world. There are precious little babies who stare at you, locking their eyes onto yours, never losing sight of where you are. I think, today especially, God knew right what I needed when I walked into that room. As I stepped in Lucy was standing in her crib looking the other way... I began to sing her name and she looked over, Y'ALL I wish I could post a video of the excitement that comes across her face!! I slowly move over to her, watching her laugh and smile and wiggle her feet, knowing that if she could she would be jumping for joy. I swoop her up and start talking to her, listening to her explain everything she's feeling, how her day is going, what she's had for lunch... I talk back to her as if I understand everything she's saying... today I would put money on it that she said "auntie"... I think that will come oh so soon... and I can hardly wait!
As I began walking around the room with her in my arms she began tapping my shoulder and pointing to her red chair. Ohhhh the infamous red chair... (it takes place as her walker until hers comes in a few weeks!!)

Little Lucy begs to start walking and since she doesn't have her shoes on I make sure to keep a hold on her while she begins to walk. I am pretty sure she is walking faster everyday, or she was just in a hurry to get out of the room. :) As we made our round in the dining room and halls we make our way back to her room. Cari is also in the room playing with Moses. It was the first time I had ever seen little Moses smile. That was another gift from God, if only I could have caught that on camera too.

As we are making our way back to her bed she begins playing "push the chair over, and Cari pick it up" she thought it was SO funny and was almost crying she was laughing so hard, then all of a sudden she snorted the biggest snort I have ever heard from a child's mouth. Cari and I died laughing, as did Lucy.
She is such a gift from God. Such a light and such a story of a life that can be saved. For 2 years we prayed and all we could do was to put our trust in God. Just like Lucy is a light in this world God shines even brighter, over all of us. I have realized that by being here, I haven't felt the presence of God before like I have when I am here. It's impossible to stumble when we are walking in His light. In times of fear, in times of doubt, in times of struggling thoughts, the Lord melts them with HIS LIGHT. I have seen darkness, it has tried to take place of the light, it can creep in so fast when you stray away from Him. My prayer tonight is to continue to pray for Lucy, continue to pray for TRS, continue to pray for every child in our care that they may know God and see his marvelous light.

This was Lucy 2 years ago when we found her.

This is Lucy today.


(Be expecting a picture of her during praise and worship sometime soon. Her little hands raised in the air and her clapping with joy. What an amazing child of God she is.)

It's Tuesday!!!

Well, it is Tuesday again!

For those of you who read regularly (well, at least as regularly as I post!) then you know Tuesdays are a big deal in our house!  Things happen on Tuesdays. God blesses on Tuesdays. We obey and He shows His faithfulness.

The walker for Lucy arrived to our new friend, Luke, in Missouri and is now on its way to our friend, Karen, in Tennessee! Karen will hand deliver it to Lucy later this month! Karen was with me the first second I met Lucy in person!

Another happening today:  we received word that Homeland Security received our paperwork for the adoption. They are processing it and it is moving forward. You see this is big news!  Earlier in the week we heard there may be some glitches going on with the adoption approval process in Sierra Leone. Collectively, those of us involved in this process, committed to prayer and fasting! Collectively we chose to walk by FAITH and NOT BY SIGHT. So the paper work today....some may call a coincidence...some may call the U.S. government just doing their job...but I...I will call it God's promise! HE is moving forward...even when we don't see it in Sierra Leone...God is saying...keep going...I am way ahead of you!!!!

Third happening:  We received a check in the mail once again from my dad for The Raining Season. The check arrived today...Tuesday. I know he wouldn't necessarily want me sharing this with all 12 of you who read my blog...insert smile here...BUT....he has given faithfully to our cause....he has never met Lucy in person...he has never been to Africa....but he believes in what TRS is doing in sharing Christ with these children...in giving them a place to call home...in all of us who are simply obeying the call when we don't feel equipped or sure of ourselves...and that...selfless giving on a consistent basis...now, that deserves recognition....because I know He will give the glory to God anyway...

It's Tuesday!

And again we will claim our favorite verse from Genesis:
"On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided!" 

He continues to provide!

MOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!

I stood in the kitchen, dusting the pork chops with flour. The corn bread was in the oven, potatoes boiling, corn on the stovetop and oil hot, just awaiting the pork chops.

"Mom, can I have a cupcake?"
"No, we are going to eat supper."

"Mom, can I go to Bobby's?"
"No, we are going to eat soon."

