I can’t believe we leave for China TOMORROW!! Our lives are about to be forever changed. Zach’s life is about to be forever changed. So much praise to give to God! It’s been a long ten months, but the journey is not over yet. We need prayers, please! Lots and lots of prayers! I’ve put together a “calendar” of specific prayers for each day. Would you please take the time to pray for us each day? Share with your friends and your churches. Share with anyone who is willing to pray. We believe in the power of prayer and the more people praying for us the better!
Natalie will stay at home while we are gone. My mom and aunt will be taking care of her the first week and Todd's parents will keep her the second week.
For the duration of the trip: Prayers for safety, God's protection, and health for Natalie and our parents who will be caring for her while we are gone. Prayers for safety, peace, and good health for us. That our bodies adjust to the jet-lag easily (there will be a 14 hour time difference). That we bond with the other families who are traveling with us (there are 12 other families!!). Prayers for all the other families, as well. For Natalie to be at peace and not miss her mommy and daddy too much. And for us that we don't miss her too much.
Tuesday, November 17th (today): Pray for us to have peace about leaving. That we rest well tonight. For Natalie to have peace about us leaving. For wisdom and knowledge as we pack a ridiculous amount of stuff into two suitcases, keeping it under 44 lbs each (in-China flight regs).
Wednesday, November 18th: We fly out of Nashville at 6:30 a.m. and land in Detroit at 9:13. Our flight to Beijing leaves at noon and we will arrive in China at 3:10 Thursday afternoon (which is like 1:10 a.m. here.) Weather is supposed to be yucky in Nashville the morning. Heavy rain and wind. Prayers for safe travel. For smooth, uneventful, & on-time flights.
Thursday, November 19th: We arrive in Beijing, unpack and settle in.
Friday & Saturday: Sightseeing in Beijing to help our bodies adjust to the time difference. Weather is looking a bit chilly. Mid 30s and SNOW. Prayers for safety as we navigate the city. We will have a guide. That we stay healthy and adjust to the jetlag.
Sunday, Nov 22nd: Fly from Beijing to Guangzhou. We leave at 8:30 a.m. and will just unpack and settle in once we get there. Prayers again for safe travels. They are predicting 3-5 inches of snow in Beijing Sunday. When we arrive in Guangzhou, it will be 87 degrees. Crazy!!
Monday, Nov 23rd: Gotcha Day! This is the day we will meet Zach and welcome him to our family. He, along with 4 other children from his orphanage and several nannies, will be traveling 8 hours from Shantou to Guangzhou. They will bring the children to our hotel. There are 3 other families adopting kids from Shantou (one family is adopting twins!). What a blessing for them to have familiar faces during this transition in their lives. Prayers for peace in Zach’s heart. For him to not have any fear and to trust easily. Prayers for us the Holy Spirit to lead us in helping him transition and easing any fear he might have.
Tuesday Nov 24th: We have our appointment with Civil Affairs. This is the day our adoption is finalized!
Wednesday, Nov 25th: We will have various adoption appointments this day and do a little sightseeing. Prayers for everything to go smoothly at these appointments and for safety as we navigate the city.
Thursday, Nov 26th: Happy Thanksgiving! We have so much to be thankful for this year! Zach will have his medical exam this day. Prayers that he is healthy!
Friday, Saturday, Sunday (the 27th-29th): We mostly have free time to sight-see and just chill with just one appointment- a “paperwork party” at the US Consulate on Saturday.
Monday, November 30th: We have our consulate appointment where we apply for Zach’s US Visa! Prayers for a smooth process.
Tuesday, December 1st: We pick up Zach’s visa and pack our bags and prepare to come back home!
Wednesday, December 2nd: We come home!! We will fly from Guangzhou to Beijing. From Beijing to Detroit (13 hour flight). Then from Detroit to Nashville. We are scheduled to arrive in Nashville at 10:37 p.m. Wednesday night. We will have been traveling for more than 24 hours at that point. We will need some BIG prayers this day! For ourselves who will be exhausted, but mostly for Zach, who will be getting on airplane for the first time ever. That he’s calm. That he’s able to get some sleep on the plane. That he transitions smoothly to his new home. That he’s able to get some sleep in his new bed. That we’re able to get some sleep. That all of us adjust to the jetlag and remain healthy.
