Did you know?

I made this blog extra using a combination of Photoshop and Illustrator with the info I saw on 147millionorphans.com.

 I want to share it with you (totally free) so you can help raise awareness of the global orphan crisis.

{Just right-click on the size you want, Save to your computer, and "add a picture gadget" to your blog's sidebar, or include it in a post. Use it however you like, but Please just leave a source link back to my blog.}

 Together, let's pray that WAY more than 1% of Christian families will adopt!

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I'd love to create a custom blog extra for you!

Want to display a favorite scripture verse? Need a new blog header? Need to advertise your fundraisers in an eye-catching way??  

Go to www.blogdesignbybethany.blogspot.com to support our newest fundraiser!!

I'll create a custom design for you and EVERY dollar goes directly to our adoption expenses!

New President and lots of Praises!

First off, the winner of the 2nd Presidential election in the Democratic Republic of Congo was finally announced today: Joseph Kibala, the current president, was re-elected by a majority of the vote. However, please keeping PRAYING for the DRC, because the opposition leader who ran against him is rejecting the results and has declared himself as president, according to the BBC.  This has a lot of people worried about violent protests. Your prayers for peace & God's protection of the innocent are much appreciated!!

In other news, we have been PRAISING THE LORD this past week or two for so much answered prayer in lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ!

*We're praising God with our friends Weyland and Katie who've been waiting years for their 2nd domestic adoption, and they are at this moment on their way HOME with a baby boy! They had around 17 birth mothers look at their profile and then change their mind and not pick them to adopt their baby. Heartbreaking. But our entire church family at Immanuel has been crying out to God on their behalf and He has answered in His timing! He has given them a son!

*We're praising God with another couple from our church who are currently in Ethiopia with their kiddos, hoping to bring their children home by Christmas. We are PRAYING God would do it and work out every single detail for His glory!

* We're praising God with our friends, April and Everett, who are in Ukraine right now hoping to rescue 3 precious children!! We're praising God for the way He has worked out the details so far and that they were able to meet their 2 boys just the other day!! (You can read April's super sweet post here.)

* We are also Praising God for the encouraging posts we've been reading on David Platt's (author of Radical) blog! We are rejoicing in their beautiful story of adopting a little girl from China! Their story and the pictures make me so excited for the day that we get to go to DRC to bring our children home!

We also have gotten little tidbits of information lately that help us know how to PRAY for our adoption more specifically. So if you are out their pleading with God on our behalf, (we are SO thankful for you) here is how you can be praying right now:
1. Pray that God would grant us a referral for a little girl before we get baby R's birth certificate!!!
(Our attorney is changing the way he's doing referrals slightly,so that he isn't giving a child as a referral until he has their abandonment decree in hand. This is probably wise, and will be better for families coming after us. So when we get a referral for our little girl she will already have her abandonment decree & we can hopefully get her birth certificate in time for court.)
2. Pray for continued protection of baby R and our little girl from harm, disease, neglect and hunger. And pray that we could bring them home soon! We're hoping by some time in the spring to be home as a family of 5. =)

"The Lord is righteous in all his ways
 and kind in all his works.
The Lord is near to all who call on him
to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.
The Lord preserves all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy."
Psalm 145:18-20

Calling on the Lord,

Finding Comfort in Romans

After one of my sweet friends encouraged my hurting heart with Romans 8:38 just the other day, I sat down this morning to read all of Romans 8, and I am oh so glad I did. The Lord met me here in His word, as he always does. I am finding so much comfort in Paul's (and ultimately God's) words to the believers in Rome.

"For God has done what the law.. could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin,... in order that that righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled.." Romans 8:3-4

"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of ADOPTION as SONS, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs- heirs of God, and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." Romans 8:15-17
   Wow. I have read these verses so many times, rejoicing in my adoption and being astounded that I am a fellow heir with Christ, but completley IGNORING the last part of the verse! "...provided we SUFFER with him (Christ) in order that we may also be glorified. So humbling.

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the GLORY that is to be revealed to us." Romans 8:18  THAT IS A GLORIOUS REMINDER. The suffering we are going through now of mourning the death of a beautiful baby girl that we already loved so much is nothing compared to the GLORY that will be revealed to us in the future because we are Christians!!! I wish I had this heaven-ward perspective all the time!

I am so thankful that we have a personal, loving God who in His infinite love and mercy gave us His word to guide us and instruct us!!

Clinging to Christ,

Kisses from Katie

This young girl's life speaks for itself. She is an all-in follower of Christ, a 21 year old mother of 14 former orphans. She is radically living out the gospel in service to the orphaned and impoverished of Uganda & she spurs me on to die to self and life for Christ alone & HIS glory! You can read more of her blog about her life in Uganda at http://www.kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/.

Because He Loves Me

As most of you all know, this has been a hard week for our family. We lost the referral for the sweet 6 month old little boy that we'd been staring at and praying for the past month. I've been struggling at times to keep my head up and keep my eyes focused on Christ. I've had several sweet friends who have let me pour out all my emotions on them and have listened and gently pointed me back to the truth that never changes- the gospel.

