A Beautiful Collision

Great Adoption Sermon Clip!

2011-01-17T17:46:00.000-05:00

Here's a great 5 minute excerpt from a sermon by David Platt entitled "Father to the Fatherless." You can listen to the entire sermon here.

Platt delievered perhaps an even better message at Adopting for Life last year. Click here for that one. If you haven't heard it, you're missing out!!

-Brian

Happy Gotcha Day Isaiah!

2011-01-10T22:50:00.001-05:00

What an amazing year it has been! We love you sweet boy!

First Orphan Care Meeting

2010-06-24T09:35:00.000-04:00

We had our first interest meeting for the orphan care ministry on Tuesday and were thrilled when around 250 people showed up! It was a great time of sharing information about the ministry, sharing personal stories of adopting/fostering, and helping people connect with others within our church and community who are passionate about orphan care. The audio for the event can be found here: http://www.summitrdu.com/bonus

It's beautiful to watch what happens when a group of people meditate on their own adoption into God's family through Christ. Praying that God will continue to change hearts and that adoption will become a common response to the grace and mercy that He has shown to us.

Our sermon last week was entitled Adoption: Identity and Inheritance (preached by Trevor Atwood) and can be found here: http://www.summitrdu.com/sermons. Listen to it, and be reminded of who God is and what He has done. If that doesn't compel you to take action, I don't know what will.

So Proud

2010-06-06T21:19:00.001-04:00

Proverbs 31:8 NLT

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed.

I am so proud of my husband. He's an amazing father, a great husband, and if that wasn't enough, for the past three months he's been working really hard to help launch an adoption ministry at our church. You can read more about it here:

http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2010/06/orphan-care-at-the-summit.html

Thank you honey, for standing up for the fatherless, for being an advocate for the forgotten, and for reminding us all of how much we have been given in Christ. Isaiah and I love you so much!!

This boy gets cuter every day...

2010-05-16T22:29:00.000-04:00

Weekend Getaway

2010-05-12T10:45:00.005-04:00

This past weekend was a weekend of firsts...my first Mother's Day, our first family vacation, and Isaiah's first trip to the beach! Brian had to shoot a wedding in Emerald Isle, so we decided to tag along for the ride. We were so glad that we did!

There is something magical about a child discovering sand for the first time. Isaiah loved it.

He quickly buried his legs and was too busy playing to smile for the camera again.

Since Brian would be gone most of the day Saturday and it was too cold to swim, we decided to stay in nearby Beaufort, where we could walk around and explore the town. If you live in NC and haven't been to Beaufort, you are missing out! Seriously, this is the cutest little town. It's full of good food, friendly people, and beautiful old houses just begging you to peek inside. This particular weekend was their annual music festival, so Isaiah and I got to listen to great bands playing as we walked along the waterfront and checked out the local boutiques. One of my favorites...the Rocking Chair Bookstore, where Isaiah burped louder than any grown man, and had everyone in there laughing out loud. This kid has a gift of making friends wherever we go.

Across the waterway wild horses roamed the islands. Brian snapped this picture as we were driving along the waterfront the first night we were there.

It was a very special weekend. Brian and I both treasure the memories we have from family vacations we took growing up. Hopefully, this is the first of many to come for our new family of three.

P.S. Let me know if you ever go to Beaufort and I'll tell you the best place to stay, the best places to eat, and the best little secret local beach. You're going to want to go there. =)

Congratulations are in order!!

2010-04-20T12:19:00.000-04:00

Our dear friends Will and Rebekah have announced that they are adopting from Ethiopia! We are so excited for them and can't wait to watch God unfold His plan for their family. Will and Rebekah walked with us through our adoption process and were a constant source of support and encouragement. What a blessing to be given the chance to return the favor! Read their story here: http://yestoadoption.blogspot.com/ and join with us in praying for them and their little one. Congratulations guys, you're going to make great parents!!

You will never know

2010-03-29T16:17:00.000-04:00

You will never know how much I love you.
-Dad

Can we offer them any less?

2010-03-25T10:34:00.004-04:00

The following video (made by the Eimers at Loved Already) and a post by Heidi at Blessings from Ethiopia have been on my mind recently. The question keeps haunting me, "Can we offer them any less?" As I sit here watching my son play, so safe, so happy, so loved, I'm pretty sure I already know the answer.

Pure Joy

2010-03-05T09:01:00.007-05:00

Joy: a source or cause of delight

Merriam-Webster

Happy Friday to you!

Return to Blogland

2010-03-03T09:30:00.004-05:00

Well folks, it's been a long time. A very long time. We got home and after getting settled I started thinking, I really need to blog, but where should I begin? Should I write about our trip or about Isaiah and his transition? To put our trip into words seemed so overwhelming...not to mention that so many families had already blogged about it, would anyone even read it? On the flip side, I wanted to document it for Isaiah and seriously, when we were in the waiting phase, I would read any adoption blog I could find, especially if it might shed light on even one little tiny detail that someone else might have left out. I started to blog several times about Isaiah, but he was doing so well and our transition was so easy, it seemed almost cruel to describe it when many of our friends were going through rough transitions. So here I am, a month and a half later, still not sure what to write. To my surprise, many people started asking me when we were going to start blogging again, people I had no idea were reading our blog. So if anyone out there is still reading this, we're making a comeback. I figure today I just had to write SOMETHING, you know, to get the juices flowing again, and now that the hiatus has been explained, I can start fresh tomorrow. Of course I can't resist sharing just a few firsts since we've been home...

First bath

First day of church

First snow

First tv show

First professional photo shoot (with daddy of course)

Are we blessed or what? =)

A husband and a father

2010-01-24T22:21:00.004-05:00

Months ago, as imminent fatherhood began staring me in the face, I got a little nervous. Me? A dad? The responsibility of it all was a little intimidating, as it probably should have been if I was going to be serious about investing in my children, discipling them and really raising them as I've been commanded.

So, I started praying. I also did some reading (I'd HIGHLY recommend Family Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham) and listened to quite a few sermons on marriage and parenting. One of the first things that became clear is that being a good father must begin with being a good husband. Our children will learn more from how I treat their mom (and how she treats me) than perhaps anything else. We can preach to them and tell them what's right and what's wrong and try our best to lead them, but if my words contradict what they SEE me doing and what they hear me saying to Heather, then everything I've tried to teach them will be practically useless. My marriage has to be the #1 priority of all my worldly relationships. I can't exhaust all my energy on everything from work and my hobbies and to the kids themselves, giving Heather the leftovers, and then think I'm doing my children a favor!

Anyway, many of the sermons I listened to in the last few months were challenging, so for all you husbands and dads out there, I'd like to share an excerpt of one by Matt Chandler in hopes that it may benefit you like it did me. I'll try to post another one by Paul Washer later this week. I'd encourage you to download the audio for the entire sermon here. It's impossible to capture the passion that Chandler delivered this message with, but here it is anyway:

"'Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way. ..' 1 Peter 3:7.
This is the same Greek word as the word 'considerate.' Husbands should live with their wives in a way that is considerate. If I could make it simple, I would say this. Get up! Get off the couch! You have just as many biblical responsibilities at home as your wife does.

So what ends up happening in the Christian world in particular is we divide it into 'This is what I do as the man, and this is what she does as the woman.' And then we like to pretend that her role on top of all of that is also to support us, but we don’t put that street going back the other way where our job is also to support her in her calling at the home.

So what ends up happening is the wife cooks dinner after watching the kids all day long, the husband comes home and his job now is to watch SportsCenter over and over and over again while his poor wife then has to go back and do the dishes, get the kids in the bath, put the kids to bed, and then at 10:15 at night, she finally has a second to breathe.

Get up! If she cooks, you come home and you clean the dishes, help her set the table! Men, put your kids to bed at night! Let her breathe. Your wife has a soul! Do you get that? She’s not your servant…She has a soul! Do you know what a full day around children will do to you mentally? Put them to bed at night and give her those three hours off, for your own safety. Put them in the bath, get them in their pajamas, read to them their Bible story, say their prayers, tuck them in and kiss their faces. When your wife pulls into the driveway with a car full of groceries…Get up! Are you serious? She’s not your slave! Get up!

Be considerate. It’s your role to feel her out. Sometimes she’s stressed out of her mind and you need to get her out of there. Sometimes she’s done and needs adult conversation and you’ve got to get her out of there. There’s nothing biblical that says she’s the one who vacuums the living room.

And on and on I could go. You be considerate. You live with your wife in a way that considers her soul, considers her mind, considers her emotions. "

-Brian

Introducing Isaiah Zekarias!!

2010-01-18T09:30:00.007-05:00

WE'RE HOME!

In Addis!

2010-01-09T03:31:00.003-05:00

We are in Ethiopia!! We have actually been here since Wednesday night but for some reason have had trouble accessing our blog. The hotel is really nice... the Internet actually works most of the time and we even have hot showers! Both the city and the people are beautiful. Wish we could post pictures but we weren't expecting to have Internet so we didn't bring a laptop. I'm slowly pecking this out on the iPod. Yesterday we met up with a friend who showed us around a little. We went to a neat cafe/restaurant, exchanged some money, picked up some supplies at a market, found Isaiah some cute Ethiopian books, and learned how to negotiate a cab fare (although with limited language skills, it's not the easiest thing to do). We have gotten a glimpse of the poverty here, and although we knew to expect it, it's still hard to see and even harder to know the best way to help.
We are glad we arrived early, since it gave us time to rest, switch time zones, unpack, and explore a little. We're looking forward to meeting the other families when they arrive, and absolutely CAN'T WAIT for tomorrow afternoon, when we will finally get to meet our son! Thank you for all your prayers! We'd love for you to pray for safe travels for the other families, and for God to prepare us and our children for the transition tomorrow. Can you believe it? ONE MORE DAY!!!

