Author Archives: admin Soooo…I just realized I didn’t take ONE picture–NOT ONE–of the kids in their Easter outfits TODAY! Terrible right? Well…lemme tell you why! We got home today and Frank and Isaac got into chocolate…and chocolate got all over their clothes! SOOO…I am totally going to re-inact their first Easter in a few days and take pictures […] As I was rocking my 4th child tonight…my sweet boy who came to a gift to us through adoption–I was looking in his eyes…and he was looking in mine. I was singing–and in the midst of my singing, I brought my nose close to his and he began to giggle. Holding his bottle between his […] amen, sister! God is so good. So grateful for the peace that Isaac and all the other babes who are ‘home’ find and pray for peace for those who aren’t ‘home’. Such a wonderful post tonight! You have such a beautiful way with words. You should write a book! 🙂 Thank you. Wonderful post! Yes and Amen! And for once, I really can’t put into words what I want to say. Let’s just say our hearts are knit together, dear friend!! So beautiful Andrea – Happy Easter to you and your beautiful family!  I just wanted to take a moment to encourage you if you are considering coming to the Summit in Louisville, KY on May 11-13th–to consider coming a bit early on the 11th and joining other moms with a heart for adoption for a time of rest, refreshment and encouragement… While I was hoping to be […] I’ll spread the word–and so wish I could make it. We’re hoping to attend some conferences in the fall to promote The Sparrow Fund. How do I find out about which ones are happening next year? Ideas? I’ll post the jpg of this event on the http://www.wearegraftedin.com forum — I know there has been some talk about this conference there. Hope it helps! I’ll spread the word through my blog. I posted about it on my blog! I will be there for the rest of the conference, but the flights from here didnt get in until later. I am so excited to see how God works and shows me things, and I hope I get to meet Shelly! I will blog about it. I would love to be able to go. I would love to blog about this!! Thank you! I would love to facebook and blog about this…thanks for sending the jpeg! I just had Maridel over on Friday to catch up but didn’t realize she was speaking at this. So wish I could go but feel so blessed that I was able to attend Created for Care. Still running on the overflow from your amazing retreat! Thank you to you and your team!!!! Jenny I will help spread the word. Hoping to attend. Thanks. Would LOVE to share this invite! I am looking forward to attending and will gladly share the information about the luncheon! I don’t know if any of my fb friends are going but I’d love to share about it to be entered into the giveaway. Is that horrible? 🙂 I would love to spread the word about this on Facebook even though I won’t be able to make it myself.  When I was 18 years old, I heard a still small voice speak to my heart for what I wish I could say was the first time. However–I know I’d heard Him for 18 years–it just took 18 years for my stubborn heart to REALLY listen. We all hear it…just some people don’t want to […] Andrea, Tonight I realized what it is that I enjoy about reading your blog. Today I had a chat with a friend and we talked about the topic of raising children to love the Lord and love others. I referred my friend who has a very large family, to read your blog because it allows someone to get a glimpse of what a family who loves the Lord looks like. She is a new believer who wants to bring Jesus into the lives of her children. I referred her to your blog because it’s a place to see into the life of a family that lives to love and serve the Lord. And that my friend is why I like your blog. 🙂 God Bless, Rachelle Oh what amazing words the Lord gave you to speak to us! Funny how we dyed eggs yesterday too, and I got a different lesson out of them. Without Jesus, our lives are boring, plain, and missing much life. The more time we spend with him, the more He changes us and makes us full of new life and color and shining to a world around us! 🙂 it was a cool lesson to teach the kids. I love your lesson as well! Be blessed today, my friend. You certainly have blessed me! Love this, Andrea! It reminds me of our “Date with God” sessions at Created for Care. Ever since then I have been so much more open to God’s voice in my heart. I often think about what my life would look like if everything went according to my plans… I could never have planned something this beautiful!! Especially loved this post… reminded me of a plaque on my office wall that says, “Make time for quiet moments – God whispers and the world is loud.” So much easier said/intended than done. Thanks for the important reminder during this Holy Week when our hearts should be particularly reflective in the midst of the busyness and anticipation of the great celebration! Hope your family enjoys a blessed Good Friday and Easter! Your story is so beautiful. Our sweet God whispers here too. Just a few months ago we chose to turn off our cell phones and switch to a cheaper plan. This required us to be cell phone free for about 15 days while we waited for the next offer to take effect. We had brought home our sweet foster baby just weeks before. We were making changes in our budget