"If just one church in every four churches got one family to adopt there would be no more orphans in America. It's not because we lack the resources, or lack the knowledge, or lack the skills… what we lack is the willingness for a group of people to say enough is enough, no more orphans."

                                                                 -- Pastor Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOqx4ggOJWc&feature=player_embedded






My friends, adoption is redemption. It's costly, exhausting, expensive, and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much. When God set out to redeem us, it killed Him." --Derek Loux




" Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." --Proverbs 31:8-9

Some would gather money along the path of life, some would gather roses and rest from worldly strife; But, I would gather children from among the thorns of sin, I would seek a golden curl and a freckled, toothless grin. For money cannot enter in that land of endless day, and roses that are gathered soon will wilt along the way. But, Oh the laughing children, as I cross the sunset sea, and the gates swing wide to heaven, I can take them in with me. --Unknown

~Hello baby boy...I really wanted you to know how much love has gone into bringing you home...A few weeks ago we had a yard sale to raise money to bring you home.  Many friends and family gave so much of their beautiful things...Your Pappy & Grandmama cleared out their home to sell things and then even bought things! Your aunt Darlene brought things over, and baked, and so did two of mamas dear friends Miss. Noelle, and Miss. Kim..They baked for hours and invested so much into this sale. Their fighting over who gets to hold you first! Many of mommy & daddy's friends came to buy things at the sale...they even overpaid!  ALL TO BRING YOU HOME...Your sisters and big brother, cousins and friends helped sale lemonade and baked goods all day:-) A new friend of ours Miss. Janet and Curt made beautiful bracelets to help us out!  We have also recieved love gifts in the mail from dear friends just wanting to be a part of our journey and your story...God is Gracious...One day when you are older my hope is you will read the bondadoption and realize you were thought of before we ever met. That two different countries will be intertwined on this earth because of the POWER of His love, that race doesn't matter, that LOVE will be our language,  miles make the distance far, but Love in our hearts makes you close, the desire to DO God's word conquers any doubts or fear, WE will continue to press on for the Fatherless...  that one day there will be NO child waiting! We're so greatful That when God knitted you in your mothers womb...HE knew HE made you to be with us...We are all SO excited to meet you and anxiously await to have you here with us..Your forever family...<3 Mama

www.147millionorphans.com

IAN

So I will fastforward to four years ago...We were comfortable...we got a phone call from a friend asking if we'd consider adopting a little six yr old boy from Ethiopia..All we knew is his mama couldn't provide for him anymore..We found out more about this beautiful child, and said "YES"! It was within two weeks we were told his mama started selling herself to be able to KEEP her boy. You hear of a mothers love, I would never go there to question her in that desperate time of her life.  We continue to pray for him and the mother who sacrificed...Why I share this time with you is because that is when Comfortable WAS GLARING at me...and the Lord was so clear that even though we are blessed with our kiddos, HE has spilled forth an abundance of LOVE and if we were willing to answer the call of adoption we would be a reflection of our very KING...and also it was a matter of this childs eternity!  Our daughter Mia at this time was in a real health crisis...so to think of trying to adopt and get her figured out was to overwhelming...so I shelfed the call...Hmmm???It was then God began to give me dreams.  The dream that got us moving in the direction of at least doing a homestudy...some paperwork,etc was this...I was in a land that I have never seen before..In this place was my family and to the right of me was Mia..Mind you..she was not quite 4..but in the dream had bigger girl features and stood at a little higher than my hip. and to the left was this little black boy...would love to tell you he was chubby and adorable..but he was very malnourished and had sunken eyes. All his bones were displayed to show the reality of what HUNGER is..I woke up...I remember hitting David awake and said Ethiopia!  We are to adopt a little boy and his name is IAN.  Weird to some, but I knew the journey for this boy had begun.  That week I prayed with absolute petition on behalf of what the Lord was doing for him and how HE was guiding us.  During this week as I was taking Mia to pre-school I took the normal route and prayed the normal prayer of protection and blessing over her as she would be away from me..The normal prayer went into a loud call out for ALL of my children and that HE had each one of them in HIS hands...I remember noting in my heart that He even was having me pray for our future son..I remember stopping  at a two way at the end of that prayer. Right next to the stop sign was a telephone pole and on that pole in bright white was the letters IAN.

 I not only heard God, but HE showed us!  I pulled over and through tear filled eyes snapped this from my cellphone KNOWING it would need to go in his baby book...

Bond Blessings

Lexie Jewel Our Sunshine

Docker Bay...My heart

Mia Bliss Our OOCHIE MOOCHIE Gumdrop

Be inspired~

The beginning of our adoption journey...

I had NO idea that it would take 20 years for the Lord to fulfill a desire HE put into my heart.  When I was 19 I had some female medical issues that ended me up in emergency surgery.  I recall the Surgeon telling my mom One day when she decides to have children that wont be the problem..The problem will be carrying them to full term.  Even at the young age of 19 I was devastated...But in that moment of possibly not being a "natural" mama..Adoption was born..It was then I truly understood WHAT our GOD did for us...
Romans 8:12 "Therefore , brothers, we have an obligation but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of Sonship. And by him we cry, "ABBA Father".  The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.  Now if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his Glory."Not long after that...I met my absolute best friend, my partner in life.. My husband David of 17yrs!!! When we knew we wanted to marry I had to have the conversation of children with the possibility of us never having biological children...Praise the Lord it wasn't a deal breaker:-) God DID provide us with our desires and we are blessed to be parents to Lexie, Docker and Mia...even in this absolute fullness and contentment of our Family...The Lord never lifted adoption from us. So here we go...Psalm 68:5 "A father to the fatherless,a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families."