In Philly

2010-01-04T15:35:00.002-05:00

We are sitting in Philly snacking on fresh fruit and fancy cheeses...this is the way to travel! Thanks sis for the first class tickets! We've had an amazing start and are enjoying every minute. Tomorrow, Frankfurt... Wednesday, Addis!! We can't stop smiling :)

Dear Son

2010-01-04T01:25:00.002-05:00

Dear Isaiah,

Hold on little one. Mommy and I are on our way as fast as we can get to you!! We have waited for this for so long and have already loved you more than you can imagine.

And you know what? We aren't the only ones who already love you! Amazing family and friends await your arrival home and they have prayed for you more times than you can count.

I can't wait for the day to come when I no longer wonder what your cry sounds like, or wonder what it's like to hold you in my arms or look into your beautiful eyes.

Hold on just a little longer. You will be home soon.

Love, Daddy

TWO DAYS!!!!

2010-01-02T10:03:00.005-05:00

That's right people, we are leaving in 2 days!!!! Thanks to the generosity of my sister, we are using frequent flier miles to travel, so we are leaving a little earlier than we first thought. We'll be stopping for one day and night in Frankfurt, and then we'll fly on to Addis, arriving on the 6th. My birthday is on the 5th, so we'll be celebrating German style. We are so excited. It's been a crazy week of packing and planning and although we still have so much to do, the excitement has now taken over the anxiety, and we just can't wait to get on that plane. We will meet our son on the 10th, just one week from tomorrow. It's so unbelievable that the time has finally come. Our Lord is so faithful. He has blessed us beyond measure.

Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol Him, all peoples! For great is His steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!

Psalm 117

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T20:59:00.000-05:00

Three stockings hang over our fireplace...a silent reminder of who isn't here this Christmas. Yes, it makes me sad. Yes, it makes my heart ache. Yet I can't bring myself to take it down. He is a part of our family, and until he's home, his presents will wait under the tree and the stocking will remain. How we long for the day when our family will be together. Merry Christmas to you and your families. May our Lord bless each of you this Christmas and in the year to come.

It's Official...

2009-12-23T21:36:00.006-05:00

We are heading to Ethiopia and in less than 2 weeks!! WOOOOHOOOO!!!
We also got an update on our sweet boy, who is now 12.17 pounds and almost 25 inches long. They reported that "he is playful, joyful and eats well." =) What a Christmas blessing!

A Voice for the Voiceless

2009-12-21T10:05:00.003-05:00

Please take a few minutes to watch AGCI's new video (don't forget to pause my music at the bottom of the page). How will you join us in being a voice for the voiceless? As I was recently reminded by our friends at My Crazy Adoption, "If you are a Christian, then orphans is your thing."

Tentative Travel Dates!

2009-12-15T09:47:00.002-05:00

Our case worker called yesterday to let us know that the next embassy appointment for our agency is set for January 11th. If we are in this group we would be leaving around January 8th, arriving in Ethiopia on the 9th, and meeting our son on the 10th! We're trying not to get too excited until these dates are confirmed, but we are looking at flights to see what options are available. Hopefully, we'll hear a confirmation later this week and can go ahead and book our tickets!!

We'll be home for Christmas

2009-12-09T14:45:00.003-05:00

We found out yesterday that we for sure will not be able to travel in December. This week has been an emotional roller coaster. We were very hopeful that we might leave on Christmas, so it was heartbreaking to discover that we'll have to keep waiting some more. However, today's a new day, and I'm tired of being sad about it. To that measure, I've decided to post the top ten reasons that we're happy to be going to Ethiopia in January. (If you happen to be in that Dec. travel group, please ignore any negative statements, of course we'd love to be on that plane with you!!)

10) My birthday is in January...what better way to celebrate!

9) The Ethiopian Christmas is in January, so it's possible that we'll get the rare opportunity to join in that celebration (credit to Audrey for thinking of this one).

8) I've heard that airports are crazy this time of year.

7) We can celebrate Christmas with the other members of our family.

6) We have more time to get organized and prepared for our trip.

5) We have time to collect more donations for the orphanage (credit to Shannon for this one). We are collecting diapers and formula, especially soy formula, to take to Hannah's Hope. Let us know if you want to contribute!

4) We get to travel with awesome families like the Pell family and the Titus family, who have also already passed court and are just waiting to travel.

3) Isaiah gets a couple more weeks to soak in the sights, sounds, and smells of Ethiopia and to be loved on by his special caregivers.

2) Since we won't be traveling during the busy holiday season, more people will be able to celebrate his homecoming with us (we'd love to see you at the airport!)

And the number 1 reason we are happy to be traveling in January to Ethiopia....

1) We serve a completely sovereign, always loving Creator, who does not make mistakes and whose plan is always perfect. Do you think Joseph was happy when his brothers sold him into slavery? Of course not, but what they meant for evil, God meant for good.

But Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive." Genesis 50:19-20

We trust that God has a plan, and even though we don't understand, there is a reason that we will travel when we do, and we're thankful that the One who can see the entire picture orchestrates everything accordingly.

Now come on guys, you know you want to chime in. Remind us, along with the other families waiting with us, why it will be great to travel in January!

We Passed!

2009-12-04T13:51:00.003-05:00

This morning, our case manager called to share the wonderful news that we passed court! Isaiah is offically our son!! We are so excited and so incredibly grateful. The Lord is so faithful!

They are trying really hard to get us into the next travel group, but for that to happen all of Isaiah's paperwork will have to make it to the Embassy by next Friday, which is crazy fast. We know it can happen though! IF it did, we would leave for Ethiopia on Christmas Day! How amazing would that be! If not, we'll go sometime in January...either way we'll know something by Friday. Thank you so much for all of your prayers!! Please keep praying for the other waiting families, and especially for the Pells, another NC family who will have their 3rd court appointment next week.

Our agency encourages us not to post pictures until we are home so we will have to leave you with this little sneak peek...

Hang on sweetie, mommy and daddy will be there soon!

No News

2009-12-03T14:49:00.002-05:00

Our case manager told us that they didn't receive any news today from our court appointment. We are hoping to hear something tomorrow. A big thank you to the many many people who have been praying for us! We love ya'll and will keep you updated as we hear anything. In the meantime, check out this video.

Court

2009-12-02T10:18:00.003-05:00

Tonight as we sleep a judge in Ethiopia will decide if Isaiah will officially become our son. We desperately need your prayers. Many families from our agency have not passed court this week, and at this time they don't even know why they didn't pass. As a friend reminded us, adoption is a spiritual battlefield. Let's go before the only One who is able and willing to work on our behalf. Please also keep praying for all the families who heard disappointing news this week and all those who are still waiting to get their children home.

The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He will.

Proverbs 21:1

A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, is God in His holy habitation. God makes a home for the lonely.

Psalm 68: 5,6a

What Happens Next

2009-11-22T12:46:00.004-05:00

Now that we have a court date, everyone is asking what happens next. A very good question indeed...

On December 3rd, (sometime in the early morning hours our time, keep in mind they are 8 hours ahead of us), our case will go before a judge in Ethiopia. We will not be present for this, instead someone from our agency goes on our behalf. When we pass, Isaiah is officially and legally our son! We may or may not pass the first time. Many families have not been passing lately, and it is usually for a reason that is completely out of our control. For example, someone from the MOWA (kind of like our social services here in the US) has to write a letter for the court case. If they do not write the letter in time, you fail court and are rescheduled. Some families are rescheduled for later in the week while others are pushed to a month or so later. So passing court is the first hurdle. After passing, (and celebrating like crazy), we wait for an embassy date appointment. From what I understand, the staff in Ethiopia has to receive our court degree and then gather numerous documents including little Isaiah's new birth certificate, passport, medical records, etc. All of these documents have to arrive at the Embassy at least two weeks prior to our appointment. What does this mean? This means that we'll probably get a tentative embassy date, and then wait for it to be confirmed when they receive all the documents. If they are there in time, we book our tickets! WooooHOOO!

Right now we are guessing that if we pass court the first time we will probably travel sometime in January. There is a December 28th embassy date, but to make it, all of our documents would have to be gathered with super sonic speed and this does not usually happen. However, we know that our Father will work out His perfect plan, in His perfect time, and nothing is impossible for Him.

11 days...Let the countdown begin!

THE UPDATE WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR...

2009-11-18T14:14:00.006-05:00

WE FINALLY HAVE A COURT DATE!

DECEMBER 3rd!!!

WOOOHOOOO!!!!

PRAISE TO THE ONE WHO HEARS AND ANSWERS OUR PRAYERS!

The Valley

2009-11-18T09:43:00.002-05:00

My friend Tarren recently sent us an encouraging email. We are so thankful for her, and for all of you, who have been constantly praying for us and encouraging us in so many ways. Tarren reminded me of a song we used to sing back in the day, and after listening to it this morning, I thought I'd post the lyrics in the hope that it might encourage some of you as it has encouraged me. This is my prayer this morning...

