So, we're just three days into our week-long giveaway, and we can't wait to tell you that we are just $29 away from $10,000!!!!!! How awesome is that? We started the week needing $204 more to reach the goal, and we are so very close! Thanks so much to those of you who have donated. Don't forget, a $3 donation earns you one entry into our giveaway drawing! Visit our blog post here to read all the details of other ways you can be entered in our drawing. One of you will win some pretty great stuff!
$29, four days left. I think we can do it! Thanks again for your continued financial and prayer support! Your encouragement has been invaluable to us in this journey.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Quick give-away update
Hey everyone,
I just wanted to post a couple quick notes regarding the giveaway (click here to read all about the awesome stuff you could win!).
1) YES, you may enter the giveaway if you live outside of our local area :-). We will gladly ship the items to the winner!
2) Please let us know if you share our blog giveaway link via Facebook, Twitter, your blog, etc., even if you are unable to personally donate: we will be sure to get you entered just for sharing our update! The more the merrier :-).
Thanks so much for all of your continued encouragement! We are so excited to see the Lord continuing to work in our hearts along this first adoption journey He's taking us on. His plans are so perfect and wonderful--we can't wait to see how they unfold :-).
I just wanted to post a couple quick notes regarding the giveaway (click here to read all about the awesome stuff you could win!).
1) YES, you may enter the giveaway if you live outside of our local area :-). We will gladly ship the items to the winner!
2) Please let us know if you share our blog giveaway link via Facebook, Twitter, your blog, etc., even if you are unable to personally donate: we will be sure to get you entered just for sharing our update! The more the merrier :-).
Thanks so much for all of your continued encouragement! We are so excited to see the Lord continuing to work in our hearts along this first adoption journey He's taking us on. His plans are so perfect and wonderful--we can't wait to see how they unfold :-).
Monday, March 4, 2013
Exciting Update and GIVEAWAY!
Today's the day! We are excited to announce our very first adoption blog GIVEAWAY! First, we'd like to announce another exciting update in our fundraising: to date, we are now standing at $9,796, a whopping 32.7 percent of the approximate total we need to raise! Praise God for His amazing blessings as we continue trusting His timing and provision.
Now, here's the next exciting part: we need just $204 more to reach 1/3 of our goal, or $10,000! Will you help us? We will be running this giveaway for one week, ending next Monday, March 11, at midnight. One of you will win these beautiful items by earning entries through the following actions:
1) Donating just $3 to our adoption fund will earn 1 entry. Click the PayPal link to the right to participate.
2) Donating an amount of $10 will earn you 4 entries, $15 will earn 6 entries, and $25 will earn you 10 entries!
3) Sharing this post on your Facebook page or Twitter will earn you an additional entry, and you may share the post up to 4 times during the week for 4 additional entries. Simply leave a comment on the blog here and let us know you've shared the giveaway info!
4) Blogging about our giveaway will earn you an additional 3 entries. Leave us a blog comment letting us know you shared :-).
5) If you don't have Facebook, Twitter, or a blog, simply share this via email with a few friends and let us know via a blog comment, and we'll also give you an additional entry.
That's all there is to it! And now for what you will WIN if your name is selected. We can't wait to announce the winner next Monday! We hope it's YOU!
Now, here's the next exciting part: we need just $204 more to reach 1/3 of our goal, or $10,000! Will you help us? We will be running this giveaway for one week, ending next Monday, March 11, at midnight. One of you will win these beautiful items by earning entries through the following actions:
1) Donating just $3 to our adoption fund will earn 1 entry. Click the PayPal link to the right to participate.
2) Donating an amount of $10 will earn you 4 entries, $15 will earn 6 entries, and $25 will earn you 10 entries!
3) Sharing this post on your Facebook page or Twitter will earn you an additional entry, and you may share the post up to 4 times during the week for 4 additional entries. Simply leave a comment on the blog here and let us know you've shared the giveaway info!
4) Blogging about our giveaway will earn you an additional 3 entries. Leave us a blog comment letting us know you shared :-).
5) If you don't have Facebook, Twitter, or a blog, simply share this via email with a few friends and let us know via a blog comment, and we'll also give you an additional entry.
