Our Family

Our Family

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

No Greater Call

In our lives as Christan's there is no greater call than to help those who are unable to help themselves. Widows, orphans, neglected children, hurting families, no matter what the need we are called to reach them with the love of Christ. Many have asked, and many more will ask, why mom and I are willing to endure the strain of bringing a hurting child into our home. The answer is simple, I too was a hurting child and God brought me into his home, cleaned me up, and healed my hurting heart. I am often reminded of the words of the old hymn "Great is Thy Faithfulness".

"Great is thy faithfulness, oh God my Father. There is no shadow of turning with thee. Thou changest not they compassions they fail not. As thou hast been, thou forever wily be. Great is they faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness. Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed thy hand hath provided. Great is thy faithfulness, dear Lord unto me."

If the words of this song are true, which they are, then God never changes. What he cared for 2,000 years ago he still cares for today. Every orphan, every widow, every neglected child, or every human that does not know Him, He cares for and loves with a never ending love. Yes, there will be challenges when you come into our home, there will be times of frustration as there are with biological children. If God's grace is sufficient to forgive us, it is also sufficient to help us bring you to a place of loving Jesus as much as mom and I do.

We pray for you everyday. My prayer is whatever issues you have will begin to be healed as we move through this process. God can heal your little heart before mom and I ever see you for the first time. God has a plan for your life and in that infinite plan Go has chosen mom and I to play a part.

Love Daddy

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Ouch...My Arm Hurts

Yesterday morning daddy, brother, and sister all went for our adoption medical exams. Micah and I left in pain, both having to get shots, I one, Micah 4. The paperwork for our homestudy is almost completed and we are prayerfully moving toward the next steps in the process. Each day we move closer to the day you will join our forever family. It is still a very long way off, but all of it will come together in God's time.

We are praying about so many things. If God was not in charge it would be overwhelming. The good news is God is in charge so therefore I am not overwhelmed. Last night I read one of my favorite verses"

2 Corinthians 6:3 "We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry." This is my prayer for my ministry. I also pray that as people look at our lives, they too will be touched by God and have a heart for adoption. They might be able to save another child just like you.

Love Daddy

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

God is in Control

Have you ever thought about all of the little things that God puts in place to bring about His big picture? This morning I was praying and reading from, "Adopted For Life". In it the author, Russell Moore, brings this truth out in a brilliant manner.

He quotes Peter Kreefts words,

"If one Egyptian tailor hadn't cheated on the threads of Joseph's mantle, Potiphar's wife would not have been able to tear it, present it as evidence to Potiphar that Joseph attacked her, gotten him thrown in prison, and let him be in a position to interpret Pharaoh's dream, win his confidence, advise him to store seven years of grain, and save his family, the seventy original Jews from whom Jesus came. We owe our salvation to a cheap Egyptian tailor."

What a great way to look at God's involvement in the littlest aspects of our lives. God loves you so much that He is standing with the grand baton in His hand orchestrating the live of your soon to be mom and dad. Why? Because He loves you enough to do it. He loves you enough to work behind the scenes putting all the right details together to get you to us at just the right moment in our lives and in yours.

Mom and I have been filling out paper work, writing checks, and spending a lot of time in prayer. I am forming the idea of some fundraiser we may be able to do. We need to raise $4,000 by the end of October. That seems daunting, but I know if God is in control of an Egyptian tailor's thread, He is also in control of all that we need to move forward.

We love you.

Love Daddy

Saturday, June 12, 2010

The Process Begins

I have been unable to blog for the last week. Since the last time I wrote, mom and I have begun working through our homestudy paperwork, received our dossier packet, and have looked at several waiting children. Some friends of ours at church have said that they want to help us raise the money to bring you home. All of this will be worked through as we can. We stand firm in our belief that God has called us to bring you into our family. With that understanding, we will continue to seek Him and believe that He will put all of this together in His time. My hope is that while you are waiting to be loved, that you are experiencing love where you are; while we are waiting to feed and cloth you, I hope that you are being clothed and fed. Mom and I pray for you everyday. We can't wait to see you and hold you for the first time.