The pathway is broken and the signs are unclear
And I don't know the reason why you brought me here
But just because you love me the way that you do
I'm gonna walk through the valley
If you want me to

Cause I'm not who I was
When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise
You're not through with me yet
So if all of these trials
Bring me closer to you
Then I will go through the fire if you want me to

It may not be the way I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that's not my home
But you never said it would be easy
You only said I'd never go alone

So when the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear you answer my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering your love put you through
And I will go through the valley
If you want me to.

"If You Want Me To" by Ginny Owens

The Latest

2009-11-14T19:12:00.002-05:00

We are still waiting to be assigned a court date, but on Friday we received this little update on Isaiah:

"His personality is bigger than his size; he is happy most of the time and has great eye contacts. As far his case, we are waiting for court date.”

Although it's not much, it's something, and at this point we are very grateful for anything. Hold on sweet boy, we will get there one day. In the meantime, we are so thankful you are happy, and your personality is shining through. We can't wait to meet you.

Welcome Home Derek!!

2009-11-08T17:51:00.003-05:00

A beautiful reminder of His faithfulness and what lies ahead. Thanks Michelle!

Inspired

2009-11-05T09:54:00.006-05:00

I just stumbled across this inspiring blog: http://joiningthejourney.blogspot.com/

Check out their amazing story of adopting a sweet little girl, who happens to be HIV positive, from Uganda.

You can also read more about this little girl and how she was introduced to her forever family here.

From Joining the Journey:

Adoption is the road less traveled and there is a reason for that. IT is a TRAGEDY. For domestic adoption, there is a birthmother that is leaving a child behind...HEART WRENCHING. For International adoption, (typically) a child has been abandoned, and his/her heart KNOWS that and LONGS for a mommy and daddy. IT IS NOT EASY and prepare for your heart to BREAK several times along the road. If you want to feel the Lord's presence more than ever, see the face of Jesus in a child, and experience the HEARTBEAT of Christ TAKE the road less traveled.

To support their orphan ministry check out http://147millionorphans.com/pick-me/

It's so exciting to see what the Lord is doing through their obedience. Thank you Suzanne, for sharing your story and for the awesome reminder that

Obedience trumps worst case scenario!

Tagged

2009-10-31T15:03:00.003-04:00

My friend Whitney tagged us forever ago, and I'm just finally getting around to responding. I'm supposed to answer the following questions with one word answers...so here we go!

1. Where is your cell phone? Near
2. Your hair? Blonde
3. Your mother? Friend
4. Your father? Kind
5. Your favorite food? Dessert
6. Your dream last night? Scary
7. Your favorite drink? Coffee
8. Your dream/goal? Faithfulness
9. What room are you in? Living
10. Your hobby? Reading
11. Your fear? Kidnappers
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Home
13. Where were you last night? BarnesandNoble
14. Something that you aren’t? Tall
15. Muffins? Chocolate
16. Wish list item? Isaiahhome
17. Where did you grow up? Todd,NC
18. Last thing you did? Talktosister
19. What are you wearing? Jeans
20. Your TV? Football
21. Your pets? Lab
22. Friends? Love'em
23. Your life? Blessed
24. Your mood? Content
25. Missing someone? Isaiah
26. Vehicle? Honda
27. Something you’re not wearing? Scarf
28. Your favorite store? Thrift
29. Your favorite color? Can'tchoose
30. When was the last time you laughed? Today
31. Last time you cried? Yesterday
32. Your best friend? Brian
33. One place that I go to over and over? Chick-fil-a
34. One person who emails me regularly? Jennifer
35. Favorite place to eat? BennettPoint

Ok, so I only cheated a little bit.
Now I tag:
Sarah at http://thestoryofafamily.blogspot.com/
Audrey at http://ourjourneyjohn1418.blogspot.com/
Rebecca at http://milfammilwaukee.blogspot.com/
Rebekah at http://rebekahandwillmcgee.blogspot.com/
Anna at http://hopperhouse.blogspot.com/
Shannon at http://dotcox.blogspot.com
You're it!

Great is His Faithfulness

2009-10-30T10:57:00.002-04:00

Lamentations 3
19 Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
the wormwood and the gall!
20 My soul continually remembers it
and is bowed down within me.
21 But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.

"How can I justify..."

2009-10-27T23:00:00.003-04:00

I was reading some old Frances Chan blog posts and came across a YouTube video of Chan's wife in a Uganda orphanage. She was holding an abandoned baby in the brief 30 second clip. Below the video, Chan wrote this:

Why is my life more valuable than this baby's? Someone asked me recently why I don't save money for emergencies, or retirement. My answer was, how can I justify saving for myself "just in case" something happens to me when something IS happening to so many already. 29,000 kids will die today of preventable causes. If I'm to love my neighbor AS myself, why spend so much time worrying about me?

This is a drastically different mindset from everything I'm accustomed to learning and a terrifying thought for me. To actually do what Chan's doing (to live literally from paycheck to paycheck) takes real, solid faith, but it's amazing to consider how that step of faith strengthens that very same faith further.

Along the same lines, I read the following in an article on Chan. It encouraged me, so maybe it will do the same for you.

Despite what is clearly a flourishing ministry, Chan remains an anomaly. He lives in a tract house in one of Simi Valley's down-and-out suburbs with his wife and four children. He rides a 1995 Honda Elite scooter to work. An avid surfer, he emits a laid-back Californian coolness.

According to one comment he made in a sermon, Chan gives away about 90 percent of his income (though his church administrator preferred the phrase "most of his income"). Chan doesn't take a salary from his church, and his book royalties, which total about $500,000, mostly go to organizations like International Justice Mission.

Proverbs 30:7-9

7 "Two things I ask of you, O LORD;
do not refuse me before I die:

8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.

9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, 'Who is the LORD ?'
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.

I have never prayed for God to give me "neither poverty nor riches," yet there it is as plain as day. Rather, I find myself chasing retirement like everyone else around me.

With regards to the same issue, John Piper said this in Don't Waste Your Life:

Consider a story from the February 1998 edition of Reader’s Digest, which tells about a couple who “took early retirement from their jobs in the Northeast five years ago when he was 59 and she was 51. Now they live in Punta Gorda, Florida, where they cruise on their 30 foot trawler, play softball and collect shells.” At first, when I read it I thought it might be a joke. A spoof on the American Dream. But it wasn’t. Tragically, this was the dream: Come to the end of your life—your one and only precious, God-given life—and let the last great work of your life, before you give an account to your Creator, be this: playing softball and collecting shells. Picture them before Christ at the great day of judgment: “Look, Lord. See my shells.” That is a tragedy. And people today are spending billions of dollars to persuade you to embrace that tragic dream. Over against that, I put my protest: Don’t buy it. Don’t waste your life. (Don't Waste Your Life, 45-46)

-Brian

Some Encouragement

2009-10-26T21:31:00.002-04:00

"If the Lord makes us wait, let us do so with our whole hearts... He is worth waiting for. The waiting itself is beneficial to us: it tries faith, exercises patience, trains submission, and endears the blessing when it comes. The Lord's people have always been a waiting people." -C.H. Spurgeon

Thanks to the McBrides for sharing this quote!

A Hard Week

2009-10-24T18:52:00.002-04:00

This week has been tough. We found out on Thursday that our adoption will be delayed, due to some changes in the process and some particular aspects (that we can't discuss) of our case. With this information came the realization that we might not be able to bring our son home by Christmas. Talk about heartbreak.
However, despite our sadness, we realize that we have a choice. We can choose to be depressed, or we can choose to rejoice in the fact that many other families in our agency received the good news of court appointments this week. We can choose to despair, or we can choose to believe what we say we believe: that God is in control of each and every detail and will unite us with our son at the exact perfect time. So we will keep hoping for the best, preparing for the worst, and praising Him throughout it all. We'd love your prayers, as we daily fight against the temptation to be overcome by worry, fear, and sadness. Thank you for walking through this with us.

I Still Believe by Jeremy Camp

Scattered words and empty thoughts
Seem to pour from my heart
I've never felt so torn before
Seems I don't know where to start

But it's now that I feel Your grace fall like rain
From every fingertip washing away my pain

'Cause I still believe in Your faithfulness
'Cause I still believe in Your truth
'Cause I still believe in Your Holy Word
Even when I don't see, I still believe

Though the questions still fog up my mind
With promises I still seem to bear
For even when answers slowly unwind
It's my heart I see You prepare

But it's now that I feel Your grace fall like rain
From every fingertip washing away my pain

'Cause I still believe in Your faithfulness
'Cause I still believe in Your truth
'Cause I still believe in Your Holy Word
Even when I don't see, I still believe

Well the only place I can go is into Your arms
Where I throw to You my feeble prayers
Well in brokenness I can see that this is Your will for me
Well help me to know that You are near

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgJrflQ0Qwg

Adopted for Life

2009-10-22T15:56:00.003-04:00

Here's an excerpt from Russell Moore's new book, Adopted for Life. I must admit that I haven't read it yet, but this part was on CJ Mahaney's blog (thanks to Will and Rebekah for pointing us to Mahaney's recent adoption series).

