We got home from the beach last Saturday and were so excited to find our letters from The Department of Homeland Security waiting on us. They scheduled our appointments for fingerprinting for Thursday morning so we traveled to Charleston, West Virginia to have our finger prints taken for immigration approval and that is the last thing we have to do right now! I absolutely loved checking this item off of my list! This appointment came a few weeks earlier that we had anticipated so I know that God is getting us there as quickly as possible...His child is waiting!
The next thing on my list is coming up with the money to bring our child home. God has provided in AMAZING ways over the last month and I want to give you just a couple of examples...
A couple of months ago, Adam needed to take a few things to the dump and so he drove our Jetta over to his parents house and picked up their truck to use for the evening. He left our Jetta parked in their driveway and unbeknownst to us, there was a hail storm while our car was there. Adam went back and dropped the truck off and picked up our car and we never even noticed that there was any damage. A couple of weeks later, a family member (who lives in the same neighborhood as Adam's parents) asked us if we had any damage to our car. I had no idea what they were talking about but soon found out that there had been a hail storm while our car was parked there so we went outside and looked at our car and sure enough...there were little hail dings on our car. Well...we thought about calling our insurance company but we looked into what our deductible was and since we are trying to come up with money right now instead of spending it, we decided we wouldn't worry about it...it's just a car anyways. Well a couple of months went by and someone had mentioned to me in a conversation that they had hail damage to their car so they turned it into their insurance and were given a check to have their car fixed. So the wheels started turning in my head. I thought, "well, even if it is only a few hundred dollars, we could put that money towards our adoption." So I googled whether it was illegal to collect money from your insurance company if you were not going to fix the vehicle and since I found many sites that confirmed there was nothing illegal about this (believe me, I did come across a lot of sites saying that this was a really stupid thing to do because the value of your car has dropped significantly), I called Adam and asked him, "do you think we should get an estimate on the hail damage on the car?" So Adam agreed we should look into it and he took the car for an estimate a couple of days later and I could not believe how much money they gave us! Are you ready... $3,600! It just so happens that small pieces of hail hit every panel of our car :-) A few years ago, if someone asked me if they should do this...take the money they should take to repair their car and use it for something else, I would have said, "absolutely NOT!" But I thought this over and prayed about it and I came to the conclusion that God cares more about our child than he does about what my car looks like! I am sure that Eva will be a little sad when she gets this car at the age of 16 to drive and it has little dents all over it but I hope once we tell her this story, she will love her God for his provision :-)
A few weeks ago, I was at Bible study one evening and I had a conversation with a friend (and family member) about fundraising. She is raising money to go on The World Race which is an eleven month long mission trip she is going on in January...you can read about it here http://alisonstultz.theworldrace.org/ . She was asking me what fundraising events we had planned so far so that she could make sure she didn't do anything on the same date (we both go to the same church and are in the same family so we really don't want to do one on the same day!) I told her that we had a Pampered Chef, Silpada, Scentsy, Thirty-One party coming up in October and we had an Applebee's pancake breakfast in November (believe me, you will be hearing more about these soon!) After our conversation, we sat down to watch the video and I really felt like the Holy Spirit was telling me to give her half of the money from both of our upcoming events. And for about 5 seconds, I am not proud to admit this, but I thought, "God, we still need $10,000, are you sure we should give half to her?" So for the rest of the video I was partly paying attention and partly praying about this and I knew what I needed to do. I told her right after the video was over that we wanted to give her half of the fundraising for these two events and she was really excited! I went home that night and as soon as I walked in the door I told Adam what I did and he was really excited too...I confessed to Adam that I struggled for a few minutes on whether to do this and he told me what we always tell each other...be obedient and He will handle the rest. Well...the next morning, I prayed about this and told God how sorry I was for doubting him and for being selfish and then I went on about my day. We had a lot planned that day and after I took the kids to the library for story time, we went over to someones house for lunch. After lunch, right before we were leaving, they handed me a very large check. I was overwhelmed with gratefulness and for the confirmation from God at the exact time that I needed it....He is going to provide for this and I don't need to worry about how He is going to do it. I hope that you do not read this story as me bragging about giving some of the money away but that you will see that I am selfish and God still loves me! That He calls us to be obedient, even when it doesn't make sense to us and He will reward you for your obedience...it might not be here on earth but you will be rewarded :-)
He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it." Luke 11:28
So now our total fundraising is at $20,355.52! We have raised $20,355.52 since June (and when I say "we", I in no way think I had anything to do with this!)! We give praise and glory to God for every dollar we have been given so far and trust that he will provide the almost $10,000 more that we need!