That's all there is to it! And now for what you will WIN if your name is selected. We can't wait to announce the winner next Monday! We hope it's YOU!
 |
| Handmade Bracelet Set by Brenda of The Paper Rose |
 |
| Family Portrait Session or $100 in design work by Lindsey Hawk Designs |
 |
| 19" pearl and crystal necklace and earrings by Leanna Dawn Adornment |
 |
| Handmade woven basket by friend Kimberly |
 |
| Handmade journal by friend Jewel |
 |
| Handmade cotton washcloths by friend Melissa Jo |
 |
| 11x14 poster by Mae V Design |
 |
| Cambodian scarf in pink and orange |
 |
| Wallet from Cambodia |
 |
| Cambodian bracelet and ring |
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Giveaway: Starting SOON!!!
Well, tonight was the planned launch of our very first BLOG GIVEAWAY, complete with some very awesome hand-made items donated by some pretty great people! However, part of our adoption story includes the story of our existing family members, and we have spent the entire evening getting our son Nathan to stay in his big boy bed. In fact, we have been spending between 1 and 2 hours EVERY evening (and every nap time) attempting to achieve this same feat with limited success. Therefore, the giveaway launch is going to be postponed for this evening since we're all quite weary :-).
BUT I did want to give you a quick teaser for the items that will be included:
-Handmade bracelet set "Walk By Faith" (The Paper Rose)
-Handmade jewelry set (Leanna Dawn Adornment)
-Family portrait session or design value equivalent (Lindsey Hawk Designs)
-Handmade journal and Cambodian bracelet, ring, and scarf
-Handmade basket
-Handmade wash cloths
-11x14 Psalm 1:2-3 poster print
You won't want to miss your chance to participate!!! Watch our blog tomorrow (HOPEFULLY) for an awesome fundraising update as well as a full description of how to enter the giveaway, complete with photos of the items one of you will be blessed with! Stay tuned :-)
BUT I did want to give you a quick teaser for the items that will be included:
-Handmade bracelet set "Walk By Faith" (The Paper Rose)
-Handmade jewelry set (Leanna Dawn Adornment)
-Family portrait session or design value equivalent (Lindsey Hawk Designs)
-Handmade journal and Cambodian bracelet, ring, and scarf
-Handmade basket
-Handmade wash cloths
-11x14 Psalm 1:2-3 poster print
You won't want to miss your chance to participate!!! Watch our blog tomorrow (HOPEFULLY) for an awesome fundraising update as well as a full description of how to enter the giveaway, complete with photos of the items one of you will be blessed with! Stay tuned :-)
Sunday, February 17, 2013
One Year Ago
This weekend has been full of disappointments caused by yet another yucky virus entering our home, but the Lord has been challenging me to find blessings in the midst of negative circumstances. Tonight I was having an especially hard time finding anything positive about missing church twice in one day, meaning I missed out on fellowship with other believers, corporate worship, seeing friends, and especially tonight's missions month service--a presentation by Embrace, the orphan care ministry started exactly one year ago at Brookhaven.
But not soon after I starting thinking tonight was just a huge disappointment, the Lord filled my heart with reminders of where He has brought my family in this past year. One year ago tonight, I sat in the MFC after having spent several months seeking the Lord's direction for my family, specifically in how He wanted to use me as a new mom. I had spent several months pulling back from quite a few of my "good" activities in order to seek the Lord's "best" for this new stage of life.
Last year on this Sunday night the Lord began unveiling the first glimpses of His new best for my family. We sat and listened to the presentation on a brand-new ministry being started at Brookaven called Embrace: Arms Open Wide to Receive a Child. I remember vividly sitting there thinking, "Lord, you are asking us to jump on board with this, aren't you?" knowing He was clearly saying "yes" as part of the answer to my months of prayer. I contacted Mike and Lori McDivitt right away and expressed interest in our family's involvement with this new ministry. Little did I know that step was just the small beginning of what the Lord wanted to do in our family.
After meeting with Lori and others in the early stage of Embrace brainstorming, the Lord began stirring up a more intense desire to consider adoption. We had had adoption or foster care in the back of our minds for a few years, but we had nearly written it off as a "later" item on our list, not something to consider yet as parents of an infant.
But God had other thoughts. You see, He has always been the defender of the fatherless and is always working to set the lonely in families. The child in crisis is always on His mind, never saved for a later date but always of first and foremost importance. As we sought His direction for our family, His surprising answer to our seeking was "Defend one of my little ones. Be his/her advocate. Adopt him/her into your family as I adopted you into Mine." The Lord confirmed over a period of months that we needed to step out in faith, trust Him, and pursue adoption.
