On time God

Who knew that the adoption journey would be filled with so many ups and downs.  There are times that I feel so unworthy of this cause.  Why me?  There are plenty of other people out there with good hearts and/or big bank accounts.  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God put adoption in mine and Jason's hearts but as time and circumstances have past I have felt my own faith waiver.  In January, I felt like I was standing on the mountain top as donations and pledges came in...We starting selling Noelle t-shirts. We were going along with full wind in our sails.  But anyone that has been on the pathway of adoption knows that there can be a lot of "hurry up and wait moments".  I knew that God promised to provide, but as I looked at the credit card bill adding up, I started letting doubt and discouragement fill my heart.  Oh how I can relate to Peter...I'm good at getting out of the boat just can't seem to stay on top of the water.  Lately I have dreaded people's questions about the adoption.  I didn't have any news to share and when people would ask, it was just a reminder that we still had a long way to go both financially and legally.  This morning my sister-in-law asked if there was any news and i began to cry saying sometimes it feels like it's never going to happen.  I came home and asked Jason to call the agency to check on the status again although he just emailed them last Thursday.  I was feeling hopeless.  Just like Peter I was taking my eyes off Jesus and was beginning to look at the waves crashing.  I thank God for his patience and loving kindness toward my failings and I'm so grateful that His mercies are new every morning. We know that God is rarely early and never late, but always just in time.  I checked the mail as I was leaving to pick up Cora and saw that we had received a letter from Show Hope.  I called Jason back and said I think we should open this together.  I wasn't ready to take another blow without moral support (note: we had already been denied by another grant organization).  Jason and I prayed a simple prayer as we opened the letter asking God to help us receive whatever he had in store for us and to trust in His promise to provide.  We opened the letter to find that we had been approved for a grant.  It's not enough to cover the whole adoption by a long shot, but is a step in the right direction.  Thanks be to God for his faithfulness and for the hope that he exchanges for my doubt.  He knew just what I needed and when.  

Lord, help me to trust you more.  You display your glory everyday.  Help me not to miss it!

He "bestows on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of the spirit of despair."  Isaiah 61:3

4th of July

Hi All,
Jessica and I will be set up at the Fourth of July Celebration in Etowah tomorrow. We will have all three t-shirt designs for sale and will be taking orders for any color you want that we do not have "in stock". We will also be distributing information on the issues affecting the Congo through www.raisehopeforcongo.org. Part of the Enough Project.

If you have purchased a shirt from us, we would love for you to send us a picture of yourself wearing it or wear it tomorrow, come by the booth, and we will take the picture for you. We hope to gather all these pictures and make a collage for Noelle to give her one day (probably when she is a little older) to show her all the people who were a part of her adoption.

Process Update: Our dossier is all but complete. We had our fingerprinting last Friday and once we receive our approval from USCIS it should be ready to send to the DR Congo for their government to review. Also, we were denied for our first grant request but we are awaiting word from two others and will be applying for a fourth this week. We appreciate everyone's prayers.  Once we receive our official referral, we will continue our last half of '90 Days for Noelle'.

Website & Fundraising

Hi All,
 We have created a website to expand beyond the capabilities of the blog. We will still continue the blog but have added the website for additional information. You can now check out www.AdoptingNoelle.org to stay connected with our adoption journey. Also, we are beginning our first fund raiser. International adoption is VERY expensive. The cost of agency fees, governmental fees, travel, and etc. are almost overwhelming, but we know that God will provide. We are selling adoption themed Simply Love t-shirts (thanks, Kari). Since we are the first family adopting from the DR Congo to use the Simply Love trademark, Kari from www.mycrazyadoption.org named the DRC design 'Noelle'. The name Noelle actually shows up on the shirt beside the country shape. (You can see the DRC designs on the website) There are 3 different designs to choose from and the shirts look awesome. We are very excited about this. Every penny of the sales of these shirts and any donations will go toward our adoption fees and travel expenses. Jessica and I are advocates for sponsorship of children in other countries. In fact, we currently sponsor two children, one from India and one from the Philippines. It is a wonderful thing, but what is sad is that we will never get to meet these children or see the difference we made in their lives. By supporting our adoption, you will see the fruit of your giving when you meet Noelle for the first time. On the website, choose the link 'SUPPORT OUR CAUSE' for more information. Also, we will be able to apply for grants very soon to help in our expenses so please pray that we find favor with these foundations.