"Mom, can I play the wii?"
"No, go wash your hands."

"Mom..."

I wonder how many times a day I hear my name called out by my children. Sometimes it is little questions like those above. Other times it is the wailing, crying type of call from the top of the steps, or outside, to really get my attention:

"MOOOOOMMMMM!!!"

Sometimes it becomes overwhelming. Sometimes I actually say to my children, "Do you think you could go ten minutes without saying MOM?"

But today, as I read in 1 Chronicles about David, it hit me how many times I read the phrase, "David inquired of God..."

Over and over again, David went before God with questions. Sometimes he received a resounding NO! Other times he received an immediate YES!  But none-the-less, David was comfortable going to his God...going to his Father...and asking...even in the daily happenings of life...

"God, can I...?"

So today, when I hear the word, "MOM..."
I will thank God for my children's voices.
I will thank Him that they feel comfortable asking.
I will thank Him that He has given me the voice to answer back.

And today, when I hear the word, "MOM..."
I will remind myself to go before my heavenly Father and ask Him about my daily interactions.
I will ask Him whether I should move forward or stay stilll,
whether I should go or stay,
speak or be quiet...

"God...can I...or God should I...???" 
You fill in the blank.

He is alive!

Found this written on the inside cover of my Bible today:

"This is more than an insurance policy for when you die, JESUS IS ALIVE!"

Don't believe me? Read Matthew 28!

One Less

The stack of papers sat on the floor beside me.

Two hundred and eight. 208. Not one more. Not one less.
Two hundred and eight.

At approximately seven pages each, that was a mere one thousand four hundred and fifty six sheets of paper to read and grade. 1456. Not one more. Not one less.

The papers had been sitting on my desk in my office for several days. I kept looking at the stack, not feeling the umpph to dive in and start grading. So, I had moved them to the big table in my office, thinking if I spread out, grabbed a caffe latte and settled in, the grading would get done. But...still nothing.

So this night, I had put my children to bed. I had made a pot of coffee. I had turned on the music. And, I had come to the point in the week, where I KNEW these papers had to be graded! Some would be easy to grade. The students who had followed directions, answered succinctly. Those are the easy ones. "Great job!" "Nice Work!" Nothing much to write on those papers.

It was the papers that represented the C, D, or even F level of work that took time. They were the students that needed specific feedback. They were the papers that would take time. "Does this really represent Bronfenbrenner's theory of child development?" "Do you really think this is an example of gross motor development?" Lots of feedback. Lots of time. Lots of coffee!

But, then it happened. I took hold of the first paper and I started reading. My pen began making underlines and notations. And before I knew it, there was ONE LESS paper to grade.

Two hundred and seven! 207....to go. Whew!

This week I heard a song called "One Less". It is the story of one family's adoption. It represents the old parable of the man on the sea throwing the starfish back into the ocean. He can't possibly save them all, but he saved that one!

I think our lives are full of opportunities for "one less". The obvious for our family right now is Lucy. She is one less child that will have to go through life without a daddy. One less child that will be raised in an orphanage.

But there are less obvious examples too...

One less harsh word.
One less judgemental thought.
One less drink of alcohol.
One less day away from our families who need us.
One less coffee so that someone else can be given one more dollar.
One less open door for Satan.

What will be your ONE LESS today?

Click here to hear Matthew West's song "One Less".

PROVISION

So I have been thinking a lot about provision lately. 

I watch the squirrel in our yard and think about how God provides even for the animals.

I see my children come to me, asking if they can have an afternoon snack, if they can have ice cream after football practice, if they can have the newest Nike shoes.

It is something I have been thinking about.

Provision.

Sometimes provision comes through the encouraging words of a friend.

Sometimes it comes through a surprise raise, no matter how small it is.

Sometimes it comes through your son's hug and cuddling during the TV show at night.

Sometimes it is the simple hand of my husband on my back as he walks by me in the kitchen.

Today...provision came to us once again...

God sent us a man we have never met in person. You know I don't even know where he lives for sure. I think it might be Missouri. His name was on a string of emails that were distributed by a friend of ours about a month ago. Luke. That is about all I know.

But today...he became God's vessel in our lives. Today, he ordered this: 

...and paid for it....100%...
for a little girl he has never met.
For a little girl he has only seen for a matter of minutes via a video clip.
For a little girl that means the world to us....


God provided a walker for Lucy through a man named Luke.
And our family continues to claim Genesis 22:14
"On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided!"