Well I know it has been awhile since my last post. I have spent the last year and a half really focusing being a wife, mom, and disciple. God has really opened my eyes to so many things since my last post. When I think that He can not open my eyes wider, He does. I have learned that He is faithful to lead us through whatever He puts in front of us. I continue to look to Him for guidance even when I do not understand. Let me go back in time and catch you up.
Over a year ago, God was really showing Luther and I a love for orphan prevention and loving on missionary families. We were able to travel together to Ethiopia in June 2014 with our daughter Grace (she turned 13 while we were in country). God confirmed our love for the people, country, loving missionary families, etc. We really felt God opening the door to us moving to Ethiopia. We were not clear about when, how, etc. but we began walking through the doors He placed in front of us. We became SIM missionaries in November 2014 and began to make the preparations to move to Ethiopia. It can be a long process with training, work visas, biblical and cross cultural training, among other things. So we began, walking through the doors God was opening in our lives. Trusting that He would show us what we should do. My husband says often "We will walk through the doors God opens and not kick down the doors He closes." I love this when it is another person's life, but when it is yours it is much more difficult.
This leads me to where we are today. About a month or two ago, we felt God opening doors and closing doors for our family. He was not saying that Ethiopia missionary work was not in the plan, but He was showing us that it was not going to be in the immediate future, like we thought. He did this in several ways and one was by giving us an opportunity to grow our family. Luther and I have had our eyes opened to the number of children that are adopted into families and then, as no fault of their own, need a new family. Just like biological parents decide they can not parent a child, some adoptive parents make the same choice. I am not hear to judge these parents but to shed light on the need for these children. This is a very difficult thing for them to experience. These children have already experienced loss and trauma. Now, they are experiencing it again.
So today, I am hear to tell you that our family will be growing. We are adopting a beautiful girl (10) and boy (8). We are so glad God has given us a chance to love them and parent them. We have been able to talk with them. They are absolutely beautiful and I am so in love with them. Life is hard and messy. Being a Christ follower doesn't mean that we get an easy road. Just the opposite. I will not be sharing their story because it is theirs to share, but know that we all are ready to show them that they are loved and chosen. It does not replace their loss, trauma, pain, disappointment, and fear. But as I have seen in all of my children time builds trust, security, and love. This also means that God is faithful to walk with us every step of the way.
PRAY!! Please lift up our family to our Heavenly Father. We are praying as a family---that God would connect our hearts together. The transition will be challenging. Adoption is so beautiful and so hard. It only happens because of tragedy but God is a redeemer. So just continue to pray for us. We are in the process of preparing our home, lives, and hearts. This is a domestic adoption so it will happen faster. We expect to bring them home in the next week or two. We thank you for lifting us up to our Heavenly Father!!
WE ARE A FAMILY OF 8!!!
Over a year ago, God was really showing Luther and I a love for orphan prevention and loving on missionary families. We were able to travel together to Ethiopia in June 2014 with our daughter Grace (she turned 13 while we were in country). God confirmed our love for the people, country, loving missionary families, etc. We really felt God opening the door to us moving to Ethiopia. We were not clear about when, how, etc. but we began walking through the doors He placed in front of us. We became SIM missionaries in November 2014 and began to make the preparations to move to Ethiopia. It can be a long process with training, work visas, biblical and cross cultural training, among other things. So we began, walking through the doors God was opening in our lives. Trusting that He would show us what we should do. My husband says often "We will walk through the doors God opens and not kick down the doors He closes." I love this when it is another person's life, but when it is yours it is much more difficult.
This leads me to where we are today. About a month or two ago, we felt God opening doors and closing doors for our family. He was not saying that Ethiopia missionary work was not in the plan, but He was showing us that it was not going to be in the immediate future, like we thought. He did this in several ways and one was by giving us an opportunity to grow our family. Luther and I have had our eyes opened to the number of children that are adopted into families and then, as no fault of their own, need a new family. Just like biological parents decide they can not parent a child, some adoptive parents make the same choice. I am not hear to judge these parents but to shed light on the need for these children. This is a very difficult thing for them to experience. These children have already experienced loss and trauma. Now, they are experiencing it again.
So today, I am hear to tell you that our family will be growing. We are adopting a beautiful girl (10) and boy (8). We are so glad God has given us a chance to love them and parent them. We have been able to talk with them. They are absolutely beautiful and I am so in love with them. Life is hard and messy. Being a Christ follower doesn't mean that we get an easy road. Just the opposite. I will not be sharing their story because it is theirs to share, but know that we all are ready to show them that they are loved and chosen. It does not replace their loss, trauma, pain, disappointment, and fear. But as I have seen in all of my children time builds trust, security, and love. This also means that God is faithful to walk with us every step of the way.
PRAY!! Please lift up our family to our Heavenly Father. We are praying as a family---that God would connect our hearts together. The transition will be challenging. Adoption is so beautiful and so hard. It only happens because of tragedy but God is a redeemer. So just continue to pray for us. We are in the process of preparing our home, lives, and hearts. This is a domestic adoption so it will happen faster. We expect to bring them home in the next week or two. We thank you for lifting us up to our Heavenly Father!!
WE ARE A FAMILY OF 8!!!