Keep praying for our child :-) I can't wait for you to meet them!
Friday, September 28, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
He changed everything.
Hi Everyone! We are in the process of filling out applications for different grants for the adoption and we could really use your prayers! Please pray for endurance for us as we fill out the many, many forms that go along with these! God is continuing to financially provide for this in amazing ways and we are so thankful...there will be more to come on that soon!
On another note...I had a few thoughts I felt like sharing so if you feel like reading :-)
I have been reading "The Story" over the summer while I was out of Bible study. It is a book that came out in the last couple of years that is described in the title as being "The Bible as one continuing story of God and His people." Basically, it is the Bible written as somewhat of a novel. I got to the part of the book where the story changes from the Old Testament to the New Testament and the author wrote a brief introduction to the New Testament where he said,
"But God's story wasn't finished. "When the set time had fully come," as the apostle Paul put it, God spoke again - this time in the person of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, whose birth, life, death and resurrection changed everything."
This statement has come to my mind so often in the last week that I find myself reflecting on the ways that Jesus Christ changed everything in my life. When I really sit back and think of all the ways he has changed me, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the grace and forgiveness he has freely extended to me.
I will start somewhere in the middle of my story... I did not know the Lord growing up. I had heard of God and I had even been to church when I was young but during the years where I really feel like a person "grows up" I did not attend church regularly. This was very evident in my life as a middle schooler, high schooler and even young college student. Somewhere during the first year after college, I began to question what life was really all about and thankfully I turned to the God I had learned about all those years ago. I would have said that I believed in God all throughout my life but I did not come to really know and love the Lord until my early twenties. I met Adam when I was twenty-four and God used him and his family to show me what being a follower of Christ really looked like. I have met many dear friends over the last seven years that have really showed me what putting flesh and bones to the gospel really looks like and I am so thankful to God for making my path meet theirs.
I believe that when you accept Jesus as your savior and have a relationship with the God of the universe, there is evidence of that in your life. The first confirmation of this in my life, that I remember, was at my ten year high school reunion. A friend of mine from high school, someone I hung out with after many Friday night football games, laughingly made the comment that if our class were to vote on "The Person Most Changed Since High school," that would definitely be Lynsey. I am not sure if he meant this to be funny, but I took it as a compliment. It was the first time I had seen a lot of my friends from high school in many years, even ones I was very close to and I am sure it was shocking to them to see me completely different. Jesus changed everything.
When I graduated from college, I got a job working at an accounting firm in downtown Roanoke. One morning I remember very clearly walking from my car in the parking garage to the large building where my office was located and I remember thinking to myself, "I finally did it!" Since middle school, my dream was to go to college, graduate, make enough money to fully support myself, work downtown, and wear a suit everyday. I know that sounds very funny to a lot of people but that really was what I wanted out of life. I really wanted to be materially wealthy and very good at what I did. Jesus changed everything.
When I was younger, I was very selfish....I was very, very interested in what made me happy. I had decided very early on that I did not want children. That will come as a huge surprise to some people and not so much of a surprise to those of you who knew me back then. I was very into whatever made me happy and I really could not see why someone would want to spend their life having children. I wanted to spend my life on me. Jesus changed everything.