“So, are they brothers?” the woman asked. My wife Maria and I, jet-lagged from just returning from Russia, looked at each other wearily. This was the twelfth time since we returned that we’d been asked this question. When I looked back at the woman’s face, she had her eyebrows raised. “Are they?” she repeated. “Are they brothers?”

This lady was looking at some pictures, printed off a computer, of two one-year-old boys in a Russian orphanage, boys who had only days earlier been pronounced by a Russian court to be our children, after the legally mandated waiting period had elapsed for the paperwork to go through. Maria and I had returned to Kentucky to wait for the call to return to pick up our children and had only these pictures of young Maxim and Sergei, our equivalent of a prenatal sonogram, to show to our friends and relatives back home. But people kept asking, “Are they brothers?”

“They are now,” I replied. “Yes,” the woman said. “I know. But are they really brothers?” Clenching my jaw, and repeating Beatitudes to myself silently in my mind, I coolly responded, “Yes, now they are both our children, so they are now really brothers.” The woman sighed, rolled her eyes, and said, “Well, you know what I mean.”

Of course, we did know what she meant. What she wondered was whether these two boys, born three weeks apart, share a common biological ancestry, a common bloodline, some common DNA. It struck me that this question betrayed what most of us tend to view as really important when it comes to sonship: traceable genetic material.

This is the reason people would also ask us, “Now, do you have any children of your own?” And it is the reason newspaper obituaries will often refer to the deceased’s “adopted child,” as though this were the equivalent of a stepchild or a protégé rather than a real offspring.

During the weeks that Maria and I waited anxiously for the call to return to Russia to receive our children, I pondered this series of questions. As I read through the books of Ephesians and Galatians and Romans, it occurred to me that this is precisely the question that was faced by the apostle Paul and the first-century Christian churches. …

When Maria and I at long last received the call that the legal process was over, and we returned to Russia to pick up our new sons, we found that their transition from orphanage to family was more difficult than we had supposed. We dressed the boys in outfits our parents had bought for them. We nodded our thanks to the orphanage personnel and walked out into the sunlight, to the terror of the two boys.

They’d never seen the sun, and they’d never felt the wind. They had never heard the sound of a car door slamming or felt like they were being carried along a road at 100 miles an hour. I noticed that they were shaking and reaching back to the orphanage in the distance. Suddenly it wasn’t a stranger asking, “Are they brothers?” They seemed to be asking it, nonverbally but emphatically, about themselves.

I whispered to Sergei, now Timothy, “That place is a pit! If only you knew what’s waiting for you—a home with a mommy and a daddy who love you, grandparents and great-grandparents and cousins and playmates and McDonald’s Happy Meals!”

But all they knew was the orphanage. It was squalid, but they had no other reference point. It was home.

We knew the boys had acclimated to our home, that they trusted us, when they stopped hiding food in their high chairs. They knew there would be another meal coming, and they wouldn’t have to fight for the scraps. This was the new normal.

They are now thoroughly Americanized, perhaps too much so, able to recognize the sound of a microwave ding from forty yards away. I still remember, though, those little hands reaching for the orphanage. And I see myself there."

It is very depressing to think that there are children like these all over the world, as you are reading this, who have also not seen the sun or felt the wind. Who have not been loved or comforted when they cried. And who may never hear the name "Jesus."

But there is hope in knowing that we have the ability to change that.

-Brian

Together for Adoption: Dr. Russell Moore

2009-10-21T11:22:00.003-04:00

If you are at all interested in adoption, orphan care, or the church, take the time to listen to Dr. Moore's segment from the Together for Adoption conference.

Here's a sneak peek:

"The doctrine of adoption and the mission of adoption has to start with a unity of the church. If you do not recognize the reality of the brothers and sisters in your congregation as your brothers and sisters then how do you expect those people to recognize the reality of a family that comes together through adoption?"

"We in orphan care movement ought to be the ones teaching the evangelical church in America what it means to love people more than stuff...
And we are living in a world in which we can love the poor as an idea and we can love orphans as an idea and we can love being countercultural as an idea but when it really comes down to getting rid of our stuff, even though the most impoverished person in this room... is richer than the rich young ruler. We see where all of that ends. If God gets ahold of us with an orphan care movement where we see the glory that is to be revealed and we see the fact that bringing in children into our homes and raising them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, when we see people who aren't simply adopting or going on mission trips or caring for orphans...once everything else is in place, when we start seeing people who are saying, 'I will live in a trailer park for the rest of my life so that I can care for orphans,' 'I will forgo having a second car, so that I can care for orphans,' 'Who in the world needs cable television when there are orphans?' When we start seeing that kind of movement, not as a Pharisaical, imposing it on one another, but when we see people freely and joyfully saying, 'This is worth it, to have another seat at the table.' You will see an opportunity for the orphan care movement to turn and say to the rest of the body of Christ: 'Let's believe what we say we believe. Let's be who we say that we are.'"

Wow. I'm challenged. Are you?

Listen to it here.

Getting Excited

2009-10-19T21:54:00.000-04:00

We received word last week that the courts in Ethiopia are officially back in session! We are now just waiting to hear when our court date will be. Hopefully we'll hear something soon. Congratulations to the East family, who passed court last week and to the Hensley family and all the other families who have received a court date!! We are so excited for you. Speaking of excited, this little girl cannot wait to meet her new little baby cousin!

Showered again!

2009-10-14T18:15:00.009-04:00

Last weekend, our friends from Wake Forest threw us an amazing baby shower. Here's a peek at the festivities!

A big thank you to the hosts of the afternoon!

We were so blessed by your thoughtfulness and generosity! Thank you everybody!!

Sending out Prayers

2009-10-14T09:15:00.004-04:00

The Wrights and the Andersens, two other families adopting through AGCI, recently found out that their baby girls have been hospitalized with pneumonia. It is unbelievably hard to know that you have a child half way around the world that you can't bring home yet. I can't even imagine how much harder it gets when you find out they are sick. Please join me in praying for these sweet families.

"You Raise Me Up"

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

You raise me up... To more than I can be.

Why Wouldn't I?

2009-10-13T14:59:00.002-04:00

Blogger Buddies

2009-10-07T21:16:00.007-04:00

One of the great blessings from this process has been connecting with other families who are adopting. We rejoice with one another, pray for one another, and truly walk through this journey together.

Our sweet friend Whitney made us this awesome t-shirt.

Check out her blog to order one! She will even customize it to your liking!

We ordered this adorable little onesie from Angie.

She is selling everything from clothing to Christmas ornaments, so check it out and see how you can support them.

Our amazing friend Audrey sent us this surprise in the mail last week.

We can't wait to put our first family photo in it after we bring our little guy home. Thank you Audrey!

And finally, last weekend we got to meet another NC adoptive family. They gave us these great shirts!

Meredith, we can't wait to hear about your referral call! We know it's coming soon!

Can't stop staring...

2009-10-02T23:17:00.002-04:00

Aren't these the cutest little toes you have ever seen?

Showered

2009-10-02T22:20:00.009-04:00

Two weekends ago (I know, I know...I am really behind on blogging), my family and friends from my hometown gave us a baby shower. It was so much fun to see everyone and to show off our referral picture. And of course, sweet little baby Fleming got a ton of great gifts. Thank you everyone for all of your encouragement and support! You are too generous!!

Passing the time with music

2009-09-26T18:42:00.004-04:00

My favorite band, NeedToBreathe, was in Chapel Hill Friday night, and Heather and I along with our friends Anthony and Stephanie went to see them. If you haven't checked out their music, give them a shot.

-Brian

Saturday Surprise!

2009-09-26T16:29:00.005-04:00

This morning my friend Jennifer and her daughter Isabelle showed up on our doorstep with a giant surprise.

They bought us this awesome stroller!

This sweet family has been a constant source of encouragement and support throughout this journey. We are so blessed by their friendship. Thank you for such an amazing, incredibly generous gift. Can't wait to meet you at the play place ;)

Welcome Home Myla!

2009-09-22T10:35:00.001-04:00

Good Friends, Good Food, Good Times...

2009-09-15T16:37:00.006-04:00

Last night we got to visit with my old roommate Sarah and her husband Aaron. They fixed us a delicious meal, and we had a great time hanging out and catching up with them. They gave us TONS of cute things for our little one. We have been so blessed by their generosity and most of all by their friendship. Thanks guys! Can't wait to buy your future kids denim ;)

Last night we also got to meet the newest member of our small group.

Isn't she adorable? It's hard to believe that our little one in Ethiopia is about this size. They are only 15 days apart! So exciting!
Congratulations Andrew and Anna! She is just precious! I think I'll probably need to hold her A LOT in order to prepare for the days ahead. =)

Sent with lots and lots of love...

2009-09-14T11:22:00.002-04:00

We were able to send a little package to our cutie last week.

Wish we could have delivered it in person, but this will have to do for now.

Pray the Bible

2009-09-09T09:37:00.004-04:00

There is now an online edition of Matthew Henry's Method of Prayer, which helps you pray through the Bible. An awesome resource for your prayer time, especially if you're like me and often have trouble knowing exactly what to pray in different situations.

Check it out!

Hannah's Hope

2009-09-08T11:01:00.002-04:00

This is our son's temporary home. We are so thankful that he is now at Hannah's Hope, the place that many people have said is the best transition home in all of Ethiopia. Son, we can't wait to come get you, but until then, we will be grateful that God has placed you in a home where you are receiving loving care.

