but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
At my church, we have two deacons pray during the morning church service. These deacons pray for the service itself, prayer requests, etc. As a deacon, I have the privilege of doing this every month or so. Last Sunday was my turn!
A fellow deacon and I went into the prayer room, discussed the prayer requests, missions and activities our church is involved, and the morning service. Nothing really out of the ordinary. We didn't discuss or even mention Mei. As we took turns praying, neither he nor I verbally pray for Mei, but I guess she was in my thoughts. All of the sudden, I had an overwhelming calm and peace of mind about Mei and the adoption.
I've always known that God was and is in control of this adoption and taking care of Mei, but Sunday I had a renewed faith, a renewed hope, and a renewed strength in what God is doing in this adoption and my life. Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. Psalm 145:3 (NIV)
Friday, July 27, 2007
Sunday, July 15, 2007
God knows our hearts!
...for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 1 John 3:20 (NIV)
Carla and I have been asked by family, friends, and strangers alike, "Why are you adopting from China?" Simply put, "That's where our baby is!" There is much more to it than that, of course, but that's what we tell people because that's how we feel about it.
With Carla being a court reporter in a court that does mostly family law, Carla sees a lot of heart ache in childrens' lives. So, we've contemplated foster parenting or domestic adoption, but I don't know if we could do it. Neither one of us could get attached to a child and then possibly not be able to keep that child. So we prayed about it to let God show us what to do.
One day while I was at church, I ran across a flyer posted on a bulletin board. It was announcing a seminar on Chinese adoption. I immediately grabbed it, made a copy, and headed for home. When I got home I told Carla, "I'm going to show you something, and I don't want you to just say, No!" I pulled the flyer from my back pocket and presented it to her. She said, "You know, I've been thinking about the same thing," because she had recently been the court reporter in an adoption of a little Chinese girl. I immediately thought, "Answered prayers, God is good!"
We went to the presentation and that was it. God had definitely shown us that we had to adopt our baby from China!
Carla and I have been asked by family, friends, and strangers alike, "Why are you adopting from China?" Simply put, "That's where our baby is!" There is much more to it than that, of course, but that's what we tell people because that's how we feel about it.
With Carla being a court reporter in a court that does mostly family law, Carla sees a lot of heart ache in childrens' lives. So, we've contemplated foster parenting or domestic adoption, but I don't know if we could do it. Neither one of us could get attached to a child and then possibly not be able to keep that child. So we prayed about it to let God show us what to do.
One day while I was at church, I ran across a flyer posted on a bulletin board. It was announcing a seminar on Chinese adoption. I immediately grabbed it, made a copy, and headed for home. When I got home I told Carla, "I'm going to show you something, and I don't want you to just say, No!" I pulled the flyer from my back pocket and presented it to her. She said, "You know, I've been thinking about the same thing," because she had recently been the court reporter in an adoption of a little Chinese girl. I immediately thought, "Answered prayers, God is good!"
We went to the presentation and that was it. God had definitely shown us that we had to adopt our baby from China!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Busy Busy
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4 (NIV)
As waiting parents, Carla and I spend a lot of time wondering about Mei. What will she look like? Is she in an orphanage or foster care? Is she being cared for properly? These are just a very few of the questions running through our heads.
I've figured out the busier I am, the less I worry about Mei. That doesn't really sound like I wanted it to. I don't want it to sound like I don't want to be concerned with Mei and her welfare. I just mean I don't find my self consumed with worry. I love thinking about Mei, and all that comes with that.
Work is busy, enough said. This weekend, my sister Hope, her husband Kirby, her son Matthew, my sister Celeste, her husband Terrell, her son Hunter, her step son Little Terrell, and her step daughter Tiarra came over to my house for supper, and of course a few of us guys went to the Harley Davidson shop. We played pool, cards, cooked out, and had a wonderfuld time. Yesterday after work, I watched Luke as he took his first tae kwon do class. He was so excited. Even when it wasn't his turn to hit, kick, or block, he was wide eyed and listening. An hour of watching Luke learn and play. Today before work, I went to the Harley Davidson Shop, again, with my nephew, Matthew. He drove home on a new 2007 Sportster 1200N. That'll look good next to my 2006 Sportster 1200R this weekend when we're just cruising!
Not much adoption news, just family news! Thanks for dropping by.
As waiting parents, Carla and I spend a lot of time wondering about Mei. What will she look like? Is she in an orphanage or foster care? Is she being cared for properly? These are just a very few of the questions running through our heads.
I've figured out the busier I am, the less I worry about Mei. That doesn't really sound like I wanted it to. I don't want it to sound like I don't want to be concerned with Mei and her welfare. I just mean I don't find my self consumed with worry. I love thinking about Mei, and all that comes with that.
Work is busy, enough said. This weekend, my sister Hope, her husband Kirby, her son Matthew, my sister Celeste, her husband Terrell, her son Hunter, her step son Little Terrell, and her step daughter Tiarra came over to my house for supper, and of course a few of us guys went to the Harley Davidson shop. We played pool, cards, cooked out, and had a wonderfuld time. Yesterday after work, I watched Luke as he took his first tae kwon do class. He was so excited. Even when it wasn't his turn to hit, kick, or block, he was wide eyed and listening. An hour of watching Luke learn and play. Today before work, I went to the Harley Davidson Shop, again, with my nephew, Matthew. He drove home on a new 2007 Sportster 1200N. That'll look good next to my 2006 Sportster 1200R this weekend when we're just cruising!