Somewhere along the way, Jesus completely changed my life. I know how crazy that sounds to all of you who are reading this and are not Christians but, really, he did. Over the last eight years I have studied the Bible and developed a relationship with God and he has changed my desires. Over time, I started to understand who God was and what this life was really about and I know this will come as a shock to some of you but it was not about me! ha ha! I spent years of my life obtaining an education and working very hard to get the career that I wanted and then, just when I was getting exactly what I wanted, I quit work to stay at home with my kids. Children? I thought you didn't want any children? I know! He changed that too! Sometimes I look at my life and I think, what happened? Everything that you once held to be of such importance is gone. I know even friends and family members who knew the "old me" look at me now and really think I have lost it. I can see it in their eyes when I say something completely against our current culture and they think "she has lost it!" And I am so very happy to say, I have. Or atleast I am on my way to losing it. You see, Jesus said,
"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." Matthew 16:25
I read something the other day in "7, An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess," that just about wraps up my thoughts...
"The average human gets around twenty-five thousand days on this earth, and most of us in the United States of America will get a few more. That's it. This life is a breath. Heaven is coming fast, and we live in that thin space where faith and obedience have relevance. We have this one life to offer; there is no second chance, no plan B for the good news. We get one shot at living to expand the kingdom, fighting for justice. We'll stand before Jesus once, and none of our luxuries will accompany us. We'll have one moment to say, "This is how I lived." More than thirteen thousand of those days are over for me. I'm determined to make the rest count."
I feel like I wasted so many years doing what I wanted and I am going to attempt to "make the rest count." I know a lot of people would say that you only have this one life to live so why not live it having fun and doing exactly what you want to do? The funny thing is, I don't feel like I am doing things I don't want to do...God just changed my desires to match his. He has changed my heart so that what makes me happy is doing what makes him happy! And I am having way more fun now than I ever have in my life. I spend my days playing with the two most amazing kids (I know I am biased!) and I have the priveledge of getting on a plane to go get another one to love on! Who would have ever thought I would be a stay at home mom with three kids and married to one of the most amazing people I have ever met? Certainly not me...but Jesus changed everything.
Lynsey
On another note...I had a few thoughts I felt like sharing so if you feel like reading :-)
I have been reading "The Story" over the summer while I was out of Bible study. It is a book that came out in the last couple of years that is described in the title as being "The Bible as one continuing story of God and His people." Basically, it is the Bible written as somewhat of a novel. I got to the part of the book where the story changes from the Old Testament to the New Testament and the author wrote a brief introduction to the New Testament where he said,
"But God's story wasn't finished. "When the set time had fully come," as the apostle Paul put it, God spoke again - this time in the person of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, whose birth, life, death and resurrection changed everything."
This statement has come to my mind so often in the last week that I find myself reflecting on the ways that Jesus Christ changed everything in my life. When I really sit back and think of all the ways he has changed me, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the grace and forgiveness he has freely extended to me.
I will start somewhere in the middle of my story... I did not know the Lord growing up. I had heard of God and I had even been to church when I was young but during the years where I really feel like a person "grows up" I did not attend church regularly. This was very evident in my life as a middle schooler, high schooler and even young college student. Somewhere during the first year after college, I began to question what life was really all about and thankfully I turned to the God I had learned about all those years ago. I would have said that I believed in God all throughout my life but I did not come to really know and love the Lord until my early twenties. I met Adam when I was twenty-four and God used him and his family to show me what being a follower of Christ really looked like. I have met many dear friends over the last seven years that have really showed me what putting flesh and bones to the gospel really looks like and I am so thankful to God for making my path meet theirs.
I believe that when you accept Jesus as your savior and have a relationship with the God of the universe, there is evidence of that in your life. The first confirmation of this in my life, that I remember, was at my ten year high school reunion. A friend of mine from high school, someone I hung out with after many Friday night football games, laughingly made the comment that if our class were to vote on "The Person Most Changed Since High school," that would definitely be Lynsey. I am not sure if he meant this to be funny, but I took it as a compliment. It was the first time I had seen a lot of my friends from high school in many years, even ones I was very close to and I am sure it was shocking to them to see me completely different. Jesus changed everything.
