Almost Daily..... Not Today!

Almost daily.......
 in our home we are reminded of the evil in this world.  Specifically the evil that exists in the hearts of those who use, abuse and exploit children.  The evil that destroys and steals the innocence of children...at every age.  The evil that is so ingrained and programed into the minds, hearts and souls of children that they cannot even imagine what "normal" or "appropriate" would be or look like!  I am so mad I think I could spit nails right now.... I am mad at all those who decided that it would be to their gain to abuse my son!  To all those who were suppose to protect him and show him the love of Christ while he was in his Christian transition home! 

Almost daily.......
 I am reminded or taught that our minds cannot comprehend the thoughts and plans of those who seek out little children to do unspeakable things. I am continually blown away by the intentional and purposeful time, energy and thought put in to using children for their pathetic gain.  As I learn more and more about just how evil these perpetrators are and the ways they entice and lure children, I am convinced that man is completely depraved.  OH Jesus, please come back!  NOW!

 

Isaish 5:15-17  NLT

¹⁵ Humanity will be destroyed, and people brought down;
even the arrogant will lower their eyes in humiliation.
¹⁶ But the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will be exalted by his justice.
The holiness of God will be displayed by his righteousness.
¹⁷ In that day lambs will find good pastures,
and fattened sheep and young goats^[a] will feed among the ruins

Almost daily.....
 I have to move forward leaving justice to the Father. As it is not mine to seek or give out.  I am certain that He will.  I can only move forward by keeping my focus on the promises of a sovereign God.  Promises of justice and accountability.  I know and believe that God sees every tear and knows each fear that runs wild in these precious little minds.  I cannot live in anger for the wrongdoing and suffering that is done to children worldwide!  I know that God does not want me to rest there.... He wants me to rest in Him.

Psalm 75:1-3

¹ We thank you, O God!
We give thanks because you are near.
    People everywhere tell of your wonderful deeds

 ² God says, “At the time I have planned,
I will bring justice against the wicked.
³ When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil,
I am the one who keeps its foundations firm.

 

Isaiah 51:4-6

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁴ “Listen to me, my people.
Hear me, Israel,
for my law will be proclaimed,
and my justice will become a light to the nations.
⁵ My mercy and justice are coming soon.
My salvation is on the way.
My strong arm will bring justice to the nations.
All distant lands will look to me
and wait in hope for my powerful arm.
⁶ Look up to the skies above,
and gaze down on the earth below.
For the skies will disappear like smoke,
and the earth will wear out like a piece of clothing.
The people of the earth will die like flies,
but my salvation lasts forever.
My righteous rule will never end!

 Almost daily......
I have to keep living the life God has so graciously blessed me with.... the easy things and the hard.  I have to run the race He has set before me! (Hebrews 12:1 here)  I have to love like He loves.  And that means every broken piece of my sweet little boy's heart..... I have to show the love He has shown me to others....

Romans 12:9-10

⁹ Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. ¹⁰ Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

 

 

Today.........I  believe that we can make a difference in the lives of so many children that are victims.

I received an email from a friend promoting a movie titled Not Today.  This is a movie about the REALITY of the evil present in the form of child trafficking!  This is so dear to my heart for so many reasons...  I am posting the email with information and links to the movie's website.  PLEASE take a moment to check it out!  If you are in the Appleton WI area and you would like to commit to purchasing tickets please email Julie here or email me and I will direct you to Julie!

Here is Julie's message..... a perfectly timed message for me....and maybe for you as well!

Last week I learned of a film project called Not Today.

It resulted from a missions trip that a church from California (Friends Church) took to India in 2007. While there, they witnessed first hand the struggles of the Dalit people.  The following is an excerpt from their website, nottodaythemovie.com

Beaten down by the centuries-old caste system, the Dalits are mired in India's thriving sex trade with young children being bought and sold every day. Friends Media, a ministry of Friends Church in Yorba Linda, California, created this powerful new film to be a voice for the voiceless. NOT TODAY executive producer Pastor Matthew Cork says:

"Dalits are not considered human. They get no education. They are used and abused and have no recourse or avenues toward justice. There is no protection from law enforcement; no access to the courts; no political voice, no hope of upward mobility.

"Our goal for the entire movement is no small thing: to eliminate the caste system, to free the Dalits. The world needs to understand that slavery still exists. That even today, young children are bought and sold like cattle. That little girls are forced into the dark, illicit sex trade. That young boys and girls are coerced to beg in the streets, and bring their proceeds back to line the pockets of thugs who abuse them at night."

