One Sought Me

Having had said our goodbyes to Saturday morning sleep-ins a long time ago (as soon as our first child arrived to be exact), it wasn't a surprise to us that when bringing our new son home from an orphanage in Ethiopia, that sleep schedules and bedtime routines would be changing. The jet lag from traveling over 18 hours of flight time and layovers lasted nearly one week for Todd and I, but our new son Tarik quickly adjusted to day time and night times.  Ethiopia time is opposite of the time in the Eastern USA.  For example, it is currently 8:46 p.m. on a Thursday here in the states and it is 4:46 a.m. in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on a Friday morning. The first night we had Tarik out of the orphanage he fell asleep in my arms, lying in bed, while he drank his "too-toe" (that means bottle in Amharic language), his bottle of formula.  That was easy! It was peaceful and I was utterly grateful to have him in my arms at last. About an hour later Tarik woke up in a frantic and i...

God is so good!!! Let me tell you a story... We are continuing to raise funds for the adoption as several costs have tumbled in during this extended process for us.  What once was proposed as a 12-18 month journey to adopt has turned into 2.5 years and counting. Updated paper work, fingerprints again, new appointments, mailing documents, etc. Each month we support Tarik's care while he is in the foster home of $350 a month.  With the latest movements in our process too, we have fees associated with those costs that are  $650.  It all is adding up as one month runs into another past our anticipated funds. ( See our 2014 Fundraising Report here .   And our latest needs here. ) Just as I sit down and start to wonder how tight are things going to get, I get an email that another necklace order needs filled. And guess what? It will cover our next fee!  So thankful and once again just in awe of God's provision just when we need it! Then a friend asks to ho...

Thank you all for praying along with us for this adoption process !! Last week we really asked for deep prayers (read here) from everyone and anyone to really lift up in pleas to the Lord to let nothing get in the way of His plans.  The one paper, that needs to be signed from the officials in Ethiopia by one person....and it's been delayed for 5 months.....it has been hard to wait. Last week in my prayers I was asking the Lord for comfort in knowing that it will all be all right. During church we were reminded of the Lord as our shepherd and how he leads us weary, straying sheep to the calm, still, refreshing waters.  In a real shepherds daily life, he would lead the sheep to graze, drink, rest, and travel along paths.  Some paths would wind up the mountains.  A narrow path with a steep drop off to one side and a wall of the rock mountain to the other.  The shepherd would tap his rod on the rock of the mountain so the sound would echo behind to the sheep fol...

We are so thrilled and extremely grateful to the Lord for directing our paths and leading us to this day that we can announce that we accepted a referral of a precious little one!! Our adoption process through Ethiopia has opened our hearts and stretched our minds in ways we never knew possible!  In several ways, Todd and I are not the same people who started off in this journey 2 years ago. And for that, we also praise the Lord for His goodness, His love, and His teachings.  God has shown us more of himself through His word, through life events, provisions, trusting journeys, changes of the course, ups and downs, and now He has shown us His little precious child who needs a family! Finally the day has come that we can announce that we have a referral!!!!!!   Thank you Lord! Our agency called us in the evening and it was a blessing that the entire family was together.  I have our agent's number on a special ring tone so when I heard that it was her, and ...

During my recent (June 2014) missions trip to Haiti I was witness to many amazing things.  Amazing in a beautiful way and amazingly heartbreaking ways.  God surely was the coordinator of this trip as several planned events came to pass, but several unplanned events were better than we could have ever imagined. God knew the perfect timing of our missions team coming to Haiti and the exact people that we would encounter along the way.  He brought the children to the Bible lessons.  He held off the rain and dimmed the sun so that we could paint.  He opened our eyes and our hearts to know more of who He is.  I know that my life has changed after experiencing this trip. Take some time to read through previous posts about the trip where I journal through our time in Haiti.   Haiti Day One ,  Day Two ,   Day Three , Day Four , Day Five   One experience particularly touched my heart .  A team of three of us were serving in Haiti by pa...

"Amazing love how can it be that a king would die for me?  Amazing love I know it's true, it's my joy to follow you." These are the words of an older praise and worship song that carries such a reminder of how great God's love is for us.  He is amazing and full of love.  Why am I so surprised then when He delivers a special blessing?  He does love me after all, and so He will show Himself to us in sometimes the most unusual ways.  But these little gifts speak to our hearts so personally that we know it must be God. Luke tells us this in chapter 11 verses 9-12: 9  “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11  “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12  Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13...

NOTE:  I wrote this post in 2012 when God first stirred our hearts for adoption.  Sorry for the re-post but I have to link it in another current (March 2014) post that I'm writing!!  This is on our home page in the tab "Adoption? Go." Well, if you are new to learning about our journey, you can catch up and see where we began and where God continues to lead!  Let's Do This!    And what’s one more, or even two, when there is already a crew? Yes, we are on a mission to adopt internationally! What’s one more load of laundry on a Saturday afternoon, one more plate at the table, one more picture on the wall, one more hug good night?  It is hope, a dream come true, and love that may never have been known before to one precious child.  One matters and we want to be the change for one.  “We love because He first loved us.” I John 4:19   Join us in our journey to adopt!  Stop in any time, browse around, we’ll share with you! Go Ti...

This morning (Dec. 18) this was the reading the kids and myself had for our prayer time together.  It is from the book, Jesus Calling for kids by Sarah Young.  More than once the scriptures selected and the devotional that follows has specifically spoken to my heart just in the right timing of what I have emotionally been going through with life events and usually the adoption process.  Today was one of those days where it's just what I needed to hear to be encouraged.   The following is an expert from the book: 2 Corinthians 4:17 "We have small troubles for a while now, but they are helping us gain and eternal glory.  That glory is much greater than the troubles."  When you have a problem that goes on and on, with no end in sight, see it as a wonderful opportunity.  An ongoing problem is like having a tutor who is always by your side.  If you are willing, you can learn so much from your trouble.  Ask Me to open your eyes and yo...

www.orphansunday.org has inspired us as adoptive parents and equipped us with resources and ideas to spread the word about the orphan crisis.  Our home church invited us to speak during this Sunday that is being acknowledged around the world as "Orphan Sunday."  If you haven't visited www.orphansunday.org , please do!  It's not just about one Sunday, it's about the precious lives of God's children, the orphan, and the help we can be to them. Below are the notes for the message that God spoke to my heart to share with the church body today:  Last year we shared during Orphan Sunday about the world-wide crisis with the statistics standing at 153 million orphans. But this year's numbers top 164 million children who are alone.  We want to lift them up this day, pray for them, and may God stir our hearts to love them like He does. 164 million- this number is over half the population of the entire US. 164 million- a growing number that is too often ignored...

This morning was unusually mild in temperature for this time of year.  Fall is in full swing and in our mountains we don't get to enjoy that season long before winter weather comes about.  The children we outside feeding their pets when they called me away from the breakfast dishes to come outside.  Much to my surprise the air was filled with a beautiful chorus of birds.  We decided to sit and enjoy God's gift as we read our daily devotional book together, Jesus Calling for Kids by Sarah Young.  This devotional is written as if God was speaking to directly to you. This was today's reading: "Bells of Heaven  "I am the good shepherd...My sheep know my voice, and I know them."  John 10:14, 27 I am with you.  I am with you.  I am with you.  The bells of Heaven continually ring out this promise.  Some people never hear it, because they are so busy listening to the noise of this world.  Others hear it only on...

  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.  *                                 *                                     ...