ARE WE CRAZY?

Tomorrow. TOMORROW we fly halfway across the world to bring home a little girl who we have never met to be our daughter. I'll admit, I have spent more than one night the last few weeks laying awake in bed,  wondering, "Are we crazy?" Are we crazy to bring into our family a 7 year old girl with a seizure disorder? Are we crazy to adopt a child we have never even met and add a whole new dynamic to our family? Are we crazy to spend the kind of money it takes to adopt internationally when we live on a youth pastor's and administrative assistant's salary? Some of you may think we are, but I have to look at the Bible and see how many seemingly "crazy" things God asked His people to do. Do you think Noah felt a little ridiculous building the Ark, when the earth had never even seen a drop of rain? How about Abraham, when God asked Him to sacrifice the "miracle" son He had provided for him? Do you think David, in his humanity, stopped to wonder "What in the world am I doing, facing this giant with a sling shot and no armor?" But in each of these situations, God was leading them and they followed by faith and obedience.


When God asks you to do something in faith, it may not always seem like the "sane" thing to do. If you step out in faith,it doesn't mean the road will always be easy, but it does mean He will provide for you every step of the way. Am I anxious? Yes, honestly, in my humanity, I am. I worry about how my new daughter will adjust, leaving the only home she has ever known to come home to a new culture, a new family, a new EVERYTHING.  I worry about her medical condition and her learning delays.  I worry if I can be the mom she needs and if I can love her the way she needs to be loved. I worry about how she and Natalie will get along sharing a room. I worry about a lot of things...but God says "Cast all your anxiety on Him,  for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

I have no doubt in my mind that God has led us on this adoption journey. The long wait and the paperwork and more waiting, has not been easy and I know there will still be many more trying days ahead; but, since God is leading us, I KNOW He will provide. He will provide the finances. He will provide the peace. He will provide the strength. He will provide EVERYTHING that we need.  So yes, we may be a little crazy, but hey, it takes being a little crazy to step out in faith sometimes!

Thanks so much for your prayers for us as we take this crazy journey of adoption and fly halfway across the world to bring home our beautiful little daughter! We appreciate so much the love and support we have in our family, our church family and our many friends! We can't wait to share with you the next part of this crazy journey!

Still Waiting...

Why, yes! We are still waiting! I think God is trying to teach me patience!!! :)  We found out through an e-mail from the US embassy that our little girl's Visa was issued last week and so now we are waiting for the final call...the call for travel approval! This week marks 1 year since we wrote the letter to the intercountry adoption board as to our intent to adopt our little girl.  We had no idea that the journey would take this long! On September 21 (which happens to be Joy's birthday) it will be 1 LONG year since writing that letter! Oh how I wanted to be with Joy on her birthday to celebrate! Instead, she will have one final birthday celebration with her friends at the orphanage and we will enjoy a belated birthday as a family when we are finally able to be with her! 

I have so many mixed emotions right now! I feel as though this journey is just about to begin, even though it started over 2 years ago with the first paperwork we filled out! I feel like we are at the top of the high hill of a roller coaster and we are about to be unleashed into the "real" ride!  We've been anticipating, preparing, reading, praying, and getting ready, the roller coaster chugging slowly up that huge hill of waiting-and now, I better hang on for the ride of my life! I hope I am ready! I am sure we will encounter many issues we could not even learn about in books; we will also see many miracles happen through God's grace! We know God has orchestrated this adoption and I just pray that He will use us to be His hands extended to our daughter.  He knows exactly what she needs, even if I don't.  I am already asking that He grant me wisdom and understanding to help our little girl.

 Please pray with me for extra grace, patience and understanding during this exciting time. Please pray with us for wisdom to know exactly what Joy needs and how to give it to her, both emotionally and physically.  We know that the next few months are going to be a transition time and we are going to have to spend some time just helping our daughter adjust. Our little girl will be leaving the only home she has ever known and traveling 24 hours away to a place of unfamiliar faces, foods, smells, sights and sounds. Please pray for her that God will calm her fears and give her peace. Please pray for her that God will heal the hurts in her heart and that she will be able to open up to His love and our love in a whole new way.

 Thank you so much for being a HUGE part of this miracle! We cherish your thoughts and prayers over the next couple months! We could not do this without your prayers and also your financial support. Thank you so much for being Christ extended to us as we walk the path that God is leading us. We love and appreciate each one of you!  Soon our daughter will be in our arms! Love, Darren, Jenna, Natalie, Micah and Joy Noelle

Prayers Requested!

To all my blog friends and readers: I would like to ask all of you to pray for us tonight. Last week we found out that our daughter has had her medical visa appointmnet (on Aug. 22), but the attending doctor required her to come back for some further reassessment for her developmental delays. The follow-up appointmnet is Sept. 5th. Since the Philippines is 12 hours ahead of us, for those of you in the US, this will happen TONIGHT!  Please, please pray that everything goes well and they are able to schedule her visa appointment in the next few days. Please pray for no more delays. Please pray for peace for our little girl. Please pray for quick notice from the ICAB so we can travel to bring her home!

I am praying that I will be able to post a good report in the next couple days!

Thank you so much for your prayers! We will be traveling before you know it!