Deeply Rooted

One of my favorite verses (well, one of my many) is found in Psalm 1:2-3

"But they delight in the law of the Lord,

meditating on it day and night.

They are like trees planted along the riverbank,

bearing fruit each season.

Their leaves never wither,

and they prosper in all they do."

This verse paints an image to me that no matter what is going on around this tree, it is still standing, because its' roots go so far beneath the surface nothing can move it.

The same is with us and the promises in the Bible. The more we know them and entrench ourselves in them the more steady and stable we are. The more we prosper and live fruitful lives. Of course this doesn't prevent chaos from happening, but it helps us to weather the storms that much easier.
This verse has been a challenge to me the last few weeks and has been challenging me to live my life like this..constantly meditating and dwelling on the promises that God has given me. So Adam and I have decided to pick one verse a week and just dwell on it everyday. We'll have them hanging up in random places in our apartment, so if you come over and see them, you'll know why:) When our adoption process has ended, we should have about 70 or so verses~ that's a lot of promises:)
This week we are looking at Psalm 33:20-22:

"We put our hope in the Lord,

He is our help and our shield.

In Him our hearts rejoice,

for we trust in his holy name.

Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,

for our hope is in you alone."

I hope these verses encourage you too. I have received a bunch of e-mails and messages on Facebook the past few days from those who are struggling. I'm praying that these verses take root in your hearts.
Thanks for checking in on and Adam and I!

And..we're off!

First of all, Adam and I are so thankful for each of you. We have loved reading through your e-mails and your messages on Facebook...we are blown away by all of the encouragement so many of you have already sent our way. Thank you!:)

Last night, Adam and I started the first part of our application. There is a "Part A" and "Part B". Part A is just about complete. All I need to do is attach our latest 1040 and will then be mailed out today. Yay! This application is being mailed to Wide Horizons in Waltham and once they receive it, we will be assigned our social worker and start the homestudy process. Part B of the application is filled out during the homestudy.

I am currently looking for part time work. I am not looking for anything random, but a job that could turn into full time down the road. So for all my praying friends/family, I would love for you to pray over that. :) We are looking to save as much money as we can and any money that I make through this part time job will be deposited right into a separate account we are setting up for the adoption.

I read this familiar verse this morning and what a promise it is:

"Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet

and a light for my path." Psalm 119:105

In other news, Adam's grandmother died yesterday morning. We were so sad to hear this news but are comforted that she knew the Lord and is in Heaven with Jesus right now. And, she is reunited with her husband Ralph, Adam's grandad. Here is a picture of them:

If you have ever heard Adam talk about his grandad, the state trooper, this is him. I love hearing Adam talk about him..his face instantly lights up:)

Thanks for your prayers and for checking in on us:)

We're Adopting!

Adam and I are beyond thrilled! We have always wanted to adopt and for quite sometime we have been praying for a child. Last month, over dinner, we started talking seriously about looking into adoption. I can't explain the peace and excitement that came over us at that moment~ we knew it was from the Lord.
The more we talk, the more we see how God has been paving this way for us...and it all started about 5 years ago when I took a last minute trip to Moldova with my church. Since that trip our lives have not been the same. We have returned once a year ever since. Each time we came home, we were more and more burdened for the kids there as well as the country as a whole.

So it was a natural choice to pursue adoption in Moldova! To bring a child home from the country where we have been serving for the last 5 years brings so much joy to us!
But this adoption goes beyond us wanting to start a family. It is also about being obedient to the commands that Jesus gives about loving the orphans and caring for them in their distress. The Bible is FILLED with commands for us to care for the fatherless and the widows. So, truthfully, this is not "Plan B" to start a family. In fact in reality, it is "Plan A". Why? Because we truly believe that God has brought us to this point and is burdening us to step forward. We have come to learn full well that God's plans are ALWAYS "Plan A". Not everyone is called to adopt, we know. But Adam and I are going into this with open hands and open hearts and are so excited to see where God leads.


Poiana, Moldova.
"The Lord says, I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you." Psalms 32:8

Some information we have now:

1. We will be going through 2 agencies. Wide Horizons For Children (Waltham, MA) will be doing our home study and post-adoption follow up. Carolina Adoption Services (Greensboro, NC) will be our placement agency who will be placing us with a child. Because Moldova is a hard country to adopt from, only a handful of adoption agencies are accredited for placing children from Moldova. These 2 agencies that we chose are very reputable, not only for their ethics, but also for their humanitarian involvement in Moldova. Adam and I were drawn to that.

