Author Archives: admin We had the SWEETEST reunion on Thursday with the Smith family and their sweet ones! What makes their family super special to ours is they got their referral for their sweet baby girl just after we returned home with Isaac. Her crib was actually in the SAME ROOM as Isaac’s at Hannah’s Hope in Ethiopia—and […] Something REALLY funny happened today–and I was completely ministered to by a past post–and I had to share. SO–today was ONE of those crazy days. Like…one of those I had about 2 years ago and I posted the comical run down here. Once AGAIN I was at the doctor office–for a check up with Loo-bear […] Precious. That is one FULL day! 🙂 Totally thinking about trying the envelope system, too. 🙂 I think it would help me make less frivolous purchases, so that we could make much more meaningful investments. 🙂 And those envelopes are so cute!  I’ve been MIA the last few days–and with a consistent writer like me–that usually means one of two things. Either something BIG has happened in our lives–OR something is heavy on my heart. It has been the latter of the two, and for me–this is a hard post to actually POST. But I am prayerful […] We will join you in praying for Jaelynn!!! She is a beautiful girl and deserves a family. Our hearts ache with you for the children out there who are waiting. Best wishes to you in your journey to find a child who is meant to be with you. XOXO!!! Be. Still. My. Heart. My husband and I are in the process of adopting two waiting children from Ghana. These siblings were on a list and immediately melted my heart. It is hard to go through the process knowing the children are waiting, they are old enough to see the world around them for what it is and I want them home now. We met them a couple of weeks ago, and I am confident that we are the ones that will be blessed by having these children join our family. I am glad we didn’t join a waiting list for a specific gender or age, God brought us these children after they were able to be loved by the birth mom for those crucial developmental years. They have bonded and they will bond again. I would encourage all adoptive families to pray for and search these waiting children. God will stir our hearts for the right child regardless of any disability, age or gender. I love your blog and read it frequently. We adopted a waiting child from Ch*na in November 2010. She is the sweetest little girl and our lives have been changed because of her. I think about our first SN list, we were so conservative. I read so many stories of these waiting kiddos and realized that SN do not define a child. I was so scared of the CL/CP need, but I felt God telling me our child would have this. So, we revised our list including many more needs. A month later, we had our little girl with cl/cp and VSD. All her surgeries are complete and she is living a happy, healthy life with a FAMILY. Next time we adopt, we will be even more open to different needs as our perspective has changed greatly!!!! Good luck! We had an amazing experience with our adoption from Ch*na. Andrea. Admittedly, I have remained too silent about my thoughts and feelings regarding waiting children and families that HAVE opened their hearts, hands and homes and yet sit at 100+ on a waiting list. It is simply something I cannot wrap my head around let alone my heart. Having our 4 yr old join our family and looking at the giftedness God has given her for His Glory (as He has so given each of these precious children) my heart struggles. With the slow downs in Ethiopia that will undoubtedly have a lasting impact, I see a waiting 11 or 12 yr old girl and think…”this precious one who longs for a family is potentially the birth mother of the families that are sitting on a huge list.” And I just ask God to change hearts as only He can do. Very well written- can totally see God’s Heart!!! There is sooo much need for all adoptions from everywhere. In fact for those who feel that adopting an infant isn’t enough- let me tell you- it is! Our Joanna would have gone into foster care if we hadn’t been ready and willing within a day to go get her! Why- because she has dark skin- make you want to vomit- it should!!! And I am all about older children really desiring a home!!! My heart breaks for them. I hear them in my heart crying out. So please if this is where you are called don’t ignore that!!!!!! She is soo very beautiful- and I will be praying!!! ***Also for anyone reading this – speaking of a need there is a boy sibling group of 3- ages 3,4,5 that need a home now. If you want more information go to my blog, and go to my e-mail. They have been on my heart and I really know God has a home -wish it were mine, but I know it can’t be right now 🙁 Thank you Andrea for your heart felt post! God is WORKING!!! Andrea, you said it so well. This post is humble, gentle and full of truth. Just like you. Wow. Thought provoking and