The Best Yard Sale This Side of the Mississippi!

2009-09-06T18:51:00.014-04:00

On Saturday, our friends and family had a huge yard sale/bake sale/cook-out to raise money for our adoption. We couldn't believe how many people donated things to sell and came out to support us. At the end of the day, the grand total was over $1500!!!
We had a great time! A big thank you to everyone who made it possible! We are so blessed to call you friends!!

They also had these awesome shirts made for us!

When they went to pick them up, both the artist who designed them and the owner of the print shop refused to take any money and said that it was their contribution to our adoption. Thank you K & K Stitch and Screen! We loved the shirts and we are so thankful for your generosity!

The Call

2009-09-06T18:10:00.003-04:00

We have so much to blog about but first things first...here's the story of the call.
It was Tuesday afternoon, and I was doing a homestudy visit (for those of you who don't know, I work for an adoption agency). I left my phone in the car because it had become too distracting, and I was trying to stop looking at it every 5 seconds, waiting for it to ring. So I was telling the family I was interviewing that we were waiting for our referral, and we were joking about how she was probably trying to call right then, and later I realized that she actually had called around that time. When I got in my car after the interview, I had a missed call from AGCI. I tried not to get my hopes up since I knew they would be calling with our updated numbers that week, but our case worker sounded very eager for me to call her back on the voicemail she left. I called her back right away and got her voicemail, so I called Brian and said that I had a missed call from AGCI and he said, this is it, we've got a referral! I started screaming, partly because I was excited and partly because I thought he had listened to the information without me but then he told me that our caseworker had called him and he told her that we could call her back when I was out of my meeting so that we could hear about him together. (Don't I have the most sweet and thoughtful husband!)Right then she beeped in, and we finally all three got on the phone and she told us the best news ever. We have a beautiful three week old son!!! We were in shock. Three weeks!!! We couldn't even believe it. While she was telling us about him, I started driving towards Brian's office (probably not the best idea to be driving at that point but I kept thinking that I had to get to Brian so that we could see his picture together). At the same time, Brian started driving towards me since he thought I was pulled off the side of the road, and after a while Brian finally interupts to ask where I am and we realize that we had passed each other. I was so excited that I wasn't even sure where I was. Look out NC drivers!! Brian finally tracked me down and we met in the parking lot of a random McDonald's to open the email and see our son for the first time.

It was all so surreal!! All that waiting and wondering, and then just like that, we get to see his face. We were on cloud nine. He is so, so precious. We simply can't wait to hold him in our arms! Thanks for all the congratulations and comments!! It's been so much fun to celebrate this miracle together! The Lord has done it again... He has blessed us even more than we could ever imagine.

-Heather

What a beautiful day!!

2009-09-01T17:33:00.002-04:00

We got the call!!!! A precious 3 week old baby boy. We are in awe of God's goodness.
More to come...
-H

Joy

2009-08-26T21:23:00.004-04:00

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4

So grateful for this special group of people who remind me how to consider it all joy.

And for my wonderful husband, who always knows how to make me smile.

-Heather

Waiting

2009-08-24T22:02:00.003-04:00

Waiting is hard. It didn't seem so hard to me until we found out we were #1. As soon as I knew that we could get a referral at any moment, I became obsessed with my phone. I stare at it during AGCI's office hours, make my husband stare at it when I can't, and am constantly thinking "this would be the perfect time to get our call." It's hard to concentrate on anything else. At church this weekend, we were in chapter 16 of Proverbs, and our pastor pointed out some encouraging things:

1) God is sovereign over our lives. Although we can't completely understand it, God uses everything to conform us to His image and to work out His plan in our lives. This day we are right where God wants us to be.

Proverbs 16:1,9,33
The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

2) We must trust Him with our dreams and faithfully serve Him in the present. God can put you in seemingly insignificant places to develop your character. After David was annointed as king, he went back to the fields and continued to be a shepherd for a period of time. It was there that God prepared him for great things that were ahead.

Proverbs 16:3
Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established.

3) Consider to Whom you will answer. One day we will all stand before the Lord and will give an account for how we used our time, even the time that we didn't think was important. Martin Luther said there were only two days on his calendar, this day and THAT day. We can't do anything about the past, and we can't control the future; we can only live in the present, while thinking forward to THAT day, the day that we will stand before God.

Proverbs 16:2
All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the Lord weighs the motives.

Proverbs 16:6
By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.

Please pray for us while we are waiting, that we will live in the present, remembering that we are right where He wants us to be.

Isaiah 30:18
Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice, how blessed are all those who long for Him.

Thank you!

2009-08-19T22:50:00.004-04:00

Our good friend Brittany came to visit last week and brought a present!

And then she bought our little one another gift (a Glow Worm) while she was here! The generosity and outpouring of support from our friends and family has been overwhelming. Thank you, Brittany!

-Brian

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it

2009-08-16T00:31:00.003-04:00

So I don't usually post unoffical numbers, but I am so excited that I just can't help myself. We think that we now might be number

Here's the scoop: On Friday our friends in front of us on the waitlist got a referral of a precious little boy. We are SO EXCITED for them!!! This should mean that we are next in line for a referral! This was a great week for our agency, with many referrals and many families passing court! This means that a lot of kids will get to come home to their forever families soon!!! This video of my nephew Caleb best captures how we feel right now...

Congratulations to all the families who received good news this week!! We're celebrating with you!! -Heather

Officially #...

2009-08-09T21:22:00.001-04:00

One small step closer to seeing our son =)

Some thoughts on racial harmony and adoption by Piper...

2009-08-08T11:52:00.002-04:00

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2000/1148_Talitha_the_Person_Who_Is_Adopted/

Happy Reading!
-Heather

A Weekend of Blessings!

2009-08-03T23:11:00.012-04:00

We have so much to be thankful for. This weekend we were reminded of what an awesome God we serve, a God who always keeps His promises, always provides, and always blesses us beyond what we could even imagine. The Lord has blessed us with incredible family and friends. On Friday we received a package and when we opened it up this is what we saw:

One of my best friends from high school made this for us so that we will have somewhere special to put our son’s picture when we get the referral. We are so grateful for her thoughtfulness and can’t wait to put that first picture in it.

Friday night we went to visit my family and celebrate my dad’s retirement. My dad has always worked really hard to support our family and we were very grateful to be able to be there to honor him and show our appreciation for all the love and support he has given us.

Throughout the weekend, we were given many other surprises, including

It is SUCH a blessing to have so many people in our lives who are eagerly anticipating the arrival of our son. Our nieces and nephew (along with my sisters and mom) are constantly picking out books, toys, and clothes that they think their “new baby cousin” will like. This little boy is already so loved.

On Sunday we got another surprise when an aunt and uncle gave us a financial gift to help with the adoption. What an unexpected blessing! Their generosity was another reminder that the Lord always provides. This adoption is such a stretching process. It is really easy to get overwhelmed by the many difficulties and fears that come with adopting. But the Lord is molding us and shaping us, pruning away the doubt and disbelief, and gently reminding us of His constant grace and provision. We are truly blessed.

-Heather

Happy anniversary to my beautiful wife!

2009-07-21T23:41:00.002-04:00

How do we know God's will?

2009-07-20T22:42:00.002-04:00

This past Sunday, our pastor (JD Greear) preached on this very issue, and I would strongly encourage you to listen to it if you have the time, even if it means putting it on your iPod or a CD and listening while you drive somewhere. Click here to download it. The sermon is called "The Path of Hokma."

It made me think about my life, both in the past and in the present. I can’t tell you how many times I have wondered what God’s will was in a certain situation and asked Him to reveal it to me. I would search for His will, as if it were actually lost, and as if God was some sort of magic 8 ball who would spell out His answer in the clouds. I found that it was easier to seek His will than it was to actually seek Him.

The question then becomes, why don’t I spend as much time trying to know God as I spend trying to know His will? One obvious answer is laziness. It’s a lot easier to randomly ask God what to do in certain situations than it is to seek Him daily. How can we expect to know His will if we don’t even know Him? That would be like picking a total stranger out of a crowd and expecting to know what his likes and dislikes were. It would be nearly impossible!

As our pastor pointed out, most of us (including myself oftentimes) think of God’s will as if it were a door. We say to ourselves, “If I only knew which door was the right door. Is it A, B or C?” But Scripture presents God’s will as a path or a way of life, not as isolated decisions. Proverbs 4 says, “Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men…The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.”

Understanding that God’s will is a way or a path is particularly helpful when making decisions about things that specifically aren’t laid out in Scripture, like “should I marry this person” or “should I take this job” but for many issues we face, God’s will has already been given to us in his Word.

Besides laziness, we are often passive instead of active in our response to God. It’s easy to sit around and wait for God to “open doors” for us (and even pray while we’re waiting), when we should be out opening them for ourselves. Sometimes it is possible to hide our disobedience behind a wall of prayer while we spend days and days, or years and years, trying to figure out what to do.

If God commands me to care for the poor, why would I sit on my hands while asking God whether or not I should actually help them?! God has already made that abundantly clear in His word, so do I need to pray about whether or not to help? I am ashamed to say that I am very guilty of acting like this all too often. It is a waste of the precious time I have been given.