When I graduated from college, I got a job working at an accounting firm in downtown Roanoke. One morning I remember very clearly walking from my car in the parking garage to the large building where my office was located and I remember thinking to myself, "I finally did it!" Since middle school, my dream was to go to college, graduate, make enough money to fully support myself, work downtown, and wear a suit everyday. I know that sounds very funny to a lot of people but that really was what I wanted out of life. I really wanted to be materially wealthy and very good at what I did. Jesus changed everything.
When I was younger, I was very selfish....I was very, very interested in what made me happy. I had decided very early on that I did not want children. That will come as a huge surprise to some people and not so much of a surprise to those of you who knew me back then. I was very into whatever made me happy and I really could not see why someone would want to spend their life having children. I wanted to spend my life on me. Jesus changed everything.
Somewhere along the way, Jesus completely changed my life. I know how crazy that sounds to all of you who are reading this and are not Christians but, really, he did. Over the last eight years I have studied the Bible and developed a relationship with God and he has changed my desires. Over time, I started to understand who God was and what this life was really about and I know this will come as a shock to some of you but it was not about me! ha ha! I spent years of my life obtaining an education and working very hard to get the career that I wanted and then, just when I was getting exactly what I wanted, I quit work to stay at home with my kids. Children? I thought you didn't want any children? I know! He changed that too! Sometimes I look at my life and I think, what happened? Everything that you once held to be of such importance is gone. I know even friends and family members who knew the "old me" look at me now and really think I have lost it. I can see it in their eyes when I say something completely against our current culture and they think "she has lost it!" And I am so very happy to say, I have. Or atleast I am on my way to losing it. You see, Jesus said,
"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." Matthew 16:25
I read something the other day in "7, An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess," that just about wraps up my thoughts...
"The average human gets around twenty-five thousand days on this earth, and most of us in the United States of America will get a few more. That's it. This life is a breath. Heaven is coming fast, and we live in that thin space where faith and obedience have relevance. We have this one life to offer; there is no second chance, no plan B for the good news. We get one shot at living to expand the kingdom, fighting for justice. We'll stand before Jesus once, and none of our luxuries will accompany us. We'll have one moment to say, "This is how I lived." More than thirteen thousand of those days are over for me. I'm determined to make the rest count."
I feel like I wasted so many years doing what I wanted and I am going to attempt to "make the rest count." I know a lot of people would say that you only have this one life to live so why not live it having fun and doing exactly what you want to do? The funny thing is, I don't feel like I am doing things I don't want to do...God just changed my desires to match his. He has changed my heart so that what makes me happy is doing what makes him happy! And I am having way more fun now than I ever have in my life. I spend my days playing with the two most amazing kids (I know I am biased!) and I have the priveledge of getting on a plane to go get another one to love on! Who would have ever thought I would be a stay at home mom with three kids and married to one of the most amazing people I have ever met? Certainly not me...but Jesus changed everything.
Lynsey
Friday, September 7, 2012
Drum Roll Please!
I cannot even put into words how excited I am to tell you...drum roll please....we have submitted everything required of us to European Adoption Consultants!!! Robin, our adoption consultant, should receive our package via FedEx today and she will review it for any errors...please pray there are NO errors, and then she will send it on to EAC's headquarters where it will be reviewed again and then it will be sent to Ghana. I have never before in my life prayed for a material item as much as I have for this packet of information on it's way to Texas. Please join me in praying that this package would make it everywhere it needs to go in one piece! After the package is received in Ghana, we will be put on the waiting list until our immigration approval is received and then, we should receive a referral for a child (the wait time right now is running four to six months). For those of you who do not know what a referral is (because until four months ago, I had no idea what a referral was), the government of Ghana will send us a picture of a child with any known background information as well as medical history and we have been instructed that we should talk to an international doctor regarding their medical issues and then either "accept or decline the child". I can tell you with absolute certainty that the first thing we will do is pray. I cannot image a situation where we would "decline" a child but we will pray unceasingly until we feel like we have heard from God on this. I cannot wait to see this little person! To know whether Eva and Eli will have a new sister or brother. To know what their name is and where they are living. To know whether or not I need extensive training in cornrows or just a little info on products :-) he he! I am so excited!!!!
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