Working in partnership with the Dalit Freedom Network, Friends Church has made a $20 million commitment to build 200 schools for Dalit children. With education, young Dalits gain an understanding that we are all created equally and can live purpose-filled lives.

On Friday, I had a conversation with the man who is working to bring Not Today the movie to Appleton, WI. His name is Victor Vanden Oever. He is the CEO of Cachet Entertainment.

You can learn more about him here:http://www.cachetmarketinggroup.com/AboutUs.aspx


I have tentatively planned on Friday, May 31, as the date for the premiere showing of this powerful film, should we be able to bring it to Appleton.
It will run for one week, from May 31 through the first week of June, at one of the two Marcus theaters in Appleton. 

Would you prayerfully consider joining me in this effort by:

1. Committing to purchasing tickets to view this movie yourself,

2. Spreading the word to all you know who would have a heart to help bring awareness and support this cause

3. Committing, as an organization, to purchase a block of 50 or 100 tickets or more, which you can then sell.

I will be in contact with Victor again this week. Since I personally would be responsible for purchasing the 400 tickets required to bring the movie to Appleton, I would like to have an idea of the interest before I commit to this endeavor.

If you could please respond to me by mid-week, that would be wonderful.  Thanks for considering & praying.

Julie

ONLY GOD

2 Chronicles  14:11

¹¹ Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.”

 

There is no one like HIM!!!

Thank you for praying! Sebastian is coming home!!

 

Update on Sebastian!!    April 19, 2013

only GOD...

...can reach down from heaven and rescue the fatherless.

Even when it's down to mere days before it's too late.

Even when it seems impossible....

NOTHING is impossible!

Absolutely nothing.

One young man will have his dream come true!  He will know what love feels like. He will know what it feels like to belong.

SEBASTIAN IS COMING HOME!

Glory to God!

Thank you to every single person who shared his story and prayed for a family to step forward.

Another life redeemed!  We rejoice.

A Call to the Body!

I cannot tell you how humbling it is that God would direct my life to be in a place where I can share His love and His passion for the orphan. Not at all what I ever thought I would be doing.  I have a few blogs that I read where I find encouragement and community with others who are as well passionate for and part of God's mission on this earth to plead for and be a voice for the orphan. 

I don't really know who all reads my blog or where they are from. What their gain is, if any, from reading what I post.  I do know that this morning it is not my words that God wants me to share... they are words from another.   We will see the results of what we do with our time, voice and our abilities when we stand before our Savior Jesus Christ one day. 

In obedience to His sweet and gentle voice I am blessed to recognize this morning, I am posting another's post with a plea for prayers for a boy.... almost a young man, who is running out of time!  I know there are prayer warriors out there who will be on their knees for this boy.  I know there are families wondering if in fact, God is calling them to adopt an older child.  I know there are people who "know someone" out there that has already been called to care for the orphan through adoption that may be "waiting" for the Lord to speak to them.   IN all of this.... I know and believe that

1 Corinthians 12:12-26

¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized by^[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be?                          ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.    ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

 

Please read the post below and do what the Father prompts you to do!  It is not what I expect or ask, it is what He asks of you!   Peace!

 

 

NINE DAYS TO FIND HOPE!

When I finally found a few minutes to catch up on my e-mail today, I scrolled down reading each and every one of them.

Many were the same.

A plea! Desperation!
"Please, please help this boy!"
There were a lot of them.
A community of people crying out with all of their hearts for one young man who is running out of time.  Each day that passes gives him one less day to find hope.

And a home.

And the family that his heart is longing for, yearning for!

Today I am joining my voice with this amazing community of adoption advocates who care so deeply.  Because this life matters too! 

As of today, Sebastian (not his real name) has only NINE DAYS to find a committed family!

NINE DAYS to be chosen.

Sebastian with Nicole, an adoptive mom, whom he met earlier this year and who was there on a mission.

Or else?

If you have read here for a while or been involved in older-child advocating, you will know.  You will understand the sad reality that faces these precious children when they leave the relative safety of the orphanage walls.

The statistics are almost too much for the human heart to fathom.

Predators who wait on the other side.

Evil lurking.

Waiting to steal, kill, and destroy.

Absolute hopelessness!