After a particularly emotional afternoon yesterday my sweet husband sent me to Starbucks with my bible, journal, and Elyse Fitzpatrick's "Because He Loves Me." And I am oh so glad he did. I really needed that time alone with the Lord, in his word to refocus my mind on the cross. Christ met me in his word and the words of Fitzpatrick's book in so many places. I am so thankful for God's sovereignty in having me reading THIS book right now with my ladie's bible study group. I have been so convicted and encouraged by her writing. On page 98 she says, "God is offended if we refuse to believe that He is merciful and loving enough to give us good gifts, in spite of ourselves." IN SPITE OF MYSELF! God gives good gifts to me in spite of my sin, my past, my rebellion, my pride, my self-reliance! A-mazing! I have been feeling so sorry for myself, feeling like we are trying to do a good thing here & rescue orphans, which God loves, so I feel like I should be "entitled" to an easy process. HA. I have forgotten who I AM and what I truly deserve. God's grace in forgiving me is completely UNdeserved! I deserve hell. "BUT GOD, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were DEAD in our trespasses and sins, made us ALIVE together with Christ! By grace you have been saved!"  (Ephesians 2:4-5) It wasn't EASY for God to rescue and adopt me. He had to send His only Son down to earth in the image of man and die a gruesome criminal's death on a Roman cross to pay the debt my sins deserve, so that I can be forgiven, holy, righteous, wiped clean and adopted into His family forever.

Here's the probing question that really struck the deepest parts of my heart: "Will you transfer all your trust to Him and believe that the One who did not withhold his only Son from you [believers] will also freely give you all good things?" (pg. 105).
That is basically what God is asking me right now, in the middle of this loss. Thank you Elyse Fitzpatrick. Thank you! So my response is this: YES LORD! I trust you and believe that you will not withhold any good gift from me. Help me to cling to your promises and trust that Your plans are better than mine will ever be! You can see the big picture, even when I can only see my next step. Please give me grace to endure whatever lies ahead in this process to rescue orphans. I know they are precious in your sight and made in Your image. Give me endurance and perseverance to fight for them! Help me keep my eyes focused on you & waiting expectantly for you to answer prayer!
"Open your mouth for the mute,
   for the rights of all who are destitute.
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
   defend the rights of the poor and needy."
Proverbs 31:8-9

One Less by Matthew West

I LOVE Matthew West's song "One Less." Here's a great video where you can listen to the song & celebrate God placing orphans in families! PRAISE GOD- They are no longer orphans, but cherished sons & daughters!


If you have trouble viewing the video, you can watch it at http://youtu.be/oPVlgej4P68.

And here is the story behind the song:

You can also view this video at http://youtu.be/oPVlgej4P68.

Enjoy this awesome song!

Dads 4 Adoption Video

This video is the husband of Gwen (from 147MillionOrphans.com) talking to dads (or moms, or anyone considering adoption).

Airport Party

I LOVE Airport Parties! I think they are such a great time to come together to CELEBRATE with families newly joined together by adoption! I know they have got to be EXHAUSTED after like 18 hours of flying with in infant or toddler, but I hope that it is encouraging and energizing to see so many friends & family waiting for them.  This past Saturday was the 3rd Adoption airport arrival that we've been able to go to, and we wouldn't have missed it for the world. What made it even better was getting to share the day with some dear friends from college, who would all also like to bring children into their families through adoption! Brooke & Brandon are in the process of adopting right now and God has opened doors for Bryan & Danielle to adopt hopefully in the next year or so!

Our sweet friend, Brooke, (on the far right) took these pictures of Ryan & Lesli's arrival. LOVE THEM! She did such a great job capturing the excitement in the air and the sweet little boy who is now HOME with his forever family! You can see even more of her fantastic pics on her blog.

Jon & Brandon waiting in excitement, and sharing some laughs, as per usual when Brandon is around. Sorry, I just had to share this handsome picture of my husband! =)

Here I am hugging on Lesli, new mommy to Greer!

{I love the way Jonah and Greer are looking at eachother in this picture. Little do they know that they are going to be best buds one day, just like their daddies!}

Danielle and her daughter, Mady, meeting Greer

How sweet is that little face??? Oh my goodness, he is too cute.

Sweet shot of Ryan being a good daddy, trying to comfort Greer.

If you didn't get enough of this exciting day, you can see even more great pictures that their good friend at Red Tree photography took!

PRAISING THE LORD for His care for orphans and widows through believers, like our friends Ryan & Lesli!

REJOICING that "God puts the lonely in families." Psalm 68:6 

More details on our adoption to come soon! =)

ONE LESS

So, for my birthday today I got a pretty awesome gift! I got to welcome our friends Ryan and Lesli and their SON home from Ethiopia at the airport!!! I got to the airport so excited to help capture their day in pictures only to realize that I left my MEMORY CARD at home!! So frustrating, but I will try to post some pictures that some of our friends took! Until then, I want to celebrate Greer's homecoming with this video:

There's ONE LESS broken heart in the world tonight!

Welcome Home Greer!!!!!!!

We are the sons and daughters

Just heard this song and saw this awesome video by Third Day for the first time & had to share it! It is so good and had me in tears. I hope you love it too!



To all who are trusting in Christ's atoning death on the cross ALONE for their salvation,
"We are the saints. We are the children.
We've been redeemed. We've been forgiven.
We are the son and daughters of our God!"

In awe of God's grace in my life!!!! I was ADOPTED by God when I was 20 years old, how about you??