90 Days for Noelle - Day 40

We finished our last Hague class today. All we need now is the certificate and our part of the homestudy will be finished. We will just have to wait for the actual homestudy document to be completed by our social worker. The classes were not difficult but very informative and usually leave me thinking. Our final class was on being a "conspicuous family". So, what does it mean to be conspicuous? It means that your family stands out. It means that your family is different. The class was referring to our child having a different ethnicity than Jessica and I do. But I want us to be a "conspicuous family" in a different way as well. I want us to stand out as a Christian family. As we discussed tonight while studying 'Crazy Love', we don't want to be lukewarm. We want to be sure we are doing all that God wants us to do and we want to raise our children to love God as we do. When people give us those extra long looks because we are conspicuous. When they stare because they see we have different colored skin from each other. I hope they see our love for each other and when they look away, they don't remember the physical differences we have, but remember us as being a very "conspicuous" Christian family.

Psalm 4:3

But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The LORD will hear when I call to Him.

Lord, let us be a family noticed because we love and serve You. When people say things to us that could be hurtful, let us always respond as You would have us to. Let our children learn from us as we honor You. In Your name we pray. Amen

90 Days for Noelle - Day 33

The recurring theme for today seems to be "Daddy". Let me explain. I am currently reading the book, 'Wild at Heart' by John Eldridge. It is about what it means to be a manly Christian, and of course talks about the roles and influence of fathers. Then at church tonight, the topic of "daddy" came up. We are currently doing a series on 'Crazy Love' by Francis Chan. We talked about the love of the Father for us. Scott (my brother & pastor) talked about our dad and how we were so blessed to have an awesome dad. I know other people have great dad's, and I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but they are not as great as mine....Anyway, I digress. One of the study questions presented tonight was, "Do you remember when you "got it"? When you first realized you loved God with all heart, mind, and soul?" I thought about this for a few moments and realized mine. I will condense it for you. It was the day Cora was born. Jessica had a rough pregnancy and was 10 days over due. She was having contractions, so off we go to the hospital. From the time we walked in the door until Cora was born was a whirlwind. They took vitals and discovered neither Cora or Jessica was doing very good. In just minutes they had rushed Jessica back for an emergency C-section. Everything happened so fast it was constant chaos, nurses running everywhere, machines beeping, then.......silence. They were gone and I was left standing in a hospital room, all alone. All kinds of thoughts were running through my mind. All I knew to do was start praying. As I prayed, I began to feel peace. I began to feel God's love. I heard God speak to my spirit and say, "It's time to be Daddy". That was my "got it" moment. I knew to be the father I needed to be, I had to love God with everything within me. I want to be the the best husband and father I can be. I know I am/will be responsible for three (at least) beautiful girls. I want Cora and Noelle to be able to say one day that they can understand their Heavenly Father's love because of their Earthly father's example.

1 John 3:1

 ¹ See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! …

Dear Lord, thank You for loving us as our father. I pray that you lead me as the father of our household and to be strong in You. Let me be an example of Your love to Cora and Noelle and all of my children. I pray they see Your love through me and do great things for You. In Your name we pray. Amen.

90 Days for Noelle - Day 26

I have been networking with other families currently adopting or that have adopted from the DRC lately. A lot of them have blogs as well. The new blog I was reading this morning had the following video posted on it. (thanks, Jolene)  I should probably give a warning that some of the images in the slide show are hard to see, BUT I AM NOT GOING TO. These images are real and this is the world that we live in RIGHT NOW. But I will say this, WARNING!! If you watch these slides, listen to the words of this song, and have read/are reading 'Crazy Love', and fully commit to Christ, this could completely change your life as you know it. For our post today, I want this video to say it all.