Thursday, December 3rd: Natalie will stay with her Gigi and Pops Wednesday night, so that we can focus on helping Zach acclimate to his new home and hopefully get some rest. She will come back home Thursday to meet her new brother! Prayers that her heart is prepared to receive her new brother as a member of our family and that she shows him love and kindness. That she feels safe and loved by us. That she adjusts to the changes.
Thanks for all of your support and prayers!
“The earnest prayers of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” (James 5:16b)
“You can ask for anything in my name and I will do it, so that the son can bring glory to the Father. Yes. Ask me for anything in my name and I will do it.” (John 14: 13-14)
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Pure Joy!
We woke yesterday morning to pictures of Zach in our inbox. Pictures of his "your getting a family" party. We sent the cake, along with a care package about two months ago. We didn't think we'd actually get to see pictures before we got there, so we were pleasantly surprised when I opened my email to find these! Before, people would ask, "does he know he's getting a family?" "We hope so," is all we could say. Now we know that he knows. And just look at that smile!! It is PURE JOY!
These pictures came at such the perfect time in our journey. The "to-do" list is almost all checked off and we are just waiting for next Wednesday to come. Trying to prepare our hearts and our home to receive him into our family. I pray that his heart is begin prepared, too. That he will feel safe and at peace with the transition. Will you pray for that, too? A week from today, y'all! We will be on a plane to China to bring this sweet boy home!!!
These pictures came at such the perfect time in our journey. The "to-do" list is almost all checked off and we are just waiting for next Wednesday to come. Trying to prepare our hearts and our home to receive him into our family. I pray that his heart is begin prepared, too. That he will feel safe and at peace with the transition. Will you pray for that, too? A week from today, y'all! We will be on a plane to China to bring this sweet boy home!!!
Friday, October 30, 2015
On to the Finish Line- We got our TA (Travel Approval)!!
"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus" (Hebrews 12:1-2a)
And what a race this has been! We can finally see the finish line...and Jesus is definitely there, standing with Zach, as he waits for his family to come get him. And running with us as we count down the days to China. We will keep our eyes on Jesus! We got our TA this week and plans are finalized as of today. We are going to China in 19 days! We will leave on November 18th, welcome our son into our family on November 23rd, make it all official on November 30th and fly home December 2nd!
It's hard to believe it was a year ago TODAY that I flew to China for the first time, having NO IDEA what God had in store for my family. What a life changing trip that was. For us. And for Zach. God pulled the trigger and I took off running. Looking to Him every step of the way. To try to determine where He wanted us to go with this. It has been quite the adventure this past year--fundraising, paperwork, more fundraising, more paperwork, waiting, paperwork, and waiting some more. It's hard to believe we're almost at the finish line! We just have one more stretch to go. 19 DAYS!!
The race is not over, yet! We still need your prayers! Lots and lots of prayers, please. Prayers for all of us and we prepare to welcome Zach into our family. Prayers for God to prepare our hearts for his home coming. And prayers for Zach that his heart is prepared to join our family. That he feels God's love and peace, instead of fear and anxiety as he makes this huge transition.
We want to thank each and everyone of you who have been a part of our journey so far. Please continue to follow the blog, as I plan on posting more before we go and while in China. There will be some specific prayer requests to come, too! China, here we come!
And what a race this has been! We can finally see the finish line...and Jesus is definitely there, standing with Zach, as he waits for his family to come get him. And running with us as we count down the days to China. We will keep our eyes on Jesus! We got our TA this week and plans are finalized as of today. We are going to China in 19 days! We will leave on November 18th, welcome our son into our family on November 23rd, make it all official on November 30th and fly home December 2nd!
It's hard to believe it was a year ago TODAY that I flew to China for the first time, having NO IDEA what God had in store for my family. What a life changing trip that was. For us. And for Zach. God pulled the trigger and I took off running. Looking to Him every step of the way. To try to determine where He wanted us to go with this. It has been quite the adventure this past year--fundraising, paperwork, more fundraising, more paperwork, waiting, paperwork, and waiting some more. It's hard to believe we're almost at the finish line! We just have one more stretch to go. 19 DAYS!!
