Hurry Up and Wait....

APPROVED!!!

So, once again, it's been an incredibly long time since I last posted anything on here and I do appreciate your patience. Shoot, it's been even longer than the last period in between my posts... So sorry! 

In June we were called by our adoption agency with tidings of great joy saying that we had been APPROVED by the country of Colombia to adopt from them; Amazing how such a simple word can bring such satisfaction, lift your spirits and bring you such value. The idea that Colombia found us safe, that we had passed the test for them, made me more than happy.

Following that phone call came this overwhelming sense of joy  filling my heart as the word "APPROVED" rang in my ears. That is exactly what has happened to us through the blood of Jesus. We have been APPROVED by our Heavenly Father. Accepted, cleared, favored, considered agreeable or good. We, who are in Jesus, have satisfied/met our Perfect and Holy God's standard, only because of the life, death and resurrection of our loving Savior Jesus! Man, what an amazing, too-good-to-be-true truth...except it is TRUE!!! THIS is what has happened in our stead so that we can come to our Creator.  BLOWN AWAY!!!! Praying this simple yet, mind boggling reminder blesses you like it has blessed me. 

Please keep us in your prayers as we have been told Colombia has slowed down, sped up and continues to be that roller coaster ride. We are not sure how this will affect us but we know that however it does affect us will not thwart God's perfect timing or plan of our little Colombians coming to us. Pray that we continue to live in that truth daily, keeping our eyes fixed on Him. 

Blessings!

Establishing His work

The Lord's Work...

Holy night, it's been a LONG while since I've blogged anything and your patience has been MUCH appreciated! A lot has happened in these last couple of months.  

God has been showing me a lot through this adoption process and one of the main things He's been showing me is how easily I give myself over to anxiety. We are told over and over in Scripture to NOT be anxious in ANYTHING but to give ourselves and anxieties over to the Lord. And yet, I am amazed at how quickly I look like the man James 1 talks about. I am quick to look intently at my natural face in the mirror and then go away and forget all at once what I was like. I read His word and enjoy it in the moment but when the storm comes, I so easily forget everything He had just spoken to me about. Lord help me. I want to be a person of substance, one who, in the midst of the blazing fire, is NOT phased by the heat and in the treacherous storm is not tossed like a wave in the ocean.
I want to believe Your promises and hold onto them as they are the ONLY thing that can/will anchor my soul. Your promises DON'T fail. 

We have been given much favor by the Lord through this process and let me just say this, praying you will believe it; IT HAS NOT BEEN BECAUSE OF ANYTHING WE HAVE DONE FOR THE LORD. And, I do not share this boasting in ourselves or ANYTHING we have done but boasting in HIM who has done it all! His favor is ALWAYS undeserved by everyone and yet He chooses to give it out how He wishes and to whom He wishes ONLY because of HIS grace and HIS mercy!

Yet, with all the favor we've been given, I still have lacked belief. When He has proven Himself time and time again, that it will be HIM ALONE that brings those two precious people home to us, doubt has STILL been in my heart.  Lord, I believe, but help me with my unbelief. 

At the end of these last couple of months, I have been reminded of a verse that ministered to me a little over 4 years ago when we were being asked to do something big. Psalm 90:17 still hits a soft spot, "Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!" 

I'm reminded once again that He who is calling us to His work has already established it for us before the foundations of the earth were even laid (Ephesians 2:10). He will give us favor to do these things and equip us as need be. God pays for what He orders!  I can rest in that and so can YOU!

Nitty Gritty

On November 17th, we had an adoption training day that was mandatory for our process. That was a great fact-filled and highly emotional day for us! Eric and I also had a Psych evaluation to complete individually on December 8th.  I was thankful to get that done and over with! If I wasn't crazy going into that evaluation, I'm pretty sure I came out crazy, ha! 

Our plans traveling to Maine during our Christmas break (which were mentioned in our previous post) were fulfilled. We left on Christmas day at noon, stopping in Boston overnight and ending in Bangor, Maine around 2 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. We led worship at our favorite church in Maine, Calvary Chapel Bangor, that night, the two services Sunday morning, one Sunday night and once again the following Wednesday night before we left. The moments and days in between were filled with much rest, laughter and fellowship with some of our favorite people on the planet. Praise God for His body everywhere!!! Needless to say, we came home very refreshed and blessed! 

We got home to find out a rather large donation was made towards our adoption while we were gone and we were also approved for a matching grant. With these two financial additions, we are finding ourselves at about 80% done with our adoption costs. This does not include travel and staying for 6-8 weeks in Colombia (hopefully during the summer months), and other things here and there. BUT we are SO BLESSED to see the Lord doing what He has said He will do; take care of it! We are SO HUMBLED AND THANKFUL for everyone who has lifted us and our children up in prayer. We have seen and still are seeing your prayers answered in this journey. P.s.- Who is praying for my sanctification? I totally see that one being worked out! Thank you. Also, we are SO HUMBLED AND THANKFUL to see people giving of their resources! PLEASE KNOW that A LOT that has gone into this, has NOT been our own.  And it truly has been amazing to see people giving their money towards a family bringing two unknown children home across the ocean. 

Please continue to pray for us and our little ones as we move closer to meeting them face to face and bring them into our family. Pray for their hearts, that the Lord would prepare them to be with us and call us their own.  Pray for salvation to come to them, that they would know the love of God and rescue of the Savior, Jesus. Pray for us, that we would continue to grow in readiness towards bringing them into our family; our two biological children Eden and Elijah would be ready as well.  Pray that we would only grow in living out the gospel towards ALL of our children, the rest of our family/friends, our community and the world at large. Thankful for you. God bless!