heart moving post. I think it’s really great that you are causing people (us included) to double check God’s plan, to investigate further, and be willing to go wherever God leads to bring children home, not just sign up on a waitlist because that’s what everyone is doing. I can totally see your heart in all of this, so I hope this comment doesn’t come off as rude or insensitive because that’s totally not how I mean it!:) It’s just hard sometimes to read some of these posts (from various folks) and want to help EVERYWHERE and yet know that God has specifically told us to get in line for Ethiopia. (And not that I get this sense from you, but sometimes I get it from others that there is almost a judgment towards those on a wait list…which I totally understand they probably don’t mean it that way, but it still hurts a bit. I hope this is coming across the way I mean it and not defensively!:)) In my rational mind I hate the idea of being on a wait list, but we know that’s where God has called us to go for this adoption. I know you probably went through this when you guys were waiting for Isaac too, so I think you totally get where I’m coming from. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I am compelled to always go where the need is “greatest” in my heart and mind…I mean honestly that would probably send me to the Congo or Sudan right now or to adopt a down syndrome sweetheart from Russia…but my point being that it’s hard for me to sit back and feel like others might look at our adoption journey with any sort of disdain (don’t know if that’s the right word to use–and again I don’t think you’re doing that, just got me thinking of all the posts I’ve seen from others regarding this issue recently.) And I guess I sometimes I want to respond to those posts by saying, “Isn’t God the only one who can determine where the greatest need is? And aren’t all orphans in need?” Well, shoot, this comment feels like I’m trying to hijack your blog. So sorry! Keep the great posts coming. I know God is using them. I found your blog by searching for Jaelynn at Maria’s Big House of Hope. My 18 year old daughter was part of a Show Hope group that went to MBOH on June 17th. She came home changed and head over heels in love with Jaelynn. We have been praying for Jaelynn and whether or not our family could be the answer for Jaelynn’s forever family. My husband is a pastor and we have asked our church family to also pray for her and for a forever family.  Tonight I was driving home from having dinner with my sweet girlfriends (YES! I actually manage to get OUT for my girls…thank you Tammy and Kelly for a much needed night of laughter!), and I was praying in the quite as I drove home–one of those times when you just sense the presence of the […] You read my mind, er, rather you wrote my heart tonight! I just finished publishing a post along similar lines, just trying to lay out what God is doing in my heart and then I clicked over and read this (and you said it so much better than I ever could have)–so cool when you see that God is doing a BIG PICTURE work in the lives of believers. I’d totally link you (because I think it only fair since I read your blog that you have access to my life as well) but it’s set to private for a few reasons…of course I’d be glad to still email you an invite if you wanted, but most of all just wanted you to know what a blessing your heart and words are in my life even though we’ve never met. Feels like we could be sisters.:) Love to you and your fam, I just love those precious moments with Jesus! I, TOO, just wrote a post on Jesus walking on the water last WEEK! I love how He will take us back to a certain passage just to really drive it home, and I LOVE what He gave to YOU to pass back on to ME! 🙂 Your “visuals” were great! Thanks or sharing!!! How I’d love to share a girls not out dinner date with you! I feel like we could talk for hours. I love the Narina Series so much my daughter is named LUCY. And I too have posted on the layers of lessons surrounding that very section of scripture. I needed this post desperately. Our paths look a little different, but as I read – it spoke to me greatly, because we are both Walking toward Him for what He’s called for us to do. Different paths coming from the same heart for Him and His will for us. Thank you, Friend!!! Bookmarking this post for future reminders. =) xo WOW! WOW! WOW! So true… everything said! Makes me tear up reading this post, thank you Andrea! We definitely all need to be reminded! Beautiful. I read the full series aloud to Trey and Shockley from the Magicians Nephew and onward. I carry a mustard seed either in real life or in my mind. That is all that God requires of my faith and sometimes I don’t even have that BUT I look at the teeny tiny etsy bity mustard seed and swallow hard and ask God to accept just that …He does magic with just that little bit and grows that