2. The process in total will be about a year and a half. Adam and I will be submitting our applications to both agencies this week and will then wait to begin the home study process. The home study will be about 3 months long, where we will meet with our social worker about 4 times and she will be interviewing Adam and I about EVERYTHING.

3. After the home study Adam and I will begin our dossier, which is a packet (about 45 pages long) of medical forms, immigration forms, fingerprints,etc. Once the dossier is complete and handed into the Moldovan government, we will wait for about 3-9 months for a child.

4. The youngest age of a child we will be able to adopt is 2 years old. We will not be specifying gender either. We have learned that there are more boys available than girls. We are also praying about a sibling group. We are undecided about this but are praying about this possibility. The cool thing~more than likely, the child the Lord has created just for us has just been born or is just about to be born!

Prayer requests:
1. For continued clarity and discernment as we start the process.
2. Finances. As everyone knows, this is not a cheap process. Quite frankly, Adam and I are stepping out in faith and placing all of our trust in the Lord, knowing that He will get ALL the glory in the end. When our child comes home, it will be all because of what God has done. We are researching some fundraising opportunities and would love prayer in regards to this. We continue to praise God that He led us to the "Financial Peace" class 2 years ago. We are debt free and would not be able to do this if our finances had not been in order. (another way that God has been preparing us!)
3. The Moldovan government. Currently they are in deliberations about changing their adoption laws, which could result in a longer wait time for a referral.

In closing, please know that Adam and I have covered this in prayer and each step of the way, we have already seen God leading us down this path. We continue to pray and covet your prayers as we begin this adventure. It is not going to be easy and we value your love and support.

Happy 2011! (2 months late:)

Adam & I New Year's Eve

At the beginning of January I was trying to think of what verse summarized my 2010. A few came to mind, but this one was instrumental for me:

"Now to HIM who is able to do immeasurably more

than all we ask or imagine,

according to his power that is at work within us,

to HIM be glory ..." Ephesians 3:20-21

This verse was God's voice to me in April~I had been praying over a burden for almost 8 years and needed to hear from Him desperatley. I was convicted of praying in a way that was limiting Him~limiting the power that He possesses. I started to pray in faith, through my doubts. And soon after, He answered and took the burden completely away. Truly a miracle.

What He taught me:

1. He is so much more powerful than what I give Him credit for.

2. Persevere.

3. The Lord is compassionate.

4. Pray big.

So as 2011 is in full swing, the verse I am praying through this year is Ephesians 2:10:

" For we are God's masterpiece.
He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,

so we can do the things he planned for us long ago."

As most of you know, I am in transition..I took a voluntary layoff back in November and am currently seeking out where God is going to place me next. I am already excited to see how God is at work:)

Praying that each of you make the most of every day of 2011 and that you experience the Lord's blessings every day:)

A Lesson From A 17 Year Old Orphan

Yesterday our team did a small presentation at church about our trip to Moldova this year. Below is the portion I had written out for it, however this story just brings me to tears and I could barely get through it yesterday..haha:)  So reading it is far better than me trying to say it:)
I just LOVE Olga...

During our team meetings in preparation for the trip, we had dwelled on a verse – Ephesians 5:20 which says “Now all glory to God who is able, through his mighty power at work within us to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” So we are here to report back to you how the Lord is answering the prayers of this church, so we can share together in giving Him the glory in how He is providing for the orphans in Tocuz.

We have been praying for the kids to grow spiritually; for the kids to come to know the Lord as their Savior and as their Heavenly Father; for this is really the only thing that will completely change their lives. Over the past few years we have been blessed to hear how the kids are being taught by a Christian teacher on a weekly basis; they are learning from the Bible and are exposed to it’s message. But we have been praying for the kids to not only who Jesus is in their heads, but in their hearts.
God is answering. Let me tell you about a young girl named Olga. Olga is in her last year in the orphanage. She is 17 years old and will be one of the young girls being given the opportunity to go to the Christian school next school year. This past summer, Olga accepted the Lord as her Savior. She said she had been hearing about salvation and Jesus over the last few years but wanted to make the decision because she wanted to, not because someone else was telling her it was the right thing to do. Olga is learning and growing. She loves her Bible and just at the mention of Jesus her face lights up and in broken English says “Jesus is life.” But Olga is also growing in the love of God, a love that puts others before herself and a love that allows her to joyfully sacrifice. Let me explain.