An amazing adoptive family met Sebastian just a few months ago.  He captured their hearts with his sweet heart, tender ways, and his love for Jesus. This young man followed them around and would not leave them alone--just longing to be near.  To be loved.  To be accepted.

And a plea of his own....

A letter to Nicole thanking her for helping him find a family.

"Nicole, thank you for helping me find a family.  I am very grateful to you."   ~From "S"

The absolute desire of his heart.

But unfortunately time is ticking and every day that passes gets him one day closer to that certain hopelessness!  But like "Johnathan" (who is now Andrew and is home and thriving), this one too deserves the love of a family--the opportunity to love and be loved and given every opportunity under heaven and earth to become the man whom God has created him to be!

Please, please share this young man's story today!  As the body of Christ, we can use social media for good by spreading his story to the ends of the earth and standing and trusting that a family will rise up before it's too late.

All photos courtesy of Nicole Dewberry.

What kind of family to do we need?

They must have a completed home study and preferably a dossier for Ukraine--or be willing to do an extension for him.  The family MUST commit before he turns 16 in just nine short days time!

Impossible?

Of course not! God's Word tells us that NOTHING is impossible for the Lord God Almighty!

Not even this.

Anyone wanting more information from someone who has met Sebastian, please contact Nicole at diveshark@yahoo.com. For all inquiries about his adoption and the legalities, please contact debbie@reecesrainbow.com.  Serious inquiries only please!

Standing before the Red Sea and waiting expectantly for the Father to part these waters...FOR HIS GLORY!

 

 

 

Thankful In the Wilderness....

It is hard to put into words how it felt to leave our boys.  (I could say that it was very similar to how I felt just a week ago when we left our 3 boys here in America to go meet our new sons.)  In my heart I was so sad to have to leave David and Jonathan behind. But at the same time, I have a "peace" about leaving them that gives me not only comfort for now but an assurance of what it is to come. I am 100% sure of where that peace comes from!

Philippians 4:6-8 NLT

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

I know that they are in a place, a home, where they are receiving the love, attention, nutrition, care and daily life that only a family can provide. The alternative would be them living this time out in an orphanage.

I am so thankful for God's provision in their lives. But there is something else I am thankful for this morning.  I was reminded of the "time in the wilderness" that God allowed in my life just a few weeks ago. That time in my life was itself a "provision" for me from God.  If you read my posts starting here or remember where my heart was during that time, you know it was a time where God called me to complete dependence on Him and Him alone.  He took away comforts in my life that came from "knowledge", friends, guarantees on paper, all things from man.  He took my well made plans and pretty much shredded them.  Again, it was all to show me that He has every detail of this trip and of our lives covered to the smallest degree! Not only do we not "SEE" what He sees, we cannot even begin to have the "thoughts" of our Father! So in all of this, He brought me to a place of trusting only in Him, not man.  A place of complete dependence on His goodness, grace and love for me and for all of our children!  So for this too..... I am thankful!

My prayer of thanksgiving to Him...

Hebrews 10:21-23  NLT

 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house,  let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.  Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm,

for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

 

I want to thank you Father for the "wilderness" in my life!  It is always so easy to write and share about answered prayers for those we love who are hurting..... for prayers and petitions that are granted in ways that make everyone smile. But this time I want to thank you Father for the hard time in my life. Without this time of trial and suffering and not understanding in my life, I would not know you more intimately than I did just a month ago!  Your love for me surpasses all of the anxious and doubtful thoughts I have had.  You know me so well. You know what stirs my heart in every way. Thank you that You allow me to endure conflict to bring me closer to you!  As you have placed in my heart a desire for you, so too, you direct my life to bring that desire to life again and again. I am so thankful Father God that you don't just give us a "recommended daily allowance" of you and then wait awhile before you call us closer again. YOU use everything in our lives to draw us near to you! The good and the bad, the happy and the sad, the rejoicing and the mourning.  All to give us the desires of our heart.... YOU.  Thank you Father for the wilderness times in my life that always bring me to a place of beauty, peace and understanding of who you are and how you love me!  Forgive me of my wavering and my anxious thoughts, instead would you continually deepen my understanding of you.  I will share your goodness and love with everyone! Amen.

I see now what God wanted me to experience on this trip. I see now how mightily He used this trip to build trust and love into Levi's heart.  A little boy who needed to know that people do not always leave and never come back.  A little boy that needed to know that when his parents tell him they love him and they will be back, they mean it.  They can be trusted! A huge revelation of love for both him and us!  Seeing that little boy after 8 days without him, come into my arms and squeezing me like never before.  I will never forget that squeeze and how it seemed to last for 10 minutes!  I know God used this time in his life for his heart to heal and grow in love for us!  Thank you Father!!