The race is not over, yet! We still need your prayers! Lots and lots of prayers, please. Prayers for all of us and we prepare to welcome Zach into our family. Prayers for God to prepare our hearts for his home coming. And prayers for Zach that his heart is prepared to join our family. That he feels God's love and peace, instead of fear and anxiety as he makes this huge transition.
We want to thank each and everyone of you who have been a part of our journey so far. Please continue to follow the blog, as I plan on posting more before we go and while in China. There will be some specific prayer requests to come, too! China, here we come!
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Fundraising. Check! (no pun intended!)
I typed this up a couple of weeks ago, but just realized I never posted it! From a few weeks ago...
Holy Cow! What a whirlwind the past few months have been. God has been SO GOOD in providing for this adoption. When we started out, we knew he would guide us as to what we needed to do to raise funds and that he would bless our efforts and provide every penny we need. We had no doubts. BUT, we did not expect to be this blown away by his awesomeness! To look back and see the amazingness (is that a word?), it is nothing short of a miracle! He has provided over $30,000 for this adoption in just a few short months! I mean, that's a salary for some people. It's simply miraculous, I think!
We just finished our final fundraising event- a Both Hands project. While our goal for this fundraiser was initially set at $10,000, we were pleasantly surprised to find out (another little miracle from God!) that there was a grant through an organization called Reece's Rainbow in Zack's name for a little over $2000! Which means that whoever adopted him would be granted that money to go toward his adoption. I mean, WHAT!?! Someone had been advocating for our son and we didn't even know it! A friend of a Facebook friend who is active in orphan advocacy, who happened to be advocating for Zack and wasn't aware that we were in the process of adopting him, told my FB friend about this grant. She in turn told me. Thank you, God!! What an amazing surprise. So, we really only needed to raise about $8000 in our Both Hands project. We have met that goal! Praise God! Funny thing is we considered canceling the project on a couple of occasions. Once in the beginning when we were struggling, and I mean struggling to find a widow who was in need of help and was willing to accept the help. Who knew it would be SO HARD to find someone to help! It took us about 6 weeks and several candidates to find Mrs. Francis. We are so grateful for her allowing us to serve her! The second time we considered canceling was the night before we mailed out the sponsorship letters. We were so stressed at this point, as we were knee deep in the final phases of paperwork, Todd was still recovering from his accident and we had a to-do list a mile long of things that needed to be done to get our home ready for Zack to come home. We just couldn't fathom how we would be able to organize this project, too. It was horrible timing. We almost called the whole thing off, but after praying about it over night, we just couldn't bare the thought of calling Mrs. Francis and disappointing her. So we decided that we would go through with it for her. And, of course, God blessed our efforts! And we were able to bless her.
Take a look at the video we made to show the projects we did at Mrs. Francis's house.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u79y2ig4a6k
And...if you're wondering about the puzzle...well that is finished, too! It took us FOREVER to put that thing together, but we got it done, eventually. We still have to write all the names on the back and frame it, but it's on our list of things to do! Here's a picture of the completed puzzle.
Holy Cow! What a whirlwind the past few months have been. God has been SO GOOD in providing for this adoption. When we started out, we knew he would guide us as to what we needed to do to raise funds and that he would bless our efforts and provide every penny we need. We had no doubts. BUT, we did not expect to be this blown away by his awesomeness! To look back and see the amazingness (is that a word?), it is nothing short of a miracle! He has provided over $30,000 for this adoption in just a few short months! I mean, that's a salary for some people. It's simply miraculous, I think!
We just finished our final fundraising event- a Both Hands project. While our goal for this fundraiser was initially set at $10,000, we were pleasantly surprised to find out (another little miracle from God!) that there was a grant through an organization called Reece's Rainbow in Zack's name for a little over $2000! Which means that whoever adopted him would be granted that money to go toward his adoption. I mean, WHAT!?! Someone had been advocating for our son and we didn't even know it! A friend of a Facebook friend who is active in orphan advocacy, who happened to be advocating for Zack and wasn't aware that we were in the process of adopting him, told my FB friend about this grant. She in turn told me. Thank you, God!! What an amazing surprise. So, we really only needed to raise about $8000 in our Both Hands project. We have met that goal! Praise God! Funny thing is we considered canceling the project on a couple of occasions. Once in the beginning when we were struggling, and I mean struggling to find a widow who was in need of help and was willing to accept the help. Who knew it would be SO HARD to find someone to help! It took us about 6 weeks and several candidates to find Mrs. Francis. We are so grateful for her allowing us to serve her! The second time we considered canceling was the night before we mailed out the sponsorship letters. We were so stressed at this point, as we were knee deep in the final phases of paperwork, Todd was still recovering from his accident and we had a to-do list a mile long of things that needed to be done to get our home ready for Zack to come home. We just couldn't fathom how we would be able to organize this project, too. It was horrible timing. We almost called the whole thing off, but after praying about it over night, we just couldn't bare the thought of calling Mrs. Francis and disappointing her. So we decided that we would go through with it for her. And, of course, God blessed our efforts! And we were able to bless her.