to further ensure that I could stay at home with her, just like I did with my boys. A close family member called our home and repremanded me for taking in a foster child when she felt I could not pay my cell phone bill. She would not listen to our story of God, or using our resources wisely, she just knew that our phone was not working when she called it, so she assumed we could not pay the bill. She was in such a tizzy about it that she cancelled our Christmas gathering at MY house with them, and refused to come. This broke our hearts. Not because she was upset, or that she would not hear reason, or even because she did not come. We were heart broken because she didn’t get it. She could not see following God’s call as being worthwhile. In the end we have realized this reaction came on the heels of her realizing our baby is black. What a loss of joy for HER to not get to be involved in this precious treasure’s life. We are so blessed to be following God, whatever the cost! VERY MUCH AGREE!!!! What if we thought such and such was too important to give up or push aside (not a sacrifice just decisions that help grow us)? What would we miss??? WAY TOO MUCH!!!!!! Praising God that we listen…praying for more listening…more growing….more giving….more doing for HIM. Andrea, thanks for sharing your heart. Several pieces resonated with me. I have struggled in recent weeks with “others” in my life, knowing that following after God’s heart will be foolishness to some–yes, even some family and close friends. It is always a challenge to walk in love and yet continue to move forward, knowing that there is a cost to following. It is hard to feel rejected at times for doing the hard thing, for laying down your life, for being “radical” (which I find funny because I always feel like I’m barely touching the edge of radical when I look at the book of Acts and all the disciples of Jesus)…anyway, God has given me Hebrews 12:1 and reminded me to keep my eyes on HIM, and to not compare my race to anyone else’s. I know as believers we are ALL running the race, but each of us has our own “leg” to run as well, and oh do I want to run it well and with ENDURANCE. I am thankful God uses so many around us (including “friends” like you in the blog world) to encourage us along the journey. I keep telling my kids that this life is NOTHING compared to ETERNITY. God bless you guys! The verse that popped in my head after reading your post was Matthew 16:5- “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” I’m finding this to be sooo true! The more and more that I listen, the more and more that I “lose” my life to the world’s standards…the more and more that God is glorified and then as a bonus, I get to experience some pretty incredible things! Heres to losing more of our life…. 😉 this was enough of an answer! Thank you for writing this post and reminding me to listen to and follow the only One who matters Love this, Andrea! Thanks for always being encouraging and reminding us of the truth of God’s Word! Hope that ya’ll have a wonderful Easter! Each year at Easter we forgo buying the super expensive outfits & shoes & give to as many families in need as we can. Boy it baffles my mother-in-law’s mind when we show up & don’t have those 50 shoes on our kiddos. I can’t help but think that Jesus who wore worn sandals & robe would rather that we “clothe ourselves” with the fruit of the Holy spirit when we celebrate his resurrection. Kudos to you for listening to your heart & turning your eyes on him instead! I really enjoy your blog. My wife and I are in the process of adopting from ethiopia so that is what has brought me to your blog. As i read the blog the scripture in Jeremiah 29:11-13 come to my mind, I pray Gods blessing on your family.  Tonight’s encouragement comes to you straight from the most recent pics…insights from my iPhone–and moments that just had to be captured when there was no camera with me: Isaac Temesgen doesn’t dig strangers. BUT this one oddly didn’t bother him. In fact, he walked RIGHT up to him and wanted to know what he was […] You need instagram :o) Love all of the pictures!! So exciting for Isaac!! Wait til your older ones get the hang of taking pics and video with your iphone. Oh, the things I find!! Hilarious! I’m glad to know I’m not the only one that has a bowl of cereal at night. 🙂 Soo cute and funny!!!! He he he….when we were younger we dressed my younger brother up in a little girls dress. We will never let him forget it either 🙂 His wife thinks it is funny. |
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by admin
Praying for healing!!
Praying for Sarah, Andrea. Thanks for sharing pics of your sweet kiddos… and their sweet “tooths”. 🙂
Praying for healing in your family and for little Sarah. I love the pic of Frank sneaking candy. My youngest has a sweet tooth and has been sneaking candy all weekend
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Awwww..your kiddos seriously!!! CUTE!!! I am addicted to sugar too….know what you mean sweetie 🙂
THANK GOD FOR EASTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Praying for complete healing of both of your little ones. Our Father in heaven loves our children infinitely more than we could ever fathom and they are daily IN HIS GRIP…no greater place to be.
Much love, sweet friend.