faith. Recently at Hope Lodge serving cancer patients I shared the mustard seed. It brought out some hidden mustard seeds that people had on them….when life is going great we tend to not step out on the water ,to exercise true faith in action…but,when we feel totally out of control…sweet Jesus is holding us over the water. He is doing great things with you,Andrea. Keep it going girl. You are helping to build the kingdom of God.Blessings and Pax,m AMEN- I DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for this encouraging post! Your heart is magnificent. I greatly admire your faith and your ability to convey words from the Lord in a way that causes me to see more clearly what HIS desires are for my life and my family. I was struggling with knowing for certain what His plan was…and now I know it was just doubt trying to creep in. Love you friend…thanks for being obedient in sharing your heart with others. You are used daily. This is one of those posts that has been in brewing in my heart since March–and finally…I felt today was the time to finally write it. For some of you who read this–who may not be in a place in your life where you feel you are consistently saying yes to Jesus–this post may seem […] AMEN sister!! Oh my the stories……I could seriously fill a book!!! BUT OUR GOD is sooo much BIGGER!!! Knowing who you are fighting is half the battle because once you know who you are battling- you also know who is on your side 🙂 AND HE HAS WON!!! Praying for you as you journey to your daughter!!! Being on our knees is the best place!!!!! Oh Andrea you have no idea how much I needed this post today! Thank you so much! Just when I feel like giving up…I am reminded to stand firm. Thank you 🙂 THANK YOU SO MUCH! We started our Journey in March to get our baby from Ethiopia, We are 2 weeks away from a financial deadline, washer broke Sunday, heat had to be fixed and we had water damage that had to be fixed, and the list goes on…BUT I will NOT BE MOVED!!!!!!!!! THANKS!!!!! Pray for us as we are praying for you!!!! Love you Dawn–and I am so thankful for you. Praying for you as you guys adjust to a new ministry and state. You encourage me!!! And Christie–so thankful for you and your heart. Your obedience to Christ encourages me to follow Him closely. Love you too. Beautiful and filled with the words of the Holy Spirit. I know He led me to your site to read this in this moment. I have felt this warfare so many times but I didn’t recognize it for what it was. Please pray for us as we inch our way to the finalization of our adoption. Thank you for reminding us what this is and telling us to ready ourselves for battle. Lord Jesus–I pray over Tina’s family and ask for protection and for favor in the weeks and months ahead. I pray for your provision for their 2 week deadline ahead. I pray for others in their lives to come and surround them right now to bring both relief and encouragement. Lord–remind me to pray for Tina in the days ahead. Carry her family and be glorified!! Amen! Lord–I ALSO want to lift up Trudy and her family to you. {How amazing is it that we can pray for one another through a blog of all things!?} I pray that you would pave the way as they get closer to their adoption finalization. I ask that you would set a hedge of protection around their family and also bring them favor in the end of the paperwork process. I pray for sweet time with their family and for your blessing over each and every person in their family. Draw Trudy’s family close to you as they follow you Lord. In Jesus’s name–Amen. Thank you again Andrea for sharing what God shows you. When we started our journey to bring home a child, I felt like time after time God would ask us to trust him with something. Small things at first. And when we trusted him with the small thing, something bigger would get thrown at us. And God would ask us to trust him with this too. And the things keep getting bigger. But I have never felt more aligned with HIM and his heart. This future mama will not be moved!! Know that I am praying for your family! Andrea you are so sweet and dear to be thinking of others while you need prayer yourself. We are praying for you and the safety of all your children. It is hard to talk finances, but we are right there with you. As soon as we decided to adopt our finances began to be hit on a continual basis. I know that God will supply all our needs and He will fund this adoption, but it is hard when one is continually knocked down. Thank you for sharing this with us. You encourage me to “Stand firm.” Praying for you! You can pray for our sweet son from ET. He was severely malnourished, we’ve been home a year and the medical blows just keep coming. Pray for healing as we know He can do it!! god knew I needed this today, he has used your words to help heal my broken heart. we have had many many many obstacles and this last one just came yesterday. I