I pray that in my life I would remember this time of wilderness and rejoicing. That the next time, I would remain assured in the promises of our Father and not seek to understand that which I cannot. Instead, that I would be rooted in faith in the One who does all things well! That my thoughts would be fixed on what is right and true!

May you be encouraged in this and if you are experiencing a time of "wilderness" in your life right now, I pray that you will be able to be still before Him and allow Him to pour all that you need into you.  Be it peace, understanding, comfort or the strength to endure and persevere,  He will fill you with all that you need and at the right time, He will reveal all that you need to know and see!

In His Embrace,
laurie

A Picture Speaks.......



A beautiful representation of where we are all at today!  It is as if it has always been. It is as it was meant to be! God has placed a love in each of our hearts for Him and for each other.

Psalm 127

Unless the Lord builds the house,
    the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
    the guards stand watch in vain.
 In vain you rise early
    and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
    for he grants sleep to those he loves.

 Children are a heritage from the Lord,
    offspring a reward from him.
 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
    are children born in one’s youth.
 Blessed is the man
    whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
    when they contend with their opponents in court.

This picture also, to me, represents the Hand of the Father.  Our big sovereign Father who cares for us and protects us and is with us all of the time. Our Father who leads and guides us by His mighty, yet gentle hand.  If we will just take His hand........

Psalm 136:11-12

and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures forever.
¹² with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures forever

 

In His Embrace,

laurie

Understanding Him.....

Isaiah 55:8-9

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Understanding......
As I think about today my heart is filled with so many different emotions.  My heart and love for these two little boys grows and grows.  As I spend more time with them and experience their nature and personalities I am absolutely in awe of how God's plans are so so very perfect.  These two little guys become more familiar to me each and every time I see them.  I told Roger today that they are so much like our other boys! Really they are "Hebbe boys". How I can love them as I do, I do not understand. The only explanation that my limited thinking mind can come up with is that it is only because He first loved me.....He showed me His love, because of this.... I can love them in such a whirlwind of circumstances.  He placed this love in my heart that is not limited by geography, culture or biology.

Isn't that just incredible!  It should make each of us fall on our knees when we realize and experience God's perfect love in our lives.  He, in a way that we cannot even begin to comprehend, showers us with His love! His all out and crazy love for each of us.  His love is a love that does not compare.  This love is purposeful. This love is intentional. This love is freeing. This love is overflowing.  This love is grace-giving. This love is forgiving. This love is deep and wide. This love is never ending.  This love is free!

Ephesians 3:14-19

 For this reason I kneel before the Father,  from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,  may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,  and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

God's love knows no boundaries.  He has placed this same love for these two boys in another mother.  Their foster mom, as well as the whole family, loves the boys this same way!  I knew from our first meeting that this family was sold out for these boys.  Every question and concern I had were completely wiped away.  I see a deep and genuine love for the boys from their whole family.  They have one son, he is in 10th grade.  The foster father's mother also lives with them.  A nice and caring family.

(See how God's plans are always best.  I am humbled by God's grace in my life.  The grace that He provided me when I didn't "understand" or "know" why things were happening the way they were.  And thought I NEEDED to know. Oh how quickly my eyes can look away from Jesus and search the waters below my feet.  Just like Peter.  Then He saves me from myself with His grace.) 


After our time with the boys today we drove them back to the foster family's home.  What a blessing it was to drive from the city to, and through the many small villages in the country.  It was almost as if we were transported back in time.... but then again, not really.  In some ways the things we saw were so much like what you might see in movies like "Fiddler on the Roof" or "Willy Wonka", but then all of a sudden a Volkswagon  Jetta would speed past you on this small country road!  Or you would see men out in the fields tending to their sheep and then see someone walking by with an I Phone next to their ear.  But really, I loved seeing all of these small villages.  We drove to the foster family's home in one such small village.  All along the roads you can see groups of people just talking.  Old people, young people and even those in-between. I wonder what they are all talking about! I wish I could pull up a chair and listen to their conversations.  If the buildings and roads could talk what a tale they would tell.

