verse


Monday, December 31, 2012

Last-minute ways to impact a child's life this year!

As we wrap up 2012, I wanted to give you some tangible ways you can make a difference for four children waiting to be adopted by families in our local church congregation (Brookhaven Wesleyan). Obviously, once January 1 comes, you are still very much able to donate to any of these children's adoption expenses, but I thought I'd share one last chance for those of you who may yet be looking for that year-end giving opportunity. Here is a glimpse at each child/family and how you can make a tax-deductible contribution to each child:

Dale and Carrie Bradford: Planning to adopt Megan from Russia
Visit Dale and Carrie's blog here to read the Bradfords' story and to make a tax-deductible donation on the right-hand side to Megan's adoption through Reece's Rainbow, a down syndrome adoption ministry. Please pray, pray, PRAY for sweet Megan and for all children waiting for adoption in Russia as adoptions from the U.S. have just been put on hold by the government. So many children in need of families--please take a moment to pray specifically for Satan's power to be overthrown.

Trey and Bridgette Boswell: Planning to adopt Edna from Eastern Europe
Visit Bridgette's blog here to read the Boswells' story and to make a tax-deductible donation on the right-hand side to Edna's adoption, also through Reece's Rainbow. The Boswells are following the Lord's leading into adoption for a second time, as little Edna will join big brothers Trenner and Solomon. Please pray for the Boswells as they renew their home study, gather funding, and prepare for travel. Please pray for Edna's health needs as well as she awaits her family to care for her needs.

Ben and Melissa Cook: Planning to adopt from U.S.
We do not have a giving link for the Cooks, but wanted to remind you to continue praying for them and consider donating to their adoption as well. They are answering God's call to care for a little one in the United States in need of a family!

Daniel and Mae: Planning to adopt minority infant from U.S.
Remember to pray for us as well :-). 2012 has brought plenty of "setbacks" in our timeline, but we know God's timing is perfect! If you wish to make a tax-deductible gift to our adoption, please visit our AdoptTogether fund page here.

Please remember to pray for each family, and as the Lord leads, consider giving financially to help bring these children into safe, loving families. Thank you for your involvement in the lives of children in 2012! We pray 2013 will bring great things for these little ones.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Christmas Catch-up

Well, we haven't blogged since November 11, mainly because that was about the time morning sickness kicked in at full-gear. So here are a few quick updates and prayer needs as we move toward a new year:

Updates:
1. Our home study should be finished NEXT WEEK!!! We have had our final home visit, so all that's left is the writing part (our home study agency takes all the info they collected and writes up the study of our home). That will be such a relief to have that finally wrapped up!

2. We have been travelling...everywhere...and never want to get in the car again. Well, not really true, but our son is NOT a good traveler, so road trips are not on his list of fun things. He at least does not get car sick, and we survived a few hours of screaming from boredom in order to meet our new nephew Elijah. We leave again Monday to visit Daniel's parents in Louisiana for Christmas and should be home late December. We at least were able to borrow a DVD player this time, so perhaps that will make a difference.

3. Pregnancy...oh, that lovely word...morning sickness, exhaustion, and random cravings have been leaving their mark. On the positive side, we got to hear our baby's heartbeat this week--a sound that makes it all worth it :-). We are due in June so have about 7 months left.

Prayer needs:
1. For physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual stamina in the coming months. This pregnancy has taken a toll on our ability to focus on much more than daily activities for awhile, so we are burdened with the need to raise funds for our adoption without the energy to do so. Pray that the second trimester will bring increased energy so we can hit the fundraising trail.

2. For patience to trust the Lord's timing. In our minds we were going to crank out our home study by this past October and jump head first into fundraising. Obviously the Lord had other plans on timing with the added blessing of pregnancy, so we have to trust that His plans are perfect and our temporal of energy will not throw off His perfect timing for the adoption.

3. For continued financial provision moving forward with adoption and pregnancy. We have been blessed to be part of a Christian healthcare sharing ministry called Samaritan Ministries that will provide for nearly 100% of our maternity needs through other believers sharing in our medical costs (as we share in theirs monthly). We also learned that Samaritan will help members with adoption medical costs as well. Praise God with us for believers working together to meet financial needs, and continue to pray with us for the Lord's provision for our adoption fees. We have a long way to go to fully fund our adoption, but we know the Lord will provide for the call He's placed on our family.

4. For a healthy pregnancy for us AND the expectant mother of our adopted child. We recently realized it's quite possible our adopted child has recently or will soon be conceived! Please pray with us for the mother who chooses to give her child life through adoption, that the Lord will speak love and peace into her soul and allow her to find rest in Him as she carries her little one.

May the Lord bless each of you as you continue in His ways! Praise God for sending His only Son, Jesus, as a baby so long ago, so each of us could experience redemption and eternal life! What an incredible gift He's given us.

Merry Christmas to all!