An Answer.

Truth.
Truth, today has been an emotional day.
Truth, God is still good.
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When you're walking through the adoption process, your heart is being stretched. Each step, each family's experience, is completely different, and yet so beautifully similar.  See adoptive families choose love. They are making the choice to love children that haven't experinced, or need to learn again what love is. "Every adoption is a miracle. After all, it is God working things out so that a hurting orphan finds his or her way into a family with open arms. It is the building of families in a way that allows God's plans to play out in a very real way" (A Treasury of Adoption Miracles).
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Every adoption is a miracle.

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This last week we asked you to pray. To pray a simple prayer. We prayed too. God answered; although He didn't answer perhaps in the way our hearts were hoping. Today we learned that a little girl will be placed in her forever home, just that, that home is not ours. Forever. We learned today that two twin boys will be going home to live with their older siblings, who have been previsouly adopted. They will be in a new forever home, but will grow up with some of their siblings. Forever.

That's beautiful.

That hurts.

But, that's God's plan.

We can totally see that. Although our hearts and home were ready and waiting for a, "You have been chosen," we believe that God answered our prayers, and the prayers of so many of you. 

These children are going home. 

Home. 

They are too young to comprehend their loss, but they will grow to learn all that they are gaining: security, love, family, siblings and hope. Because some couples chose to love, these little ones will now know what love is for the rest of their lives. So thankful for that.

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They are too young to comprehend their loss, 
but they will grow to learn all that they are gaining...
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After sharing this news with our parents, my dad reminded me that, "...you WERE selected twice before..." So amazengly true. Our hearts are waiting to welcome new children, but we are ever thankful for the sweet blessings of our children we get to shower with love each day. Our boys have taught us what it means to love, reguardless of how we feel physically or emotionally. We were chosen to be their parents, and for that we are so grateful. 

Truth. 

Truth, today has been an emotional day.
Truth, God is still good.

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A Treasury of Adoption Miracles by Karen Kingsbury

join in simple prayer >>>

"Not much happens in three years, and then I'm calling you a couple times in one week..."

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Those were the words our case worker spoke this last week over the phone. These could be potentially life changing words. Amazing words.

You see this last week, we have felt, and witnessed the power of prayer. Just a couple weeks ago we had recieved an email that made adoption seem like a dream that would have to wait for awhile. We started to pray, "God, Please move in a mighty way. Make something happen, so we know You are in this." He has done that. Within days of writing and praying about our situtation, and where our hearts were, crazy things have taken place. 

Crazy to us that is.

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"The fewer words, the better prayer." -Martin Luther

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Prayer is powerful. Prayer is mighty even when we don't really know what to pray. After getting off the phone, all my mind and heart could pray was, "Dear God, Ok You have got this. Help."

That simple prayer has been re-prayed over and over since then. And I am totally okay with that, beause I know that it's good enough. 

Help. Help us make the choices we need to this next week. Help by praying.

Although we can't share those choices that are pending right now, we ask that you would join us in simple prayer. We are confident that God is moving in a powerful and mighty way. He is bringing beauty out of broken lives, and we get to witness it firsthand reguardless of the outcome. 

Little kiddo's storys' are moving forward; and for that we are so thankful.

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"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." 

Philippians 4:6-7

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Surrender. Let Go. Be Held.

Surrender.
Let Go.
Be Held.
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Have you ever gotten one of those emails? You know the ones that once you finish reading, your mind is blank, and all there is, is a giant question mark. We recieved one of those a couple weeks ago.

"...traditional adoption thought is that it's not best practice to place children for adoption in families with children close in age...I believe you have a lot to offer a child..."

?

There it was in black and white. Something we'd actually already been wondering about. Were we not being concidered because we already had children? Yes. My heart already knew that was the answer from some comments we'd heard previously, but to see it written was a shock. Our two sweet boys have walked this adoption journey the past two years with us. They haven't been a hidden part of our family, and they are valued members. Shock.

Then it hit me. This was not a shock to the Lord. The Daddy of all orphans, mommy's and daddy's; the Lord that is in control of each step that we take, He knew; He knows.

Surrender. Let Go. Be Held.

Those were the immediate words that flooded my mind; surrender, let go and be held. Even as the tears flowed, this adoption journey has not ever been ours, but always been His. This journey has been one that we have the privilege of riding because we said, and are still continuting to say yes.
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"...this adoption journey has not ever neen ours, 
but always been His..."
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So, then the question of, "What now?" of course came.

Here is what we do know...

* "Rest in the Lord, wait PATIENTLY for Him..." Psalm 37:7
* He is a God, larger than these held onto beliefs, so we are keeping the door open to adopt through DHS.
* Truth: Private adoption is expensive. Even for local, domestic adoption it's around $24,000 give or take.
* He is a God, larger than money, larger than cost.

After thinking thought those things, and resting in the truth, we are, once again, stepping out in faith. Last week, we opened a savings account titled: Adoption

Money was deposited, and will continue to be placed into that account, specifically, and only for adopting our future son or daughter. This is an account that we believe God will use to glorify Him through bringing an adopted child into our home, family and arms. There is no specific timeline, there never really has been one, but some new steps have been taken. No doors have been shut, but perhaps a new one has been opened. Perhaps, it will be the door that we've been waiting for, the one that will help us continue our adoption journey as a family.

Surrendering all; all for His glory.

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"...we are, once again, stepping out in faith..."
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