Take a look at the video we made to show the projects we did at Mrs. Francis's house.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u79y2ig4a6k
And...if you're wondering about the puzzle...well that is finished, too! It took us FOREVER to put that thing together, but we got it done, eventually. We still have to write all the names on the back and frame it, but it's on our list of things to do! Here's a picture of the completed puzzle.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Gearing Up for Both Hands!
We have been SO busy these past several weeks--between preparing our home for Zack's homecoming, the final bits of paperwork, and getting ready for our FINAL fundraiser--life has been CRAZY! We are so grateful for all of our friends and family who are working with us on this project. Let me tell you about Both Hands. A group of friends and Todd and I will be completing a service project THIS SATURDAY working on a widow's home. We are raising sponsorship for our day of service. (Just like a 5K or golf tournament) Our goal is to raise the last bit of money for our adoption, which is estimated to be about $10,000. Now this is the "high" end of the estimates, so if we don't raise that much, we know, we don't NEED that much! We are trusting God to provide every penny we will need. And he knows what that is!
Click this link to learn more about our project and to "meet" our widow. http://www.bothhands.org/project/roof-212
We'd appreciate any support you'd be willing to give to help us reach our goal! Please feel free to share, as well!
Also, we received some cute pics of our little guy last week. We also learned that he likes to sing, dance, and play ball. And his favorite color is yellow! In the midst of all of this stress, these little updates help us to stop and refocus on WHY were doing all of this! "Let us run with endurance this race that is set before us. Fixing our eyes on Jesus." (Hebrews 12:1b-2a)
Click this link to learn more about our project and to "meet" our widow. http://www.bothhands.org/project/roof-212
We'd appreciate any support you'd be willing to give to help us reach our goal! Please feel free to share, as well!
Also, we received some cute pics of our little guy last week. We also learned that he likes to sing, dance, and play ball. And his favorite color is yellow! In the midst of all of this stress, these little updates help us to stop and refocus on WHY were doing all of this! "Let us run with endurance this race that is set before us. Fixing our eyes on Jesus." (Hebrews 12:1b-2a)
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Learning through Trials
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
When “bad things” happen, God will use those things for good. While this most recent trial was hard (one of the hardest things we’ve ever experienced), we knew there would be lessons learned through it all. We know that God uses every circumstance to draw us closer to him. To shape us to be more like him. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 crossed my path several times during the weeks following Todd’s accident. I believe these are the lessons we were being taught.
Rejoice always. I tried, although it was hard, to rejoice in this situation. From the first moment I found out. I rejoiced that Todd was alive. That he was conscious. I tried to count every blessing I could find in the whole situation-during the 2 hour car ride to the hospital, through the sleepless nights with Todd and all the pain he was in. I reminded myself and him to rejoice in the little blessings—that he didn’t bleed out as he laid there for 4 hours. That he came to and managed to pull himself up the stairs. That his friend got up early to get some water because he had a migraine and found him when he did. That he wasn’t paralyzed. That he wasn’t a vegetable. That the parts of the brain damaged weren’t “significant” areas. That he could walk and talk and remember. That they expected a full recovery. That he didn’t die! And if we can rejoice about these things in the middle of all of this, we can rejoice always! Everyday. For every second of precious life we have. Even when we are tired. Stressed. And just plain don’t feel like it.