To date, the journey has been everything others promised it would be: thrilling, exciting, full of adventure, and full of spiritual battles sometimes resulting in discouragement, disillusionment, and doubt. We are learning over and over (and OVER) of the need to rest in the Lord, trust in His promises, and continue stepping out in faith to pursue the little one He wants to place in our family. We thank you again and again for joining with us in prayer through this journey: we can't emphasize enough the spiritual battle that takes place for a child's life, so your prayers are absolutely crucial.
May He continue to burden our hearts for His little ones in crisis around the world!
But not soon after I starting thinking tonight was just a huge disappointment, the Lord filled my heart with reminders of where He has brought my family in this past year. One year ago tonight, I sat in the MFC after having spent several months seeking the Lord's direction for my family, specifically in how He wanted to use me as a new mom. I had spent several months pulling back from quite a few of my "good" activities in order to seek the Lord's "best" for this new stage of life.
Last year on this Sunday night the Lord began unveiling the first glimpses of His new best for my family. We sat and listened to the presentation on a brand-new ministry being started at Brookaven called Embrace: Arms Open Wide to Receive a Child. I remember vividly sitting there thinking, "Lord, you are asking us to jump on board with this, aren't you?" knowing He was clearly saying "yes" as part of the answer to my months of prayer. I contacted Mike and Lori McDivitt right away and expressed interest in our family's involvement with this new ministry. Little did I know that step was just the small beginning of what the Lord wanted to do in our family.
After meeting with Lori and others in the early stage of Embrace brainstorming, the Lord began stirring up a more intense desire to consider adoption. We had had adoption or foster care in the back of our minds for a few years, but we had nearly written it off as a "later" item on our list, not something to consider yet as parents of an infant.
But God had other thoughts. You see, He has always been the defender of the fatherless and is always working to set the lonely in families. The child in crisis is always on His mind, never saved for a later date but always of first and foremost importance. As we sought His direction for our family, His surprising answer to our seeking was "Defend one of my little ones. Be his/her advocate. Adopt him/her into your family as I adopted you into Mine." The Lord confirmed over a period of months that we needed to step out in faith, trust Him, and pursue adoption.
To date, the journey has been everything others promised it would be: thrilling, exciting, full of adventure, and full of spiritual battles sometimes resulting in discouragement, disillusionment, and doubt. We are learning over and over (and OVER) of the need to rest in the Lord, trust in His promises, and continue stepping out in faith to pursue the little one He wants to place in our family. We thank you again and again for joining with us in prayer through this journey: we can't emphasize enough the spiritual battle that takes place for a child's life, so your prayers are absolutely crucial.
May He continue to burden our hearts for His little ones in crisis around the world!
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Sweet Reflections
February is one of our favorite months, not because of Valentines' Day (though an extra time to say "I Love You" is never bad), but because 7 years ago on February 18 we exchanged vows at Brookhaven Wesleyan Church, promising to love each other in sickness and health, wealth and poverty, and all the other things that we said but can't remember because we were so love-struck looking into each other's eyes. What we didn't know 7 years ago was how much deeper the Lord would grow our love for each other and for Him as we entered the realm of parenting, and even deeper still as we embarked on the journey of adoption together.
These past seven years of marriage have been full of rich blessings as we've sailed through both smooth and rough waters. Through periods of doubt, financial blessing, loss, new friendships, closed doors, and new pathways laid before us, the Lord has been so faithful to hold us up and guide us forward when we cling to Him. He has faithfully corrected our short sight when we lost view of His larger picture while staring at immediate problems instead. We can't wait to keep travelling the road of marriage as we hold tight to the Lord!
Along with our anniversary, February is "missions month" at Brookhaven each year, a time we have really grown to love! While our family has never felt a call to foreign missions, we are consistently challenged each year to pursue reaching into the lives of others as the Lord calls and orchestrates. Through the years we have been challenged during missions month in prayer, faith promise giving, and most recently, to pursue the call of adoption and orphan care ministry. This year is proving to be a powerful affirmation of the Lord's call on our lives to continue pursuing adoption and has reminded us that when we are powerless and weak, HE is mighty and strong! We can't wait for the rest of missions month.
