One Sought Me

  Thanking the Lord for the awesome day on July 20th at the One Sought Me Walk for Orphan Adoption!  We were praying for 153 people to walk and represent the 153 million orphans world wide! Well, the predicted rain and storms held off, the sun was shining with a cool breeze to keep the bugs at bay, and over 153 people registered to join us this day!  Take a look! Thanking all those who came out, praying that you were blessed and enjoyed the event. Thanks to those who donated and prayed for the event to go well.  Thanking all our friends who volunteered and helped make this event run so very smoothly. The support of those at the event generously gave and helped us raise near $2,000.00 towards our adoption costs! Praise God! Praying that hearts were touched, seeds were planted, and I know that God's love was reigning strong that day.  It was beautiful and touched our hearts deeply to see so many come together for the support of our future children.  Now o...

It's amazing that this is One Sought Me's post number 100! My New Year's Resolution for the year 2013 was to start a blog and now, 100 posts later and over 10,000 views, I'm blessed to say that this is one New Year's Resolution that I've actually stuck with past February! lol.   Thank you for stopping in and please visit again to keep up to date on our adoption of two from Ethiopia!   This post reflects the notes from today's speaking engagement at First English Baptist Church where Todd and I spoke, the kids sang, and we shared our all time favorite video, Eric Ludy's Depraved Indifference.  All in sharing our hearts for the orphan crisis, child care needs, and God's heart for the children in need around the world.  *                                 *                                     ...

Are you ready for this?!?!? Psalm 34:1-5a, 9 "I will praise the LORD no matter what happens.  I will constantly speak of His glories and grace.  I will boast of all his kindness to me.  Let all who are discouraged take heart.  Let us praise the Lord together , and EXALT His name .  For I cried to Him and he answered me! He freed me from all my fears.  Others too were radiant at what HE DID!! If you belong to the Lord, reverence Him, for everyone who does this has everything he needs."  We are jumping up and down and shouting from the house, praising and singing songs of thankfulness to the Lord for He has guided us through this process in amazing and miraculous ways that we couldn't possibly handle on our own! The impossible, made possible by the touch of God. People all over have rallied around us to join part in what the Lord is doing and going to do through the adoption of these two precious, chosen children that will join our family. Hum...

Week 4! This week we were able to talk to our agency and they told us that we are waiting family #13! The agency doesn't particularly go in order of waiting families as different families requests for children are different.  For example, if a family is requesting a baby girl then they may get matched before another waiting family who is requesting a 2-4 year old boy.  Family #5 had just received their referral the day we talked to the agency!  So very exciting! To be #13 sounds hopeful to me that we will be knowing our match soon! Home life this week includes loads of organizing, making arrangements, and then enjoying the One Sought Me Walk for Orphan Care fundraiser that we have planned for  Saturday.  Our prayer was to have 153 people representing the 153 million children who are orphans world-wide.  Praise the Lord that we have over 165 registered and still hoping for a few to come out on Saturday at the last minute and enjoy this morning with us! ...

Pirates Ahoy! Local businesses on and around Main Street partner with the local university to provide a fun morning of pirate themed activities for the children.  We asked the coordinator if we could add to the fun this year and offer cotton candy, drinks, music, and face painting as an adoption fundraiser.  They were happy to help and allowed us to join in the pirate festivities!  Arrrrgh Mates! That's me the face painter.  I had a blast talking to the kids and painting their sweet faces.  The best part is when I show them their painted faces in the mirror and they just light up and smile! Todd is playing guitar, sang, and had games through music for the kids.                                                        (Erin and Todd)  We'll do anything to bring these kids home!! ...

Here we are! At this point in the wait, time is flying by! Not to mention that it's summer time, vacation time for my husband to be home from work, we've got 2 major fundraiser events to prepare for and promote that fall within 10 days of each other, one fundraiser ended today so orders need turned in for that one, another fundraiser's orders are in so need to deliver those (31 bags are in!), we are a homeschooling family and usually I have the next school year books ordered by now (but I don't)- so feeling behind on that...Then, thankfully we'll be taking our annual beach trip in two weeks. Gotta pack and plan for that too.  That is totally a run-on sentence that isn't proper form. Whew, I'm tired! Relying on God and turning to Him for strength in these busy days and weeks! Trying to focus my little brain and still dedicate time to listening to God and spending time with Him.  I desire some quiet time and time in stillness with my Lord.  It's hard ...

In efforts to reach out to other prospective adoptive families or currently in-process adoptive families and to help them reach their financial goals towards their adoption costs, we'd like to brainstorm with you to share our ideas (or ones we have found) and pass them along! Raising funds for an adoption or any cause that is dear to your heart takes time, resources, organization, marketing, creativity, and did I mention time?  Now, you might not be the most creative, the most organized, or the best at marketing your ideas, but you don't have to be a super star at all these things!  Just great at one thing, and that's taking the time.  Some of that time includes time on your knees in prayer trusting the Lord to provide and show you ways where He is working!  Would you rather Him follow your ways or you follow His?  Trust me, follow His plans and you will be blessed every time. Important: We truly and completely give God all the glory and all the credit for...

"But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior;  my God will hear me." Micah 7:7 Verse for the week 2 wait for news for a referral for two precious children in Ethiopia that will some day come home to their forever family!  We pray for them daily and think of them constantly even though we don't know specifically who these children even are yet.  Already, without a name or a face or an age or a history, these children are deeply loved in our hearts and we long to be with them. After 6 months of paper work and appointments we are relaxed to some extent to have all those boxes checked off the to-do list.  The papers are no longer on our desks or in our hands being processed and sorted but now in the hands of those who will someday match us with the children.  We pray for those workers, directors, office managers, and whom ever comes in contact with our papers and with our children.  We pray for God-speed and care and protection. ...