Pray continually. We believe in the power of prayer! That Friday before the accident, I was having a blue day, just emotional and feeling discouraged about the fundraising project we were working on. I just had an uneasy feeling about the weekend--with Natalie and I being in Birmingham and Todd being in Florence. I sent a text to my girls and asked them to pray for me. I’ve never done that before, but felt compelled to do it that day. Looking back, I believe the Holy Spirit prompted me to do that. We were covered in prayer before Todd fell down those stairs. I believe that prayer is what helped me keep it together when I got that phone call. That helped me make it through that 2 hour drive to the hospital, not knowing what to expect. I immediately sent a message to my same girls and told them what had happened and that we needed more prayer. Friends, family, and people we don’t even know, have been praying continually-- from before the accident and even still now. That prayer is the reason Todd healed so quickly. The reason we were showered with support and meals from friends and family. That prayer is what kept us going and got us through this tough time! We are so grateful for our prayer warriors! And we are so grateful for God! Who is so AWESOME!
Give thanks in all circumstances. I’m not gonna lie. I struggled with this part. This has been, I think, the biggest lesson I have learned. That and humility. At first, I was grateful, counting every small blessing I could find. But after we came home and Todd started healing. I was exhausted. I became angry. I was angry with God. I was angry about having ONE more thing on my plate. Well, this experience threw me into a servant’s role, of being the sole caregiver for our daughter and additionally for my husband while he recovered. I was forced to put both of them and their needs before my own. Well, of course, I found myself grumbling and doing it with a not-so-happy heart. Poor me. I don’t have any time for myself, etc. During that time, I read a devotional about doing things with a servant’s heart. “Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord not for men.” (Colossians 3:23) Instead of saying “I have to…”, say “I get to…” And count your blessings. My thoughts have changed from, “I have to give Todd a bath! At 6:30 in the morning (sometimes 5:30)! Before I have my coffee! Ugh!” to “I GET to give Todd a bath. Thank you, Lord that he is here. That I have a husband to bathe. And if I have to give him a bath every day for the rest of my life. I will. And I will do it enthusiastically (well, maybe once my coffee has kicked in!). Because I am so grateful to have him in my life.” It’s been a great lesson in humility and gratitude. One that has been carried over to my parenting. Two very important qualities that will be greatly needed when we bring Zack home.
Throughout this all we have been so grateful for our faith. I honestly don’t know how people get through tough times like this without God. And while we’ve learned a lot, I still have much to learn and I fail daily! But at least now, I’m able to recognize when I am being selfish and remind myself that I am so blessed to have the little messes and the minor inconveniences because I have a beautiful daughter and husband to share my life with that cause those messes and inconveniences! And I shift my attitude to a more Christ-like one.
All this to say, when you find yourself in difficult situations, you are likely under attack from the enemy. Pour yourself into the word of God. Know that he’s upholding you in his hand. Take the negative thoughts captive. Think on the true, noble, praiseworthy things. And press on! God has a plan for you. It will be worth it in the end and you will be a stronger (AKA more Christ-like) person.
“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:5-8)
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
When “bad things” happen, God will use those things for good. While this most recent trial was hard (one of the hardest things we’ve ever experienced), we knew there would be lessons learned through it all. We know that God uses every circumstance to draw us closer to him. To shape us to be more like him. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 crossed my path several times during the weeks following Todd’s accident. I believe these are the lessons we were being taught.
Rejoice always. I tried, although it was hard, to rejoice in this situation. From the first moment I found out. I rejoiced that Todd was alive. That he was conscious. I tried to count every blessing I could find in the whole situation-during the 2 hour car ride to the hospital, through the sleepless nights with Todd and all the pain he was in. I reminded myself and him to rejoice in the little blessings—that he didn’t bleed out as he laid there for 4 hours. That he came to and managed to pull himself up the stairs. That his friend got up early to get some water because he had a migraine and found him when he did. That he wasn’t paralyzed. That he wasn’t a vegetable. That the parts of the brain damaged weren’t “significant” areas. That he could walk and talk and remember. That they expected a full recovery. That he didn’t die! And if we can rejoice about these things in the middle of all of this, we can rejoice always! Everyday. For every second of precious life we have. Even when we are tired. Stressed. And just plain don’t feel like it.
