A Roller Coaster

This past week has been a roller coaster!  Friday before last, I was on a mountain top high because God had confirmed to Adam and I that we were supposed to change countries and so we mailed in our registration documents and were officially in the Congo program.  Whew....what a relief!  I had prayed and prayed, and lets face it, whined and whined to God "please tell Adam that we are supposed to adopt from the Congo!"  and he finally did and I was thrilled!  Then came the bad news...this would mean that we would have to wait some more.  This would mean that we needed more money, a lot more money.  This would mean that we would need new fingerprints done, an updated home study, amended immigration approval, a new dossier and all of that would have to be sent to the Congo and then we would go on a waiting list...again.  It truthfully was more than I could handle.  I became overwhelmed with sadness and cried and cried to God.  Then twice last week, in two completely different settings, this verse came up..

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  Hebrews 12:1-3

I have memorized this verse.  TRUST. TRUST. TRUST.  Jesus, for the JOY set before him, endured the CROSS.  I can endure a little more waiting, more paperwork, more money.  He has reminded me over and over this week...

While you are waiting, I AM WORKING ALL THINGS OUT FOR YOUR GOOD AND FOR MY GLORY!!!!  Be patient, my timing is perfect.

I do not know why this is taking so long but I cannot be fearful and trust him at the same time, so I choose to trust. 

On Thursday of last week, Adam and I went to get our finger prints done again and we mailed off our request for local, state and FBI clearance again.  We also received our updated home study and mailed that to USCIS for an amendment to our immigration approval.  As soon as we dropped off all of the information at the post office, I prayed out loud "Now it's in your hands, God."  And this statement made me laugh out loud at myself...it was never in my hands to begin with!  We serve a God who is sovereign over ALL and I praise him that it is ALL in his hands ALL the time.  I am praying daily that God would move mountains to get all of this paperwork back here and then to the Congo so that we can go and get our baby, please pray with us. 

In the meantime, God has laid something on my heart that I want to share with you.  Over the last couple of months, two people have asked me if I had heard of "Forget the Frock?"  This is a tradition that the Fox Family started and I checked out their blog and it really spoke to my heart...Here is the info they have on their blog...

“It’s simple really.
We commit to give up our Frocks (you know those fancy little dresses we love to slap on for Easter). Yep, we kiss ‘em goodbye and spend our money on something to wear on Easter Sunday that serves a PURPOSE… T-shirts that feed hungry babies, precious orphans actually.

People, who for Easter do something as simple as wearing a t-shirt that helps care for the orphan. Because GOD says “pure and faultless religion is to look after the orphan and the widow and not allow the world to corrupt you.” James 1:27

So here it is… The Easter Challenge… let’s toss aside our Fancy Frocks and let’s join forces to care for the orphan… let’s…

Forget the Frock, Feed an Orphan!!!

“God is for people who are for his people and orphans are HIS people. So if you are for the Orphan… God is for you. ” -Jen Hatmaker

Are you on board? Or maybe still on the fence… Just aren’t sure where to snag your new Easter Shirt… Check out FeedingTheOrphans.org… every last drop of the money you spend on your “Easter” shirt goes to feed hungry babies in Ghana!

So I looked at FeedingTheOrphans.org and you have got to check out this website!  http://feedingtheorphans.org/from-sydney  this is an AMAZING story about 7 year old girl you have got to read!  It's short so take a minute and listen to what God is doing through this little girl and her family. If they are out of your size or the shirt you want, you can also purchase shirts through http://www.147millionorphans.com/ .

Join our family on Easter in Forgetting the Frocks and Feeding an Orphan!