Love Daddy

Friday, June 4, 2010

A Godly Legacy

Last night mom and I went through our phone introduction interview. Our social worker went over the process, the homestudy packet, and any questions that mom and I have. With the completion of this meeting we gained access to the formal application. Being as I am, I had to fill it out last night. Sometime today the application will be submitted, the check will be sent, and we will officially start our journey to bring you into our family.

I have been reading a new book, "Adopted for Life" by Russell Moore. It is one of the best resources I have found to date. The chapter I just finished during my devotion time this morning dealt with the relationship Joseph had with Christ. What an awesome picture of adoption. As I was reading through this chapter I realized again how much I love being a dad. It is one of the most fun things I do and also one of the most scary. No one knows as they raise their children how they will turn out. In this world their are no guarantees. As a Christian father I put my trust in God that each of my kids will turn out great. Each night, while they are asleep, I lay my hands on their little heads and pray over them. I pray for God to keep them safe, help them to grow in the knowledge of Christ, and to never let them turn their backs on God. I pray for their spouses, their children, and I pray that they will grow to be a Godly man and a Godly woman. I have begun to pray the same for you.

My grandfather, your great-grandfather, prayed over his children and their children and their children. God has honored his prayer. All of Grandpa Lewis' descendants are serving the Lord. Though I never knew him, his prayers cover my life and they cover yours. My Grandfather may not have known that the only grandchild he never saw would grow to follow in his footsteps. He never knew that I would one day adopt a child from the Philippines, but his prayers were for all future generations. That includes you. Grandpa had a great knowledge of his adoption in to the family of God. If you turn out to be a little boy, maybe we'll have to name you after him? Though you might not like being named Harry Clifford. :)

Love Daddy

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

A Sea of Paperwork

Yesterday, mom and I received our homestudy paperwork. All I can say is wow that’s a lot of paperwork. It ranges from background checks to payment calendars, custody questionnaires to doctors recommendations. All must be signed and returned. It kind of reminds me of the stack of paper when we bought our house. All of this can be overwhelming if you are not prepared for it. Mom and I are slowly working through it, filling out what we can. Setting aside what we can't. It is amazing to me that God is in paperwork :) A mountain of paperwork is not an obstacle but an opportunity for us to reach you.

We have our first conference call tomorrow. Mommy and I will be able to ask questions and gain information for our adoption journey. After this call we will be ready to process our formal application. We have decided to go ahead and pay for this. Then we will wait and see how God brings about yet another miracle.

As I was praying yesterday morning and today, I can't help but wonder if you have even been born yet. I want you to know that God says before He formed you in your mother’s womb He knew you. He knew you would one day need a forever mommy and daddy. As you may still be in the womb mommy and daddy are praying for you and we are already beginning to love you.

Love Daddy

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Praying for Charlie

I first saw Charlie on a waiting children's list a few days ago. His little face caught my attention. There are many on this list. Some are older children, many have major physical or emotional issues. Charlie is too old for us to adopt as we are required to maintain birth order. Still God continues to bring this little boy to my mind. Every time I pray I see his little face. I do not know what you look like, or even if you will be a boy or a girl. I do not know what age you will be. I do know about Charlie. As I pray for you, who may not even be born yet, God brings Charlie to mind. Mom and I may not be able to adopt little Charlie, but someone out there can. As we wait and pray for you, I also pray that God will send little Charlie a forever family that will love him and nurture him in Christ as we will one day do with you. So today I pray for a little 8 year old Asian boy somewhere in the world that needs a home. You need a home too, maybe not now, but you will soon. When that day comes mommy and daddy will provide that home for you. I hope by the time we get to hold you for the first time, Charlie will have a mommy and daddy too.

God grant Charlie a loving family who loves you with all their heart. Provide for his every need. May little Charlie experience the love of his forever family very very soon.

Love Daddy