· Luke 10:38-42
· Memorization: “Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” PSALM 29:2 NKJ
Jesus wanted His friends to listen to Him more than busy themselves trying to serve Him.
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· Luke 10:25-37
· Memorization: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” MATTHEW 5:7-8 NKJ
We should treat others as though they are precious to God, because they really are.
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Although Jon is the official “blogger” in our family, I just had to take a stab at this and share something from our hearts. Here goes:
With our home study complete and final certification from the Judge only weeks away, Jon and I took our first peaceful breath in months thinking that the hardest part of the adoption process was over. Elated that we were well on our way to bringing home a new little one we began investigating different agencies with which to begin the placement process.
When we began our adoption journey, we knew how expensive adoption services cost. We had talked to several friends who have been through adoption and the cost was definitely something we tried to prepare ourselves for. Despite the staggering numbers, we took that first step of faith – getting certified — believing wholeheartedly that God was leading us on this journey.
Honestly, we hadn’t thought much since then about the cost. We just continued our “baby step” journey of faith. God has been so faithful to us over the years and has always provided what we needed when we needed it, and usually not a moment sooner.
Despite what we thought we were ready for, still…we were floored.
The first agency we got a price sheet from is well recommended and has a lot of positive things going for them. After speaking with them on the phone, I quickly added up the cost for the services we desire, and the ending balance was somewhere in the neighborhood of $18,000. In some cases you also pay for health care for the birth mom. Ahhh!
“So where does Abraham come in?” you ask. Well, it didn’t take long at all for doubt to set in. I found myself no sooner hanging up the receiver than saying aloud, “It would be so much easier if we just tried to have another child biologically.”
That’s when God hit me! I really imagine Him taking a 2×4 to the back side of my head!!! He spoke so clearly to my heart in that moment, “Stacie, wasn’t there someone else you have read about in the Bible who doubted God would bring him a child and took matters into his own hands. Think about the consequences he faced!” Wow! If God can and did overcome barriers of infertility and age in the Bible on numerous occasions to bless families with a baby, what is money to Him?!? It was then and there that I felt convicted about my severe lack of faith and renewed my trust – that “reckless trust” – God will provide for what we need.
Jon has a favorite saying. He writes, “’Where God guides, God provides.’ Meaning that He’ll always give us just what we need, just when we need it…when we’re doing what he has called us to do. There’s no guarantee of abundant wealth in the Bible. There’s nothing wrong with wealth either, but God loves to work through those who have little (money, talent, power…) because when it’s obviously a miracle it brings glory to Him.”
Maybe God will see fit to provide in a miraculous way. Maybe God is calling us to sacrifice more of our own wants or maybe we’ll have to pay off a loan in installments. No matter what it will be worth every cent when we have our child home, and that in itself will be a miracle.
Stacie
We received notice from Nancy, the social worker who completed our home study, that our packet has been submitted to the court. The result of Nancy’s home study (which was a very nice write up), our background checks (which we don’t get to see), and all the packet of information we worked to compile was sent lock stock and barrel to the Clerk of the County Court.
Now it’s up to an honorable judge of the State of Arizona to decide if we’re “adoption worthy”. Meanwhile we wait. In fact, this feels like the beginning of a lot of waiting. We wait for the certification to be returned. We wait to get onto an adopting parents list. We wait for a child to become available. We wait, we wait, we wait.
Really, while we wait we will have some decision to make about which agency/agencies to work with. The direction we go may influence just how much waiting we do. So we’re praying for wisdom to choose well, and peace to ride out the waiting.
JPM
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· Matt. 18:21-35
· Memorization: “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Eph. 4:32 NKJ
We serve a king who has forgiven far more than we could ever repay and we’re called to forgive others in turn.
· Matt. 18:6- 20
· Memorization: “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Eph. 4:32 NKJ
God treats sin in the lives of His “little ones” very seriously.
· Matthew 18:1-5
· Memorization: “Assuredly, I say unto you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” MATTHEW 18:3 NKJ
The kingdom cannot be seized but is revealed to those with child-like humility of mind.
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· Matthew 17:1-13
· Memorization: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” MATTHEW 17:5 NKJ
The purpose of the transfiguration was to show the disciples who Jesus really was; the Messiah.
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It’s 10:45 and the social work left our house about 15 minutes ago. Our two home study visits are officially DONE.
The visits went smooth and were really pretty uneventful. We were a little nervous, not ever having experienced being interviewed by a social worker. A speech professor of mine once said that a little nervousness is good…it shows that you want a good outcome, it keeps your mind sharp, it gives you an edge and it improves your speech. I looked at our home visit the same way. A little nervousness wasn’t a bad thing, but a good thing.
The longer we talked with Nancy the more relaxed we were able to be. She did a good job of objectively asking us the “probing” questions to get to know us a bit. By the end of the visit she revealed that she didn’t see anything that would prevent us from getting certified.
A Maricopa county judge will be the authority to decide the state of our certification. Nancy will be writing up the results of her visit in the next two weeks or so and then the home visit result and the rest of our paperwork will all be forwarded to the courts.
Thank you all for your prayers, phone calls, e-mails and other forms of encouragement.
We should get the final word in a month or so. Then we’ll be all set. Nothing left to do but wait for God to bring our child to us.
JPM