 

 

Matthew 18:14

 ¹⁴"So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

Heavenly Father, Let us respond to the call You specifically gave to us in Your word, to take care of the widows and orphans. Let us be moved with compassion to do something extraordinary for Your glory. We pray that You be with the children of the DRC and all of Africa, including our Noelle. We love You, Father. Amen

90 Days for Noelle - Day 16

We are so blessed and yet we take so much for granted. We (especially Americans) worry about things that are so petty. Let me soap box for a moment. It drives me crazy when I check my Facebook and most of the posts that I see are things like, "which should I choose the Droid or the iPhone" or "I have not bought anything in three days because I am stuck at home from the snow. I need a shopping trip". Our focus is so far from where it should be, it is sickening. I am not pointing fingers because I fall victim to the same materialism myself at times. Let's face it, we are bombarded with it in America everywhere we go. As Christians, I have heard it said that the easiest way for the devil to attack us is by stealing our time. We let ourselves get so busy in things that is not so important in God's eyes that we open ourselves up to sin. It is so easy for us to lose our focus. We focus on measuring up to those around us instead of measuring ourselves to who God wants us to be. Let me quote something from Crazy Love that hit home to me. "If one hundred people represented the world's population, fifty-three of those would live on less than $2 a day. Do you realize that if you make $4,000 a month, you automatically make one hundred times more than the average person on this planet?" Another quote, "Which is more messed up - that we have so much compared to everyone else, or that we don't think we are rich?" Since we have made the decision to adopt internationally, I find it harder to turn my head from what life is like in less fortunate countries. It is becoming harder to turn the channel when they are showing scenes of starving children or refugees in make-shift camps on tv that are just struggling to survive. It is different for me now. Now I see my daughter in these places. I want to jump on a plane find her tonight and bring her home. I don't want to turn a deaf ear to those on the other side of the world that are crying and in need of help. I want to save Noelle. Not just Noelle, but all these children that need homes, that need love.

Matthew 6:19-21

    ¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

God, forgive us for our lack of concern for others. Forgive us for all the times we have ignored our calling to take care of the poor and orphaned. Please keep us focused as to not miss the opportunity to help those that cannot help themselves. Please allow us to serve You by serving them. We love You, Lord. We want to show Your love to others so as to receive Your love ourselves. We pray that we do not miss these opportunities again. In Your name we pray. Amen

90 Days for Noelle - Day 13

I think I am one of the last people on Earth to start reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan, but I am now in the process. Jessica picked it up in Cleveland yesterday and I am a few chapters in now but I am already hooked. I've been wanting to read it for a while and after some recent encouragement (Michelle & Rachel), I figured its time. I know I just started it, but there has been a few points made that I have really been dwelling on. I just want to talk about one tonight. I am not a scientific kind of guy but I have been thinking a lot about the first video referenced in the book. 'Awe Factor of God'. Pick the link and check it out. To really think about the vastness of God is a hard place to let your mind go. The size of our planet alone is almost incomprehensible. God has given us a wonderful place to live called Earth and we take it for granted. Just here on Earth we have mountains and oceans, jungles and rivers, natural beauty that can make you sit and stare at it for hours without saying a word. But outside of that, this Earth is just a tiny spec in our galaxy. Our Galaxy is just a tiny spec in our universe, and on top of that we have to realize that our God is still bigger. He made it all. He is over it all. Then when you dwell on this for a few moments, and you start to get that feeling in side of just 'awe'. You have to bring it back down and realize that he created, knows, and cares for YOU. Out of all the millions of planets in this universe and all the billions of people on Earth, he knows YOU. He loves YOU. I am not sure exactly where the author is going from this point, but as I think about it I believe it shows us just how our life should not be about us but be all about Him. Doing His work and glorifying Him. This adoption of Noelle is not just our desire, but what God desires for us. He has called us to adopting her and adding her to our family just as we are a part of His. In God's plan we need her as much as she needs us.

Luke 12:6-8

⁶ Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. ⁷ Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. ⁸ “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. 

God, we praise You for who You are. We are in awe of You. You are the God of all and we thank you for loving us. We thank you for the plans you have for us and we thank you for the journey You have set for us. We pray for your guidance along our journey and that you keep your hand upon us and Noelle. Please let us listen for your voice and go in the directions You would have us to go. To die to our flesh daily and follow the calling You have on our lives. In Your name we pray, Amen.