Instead, I should have the attitude that I will do the things God wants me to do (as revealed in Scripture) unless He stops me. One of JD’s examples puts this clearly into perspective. Suppose you’re walking down the street and suddenly come across an infant on the railroad tracks. A train is approaching, so do you stop and pray for a sign about what you should do? Of course not! God says in His word that he values life, so of course you shouldn’t wait for Him to open another door or give you a sign that you should save the baby! You just save the baby!

The same thing holds true for telling our friends, family and coworkers about the Gospel, for caring for the poor, the orphaned and widowed, and for so many other biblical commands. And all of these are commands. They are not optional. It’s not as if some of us are called to do these things and others are not. If God tells us to care for the orphaned, why would we wait for Him to “open the door” for us? Instead, consider asking yourself some of the following questions: “Do I have a safe and loving home to offer? Am I willing to share the love I have experienced in Christ with a child? If I can’t adopt, is there another way I can help?”

If the answers to these questions are “Yes” I would encourage you to take action! And by “action,” I mean ACTION. I pray that you will not be frozen by indecision but spurred to do something in response to the grace you have freely been given. If you have a home to offer, pray that God would stop you from adopting if He doesn’t want you to, as opposed to waiting for Him to spell it out for you in some sort of magical sign. And don’t let yourself fall into the trap that I did, believing that it’s a good thing to do…for everyone else.

You can also explore ways to financially support orphanages, adoption agencies and families who wish to adopt but are faced with financial challenges. But whatever you do, please do not let yourself become paralyzed. Do something! Bad things happen when good people do nothing!

With all this being said, I do not want to give the impression that we just jumped onto the adoption train without hesitation. We are often in this same boat. I feel like I can write about the above only because of my personal experience. We struggled with our decision to adopt. And it is a big decision; one that isn’t made overnight.

As I said earlier, I thought adoption was a good thing so long as someone else was doing it. I am ashamed that I was content to hide behind someone else’s action. I am ashamed of my fear and mostly ashamed of my lack of trust in God, and that’s what it boiled down to. Where there is a worldly fear, there is a lack of faith.

I was scared of the financial commitment. I was scared of the racial and cultural implications. I was scared that I wouldn’t know how to be a godly father. I too, was paralyzed, and it is only by God’s power that Heather and I made the decision we did. Our power and goodness are not behind anything. It’s through God and Him alone that our adoption is possible and is happening. He deserves 100% of the credit.

So when it comes to His commands and His will given to us in Scripture, why have I waited and not acted on some of them? Do you ever ask yourself why you hesitate? Please join me in praying that we, as believers, would be passion-filled, and that we would be active in our pursuit to know and glorify God!

-Brian

Our New Number Is...

2009-07-15T16:03:00.002-04:00

We spoke with our case manager today and she shared the good news that we have moved to number 5! She couldn't confirm that the courts will stay open this year, but it seems that they are at least staying open later than usual because there have been court dates assigned into late August. We also had another nice surprise...our Notice of Favorable Determination letter arrived in the mail today! This was super quick, because we just had our fingerprints taken a couple of weeks ago. We are now officially approved by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services to adopt a child! Whohoo!

Lucy Lane

2009-07-14T18:28:00.007-04:00

So I have been putting off posting because I wanted to wait until we had our new official numbers. I have a good idea of where we are, but I want to wait until we know for sure, so hopefully that post will be coming soon. In the meanwhile, check out this video from a fellow AGCI family who recently brought home their precious little girl. It takes a few minutes to buffer, but hang in there because it is worth it (Don't forget to go to the bottom of the page and mute my music player so you can hear the audio on the video. Also, to watch full screen click the video again once it has started and it will open a new screen in youtube). Get your Kleenex ready...

Isn't it amazing to watch God at work?! Welcome Home Lucy Lane!!

Drum roll please...

2009-06-23T21:36:00.005-04:00

Our 1st official waitlist number is...

Our case manager called us tonight with the good news! We know that we are beyond blessed to start out with such a low number. She said to expect a 3-4 month wait for a referral, which should put us right in the middle of the courts closing for the Ethiopian New Year. She warned us not to expect to travel before Christmas, so we will try to prepare for that, while hoping for the best. Thank you for walking with us through this journey!!!

-Heather

No news yet, but something to watch while you wait...

2009-06-22T14:12:00.007-04:00

Great video discussion on adoption by Dr. Russell Moore and Justin Taylor.

http://www.russellmoore.com/2009/06/16/adopted-for-life-a-diavlog-with-russell-moore-and-justin-taylor/

Guess who's on the waitlist?!?

2009-06-19T21:31:00.002-04:00

Yep that's right! We are officially on the waitlist!!!! Here is the email we received from our case manager today:

"I wanted to send you a quick line to let you know that I reviewed your dossier, and it looked great! I have added you to the waitlist, but because it is the end of the day, will give you a call on Monday to talk through this new phase of the process and give you your official Waitlist number. I am so excited for you!! Talk with you soon!"

Yay!!! Let the new phase of waiting begin!

-Heather

Exciting News!

2009-06-17T20:12:00.005-04:00

Today is an exciting day in our adoption journey. With our homestudy finally complete, we were able to mail off our dossier (all of our paperwork and documents). Can you believe it?

We are so excited!!! It should arrive by tomorrow and our case manager will review it on Friday to make sure that everything is done correctly. This sweet lady at FedEx was a good sport and agreed to all of my crazy requests, including documenting the occasion.

This means that IF everything is in order we could get our names on the waitlist as early as Friday. We'll keep you posted...

-Heather

P.S. Our pastor had a great post on June 12th about the book Adopted for Life, by Russ Moore. Click here and scroll down to read it.

Good video

2009-05-20T21:49:00.007-04:00

I thought this was pretty cool:

-Brian

Some news from our agency

2009-05-12T17:42:00.004-04:00

An excerpt from the latest update from our agency...

"Earlier this week it was brought to the attention of our staff in Ethiopia that the Federal Courts of Addis Ababa have put a hold on approving any case where the child has been abandoned. This will be the case until an investigation is done in Ethiopia. Most likely this investigation is a direct result of the increased number of abandonment cases in Addis Ababa after the implementation of the Central Authority (CA) this past fall. When the CA was implemented the office started to look more closely at the way relinquishments were happening in Ethiopia. Of course, this is a good thing but as a result more families decided to illegally abandon their children.

At this time, we do not have concrete information as to what the investigations will look like, however, our staff is quite sure they know what will be looked at:

1) Need to ensure that all police documents are official and have not been forged. This can be seen by making sure that copies are on file at the police department.

2) Review the different government orphanages to see if the number of abandonment cases far outweighs the relinquishment cases and if there are irregularities with these numbers.

This change may realistically impact all adoptions in Ethiopia to some degree, but will specifically impact the cases of any children that were abandoned. The direct impact right now is for families who are waiting on a court appointment to be scheduled or waiting to see if their court appointment will go through successfully.

Our staff is trying to sort through this information as best we can, but please realize that it is not our office conducting these investigations and it will take time to get through all cases, both American and European. AGCI currently has 11 families in process that this will directly impact although this will impact referrals in the short term as well. Until we have further clarity as to what they are looking for we will unfortunately need to place a hold on all abandoned referrals.

This information will be very difficult news for some of our families to process as we wait for clarity over the coming weeks and months. However there are a few positives to this information to also keep in mind. First, this is an indication that the Ethiopia government does care about the ethics of each case being processed through the court system. Also, there have been significant changes in the program's past that have proved to be relatively smooth and successful, specifically the positive result of implementing the Central Authority in the adoption process last Fall. Despite the concern we had over this past change, that it would severely impact adoption timelines in Ethiopia, the program in reality experienced minimal delays due to the Central Authority's implementation. We are hopeful this will also be the case with this investigation.

Again, this is not easy information to process, especially for the children and families directly impacted, but we are praying for this obstacle to be resolved quickly and the program to become stronger because of this. We will continue to be in touch with families as we gain clarity on this issue, but ask for your prayers and patience as you we journey through this change."

Please join with us in praying for the families and the children that this will directly impact, and for the Ethiopian government as they try to discern what is best for the orphans in their country. We are not sure yet how this will impact our process, but it could lengthen our wait time for a referral.

Psalm 31
14.But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God."
15.My times are in your hands

-Heather

A Long Time Coming

2009-05-03T22:43:00.003-04:00

It's been a long time since we've posted. Sorry! Things have been pretty busy for us.

We had our last homestudy visit this past week and we've (for the most part) finished the dossier paperwork that we're responsible for. So right now we're waiting for our social worker to finalize our homestudy, which will probably take about 3 weeks.

We've also finished the online education courses that were required, as well as a workbook.

So, we're moving right along and are one day closer to seeing our son.

-Brian

Update

2009-04-19T21:33:00.003-04:00

Just a quick update to let you know where we are in the process:

Homestudy: We had our first visit with our social worker last Tuesday. It went well, she was really nice, and we'll have our final visit on April 28th.

Dossier: We've made a lot of progress on our paperwork. We are going tomorrow to get fingerprinted for our background checks, to get some more documents notarized, and to get one thing state certified. Our goal is to have all of our part finished by the end of this week.

Education: We've completed half of the online trainings and have about 5 chapters to go in our workbook. We went to DC this weekend to visit some friends so we used the hours in the car to get through a lot of the book.

