Chosen Marathon

Oh how i love to run! However, i haven't been doing much of it since our last race. :( Now i can mix my love for running with fundraising. Chosen marathon is Oct 27, 2012 in New Braunfels, TX. They are offering both the half and full marathon.

Chosen Marathon is having a little incentive this week. If we can get the most runners/walkers registered from 6/23-6/30 our team Running for Africa will receive $1000.00. But you MUST sign up under our team.

Please join our team!!! http://www.chosenmarathon.com/race/register/

And remember to sign up under the team: Running for Africa.

Our First Fundraiser

Initially, Micah and I were on the fence about fundraising. Should we or shouldn't we??? That was the million dollar question.

It's hard to admit to the entire world that you have a need. A $28,000 need. I am a giver. I can easily give money. God constantly stirs my heart for people with hurts, habits, or hang ups. Honest. To. Goodness--I want to save the world. However, i can not ask for money or easily share my needs. I know as believers we are called to share our burdens. It just doesn't come easily to me.

So i came up with an idea. Let's do a babysitting fundraiser. A VBS style fundraiser. Bring your kids on over for a fun filled evening of swimming, crafts, games, popcorn, & pizza. Cost: Donation to our adoption fund.

It's not exactly asking straight out for a donation, but it's admitting that we have a need. A small compromise.

FBI fingerprints--Done

Today in the midst of rain we packed the bambinos up and headed to Sarasota for our FBI fingerprinting. One more thing we can check off.

We are officially done with EVERYTHING on the home study list except for my medical form. I have a doctor's appt on Tues and hopefully we will be 100% done by the end of the week!

2nd Home Study Visit

Our social worker arrived to 3 kiddos greeting her at the door. Mama was a nervous wreck. I love my babies, but they have the potential to make or break this appt. :) My Kaila bug is witty and i never know what to expect.

Fortunately, it was a success. We started with small talk. We handed in the majority of our paperwork. She is a notary, so she was able to notarize our financial statement form. We are waiting on our medical forms to be picked up, our local background checks & we get fingerprinted on Saturday.

She told us tonight that we passed and she is going to write us a favorable recommendation. Praise God. My heartfelt prayer is to glorify Jesus through this process. I only want to be in the center of His will. If it's not His will, then simply close the door.

1st Home Study Visit Completed

Goodness gracious, i fretted over NOTHING!!! I cleaned my house from top to bottom. I kept my kids out of the house all day long to keep this place spic and span. I must say that i was incredibly blessed by our Home Study Visit. She actually prayed with us at the end.

I am up to my eyeballs in paperwork. I need to make friends with a notary. I have never seen so much paperwork that needed to be notarized! It's crazy!!

Why Africa???

I could always give you the good christian girl answer, but i prefer to be real.

I could always tell you it's because God adopted me or God is the Father of the Fatherless, or we are called to help the least of the these. These are all true, but i could fulfill my God given call with a child from here.

My honest answer is because God has stirred my heart like no other for Africa. It all started last year when i saw the media coverage of the suffering in the Horn of Africa. Micah and I started fundraising and ran a race with World Vision.

Then i went to a Patch our Planet seminar. God didn't call me to parachute ministry. He called me to be obedient to His will. His will is for us to adopt a child from Africa. After lots and lots of prayer, my husband felt we were meant to adopt from Africa. Of course, I jumped on that train thinking I would get to snuggle with a cute little baby.

We went into a season of prayer, but God kept telling us not any child, but a child with special needs. I looked at my husband like he had 2 heads and said NO. No way. I have 3 kids that are healthy and happy and just No Way. I didn’t even pray about it. I had simply told God nope. Well God basically told me to put my money where my mouth is.

You see the grace of God has no limitation and the blood of Christ is powerful. As I read the bible scriptures started jumping out at me and God started to whisper in my ear, this is what I have called your family to do. I know it’s going to be hard. I know it’s going to make you look like you have lost your mind. I know you don’t have $25000 laying around here. But Sheila, I’m bigger than your circumstances. Allow me to break your heart for what breaks mine. Remember where you came from.

Psalms 103:6 says The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. I was telling Jesus I wanted to be his disciple but yet I was attaching a list of conditions.

So back to why we are adopting. Simply Because of God’s grace. I have a responsibility to be obedient to God’s calling. The grace of God has no limitation.

It has begun...

Summertime that is!!! We officially have a 5th grader, 2nd grader & VPKer!

Dear Alexis & Kaila

I was a proud mama when i saw you both on stage this morning. Alexis receiving Honor Roll all year and Kaila receiving A honor roll all year. Keep loving Jesus with everything you have!

Alexis so worried what the world thinks of you, but you are so your mama. Spread your wings baby girl, you will soar!

Kaila with her knee high brown boots not caring what the world thinks. You are so your Auntie!

I need to hear you Lord

I am not sure how i feel exactly. Numb, i guess. I don't want our decision to adopt to be crowded by our emotions. I really need to hear God. Is it HIM that has directed our path? Or is it selfishly our emotion. I have a heart for the fatherless. I feel like God wants us to proceed in Africa, but i hear all of these horror stories of unethical adoptions.

I do not want to take a child from their mother because of poverty. I want an ethical adoption. I want to be in the center of God's will. As we have spent well over $5500 in the past few weeks proceeding forward, i just need to hear God.

I pray that HE shuts this adoption down. I pray the HE makes our paths straight. I know God is not a God of confusion, but of order. Perhaps, i need to stay off the internet and stop reading everyone else's journeys and just focus on the one God wants us to live.

My prayer--God, please make our path straight. My heart's desire is to live a life pleasing to you.