turning point

"Now in the time of his distress this same King Ahaz became yet more unfaithful to the LORD. For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they became the downfall of him and all Israel." -2 Chronicles 28:22-23

"When he was in distress, he entreated the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. When he prayed to Him, He was moved by his entreaty and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God. " -2 Chronicles 33:12-13

We all turn to someone.

When times are tough, when the pressures of this life are pressing hard, where do you turn?

Do you retreat inside, like King Ahaz, drawing on your own knowledge and understanding, which ultimately leads to destruction?

You probably aren't literally sacrificing to idols.

But perhaps you are.

Anything we do for selfish gain.  Any action that denies Christ.  Any word that defrauds Him of glory.

Aren't these all idol sacrifices?

We've all been there.  Manasseh was no stranger to sacrifices to idols.  He did some pretty wicked things.  And yet, his distress turned him to God.

Humbled him.

Caused him to cry out to the Lord.

And you know what?  God heard him.  Answered him.

Showed Himself to be the ultimate King.

We all turn to someone.  Will you make yourself king, and bring destruction on yourself?  Or will you humble yourself and allow Him to be the rightful King?


Please don't forget to check out our Thirty-One Fundraiser here!

Thirty-One Gifts!!

We have been blessed with the opportunity to host a Thirty-One Gifts online/catalog party, with 100% of the commission going straight to our adoption fund. Anne Little is a fellow adoptive mom that started selling Thirty-One exclusively to help other adoptive families, and she has offered to host a fundraiser for us this month. Woohoo! God is providing again!!

The new catalog with the Fall/Winter line just came out, and there is some super cute stuff in there!  You can view the PDF here: http://morekids4me.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/fw11_catalog.pdf

Also, EVERYTHING in the new catalog is 15% off!! That's an awesome special they are offering for the duration of the fundraiser, which will close August 28th at 6 PM. 

When you've found the perfect items, you can simply order online by going here: http://www.mythirtyone.com/AnneLittle/ and selecting "My Events" and ordering through the Peduzzi fundraiser party.

Please feel free to share this with your friends that may want to check out the new catalog!!

Happy Shopping, and thanks for helping to bring our boy home!  

won't you be my love

I love this song by MercyMe. Every time I hear it, God reminds me of His command for me to love others. Period.

Won't you be His love today to someone who may not know Him?

perspective.

yesterday was not a good day.  among many other things that weren't going my way, we got word that the earliest i would get my hands on my boy would be late august or early september, not in a week or two like we had originally thought. 

by the time we sat down on the couch together last night, i collapsed into a puddle of tears and my sweet and caring husband let me cry, and then took me to sonic for a double stuf oreo blast. he's a good man.

it all boils down to one simple (to say, not so much to live) word:

(source)

When the waiting is longer than I expected, do I trust that He has a purpose?

When people hurt me, do I trust that He is using it for my good and His glory?

When I don't understand my circumstances, do I trust that He has the big picture in mind?

When I am weak, do I trust that His power is made perfect in my weakness?

When I am broken, do I trust that He is there with me?

"But those who trust the LORD will find new strength."

-Isaiah 40:31a

As I lay in bed this morning, Isaiah 40:31 was swirling through my head. And it dawned on me.

My trust, my wait, is in the Lord.

I am not trusting in or waiting on foreign officials to bring my son home.

I am not trusting in this world to offer me any answers.

I am not trusting in MYSELF to solve anything.

I am trusting in and waiting on the Lord. And here I have new strength. Because I know His word is true, His paths are good, and His timing is perfect.

It's all about perspective. Who will you trust in today?

top ten tuesday: the many faces of Riley..

Our dog, Riley, has the funniest personality.  And she thinks she's a person queen.  And we are her pets servants.  Letting her sleep in the middle of the bed and demand our attention when she wants don't have ANYTHING to do with this either.  HA!  Here's 10 of my favorite Riley faces, for your enjoyment!

1. Mortified.  Humiliated.  Ready to take the stupid oh-so-cute light up Christmas sweater off. 

 2.  Hopeful.  I bring you the ball.  You throw it.  I'll bring it back. Multiplied by 1000. 

3.  Happy.  My two favorite things: a tennis ball and water.  And I won't get out 'til I drown.  Or you drag me.

4.  Content.  Who wouldn't be, when you can rip apart every toy you own with your teeth?!

5.  Concerned.  You just sneezed.  So I must get in your face.  Check you out.  Look for snot to lick.  

6.  Sickly.  I may really not feel good, or I may just be looking for attention.

7.  Excited.  Ready to play!  Note the wild eyes and plastered back ears.  THROW THE BALL ALREADY!

8.  Begging. For food, for the ball, for attention....I'm not picky.  

9.  Exhausted.  Being so cute takes a lot out of a girl.  Must.  Nap.  A lot.  

10.  Bored.   No one has played with me for the last 10 minutes.  Please entertain me!

Happy Tuesday, and time to go play fetch- again!