was questioning my faithfulness, was I not being faithful enough lord? I have heard so many others talk about spiritual warfare but never recognized any throughout our own journey. we were supposed to leave on friday to get our little girl and received an email yesterday saying the embassy is opening an investigation. we are devastated. I have been feeling a lot of anger because god specifically told us to trust him and we did. then this happened. thank you for helping me to have peace through this. it was perfect. Thanks for this post Andrea, I must say I got the chills reading that someone tried to lure one of your kids that is very scary. Praise God that you were there and nothing happened. been away from blogland for some time. so glad to read these powerful words and be reminded of truth. praying for you as you follow Him fully. WOW. Officially crying. God knows how I operate & it never ceases to amaze me how he answers my questions/prayers in REAL time. Our attacks have been relentless upwards of thirty thousand worth problems with new house. This month WADHER & OVEN broke in SAME week! Hubby saw specialist yesterday (car battery on new SUV went dead in hospital parking lot while waiting with my sick kids in car). We have been on quarantine & just told church couldn’t help with sports camp because both kids have been very sick. I was praying last pm whether or not to mail a check to a family in need with 4 precious kids THIS AM or to WAIT till end of the month. Now I know the answer so off to the post office I GO! Thank you Jesus & Andrea for the encouraging words! We have an enemy who wants nothing more than to DESTROY.1Peter 5:8″Be self-controlled and alert.Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” We must live being alert because there is a kingdom of evil that is actively opposing the kingdom of God. Thank you for this post. It has truely spoken to my heart. We have 2 kids and have been trying for a 3rd for over a year and a half. We had been considering adoption or fostering when I found out I was pregnant again. I still can’t help but feel adoption is still a path we need to take. I know the view of the world and some family would be “Are you crazy, Why would you want to do that when you have 3 kids of your own”. Sometimes I do feel crazy lol ( a new baby, first year of homeschooling, and add adoption to that). It even seemed that I could hear satan whispering all these fears to me the other night while I lay awake. But Christ has won, and we have the victory. It is awesome that God sends his messengers to uplift us exactly when we need it. Thanks for sharing. Lori Standing with you. Andrea – I just wanted to share that we have had a similar experience with someone trying to lure our child. He was a roofing contractor working on a neighboring house, so he could see directly into our backyard. He told my son that we did not love him anymore and that he was going to take him to California to be with a new family. This happened in the midst of us jumping in head first to a new church that we LOVED and had sought out for over 3 years, starting a life group in our home, and establishing solid friendships with the families that were a part of that group. The enemy had attacked us leading up to this, not if the form of finances, but in the form of fighting and bickering in my marriage. We had worked through those issues, with the help of our wonderful church home, and when the devil couldn’t break us there, he went after our babies. PRAISE JESUS that we have open communication with our children, and our son told us about this man before anything too terrible happened. But it took months of explaining to our son that this man was not his friend, and that the relationship he had established was based on a lie. WE had hundreds of people pray…we emailed, told the story on Facebook and asked anyone and everyone to pray for protection for our family…and God prevailed. It was very difficult on us all, but we were convinced that we were following God’s path for us, and these were the battles we were going to have to encounter. Needless to say, the last year has been tough, but he live and breath Ephesians 6:10-20 and hold true to the fact that we are doing HIS work. I pray for you and your family and am inspired daily by your walk and your desire to share. I do ask that you pray for my family as well, as we feel we are being called back to Georgia. It’s a huge move, because we will be leaving so many people and a church home that we love in FL, but we know it is the right decision, because of all of the trials we are going through to get there. Isn’t it funny how that works, and actually brings you hope…when you believe what the Bible says! LOVE this post. Standing with you, sister. I linked your blog to my ministry’s blog site today, because this post caused me to reflect on my own journey through a recent training