There's a light at the end of the tunnel =)
Hope you all had a relaxing day! (Thanks for a great weekend Matt and Mary!!)

~Heather

Perspective

2009-04-13T00:54:00.001-04:00

My perspective on life and my purpose in it is easily pushed off track by no one other than myself. Perhaps the biggest problem with this loss of perspective is that it quietly sneaks up, takes over, and I don’t even realize it for days, weeks, or even months, as I live in apparent obliviousness to people around me. It usually takes a bit of a jolt to wake me up and correct my direction. For example, often I’m overwhelmed at someone else’s generosity before I realize my own greed. Or I’m amazed at someone’s gratitude for something I think of as small before understanding just how much I take things for granted. This was the case for me tonight as Heather and I watched Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

The story was about George and Barbara Kadzis, who adopted 6 children (some with special needs) from China. Now, I should make clear that I don’t personally know the Kadzis family, but I hope it’s ok if I make some observations from the show. First off, their generous heart for children in need makes me seriously question why I’m not a whole lot more giving. George was a dentist and probably made a good living, yet he and his wife chose to stay in an older, smaller home that was falling down around them so they could afford to care for more children. Absent from their story was the American-driven dream of a bigger this or a better that.

This makes me wonder why I so frequently feel the need to buy stuff, or why I want a nice house, or why I want a new car. When I’m being honest, I confess that the critical word is “want,” but unfortunately, nine times out of ten, I convince myself that I “need” all these things instead. That way, I can justify the purchase (no matter how expensive) to my guilty conscience. This corrupted logic leads me to waste God’s blessings on myself, ignoring those in true need all around me. I’m not blessed so I can hoard for my own; I am blessed so I can be a blessing to others. My struggle is to implement this into my daily life.

One scene from tonight’s show was particularly moving to me; it dealt with Melody, the Kadzis’ blind daughter. To give you a little background, the design team usually asks the children what their interests are and what they’d like their room to look like before construction begins, that way their rooms are tailored to their interests. When they were talking to Melody, they asked what all the books were on her bookcase in her old room. She pointed to one shelf and said those books were collectively half of the Bible (in Braille), and if she had the entire Bible, it would take up two shelves.

At the end of the show, they brought Melody into her room and she went straight to her new bookcase and started running her hands across the books, no doubt hoping to find the “rest” of the Bible. What struck me was how ecstatic she became when she realized that she finally had the “whole Bible” to read. She had waited years to have a privilege that I daily take for granted. I’m so lackadaisical that days on end sometimes pass without me ever picking it up. The ugly truth is that Melody’s situation certainly isn’t an uncommon one. There are millions of people around the world who do not have access to God’s word, whether that be because of government oppression, language barriers, health reasons or other factors….and there my Bible sits, all too often unused, much like our money.

God does not want my laziness; he wants passion. He goes so far as to say he’d rather us be “cold” than “lukewarm” in our pursuit of Him.

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.” Revelation 3:15-16

So on this Easter Sunday night, please join me in praying that we would be passion-filled and that our perspectives would keep God in focus and not ourselves. His claims are way too grand for us to respond lukewarmly. We can reject Him coldly or accept Him with fire in our hearts, but His bold statements leave no room to respond indifferently.

-Brian

Mystery Solved!

2009-04-03T10:27:00.003-04:00

About two weeks ago we got a great surprise, when two t-shirts arrived in the mail.
They were Mocha Club shirts, which we had actually been thinking about buying, but hadn't yet taken the plunge.

At first, I thought Heather bought them, but that wasn't the case. Then, I wondered if I bought them and just forgot (which is very possible) but I looked at the bank statement online and that wasn't the case either.

So, we began quietly wondering who the secret Santa was. Heather had a couple of guesses and I had one.

Well, Wednesday I was having lunch with my guess and when he slyly brought up the Mocha Club video that we posted on the blog a few weeks ago, I figured I must be right. He confessed.

Heather and I would like to sincerely thank Lynn and Cissie! They fit perfectly...

I'd like to share what's printed on the shirt:

When I think of Africa, the following images immediately come to mind: Starvation. AIDS. Child soldiers. Genocide. Sex slaves. Orphans. From there, my thoughts naturally turn to how I can help, how I can make a difference. "I am needed here," I think. "They have so little, and I have so much." It's true, there are great tragedies playing out in Africa everyday. There is often a level of suffering here that is unimaginable until you have seen it, and even then it is difficult to believe. But what is even harder is reconciling the challenges that many Africans face with the joy I see in those same people. It's a joy that comes from somewhere I cannot fathom, not within the framework that has been my life to this day.

The images spilling out of my television showed circumstances that could seemingly only equal misery, and I was fooled. I bought into the lie that circumstance defines happiness. The truth is, in Africa I find hearts full of victory, indomitable spirits. In places where despair should thrive, instead I find adults dancing and singing, and children playing soccer with a ball crafted of tied up trash. Instead of payback, I find grace. Here, weekend getaways are not options to provide relief from the pains of daily life. Relationships and faith provide joy. Love is sovereign.

My new reality… I know now that my joy should have no regard for my circumstances. I'm ashamed by my lack of faith, but at the very same moment I am excited by my new pursuit. I'm forced to redefine the meaning of having much or having little. I'm uneasy with the prospect of change and of letting go, but just the thought of freedom is liberating. I want what I have learned to trickle down from my head into my heart - I no longer want to need the "next thing" to have joy.

I'm not saying that Africa does not need our efforts. It absolutely does need our partnership. But for me, I've come to understand that I NEED AFRICA MORE THAN AFRICA NEEDS ME. Why? Because it is Africa that has taught me that possessions in my hands will never be as valuable as peace in my heart. I've learned that I don't need what I have and that I have what I need. These are just a few of this continent's many lessons. I came here to serve and yet I've found that I have so much to learn, and Africa, with all its need, has much to teach me.

The line that reads, "I bought into the lie that circumstance defines happiness" resonates with me. Every time I catch myself longing after more stuff, or a nicer this or a nicer that to make me happy, and everytime I'm sad, I forget what has already been done for me on the cross. I forget that God offers everlasting joy that is not dependent on the circumstances of my life, however good or bad they may be.

-Brian

New Mercies Every Morning

2009-04-02T09:50:00.005-04:00

Last night I was overcome with sadness. I kept thinking about all that we would miss of our child’s first year of life. We will not hear his first cry or see his first smile or get to cheer for him the first time he rolls over. We probably will not know the details of his birth, and we can’t make sure that he is fed and kept from harm in those early months. These thoughts and more were weighing down my heart, and I was a little scared of how much I already love someone that I’ve never even seen. It is so hard to be in control of so little. Yet this morning I was reading the account of the crucifixion in Mark and was reminded of a few very important things. How quickly I forget what was so clearly demonstrated in the death and resurrection of Christ.

1) God loves me more than I could ever imagine. We never have to doubt His love because He proved it once and for all by dying for us. Not only does He love me, but He loves our son, and He loves him much more than I am even capable of loving. Although we won’t be there in his first months of life, God will be, and who better to care for him and protect him than the One who created him and loves him most.

2) We serve a powerful God. Not only does He love us enough to care for us, He is powerful enough to do so. He has overcome death and has made a way for us to be with the Father. There is nothing that He cannot do. He is all-powerful, and He has proven that He chooses to use that power to act on our behalf.

3) God uses what seems like our darkest moments to bring glorious light. What did the disciples think when Jesus was crucified? They had to be upset, possibly wondering if they had got it all wrong, not understanding why Jesus would not get down off the cross when they had seen Him perform so many miracles. Yet what they didn’t understand, and what I always seem to forget, is that God is always there, working in ways we can’t imagine, taking what seems like a hopeless situation and using it to accomplish His perfect, redeeming plan.

-Heather

2009-03-22T14:39:00.006-04:00

Look what we got in the mail yesterday!

Our adoption planner has arrived! And with it came lots of stress.
The planner is mostly just instructions on how to fill out all the documents for our dossier. The dossier documents themselves are on a cd so that we can print out as many copies as we need. You know there is trouble ahead when you have an entire binder of information just to instruct you on how to fill out some forms. We already have a page of questions for our case manager on Monday. When I was a junior in high school our basketball coach gave us all Christmas gifts that described us in some way. What did I get? A magic 8 ball. Apparently, I tend to ask a lot of questions =)
Along with our planner we received a workbook that we have to complete as part of our education requirement. It's about 200 pages of questions, scenarios, and information for us to think through. When we are finished with it, we have to take 6 online courses and in our free time, we are supposed to be reading some books. I think it's safe to say that the next month or two will be very busy. Hope you are enjoying your Sunday!

-Heather

Moving Right Along...

2009-03-19T22:13:00.004-04:00

Today someone from our agency called to let us know that our documents had arrived. They put our adoption planner and dossier papers in the mail, so hopefully we will get them sometime this weekend. They also went ahead and set up our next phone appointment for Monday. During that call we will get to talk with our case manager, who will be with us throughout the rest of the process, and she will talk us through all the paperwork that we will be filling out in the weeks ahead. So far, we have been very pleased with our agency. They are very personable, answer any questions that we have, and are extremely prompt. I can't wait to get started on all the paperwork! This is where my strange love of worksheets comes in handy...