Miscellany Monday!

1.  I must really like exclamation points.  Or I am excited about a lot of things I write!  I was looking back, and they are EVERYWHERE!  Even here!  Ha!!

2.  VBS is here!!  I'm exhausted.  (See the past 3 weeks of posts.  Hopefully you'll understand!)

3.  I'm having a hard time concentrating on much else other than preparing for my son to come home.  Case in point: I got to church yesterday and saw my name on the bulletin for the special music.  I thought it was a typo for approximately 3 seconds, and then I jumped up in a panic.  I had agreed to sing a solo.  And then forgot.  Whoops.  Luckily, someone else had wanted to sing a special song for Sunday, and she was able to sing in my spot.  I'm down for the following Sunday.  Hopefully I can remember to prepare this go round!

4.  Naming our son is proving to be quite the challenge.  We have two first names we love, and are torn.  Each morning I wake up with a different favorite.  And it's usually the opposite of Ryan's favorite for the day.  We'll get there.  Our kid WILL have a name.  :)

Come join the link up fun with Carissa at lowercase letters and share your miscellany monday!

top ten tuesday: now that i have seen my son...

Since Friday, when we first saw our little boy's face, thoughts have been swirling around in my head like a tornado.  Mostly things to do, because you know, camp week #2 took away most of my ability to FEEL anything until I get a few more nights of good rest.

So without further ado, I give you 10 things I need to do, now that I have seen my son...

1.  Get his medical review back.  Not that anything they have to say will deter me from calling him my son.  Just a formality, the next step before we can go see him.  So, get it back FAST.

2.  Find out more about his region.  He is, SURPRISE, not in the region we were assigned to.  :) Welcome to adoption, people!

3.  Ask what the orphanage needs. Collect insane amounts of them to donate. 

4.  Read everything I can find on what to pack, what not to pack, and things I'll need.  Like instant coffee.  'Cause we all know I'd be a mess without my coffee. 

5.  Learn some key phrases in his language.  Knowing me, I'll probably learn the whole book, but oh well.

6.  Look on etsy.  A lot.  :)  Find ideas for his room. 

7.  Change out the wrong size diapers.  A product of buying early and cheaply.

8.  Learn what almost 2 year olds like to do.  And play with.  And eat. 

9.  Schedule that yardsale.  Email those grants.  Find the funds to bring him HOME!!

10.  Check his picture, AGAIN.  Because he is so sweet, half a world away, and MY SON!

Happy Tuesday, and Happy To-Doing!

We've seen our son's face!!!

We got THE call!!


On the next to last day of camp week #2, all the girls were running around in our suite trying to get ready for dinner before the boys pulled up in the bus.  As I finished drying my hair, I heard  my phone ringing.  I assumed it was Ryan, calling to hurry  us up because they were waiting outside.

I found my phone, and when I picked it up, I saw our adoption agency's number on the screen.  I just froze for a minute, and then I gasped, saying "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!"  All the girls were gathering around me, trying to figure out what was wrong as I answered the call!

Me: "Hello?"
W, our caseworker: "Hey, it's W!  How are you?"
Me: "Good?  Finishing up a great week at youth camp.."
W: "Oh, I couldn't remember if that was over last week or this week!"
Me: "Well, the camp we didn't have cell service at was last week.  We're with our students this week."
W: "Oh, ok, great!  Well, is Ryan around?"
Me: "Um, I'm about to see him in 5 minutes!  Why?! Do you have news for us!?"
W: (Laughing) "I do have news for you!  Get Ryan and an internet connection and call me back when you can!"
Me: "OH MY GOSH!!  AHHHHHHH!  I'll get him and we'll call you right back!!

I called Ryan (who was waiting outside our dorm) to let him know the news, and all the girls were soooo excited, asking a million questions I didn't have the answers to.  I threw my laptop in my bag and ran up the stairs.  All the students were guessing gender, and trying to assist us with naming our child, as we rode to the cafeteria.

We sent the kids upstairs to eat, and found a quiet spot in the student center to call our caseworker back.  She sent us an email with his info, and as I opened it, we saw his sweet face staring back at us.  I'm not sure how old the picture is, but he has the sweetest little chubby cheeks, fuzzy dark hair, and a precious smile on his face.  She went through the limited information she had with us, and let us know that he was a happy baby, curious about everything, loving attention, and a favorite of the nurses!  I think he's going to be a little heart breaker!!  He will be 2 in February.  So sweet!