period I was in for a half marathon race. There were many times I was persecuted by the devil, but in the end Christ was victorious, as he always will be, and through my weaknesses his strength shone through. Praise to Him in the highest for being the great I AM. Thank you for this testimony and I will be praying for your precious family. Andrea~Thank you for your obedience to Christ to let Him speak through YOU! I needed to hear this so badly as I have felt so confused, not knowing what to DO, through our seemingly, never-ending Ethiopian adoption…but I’m gonna STAND FIRM and continue to PRAY! Praying for your little girl to come home soon! Thank you so much for this post! We are in the middle of the home study / dossier portion of our first adoption from Ethiopia. The DAY that we began our paperwork, I broke my foot going up our stairs. Eight weeks in a cast was no fun for a Mama of three kiddos five and under. Our computer, printer,and internet have all had issues (because you don’t need any of THOSE when you are adopting!!!), but we are so thankful to see God provide every step of the way. We, too, feel like with every new dart thrown from the evil one that we are TRULY on the right path. Funny how God can even use Satan to give us confirmation. 🙂 I covet your prayers that as we live our lives for Him and move forward in obedience that we would do it for Him and Him alone, and that we would be diligent in our paperwork as we SO desire to bring our little one home. Thanks for sharing!!! Oh how I can fill pages and pages with the attacks that came our way…beginning, middle and end of the adoption process and even now that we are home. And yes, our kids were tageted as well in ways we NEVER expected. I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth and screamed “My kids are OFF LIMITS !!” but are they really? They belong to the Lord and the enemy KNOWS that. The stakes are high. It got to the point where our older kids were able to recoginize the attacks as well… real life experiences in Kingdom living. And they saw and continue to SEE their God win each time. We don’t welcome the attacks but recognize they come with our “Yes”. Oh Andrea….I needed to read this today! We too are feeling under attack…seems like everytime we turn around something goes wrong. If you would, please pray for our son whose face we’ve yet to see and that our family would be best prepared to bring him home…spiritually, emotionally, financially. Thank you sweet sister and praying for you here in Washington! Shannon I also thank you for this post- the Lord truly used you to speak to me and then my husband when I shared it with him. We have recently had some devestating setbacks in our adoption journey and just last week I’d seriously considered/ talked about giving up and walking away from it all. I know there are some dear Christians (friends and family members) standing with us, so the Lord didn’t let my dream of parenting and adopting an orphan die. When I read your post yesterday it was like a new light was shined on our situation and we could see that indeed the enemy WAS working to knock us off track! I so appreciate your honesty, sincerty and willingness to share your life in a way that points to the Lord. PS- after reading your post last night my husband found your adoption slideshow and we watched it together. It is beautiful! We are in the process of adopting a baby boy from Ethiopia (7.5 months waiting for a referral!) so it hits close to home for us. Beautiful post!! Thank you for this!! Just when I was starting to think…I’m good with where we are. No more life changes this year, please…:) Thank you, Andrea, for a reminder I definitely needed. We are driving home from vacation right now, and I have to tell you how much your last 3 posts have blessed me! I could also tell many accounts of obstacles we have already faced in our adoption. Of course car repairs and other unexpected expenses…but mostly through fears, doubts, and lies. Constantly reading my Bible and having an accurate view of God AND lots of prayer has been my lifeline… no wonder God loves when we adopt! I needed to read this today, and I myself, have written of this very thing too. With our third adoption now underway it seems we are hitting more negative obsticles than ever before, but even in my doubt I am standing firm in what God wants us to do. I will be praying for your family and your next adoption; so exciting! |
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by admin
Simply irresistible!
I was hoping you would post a few pics. They are so cute! We had such a great time and really appreciate your hospitality. And it is always so good to be united with people who share your heart for adoption and God’s eternal plan for His children. And the cupcakes were delicious, too! Praying for God’s direction and peace for these next steps for you all! With love, the Smiths