Thoughts about Fundraising

You know, 

I'm not one to complain, 

or assert myself and be bossy, 

or point my finger at people and tell them what I'm NOT going to do....

But I did.

I did that to God.

You've never done that, have you?  

After the boy's adoption I told Him I was done.  

Finito.

Completo.

Burrito.

D-O-N-E

No more fundraising.

Ever.  Never ever again.

And then He said Lili Beth was ready and waiting for us.  He lit a fire under our feet.  

... So now I fundraise....

It is a HUGE blow to your pride to have to fundraise.  Period.  Everyone has needs, desires, wants.  And here I am, in your face, saying HELP ME!

And I don't like doing that.  

So I've been praying and wondering WHY God would have us fundraise.  I mean, really.  Why?  

I remembered our last journey to adopt.  We pounded the pavement and got the word out about orphans and the need for forever families.  Since then I have seen several families add to their homes because they saw how we raised funds.

Now I'm cool with it.  Let's fundraise.  Let's shout it from the roof tops if that is what we need to do.  

Use me, Lord.  Let's tell everyone about the need.  

How I know...

How do I know my daughter's name is Lili Beth?

Well, actually, it's not.

It is Lilian Elizabeth, and the Lord gave me her name many years ago. 

My now 12 year old daughter has been praying for her little sister for many, many years.  She KNEW she was going to get a little sister, even when her father and I scoffed and told her, "good luck with that."

God was listening to her.

When we submitted to God three years ago to adopt, we didn't know where to start.  

"Ok, Lord" we said, "There are orphans everywhere.  Where do you want us to go?"

Hubby and I separated for 1 week in prayer.  At the end of that week we compared notes and realized that China had been laid on both our hearts quite heavy. 

Then THIS happened.

And we didn't quite know what to do that.  

So we pushed forward and were matched with a bouncing baby boy..... and 30 days later, ANOTHER bouncing baby boy.  

My precious boys have been life changing.  

Fun with Silly Selfies:

Love in Daddy's arms:

Keeping big sister in line:

Enjoying nature:

These boys are my sons. 

 They fit in my family like they have always been here.

And now God says its time to go get Lili Beth. 

So we go.

That's how I know.

It's Not About Comfort, It's About Obedience

Here we go.... again!

We are going to adopt again!  

I have a lot of words rolling around in my mind.  Every time I reach up to grab one or two to put them on here, I freeze.  My husband put his thoughts into words, so I'm going to share HIS thoughts for now.

Enjoy.

One of the most common questions I get from folks is, "Why did you choose to adopt?"  The answer, though to many, may seem complicated, is really quite simple.  You see, we are faced with choices.  Thousands of choices - daily.  

Do I want to hit the snooze button?
What should I eat for breakfast?
Lunch?
Dinner?
Should I fix my hair a certain way or wear a hat?
Do I drive the speed limit?
etc., etc.

The choices are endless. While on this rock, we have the choice to be comfortable or obedient.  Our choice - obedient.  Adopting isn't easy.  In fact, it's very difficult.  Mounds of paperwork, fundraising, waiting, travel- and that's all before getting our children.  Then comes the re-building phase; establishing trust, bonding, sickness (physical and emotional), and healing.  But in he end it all becomes worth it.  

You cross over the threshold from adoptive family to just... family.

So if you haven't heard, we're going back.  This time God has told us that our Lili Beth is ready for us and waiting.  I'm not sure what that looks like or how long it will take, but I have a choice - comfort or obedience.  Honestly, I'm nervous; make that very nervous. It's not an uncertain nervousness, it's an excited nervousness.  So if you've been called to adopt and you're waiting for the "perfect" time, it will never come.  If you're expecting the utopian "Annie" adoption, it's not going to happen.  Prepare yourself for many sleepless, screaming, crying nights.

And then expect those same nights from your children.  

But honestly ask yourself, "Would I want someone to hand me over a championship title when I didn't work for it?  Would I want heroic accolades for a job that had no meaning?"  If your answer was no, then you are a perfect candidate for adoption. 

Hosea 6:6 says, "For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings." (NASB)

Ben Sternke writes, "Sacrifice in this sense is actually an attempt to gain independence from God.  If we sacrifice for him, then we have put him in our debt.  If we sacrifice for God, he owes us something (so we think).  Sacrifice is a way of "buying" whatever we want to get from God (protection, deliverance, provision, favor), while at the same time remaining independent from him.  Obedience, however, is the response of someone who is in a relationship of trust with God.  We trust God, we depend on him, we are interactive with him, but he takes the lead.  Obedience is better than sacrifice because we are letting God be God and staying in our proper place with him, the place of dependence and surrender to his goodness."

So now what?  Well, our commitment is to God.  And if that means discomfort now for comfort later, then so be it, because I know that even in discomfort my family will be blessed.

We're coming, Lili Beth!  As God's timing is perfect, we're coming!

2 Years Home!

Two years home.  

They have changed our lives so much.  

They have shown us what the love of our Savior is all about. 

We cannot imagine life without such wonderful blessings.