Because most of the orphanage directors vacation for July, we will most likely travel to meet him around the first of August!  We are beyond thrilled - God has blessed us abundantly!  I wish I could share with all of you his sweet picture, but we'll have to wait until he is legally ours- we all know by all other standards he is already ours!!

We'll keep you posted as we know more!!  Please join us in prayer as we prepare to meet our son- financially, spiritually, mentally, physically- it's going to be the journey of a lifetime!  Also, if you have any tips for our first trip - what to pack, things to do/see, things to avoid, things to make life easier- I am ALL EARS! :)

blown away!

Oh my word!!

I am so blown away.  I know how much God loves the orphans, and I KNOW that He has been our provider every step of the way- but OH MY WORD- how He is showing off.

Lifesong for Orphans blessed us with a $3,000 matching grant, meaning every dollar given in support of bringing our little one home would be matched, up to $3,000. 

We are actually OVER the $3,000 mark!

God is sooooooooooooooo good!

All additional money will be given to ANOTHER matching grant from $2,500 from God's Grace Adoption Ministry, that those dollars may be doubled as well, to raise the money to bring home our little one twice as quickly!

What a blessing!  We are overwhelmed. 

We are so blessed to have you guys partner with us on our journey.  So incredibly thankful!!

willing

"And as He laid down His life
We offer this sacrifice
That we will live just as he died
Willing to pay the price"

-How Beautiful

When I am shopping, before I know if I am willing to pay, I want to know how much it will cost.  I love sales racks and clearance prices, but sometimes these are still too much for me to pay.

There is a cost to following Christ. 

In Luke 9:23, He tells us we must deny ourselves and take up our cross.  

That sounds like a pretty high price.  

Consider, however, the price He paid for us, for our sins, so that we may be called righteous.

More than the pain, the blood spilt, the humiliation, the beatings, the suffocation on the cross...consider the crushing blow of being removed from the presence of God.  Completely separated.  Forsaken.

And He willingly paid this price for me.

To live my life, willing to pay the price of self-denial and suffering for the sake of Christ, that more may come to know him?

It seems like payment too small. 

coincidences?

While preparing to leave for children's camp last week, I was a little grouchy about having to share a room with some unknown adult leaders from other churches.  It's always a mystery who you will end up with, how many roommates you'll have, and what they will  be like.  Not so much fun in my book. 

We arrived on Monday, and no one was in my room.  I settled in, and waited.  And waited.  And waited some more.  It was now time for dinner, and no adult leader had showed up to be my roomie.  I was a cautiously excited.  Dinner came and went, and we were at the last activity of the day.  A woman I hadn't seen before, dressed in work clothes, was talking to some kids who were about to go to their cabin.  I sighed.  Pointed her out to Ryan.  I said, "That's my roommate.  I just know it."

We were heading out for ice cream with some other adult leaders once the kids went to bed.  As we made our way out, I saw the same woman from earlier unpacking things from her car.  Sure enough, when I asked her what room she was in, she confirmed my suspicions.  "Oh well," I thought.  We exchanged names, and she said she was going to get unpacked and read for a bit, and I told her I'd see her when we got back.

While we were in town, I heard from my college suite mate that used to work at the camp where we were. She told me to find her church leader- her church was at camp and she just knew I would love her leader.  Who happened to have the same name as my roommate.  I laughed. 

When I got back to my room, I asked my new roommate if she knew my suite mate.  She said yes!  We started talking, and the next thing we knew, it was midnight.  It was like God had formed an instant friendship in our hearts.

As I shared about our adoption, I learned that her children were all adopted.  We talked about things that God has been teaching us, comparing notes on His blessings (which don't always come in ways we expect!).  We shared stories of provision, of calling, of serving and missions.  Each night we would talk together, and the week flew by. 

What I was grouchy about, God used as a blessing.  I am so thankful that I got to spend a week with my roommate and new friend, and was so blessed to be able to talk with her this week.  God is in every detail of our lives.  There is no such thing as coincidences- we just have a God who loves us enough to orchestrate every area of our lives.  He is so good, and always in control!

top ten tuesday: how to stay awake through camp week #2

I'm in uncharted waters here.  Camp is exhausting on its own.  Back to back weeks of camp is insanity.  I guess we're a little crazy, because here we are, week #2 of camp.  I'm only on day 2 of week two, but I thought I'd share some helpful tips for my other crazy peeps who find themselves in similar situations..

1.  Take your vitamins.  Especially D.  You'll need all your reserves.

2.  Bring headphones for bedtime.  Don't worry about anyone else.  Go to sleep.

3.  Figure out the last possible second you can set your alarm for and get to breakfast on time.  Then do it.

4.  Coffee.  Lots and lots of coffee.  Like at every meal.  And in between meals.  And just really all the time.

5.  When it gets too hot for coffee (like every afternoon when it's around 105 and you're baking in the hot sun with children climbing all over you from the back yard bible clubs you're doing) 5 hour energy works great.  For 5 hours.  Then resume #4.

