I'll admit it. I'm struggling again. This adoption thing seems so distant right now. But it struck me today that this adoption is a GOD thing, not an AUDREY thing. If I want to be closer to it, I need to be closer to GOD. I know--this should be a given, right? I went and got my Bible since it was halfway quiet (Baby was sleeping and Things 1 & 2 were upstairs playing) and I opened it up to James, merely because we talked a little about it at church Sunday night, and because it is an easy read (easy in that it is written simply, and is easy to follow. It's not as easy to obey!). Little did I know that God was just WAITING for me to open it up because he spoke directly to my situation. James 1:2-8: Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him (wait, so, He's not going to say, "No way Jose! You haven't made good choices ALL DAY LONG, like I tend to say to my children!?). But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." P.S. I began this post last week and couldn't finish it, and then our pastor hit on these very verses during his sermon on Sunday! Apparently this is one of those times when I need to be hit over the head with something!! Chris and I majorly stepped out in faith when we agreed to do this. We didn't have $40,000, we didn't have $1,000! James tells us we need to be rejoicing in these hard times because of what's going to be in our future because of them. God is molding us, shaping us, refining us through these challenging times.
All in all the adoption is going well. We have raised over $5,000!!!! God is GOOD!!!!!! I am now a consultant for Thirty-One Gifts. If you are not familiar with it, check out my website here. This is a Christian based company and we sell some awesome products--I had the pleasure of owning some Thirty-One bags before, and now I get to share them with my friends AND earn money for the adoption.
I don't know if I mentioned this before, but my AMAZING friend Kori is heading up the organiztion of a Fun Run/5K in May. We are still waiting on final approval from the City, but I am more than pumped about this event! Kori is doing an incredible job and it should be a GREAT fundraiser. Come on, City of Deer Park!
Addendum:
As you may have seen on the news, Ukraine is in an uproar right now. There is rioting, there is burning, there is murdering. Please pray for the freedom of the Ukrainian people. Our boys should be safe, but it is still a very real issue and who knows how it might affect our adoption. The team from New Horizons that recently visited Ukraine shared this video with us, stating that this thought process is exactly what they experienced from the Ukrainian people while on their trip in the last couple of weeks. A peaceful people who just want freedom. There is no peace to be had in Kyiv right now. PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!!!!!!! Our God is a BIG GOD, a God who is in the business of MIRACLES.
"Why? You already have four kids," you comment.
"Why? Adoption is expensive!"
"Aren't your kids enough?"
"You're REALLY going to have your hands full.
"Don't you know how hard it's going to be?"
The answer to all of these is, YES. Yes, we already have four kids. Four beautiful children that make us laugh, scream and cry, all in the same day! Yes, adoption is expensive, ESPECIALLY internationally. YES, our kids are "enough." They would be "enough" if there was just one of them. I am enough that Jesus would have died if I was the ONLY sinner in the world. YES we are really going to have our hands full, and our hearts overflowing. YES we know it's going to be HARD. It is hard anytime you bring a new family member in, it's a whole other dynamic, just like a new marriage. New opinions, new personalities, new experiences, etc. The Lord never promised our path would be easy, but He DID promise He would be there with us!