Not much adoption news, just family news! Thanks for dropping by.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Answered Prayers!
"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:22 (NIV)
Thank you everyone for your prayers. I was down a little when I made my last post because we did not get any updates on matches from our adoption agency. The very next day CCAI updated there website, and my cousin, Becky, let me know by e-mail the dates as well. Prayer works!
For those who do not know, our log in date (LID) is November 24, 2005. The latest news is that there were matches through November 14, 2005. Congratulations to those who were matched! We don't know if we will be matched next month or not. If CCAA matches the same amount of days as this month, then no, we won't be. Hopefully they will pick up a little on the number of days that they match each month. Anyway if we do get matched, "Woohoo! Glory be to God!" If we don't get matched, "God is in control, glory be to God!"
We are very close to a match I can feel it. Again, thank you for your prayers, concern, and support. And please remember our prayer for our little Mei,
"Dear Lord please wrap Your loving arms around our baby to let her know that she is loved by You and by a family that cannot wait to have her and hold her; Lord, please wrap Your almighty arms around her to protect her from harm; Father God wrap Your comforting arms around her that she might have a peace knowing that she is wanted and is already a part of our family; Holy God wrap Your healing arms around her so that she stay healthy; and Precious Lord wrap Your compassionate arms around her that she may know the tremendous sacrifice that her birth mother has made by allowing her to be loved by and adopted into our family. Amen"
Thank you everyone for your prayers. I was down a little when I made my last post because we did not get any updates on matches from our adoption agency. The very next day CCAI updated there website, and my cousin, Becky, let me know by e-mail the dates as well. Prayer works!
For those who do not know, our log in date (LID) is November 24, 2005. The latest news is that there were matches through November 14, 2005. Congratulations to those who were matched! We don't know if we will be matched next month or not. If CCAA matches the same amount of days as this month, then no, we won't be. Hopefully they will pick up a little on the number of days that they match each month. Anyway if we do get matched, "Woohoo! Glory be to God!" If we don't get matched, "God is in control, glory be to God!"
We are very close to a match I can feel it. Again, thank you for your prayers, concern, and support. And please remember our prayer for our little Mei,
"Dear Lord please wrap Your loving arms around our baby to let her know that she is loved by You and by a family that cannot wait to have her and hold her; Lord, please wrap Your almighty arms around her to protect her from harm; Father God wrap Your comforting arms around her that she might have a peace knowing that she is wanted and is already a part of our family; Holy God wrap Your healing arms around her so that she stay healthy; and Precious Lord wrap Your compassionate arms around her that she may know the tremendous sacrifice that her birth mother has made by allowing her to be loved by and adopted into our family. Amen"
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Needing a little help!
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6
No news from CCAI today. Pray for our family to be strong and courageous. Thank you!
Love in Christ,
Ben
No news from CCAI today. Pray for our family to be strong and courageous. Thank you!
Love in Christ,
Ben
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Think like a Child
13 People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." 16 And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:13-16
As adults, we forget that children go through the same emotions as we do. Carla and I know that our children, Marley and Luke, want to get Mei just as badly as we do, but sometimes we forget. We get in our woe is me state and think that we're hurting all by ourselves. Just the other day Marley emphatically said, "I wish we could just go get Mei!" I knew then that she was hurting, too. I assured her that God was taking care of Mei and that we would have her home as soon as God wanted us to. She's okay with that!
A couple of weeks ago while visiting Papa and Nana, Luke said, "When Mei gets here, Nana will be like, Here do you want more food. I've got some more food!" I know that Luke wonders if Mei's eating right or if someone is taking care of her. I assured him that God was watching over Mei, and He would take care of her." He's okay with that!
Our children love Mei with all there hearts and probably don't understand the wait as much as Carla and I do, but they seem to handle it better. I guess it's there child like faith that gives them peace. God is in control of our adoption, and He will give us our Mei in His perfect timing! We're okay with that!
As adults, we forget that children go through the same emotions as we do. Carla and I know that our children, Marley and Luke, want to get Mei just as badly as we do, but sometimes we forget. We get in our woe is me state and think that we're hurting all by ourselves. Just the other day Marley emphatically said, "I wish we could just go get Mei!" I knew then that she was hurting, too. I assured her that God was taking care of Mei and that we would have her home as soon as God wanted us to. She's okay with that!
A couple of weeks ago while visiting Papa and Nana, Luke said, "When Mei gets here, Nana will be like, Here do you want more food. I've got some more food!" I know that Luke wonders if Mei's eating right or if someone is taking care of her. I assured him that God was watching over Mei, and He would take care of her." He's okay with that!
Our children love Mei with all there hearts and probably don't understand the wait as much as Carla and I do, but they seem to handle it better. I guess it's there child like faith that gives them peace. God is in control of our adoption, and He will give us our Mei in His perfect timing! We're okay with that!
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