As we continue on this adoption journey, we are anticipating great things! We were reminded of God's greatness today through the account of the feeding of the 5,000. Five loaves and 2 fishes were placed in the Lord's hands, and He divided it over and over and over until there were baskets left over after all the people were fed! What a great God we serve!
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20
These past seven years of marriage have been full of rich blessings as we've sailed through both smooth and rough waters. Through periods of doubt, financial blessing, loss, new friendships, closed doors, and new pathways laid before us, the Lord has been so faithful to hold us up and guide us forward when we cling to Him. He has faithfully corrected our short sight when we lost view of His larger picture while staring at immediate problems instead. We can't wait to keep travelling the road of marriage as we hold tight to the Lord!
Along with our anniversary, February is "missions month" at Brookhaven each year, a time we have really grown to love! While our family has never felt a call to foreign missions, we are consistently challenged each year to pursue reaching into the lives of others as the Lord calls and orchestrates. Through the years we have been challenged during missions month in prayer, faith promise giving, and most recently, to pursue the call of adoption and orphan care ministry. This year is proving to be a powerful affirmation of the Lord's call on our lives to continue pursuing adoption and has reminded us that when we are powerless and weak, HE is mighty and strong! We can't wait for the rest of missions month.
As we continue on this adoption journey, we are anticipating great things! We were reminded of God's greatness today through the account of the feeding of the 5,000. Five loaves and 2 fishes were placed in the Lord's hands, and He divided it over and over and over until there were baskets left over after all the people were fed! What a great God we serve!
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20
Monday, January 21, 2013
Home Study IN HAND!!!!
Many of you likely saw on Facebook a couple weeks back that our home study was very close to completion, minus one last document. Well, we are so so SOOO excited to announce that we now have a completed home study in hand!!! For those of you who are new to the adoption world (like us), this means we have completed hurdle #1 of our adoption journey!
We are so thrilled to have this piece complete and also thrilled to have entered the second trimester of our pregnancy, meaning we are all finally feeling a bit more energetic and ready to creatively raise funds! Stay tuned to our blog for some special ways you can help us raise the needed funding to complete our adoption. As always, you may donate now via our PayPal link on the right-hand side of our blog, or you may now make a tax-deductible donation to our adoption by visiting https://adopttogether.org/danielandmae/. We are thanking God for already providing nearly 25 percent!
Please continue praying with us for:
1) Energy and creativity in fundraising--it's no secret, there are large sums of money to be raised before we will be able to bring a child into our family. However, the Lord does not call us to anything without providing for that call, so we are confident He's got a plan to provide!
2) The expectant mother who will carry our child to term--we have no idea what God's timetable is for when our adoption will take place, but we are praying for the sweet woman who either has already or will soon make the brave decision to give life to her little one through the blessing of adoption.
3) Meaningful conversations with others regarding adoption and orphan care. We often have chances to share our call to adoption with friends, family, and acquaintances, so pray we will always be in tune with what the Lord would have us to share regarding His little ones needing families.
Thanks again for all your love, prayers, and support as we continue this journey! May the Lord bless you as you seek Him!
We are so thrilled to have this piece complete and also thrilled to have entered the second trimester of our pregnancy, meaning we are all finally feeling a bit more energetic and ready to creatively raise funds! Stay tuned to our blog for some special ways you can help us raise the needed funding to complete our adoption. As always, you may donate now via our PayPal link on the right-hand side of our blog, or you may now make a tax-deductible donation to our adoption by visiting https://adopttogether.org/danielandmae/. We are thanking God for already providing nearly 25 percent!
Please continue praying with us for:
1) Energy and creativity in fundraising--it's no secret, there are large sums of money to be raised before we will be able to bring a child into our family. However, the Lord does not call us to anything without providing for that call, so we are confident He's got a plan to provide!
2) The expectant mother who will carry our child to term--we have no idea what God's timetable is for when our adoption will take place, but we are praying for the sweet woman who either has already or will soon make the brave decision to give life to her little one through the blessing of adoption.
3) Meaningful conversations with others regarding adoption and orphan care. We often have chances to share our call to adoption with friends, family, and acquaintances, so pray we will always be in tune with what the Lord would have us to share regarding His little ones needing families.
Thanks again for all your love, prayers, and support as we continue this journey! May the Lord bless you as you seek Him!
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)