Pray continually. We believe in the power of prayer! That Friday before the accident, I was having a blue day, just emotional and feeling discouraged about the fundraising project we were working on. I just had an uneasy feeling about the weekend--with Natalie and I being in Birmingham and Todd being in Florence. I sent a text to my girls and asked them to pray for me. I’ve never done that before, but felt compelled to do it that day. Looking back, I believe the Holy Spirit prompted me to do that. We were covered in prayer before Todd fell down those stairs. I believe that prayer is what helped me keep it together when I got that phone call. That helped me make it through that 2 hour drive to the hospital, not knowing what to expect. I immediately sent a message to my same girls and told them what had happened and that we needed more prayer. Friends, family, and people we don’t even know, have been praying continually-- from before the accident and even still now. That prayer is the reason Todd healed so quickly. The reason we were showered with support and meals from friends and family. That prayer is what kept us going and got us through this tough time! We are so grateful for our prayer warriors! And we are so grateful for God! Who is so AWESOME!
Give thanks in all circumstances. I’m not gonna lie. I struggled with this part. This has been, I think, the biggest lesson I have learned. That and humility. At first, I was grateful, counting every small blessing I could find. But after we came home and Todd started healing. I was exhausted. I became angry. I was angry with God. I was angry about having ONE more thing on my plate. Well, this experience threw me into a servant’s role, of being the sole caregiver for our daughter and additionally for my husband while he recovered. I was forced to put both of them and their needs before my own. Well, of course, I found myself grumbling and doing it with a not-so-happy heart. Poor me. I don’t have any time for myself, etc. During that time, I read a devotional about doing things with a servant’s heart. “Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord not for men.” (Colossians 3:23) Instead of saying “I have to…”, say “I get to…” And count your blessings. My thoughts have changed from, “I have to give Todd a bath! At 6:30 in the morning (sometimes 5:30)! Before I have my coffee! Ugh!” to “I GET to give Todd a bath. Thank you, Lord that he is here. That I have a husband to bathe. And if I have to give him a bath every day for the rest of my life. I will. And I will do it enthusiastically (well, maybe once my coffee has kicked in!). Because I am so grateful to have him in my life.” It’s been a great lesson in humility and gratitude. One that has been carried over to my parenting. Two very important qualities that will be greatly needed when we bring Zack home.
Throughout this all we have been so grateful for our faith. I honestly don’t know how people get through tough times like this without God. And while we’ve learned a lot, I still have much to learn and I fail daily! But at least now, I’m able to recognize when I am being selfish and remind myself that I am so blessed to have the little messes and the minor inconveniences because I have a beautiful daughter and husband to share my life with that cause those messes and inconveniences! And I shift my attitude to a more Christ-like one.
All this to say, when you find yourself in difficult situations, you are likely under attack from the enemy. Pour yourself into the word of God. Know that he’s upholding you in his hand. Take the negative thoughts captive. Think on the true, noble, praiseworthy things. And press on! God has a plan for you. It will be worth it in the end and you will be a stronger (AKA more Christ-like) person.
“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:5-8)
Monday, August 31, 2015
Do You Believe In Spiritual Warfare?
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…” (1 Peter 5:8-9a).
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:10-12)
Spiritual warfare. I’d heard of it. I’d read about it in the Bible. But I had never really experienced it before (well, if I have, I didn’t realize that’s what it was!). Well now, I get it. A spill down some stairs. A broken wrist. A severe brain injury. Two days in the CCU. Three weeks and counting of recovery. Our family was under attack, still is! There have been several “attacks” over the past several months since we started this journey. Mostly small ones. But this! This was the real deal! This had the potential to destroy us. Our family. God’s plans for this adoption. For a little boy’s future. This was HARD!
Shortly after arriving at the hospital, just before they took Todd back for surgery on his hand, I read this verse, “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen!” (1 Peter 5:10) I held on to this truth through this whole ordeal. The armor of God! And when my faith started slipping, when I started doubting, God reminded me of this verse. I knew that the Holy Spirit was talking to me by showing me this verse. Reassuring me that everything was going to turn out okay. Later, I felt compelled to look that verse up and read the entire passage. So, I read, just two verses prior, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…” (1 Peter 5:8-9a). Spiritual! Warfare! This is what this is. I recognized it. So I was able to arm myself!