**Also, thank you to all of you who are helping us with our fundraiser. It means more than you know. If you would like to help, let me know and I will get you a brochure with an order form to pass around.** 


In His Service,
Jason

This design is called 'The Heart of Africa' - for ladies only

90 Days for Noelle - Day 14

I am humbled and stand amazed at God's faithfulness today.  I mentioned back on Day 7 that the only factor throughout making the decision to adopt that made me think twice was finances.  I talked about how God had taken that fear away one Sunday morning a couple of months ago, and how God had come through already with his promise to provide.  Well, He is an on time God, yes He is.  Tonight I went to workout at the Y and Jason decided to work over a little.  It was close to the end of my step class so I told Jason just to wait on me and we would leave together.  We picked up Cora and were discussing dinner plans.  Jason didn't feel quite up to what I had planned to fix for dinner due to his wisdom teeth extraction last week.  We thought of a couple of places to eat at that had "soft" food.  We decided on a place and then changed our mind at the last minute.  We ended up at the local Chinese restaurant.  The hostess sat us near a former student and her family.  We said hello and got Cora ready to eat her chicken nuggets that we had picked up at McDonald's on the way (something that Jason and I had said pre-Cora that we would never do).  A few moments later my student's mom came over and sat at the table with tears in her eyes.  She said "you are going to think I am crazy, but I heard that you all were adopting and God put it on my heart to give you a donation."  She continued to tell me that she had thought about the fact that she doesn't really see me very often and that when I walked into the restaurant, God confirmed it for her.  She handed us a check for just the amount that Jason had spent (today) to pay for our adoption training classes (a requirement for our homestudy).  Actually the check was $20 more than the classes which just so happened to be the amount of our "divine appointment" dinner tonight.  God doesn't leave out one detail.  Just like Jason said last night, God knows the number of hairs on our head.   Jason and I are overwhelmed by God's handiwork.   

Psalm 77:12-15

¹² I will consider all your works
   and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

 ¹³ Your ways, God, are holy.
   What god is as great as our God?
¹⁴ You are the God who performs miracles;
   you display your power among the peoples.
¹⁵ With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
   the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. 

God, I am standing in awe of your limitless love.  You are faithful to your promises.  You are truly awesome.  My vocabulary cannot even describe all that You are.  Thank you for these moments of confirmation.  As you manifest yourself, You whisper that You are here.  You are an ever-present help in our time of need and doubt. Help us continue to walk out our faith. We praise You and give You glory for all that You have done and are going to do.  Amen!

90 Days for Noelle - Day 7

As Jason and I discussed adoption, the only concern we had was finances.  We weren't worried about loving a child that wasn't born to us or what other people might think about us having a child of a different ethnicity.  Jason and I had led Financial Peace classes at church helping people learn how to get out of debt and now we were contemplating taking on the cost of adoption which we obviously didn't have laying around in some obscure bank account. One Sunday morning, our pastor was speaking on the many blessings that God has given us.  He was covering the many different P's...God's pardon, purpose, precepts, providence, provision, presence, and peace.  All of these spoke to my life, but as Pastor Scott gave examples of God's provision, faith burst forth on the scene.  In the car on the way home, I told Jason that I was no longer held back by anything concerning our daughter's adoption.  I knew that the Holy Spirit had confirmed God's word in my heart and that everything would come together.  Over the next few weeks, financial blessings seemed to roll in.  I received an unforeseen bonus at work, Jason's Christmas bonus came, and we were pledged our first donation toward our adoption.  Everything was coming together.  

      Christmas Day came and went.  Cora woke up the next day with fever.  Two days later we found out that she had the flu.  New Year's weekend the heat upstairs went out, Jason came down with flu symptoms the following Monday, then Wednesday we discovered that Jason's wisdom teeth had to come out.  I'm not going to lie.  I became very discouraged.  Where were the blessings, now?  We are trying to save for our adoption and we are having one thing after another pop up with dollar signs attached.  So I did what every good woman does, right?  My husband likes to call it "snowballing".  I cried about the heat unit, the new insurance with its new deductibles, the fact that if Jason would have got his wisdom teeth out last year when they bothered him it would have only cost $25, and then I got upset about being upset..."I should be more thankful"..."I shouldn't complain"...you know, the usual guilt trip I give myself when I am reacting in flesh instead of spirit.  God's word is a sword that pierces even those pity parties we throw ourselves when things aren't quite going the way we planned. Galatians 6:9 says "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

     God is still providing.  He provided the means for us to take care of everything that He already knew was coming our way these past two weeks, and I am thankful for His provision. 

Genesis 22:13-14

 ¹³ Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. ¹⁴ So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide…..


Lord, I thank You that You are our Provider.  You make a way when there seems to be no way.  We trust in your word that says You will provide.  We know that you have called us to adopt and that you will make provision.