Olga had been asking me who her sponsor was. And I told her that it was my mom’s co-worker who helps oversee a local daycare center. Pat had been sponsoring Olga for the last 3 years. So we chatted for a bit and Olga told me that she wanted to send Pat a gift and would give me something before our team left. To hear this wasn’t out of the ordinary because the kids make us cards and pictures to take home so I was expecting it to be along those lines. The night before we left, Olga asked me to come into her room, and through our translator said she had the gift she wanted me to give to Pat. She handed me her doll. Now, to see any child in the orphanage with a toy is pretty rare. But she had one and shared it with the 12 other girls that she roomed with. She had it since she was a baby. It was her one fun thing, her one prized possession. I started to shake my head and said I can’t take this. But she grabbed my hand and said "Please. You all sacrifice so much for me. It’s my turn to sacrifice for others. This is for the children in the daycare so they can have something to play with." After saying that, she handed the doll to me with the biggest smile on her face. Olga a 17 year old orphan gets it. She has taught me, as I hope she teaches you, to sacrifice. To sacrifice joyfully. To not hold on too tightly to the possessions we have.

I pray this encourages you; encourages you to continue to pray boldly because God is moving and answering your prayers.

French Toast and Cookies

Our team spent alot of time in the kitchen in Tocuz this year! For the past few years we served them a special meal, so this year we decided on french toast. We all got up bright and early to guesstimate in how we could make this a success.  Surprisingly, the orphanage had the perfect set up for this! They had a huge griddle stove and lots of counter space.
A BIG thanks to Cracker Barrel who donated 125 bottles of individual sized maple syrup bottles...the kids have never had maple syrup before:)  Overall, the breakfast was a great hit..altho there were some kids who were not impressed...haha:)


Robin getting ready to cook!



Bill, Adam, and Jenny unwrapping all of the syrup bottles.
Thankfully, none of then broke on way from the States!

Ala loves the kitchen:)



Valentina




Ana..always so happy!





Olympia...believe it or not, was not a fan of french toast.



After we recouped from breakfast we got things ready to start baking cookies. Robin is AMAZING at this..she had everything organized and had such a passion to bake with the kids. Our team bought a hand mixer at one of the local shopping centers and all the kids were intrigued by it. They were all excited to have a turn using it.

The ones who had the most fun baking were the older boys! One of them told Robin that this (spending time in the kitchen) reminded him of home. So sweet. There were a bunch of kids who did not want to leave..they wanted to spend all day baking. It was such a great way to show them love and spend quality time with them!

By the end, I think we made around 34 dozen cookies!



The final product!



A Reality Made Real In My Small World

For those of you close to me, you know I am deeply burdened for those victims of human trafficking.  It's easy to keep it at arms length tho~ I live in a small bubble, have a great family, wonderful friends, and a fantastic church.
But my thoughts started to change 5 years ago when Adam and I started traveling to Moldova. The kids became like family and each year we grow closer and closer to them. I am drawn to the older girls because their temporary safety in the orphanage is quickly coming to an end. Their future is bleak.
Richard Stearns says in his book "The Hole In Our Gospel" that when we take away statistics and actually connect with a face, a real person, our attitude changes and we become more motivated to take action.
Tragically, sadly, I can now connect a face with child slavery.
I met Christina on my second trip and connected with her instantly. Coincidentally, Adam and I sponsored her cousin the year before. They looked like sisters.  Each year after that, we sponsored Christina and became extremely close to her. Even tho we could never communicate with her directly (unless through a translator) we could communicate by being with her, hugging her, or holding her hand.
So this year was no different..when we arrived at Tocuz we always look for certain kids. Christina was no where to be found. As we started our distribution, I had her bag in my hand waiting to give it to her. But the director saw it and started shaking her head. I pulled Ala, our translator aside, and asked her where Christina was. She told me that her mother "forced" her to get married. At 14 years old.  If you have ever had the wind knocked out of you, that was kind of how I felt.
14. "Married." To me, it was sugarcoated...if she was "forced", my intuition tells me that money was involved for the mother.  She was sold.
Why do I share this? Because my prayer is that whoever reads this, will connect Christina's face to the astounding statistics. That when you hear the phrase "human trafficking" or "slavery" you will see Christina's face, a young girl who likes music, clothes, and everything a typical 14 year old girl should.
But don't just read. Take Action. Pray. God tells us in Isaiah to "Seek Justice." Not someone else. But you and me. 
I shared this story with some people and one person's reaction was "Oh." Don't become complacent to terminology or statistics. Remember Christina's face.


Christina, Oct. 2009, opening her Face Of A Child bag.




Christina and I right before our team left Tocuz. Oct. 2009