Many have asked, “Will this affect your adoption? Will it delay things?” How tempted one could be to throw in the towel and quit. God must not want us to do this. Otherwise, wouldn’t it be easier? Wouldn’t he protect us from all of this? These are all thoughts that we could be tempted to think. There are so many reasons not to follow through with this adoption at this point. Forget the “what-ifs” that are swirling through my head (what if something else were to happen to Todd after we bring Zack home and I have to raise a child with special needs on my own, etc, etc.), but also the “This is too hard. This following God thing.” and the “How in the world are we going to afford this now?” when the reality of the added financial burden sinks in, as medical bills will soon be pouring in, income will be less with Todd not working for a few weeks, while we are still about $10,000 short of what we need to complete the adoption. So many reasons to quit. To stop following God on THIS journey. But because we are armed with the armor of God, we know. We know these thoughts come from the enemy. Trying to destroy a beautiful plan. This is spiritual warfare! And so we WILL! NOT! STOP! We’ve got our eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. We’re off and running and we are not turning back! (Philippians 3: 13b-14, The Message). We have God on our side and this is HIS thing. He wants us to bring Zack home. He wants to show the world his awesome power through this story. “Sing to the Lord for he has done glorious things; let this be known to the world.” (Isaiah 12:5). God has carried us this far and he will carry us through this. To. The. End. HE WILL PROVIDE every penny we need! No doubt!
So, no. This will not affect our adoption. We will keep on moving forward! We hope to have our RA any day now. And we still hope to travel in November. And when this is all said and done we will say, “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)
Thanks to all of our friends and family for your support and prayers through all of this. Please continue to pray us through this and all the way to the end of this journey?
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:10-12)
Spiritual warfare. I’d heard of it. I’d read about it in the Bible. But I had never really experienced it before (well, if I have, I didn’t realize that’s what it was!). Well now, I get it. A spill down some stairs. A broken wrist. A severe brain injury. Two days in the CCU. Three weeks and counting of recovery. Our family was under attack, still is! There have been several “attacks” over the past several months since we started this journey. Mostly small ones. But this! This was the real deal! This had the potential to destroy us. Our family. God’s plans for this adoption. For a little boy’s future. This was HARD!
Shortly after arriving at the hospital, just before they took Todd back for surgery on his hand, I read this verse, “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen!” (1 Peter 5:10) I held on to this truth through this whole ordeal. The armor of God! And when my faith started slipping, when I started doubting, God reminded me of this verse. I knew that the Holy Spirit was talking to me by showing me this verse. Reassuring me that everything was going to turn out okay. Later, I felt compelled to look that verse up and read the entire passage. So, I read, just two verses prior, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…” (1 Peter 5:8-9a). Spiritual! Warfare! This is what this is. I recognized it. So I was able to arm myself!
Many have asked, “Will this affect your adoption? Will it delay things?” How tempted one could be to throw in the towel and quit. God must not want us to do this. Otherwise, wouldn’t it be easier? Wouldn’t he protect us from all of this? These are all thoughts that we could be tempted to think. There are so many reasons not to follow through with this adoption at this point. Forget the “what-ifs” that are swirling through my head (what if something else were to happen to Todd after we bring Zack home and I have to raise a child with special needs on my own, etc, etc.), but also the “This is too hard. This following God thing.” and the “How in the world are we going to afford this now?” when the reality of the added financial burden sinks in, as medical bills will soon be pouring in, income will be less with Todd not working for a few weeks, while we are still about $10,000 short of what we need to complete the adoption. So many reasons to quit. To stop following God on THIS journey. But because we are armed with the armor of God, we know. We know these thoughts come from the enemy. Trying to destroy a beautiful plan. This is spiritual warfare! And so we WILL! NOT! STOP! We’ve got our eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. We’re off and running and we are not turning back! (Philippians 3: 13b-14, The Message). We have God on our side and this is HIS thing. He wants us to bring Zack home. He wants to show the world his awesome power through this story. “Sing to the Lord for he has done glorious things; let this be known to the world.” (Isaiah 12:5). God has carried us this far and he will carry us through this. To. The. End. HE WILL PROVIDE every penny we need! No doubt!
So, no. This will not affect our adoption. We will keep on moving forward! We hope to have our RA any day now. And we still hope to travel in November. And when this is all said and done we will say, “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)
Thanks to all of our friends and family for your support and prayers through all of this. Please continue to pray us through this and all the way to the end of this journey?
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