-Heather

Fears

2009-03-17T17:50:00.002-04:00

Today we mailed in our contracts, making us official clients of AGCI. I was expecting to be a little nervous because with our paperwork we had to send in a large check. However, as Brian and I were about to mail it in, we discovered that our fears were not about the money. Instead we were asking questions such as “What if we are terrible parents?” or “What if we can’t handle the difficulties that come with being white parents raising a black child?” These questions and many others often threaten to overtake us. They come from some very real fears. Fears of inadequacy, fears of failure, and fears of the unknown, to name a few. However, when we start to ask these questions we must quickly think of the alternative. “If we don’t adopt, who will care for this child?” “Who will feed him, love him, and tuck him in at night?” and most importantly, “Who will teach him about Jesus and the sacrifice that has been made on our behalf?” Yes, we know that our child will face many hardships growing up here with us, yet our fears of what this child would face if left alone are greater. Our pastor said on Sunday that the opposite of fear is trusting in the Lord. He explained how a lot of our fears come from the fear of man, fearing people and their opinions, more than fearing God and His opinion. This is so true too many times in my own life. My hope is that God will use this process to teach us more about trusting in Him, and that each time we are faced with fear, we will choose to believe God’s promises over our fears, and choose to fear God, more than man.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

-Heather

Books!

2009-03-16T09:57:00.016-04:00

We've read a few books lately and we'd like to highly recommend a couple of them to you all. For me, these books have played an important role in my change in perspective over the last couple of months, which I'll specifically write about another day.

I've never been a big reader like Heather, but I've had this unquenchable thirst lately for more knowledge about orphans and about Africa. That thirst did not overtake me until I spent months praying. I prayed for a stronger desire to help
and for compassion. These books helped educate me but also helped put a suffering face with the overwhelming numbers I've read about. 5,000,000 orphans in Ethiopia alone was (and still is in a lot of ways) an abstract number to me. But those are not just 0's behind that 5, they are representative of children dying alone everyday. With so many orphans in Africa, adoption is not THE answer, it's just one way to help and make a difference. Africa needs the rich world to care and to act. These books made that clear to me for the first time. I don't think "Love thy neighbor" leaves me the right to pick which neighbor I'm going to love, though I've lived most of my life as if it really was a choice I had.

Regardless of location in the world, skin color, disease or any other factor, we are created to care. To say I care and do nothing in response is empty and useless. Unfortunately, it's been my "normal" for a long time. At the very best, I've chosen when to care based on when it was convenient for me and was only moved to action in some of those cases. I question now if I ever truly cared about anything that I didn't act on. Caring equals action. I've read it so many times but so rarely practiced it that I'm ashamed.

14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:14 & 17

Ok, enough of being frustrated with myself, on to the books...

There is No Me Without You by Melissa Fay Greene follows a middle class Ethiopian woman's efforts to save as many orphans as she can. It is one of the most powerful books I've ever read in that it shattered much of the ignorance I've hidden behind for all of these years. It's made me question why I've not cared for so long; at least not cared enough to ACT. Why do I sit on my hands so often? This book is not short and not light-hearted. It will challenge you. It opened our eyes in more ways than we can count. We highly, highly recommend it.

Click here to read more.

Fields of the Fatherless by Tom Davis is not one person's story, but it encourages its reader to love the orphan and "the least of these." Davis explores the Bible in an effort to identify how caring for the fatherless is a way to live out the Great Commision in our lives. Here's a note Davis shares from a Russian orphan:

I hated my life since the third grade when I was unmercifully beaten. I felt then that life is lost and death is looking for me. And my tears were telling me that life was nothing in comparison with death. I felt like a little cockroach, which (responds in) fear when seen.
A bunch of American people came to our school. I thought these people wanted to laugh at us. But I was mistaken. They are people willing to give up the most precious gift a person can possess, love. (Their) intentions to share seemed strange as they had their own kids. But these people have such big hearts to give that there is still enough room even for us little cockroaches.
Then I began to feel myself not a cockroach anymore which deserved to be killed, but a little human being. It is a wonderful feeling. Believe me.

Click here to read more.

Thanks for reading,
Brian

Baby's First Presents!

2009-03-13T22:17:00.009-04:00

This week Brian, Jr. (just kidding) got his first presents; one from Nana (Heather's mom, Pansy) and one from Heather. Both happened to be bibs, but they were both a surprise so I thought I'd post pictures. The "I Love Daddy" one just about made me cry. And yes, this is Brian writing, in case you had any doubts. Maybe Heather's rubbing off on me...

Thanks, Nana...

Orientation Packet

2009-03-12T19:39:00.001-04:00

Our orientation packet just arrived! I was hoping it would come today but when it didn't come in the mail I thought it wouldn't be here until tomorrow. Then the UPS man came. It's amazing how a little envelope of information can bring such excitement. Then again, those of you who know me, probably aren't very surprised.

-Heather

An Overview of What's Ahead

2009-03-10T21:55:00.005-04:00

We'd like to take a minute to give everyone an overview of where we're at in the process and what's ahead.

As of today, our application has been approved by our adoption agency, All God's Children International (AGCI)! Our preference is for a baby boy under the age of 1. AGCI estimates that from now, we'll have a 11 to 17 month wait before we bring our son home. We will not get a referral for many months, so we look forward to the day when we'll see a picture of him for the first time.

Here's a list of what's next:

-We'll receive an orientation packet in the mail sometime this week, and then we will have a phone orientation on Monday evening.
-Next we'll have a home study done and complete the dossier process along with education courses. The dossier is basically mountains of legal paperwork pertaining to the adoption. During this time we'll also have to apply with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
-AGCI will submit our dossier to the Ethiopian government for their review and approval.
-Once the government approves the paperwork, AGCI will refer a child to us.
-Once we accept the referral, Ethiopia will formally approve the adoption.
-We'll finally travel to Ethiopia to get him, complete his Immigrant Visa and bring him home!! We'll probably stay in-country about a week before returning, which will give us a chance to see the orphanage and a learn a little about our son's heritage.

Of course, with two governments involved, half the world apart, and all the paperwork, you can figure out why it takes so long! The process will be very thorough, as it should be.

Given the anticipated timeline, it's likely that our future son is being carried by his birth mother as we write this. Please join us in praying for them. While we are anticipating this child with joy, we are also filled with sadness because we know that for us to have the opportunity to care for him means that his birth family is not able to.

-Brian and Heather

Why Adopt From Ethiopia?

2009-03-09T12:46:00.006-04:00

This is another question that we get a lot. First let us say that we know there are many children right here in the US that also need homes. Our hearts go out to them and we would love to one day be able to adopt domestically as well. We took a great deal of time, praying and thinking through this decision, of where we should adopt from first. Time and time again, both individually and as a couple, we kept coming back to Ethiopia. It is such a hard decision because we feel that all children, no matter their birth country, deserve a safe and loving home, and it seems so overwhelming to pick just one child for now. Here are a few of the reasons we decided on Ethiopia:

There are over 5 million orphans in Ethiopia alone
Last year 1,724 of these children were adopted to the US. That's only .0003 percent.
1 in 10 children there die before their 1st birthday
1 in 6 children die before their 5th birthday
Half the children in Ethiopia will never attend school
60% of children in Ethiopia are stunted because of malnutrition
1/3 of the population survive on less than $1 a day

These statistics are just a small glimpse of the many hardships facing Ethiopians today. The country has been ravished by drought, famine, and HIV/AIDS. Yet the people of Ethiopia continue on, trying to care for their country's children with limited resources and very little help. Adoption is not the answer to the cycle of poverty there. However, we cannot ignore the five million orphans that are waiting for someone to care for them. We are so thankful that we have the opportunity to adopt a child from this incredible country. God is teaching us so much already, and we know that our future son will be more a blessing to us than we will ever be to him. We are quickly learning that "We need Africa more than Africa needs us."

-Heather

Why Adopt?

2009-03-08T15:23:00.003-04:00

For those of you who haven't heard, we have decided to adopt from Ethiopia! We hope that this blog will be a way for you, our friends and family, to follow along with us on this journey. We know a lot of you have questions, and we'd love to talk to you and answer anything that we can. To begin we thought we should answer the most basic question, "Why adopt?"
First and foremost, our decision to adopt is simply a reflection of the adoption we have experienced ourselves. In Ephesians 1, we read of our adoption in Christ:

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

How amazing is that! That the God of the universe would choose not only to save us from our sins, but to actually adopt us into His family, giving us the title of son. This radical love of God is what motivates us to love others.
As you read through Scripture, it becomes evident that God has a special place in His heart for the poor and the orphans. There are 2,300 verses of Scripture pertaining to the poor. James 1:27 says

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

In Psalm 68:5-6 we read

"a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families."

Jesus tells us in Matthew 25

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

Bono wraps it up nicely: "In the scriptures we are not advised to love our neighbor, we are commanded. The Church needs to lead the way here, not drag its heels... But I tell you, God is not looking for alms; God is looking for action. He is not just looking for our loose change--He's looking for a tighter contract between us and our neighbor." We have been learning that if you are a believer, the question is not, "Are you called to care for orphans?" but rather, "HOW are you called to care for orphans?" Right now there are roughly 147 million orphans in the world. It is estimated that if only seven percent of Christians would adopt just one child, there would be no orphans left. Each of these children is made in the image of God and is precious to Him. We have decided that adoption is one way for us to live out the Great Commission at this time in our lives.

-Heather