6.  Let said children from #5 build a fort around you.  Take a nap.  Until they jump on the fort and you in the process, waking you up with a jolt.

7.  Play hide and seek with the children.  Find a good hiding spot.  Take a nap.  (Just don't get left at the mission site... or you could just stay sleeping until they come back the next day.)

8.  Get injured.  Get pulled from all activities.  Take a nap.  (Only to be used in very desperate situations...ha!)

9.  Open your bible in your lap.  Close your eyes to pray.  Take a nap.  (This one usually happens without much effort- resume said prayer time after you awake from your refreshing 5 minutes of uninterrupted sleep)

10.  Plan the calendar for next year, making sure there's at least a week between camps to rest!  :)

Happy Tuesday, and here's to sleeping when I'm dead!

Miscellany Monday!

1.  Happy Independence Day!  I am so thankful for our freedom, and those who give their lives for it, but I've never been very patriotic.  I haven't been very eloquent in describing why, until I read "Radical" by David Platt.  He said exactly what has been on my heart for a long time when he said:

""We look back on slave-owning churchgoers of 150 years ago and ask 'How could they [Christians] have treated their fellow human beings that way?' I wonder if followers of Christ 150 years from now will look back at Christians in America today and ask 'How could they live in such big houses? How could they drive such nice cards and wear such nice clothes? How could they live in such affluence while thousands of children were dying because they didn't have food and water? How could they go on with their lives as though billions of poor didn't even exist?'"

"How many of us are embracing the comforts of suburban America while we turn a deaf ear to inner cities in need of the gospel?  How many of us are so settled in the United States that we have never once given serious thought to the possibility that God may call us to live in another country?  How often are we willing to give a check to someone else as long as we don't have to go to the tough places in the world ourselves?" 

May the focus of my heart always be my heavenly citizenship, willing to go anywhere He calls to bring Him glory, regardless of country borders. 

2.  I'm at camp this week with the 6th-12th graders.  More fun times!  (Seeing a trend here?  This is our last week of camps!!!)

3.  The best thing about camp is being able to wear gym shorts and a t-shirt all day, every day.  Here's to comfort!

4.  I really do love my job!  I may joke about being exhausted, but there is nothing else in the world I would rather do than to have the privilege of seeing students give their lives completely to God, be broken over sin in their lives, or come to a saving knowledge of Him.  It's the best!

Come join the link up fun with Carissa at lowercase letters and share your miscellany monday!

freely give

"He has told you, O man, what is good;

And what does the LORD require of you

But to do justice, to love kindness,

And to walk humbly with your God?"

-Micah 6:8

At children's camp this week, we've spent lots of time praising and worshiping our great God through song.  Maybe I live under a rock, but one of the songs that God used to speak to my tired heart was "God of Justice."  I hadn't heard it before.  But, wow- what a call to action.  

God of Justice, Savior to all
Came to rescue
the weak and the poor
Chose to serve and not be served

Jesus, You have called us
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give

We must go live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken
We must go
Stepping forward, keep us from just singing
Move us into action
We must go

To act justly every day
Loving mercy in every way
Walking humbly before You God

You have shown us,
what You require
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give

Fill us up and send us out Lord

There are so many things in this song that just get me, break me, convict me.

God has poured overflowing blessings into my life.  I deserve none of them.  Yet, I hold onto my possessions, safety, life, comfort - unmoved, unwilling to share, give.  Just as freely as I have been given, I should be giving.  Freely, abundantly, overflowing.

My life isn't marked with this kind of giving.  That needs to change.

The motions aren't enough.  Not even close.  May my praises never be empty lip service, but an overflowing of the love in my heart for my God.  I don't want to just sing the words.  I want to LIVE, a blazing, hot, holy fire for my God.

Micah 6:8 is another verse tucked safely into my memory bank.  But is God's word ever to be stored and put away on a shelf, to be taken down when applicable?

NO!

His word must infiltrate every part of me.  I don't just do justice when things feel unjust to me.  I don't just love mercy when it's convenient.  I can't only walk humbly when I'm feeling good about myself.  It's an every day, every way, all the time requirement.  Oh, how much I need to grow!

I'm committing to be filled up and sent out by God alone.  To apply His word, every day, in every way, that I may share His good news with everyone I encounter.  I commit to freely give.  Be it possessions, comfort, time, or even my life, it ALL belongs to Him, and I will stand back and let Him use what meager offerings I have to be used for His glory!