When we arrived at their home we were greeted by all of the family, except father as he was not home.  But honestly, they treated us as if we were royalty.  Kindly showing us the boys home and the 2 different rooms they sleep in.  One for the colder months just past and the one for the warm summer months they are entering into.  Their home was warm... from the love that is there between them.  Their son was eager to show us that they can Skype with us to keep in touch in between trips for the boys.  A very nice and respectful young man.  But perhaps the most intense feeling I got was from the "mother in law" the gramma!  She met me and immediately put my face in her two, hard working worn, full of history hands!  She teared up and pulled me close to her and kissed me! It seemed as though she wanted to thank me and bless me and tell me how much she wanted me to take care of and love "her boys".  She was seriously, a precious gem. She is someone that didn't really speak any words to me that I could understand, yet I totally "got her". It was as if we both "understood" each other.  We shared a love for those boys .... she knew it and I knew it.  Again, only because of God can we feel like we are or have been long connected when in fact we have just met. 

So at the end of the day we know that we are more than blessed to be a part of a love that knows no boundaries.  We are a part of a plan that involves 2 families who live 1,000's of miles apart from each other and their love for two special little boys. We are privileged to be united in love for two special little boys.  We are humbled to know that He chose our families to join together to care for the orphan.  But why He does what He does...... it is all for good, regardless of how much we in our tiny human minds, understand!

Psalm 68:5-7

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
    is God in his holy dwelling.
 God sets the lonely in families,
    he leads out the prisoners with singing;
    but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

In His Embrace,
laurie

Day Two...First Meeting with Our Boys!

Psalm 86:8-9

 

Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
    no deeds can compare with yours.
⁹ All the nations you have made
    will come and worship before you, Lord;
    they will bring glory to your name.

Cross references:

1. Psalm 86:7 : Ps 27:5; S 50:15; 94:13; Hab 3:16
2. Psalm 86:7 : Job 22:27; Ps 4:3; 80:18; 91:15; Isa 30:19; 58:9; 65:24; Zec 13:9
3. Psalm 86:7 : Ps 3:4
4. Psalm 86:8 : S Ex 8:10; S Job 21:22
5. Psalm 86:8 : S Ps 18:31
6. Psalm 86:9 : S Ps 65:2
7. Psalm 86:9 : Ps 66:4; Isa 19:21; 27:13; 49:7; Zec 8:20-22; 14:16; Rev 15:4
8. Psalm 86:9 : Isa 43:7; 44:23

  

Today was amazing!  

We left one hotel this morning at 8am.and traveled by car about 2 hours to a very quaint little city. I did not realize how the mountains are everywhere in this country. Absolutely beautiful. Everything is turning green!  Oh makes me wonder how things are at home?!  Green or still white stuff hanging around?...

Our first stop was to the social issues building, we went there to meet with the social worker but when we got there the boys were already there! What a great time we had!  The boys foster parents were there as well. They are sweet and caring and you can see that they truly have love and affection in their hearts for the boys. 

I cannot post pictures of the boys yet. We will be able to after court which could be a few months away.  I will try to describe them to you. 

First I can tell you that they are NOT the boys that were described in the reports we got, at least from a "needs" perspective.  They both can walk!  David walks tremendously on his own, Jonathan can walk as well but needs some assistance.  The foster family said that neither of the boys walked when they came to their home 3 months ago.  (Yes they have been with them for 3 months already. That is news!)  They both eat EVERYTHING, in the words of their foster mom!  They tell us that they have gain 3kg in the 3 months they have been with them.  Huge blessings!  Their frames are tiny. They look like they are 2 years old.  Probably in a size 2 or 3.  Their feet seemed big to me....hhmmm maybe I just had a different expectation for them being tiny.  But they wouldn't be Hebbe boys if they didn't have big feet! They have nice little boy hair cuts!  They speak in nonsense words!  But Praise God they speak!
We spent about a hour or so with them at the social services building. Then we went to lunch! At first I thought that we would all be going.  But when we got there they left the boys with us and our host. We got to feed them! What a treat and a blessing! They are good eaters! 
After lunch the foster parents came back and we all went to a nearby park. Roger and I played with them on the slide and the swing. And mostly, we just followed them around...like what you do as a parent of a little one.  They loved being tickled in our arms. They laughed like crazy! 
Then it was very clear that they were getting tired.  They were ready for a nap!  So it was decided that they would be leaving.  We spent probably about 4-5 hours with them.  It was awesome!  Tomorrow we will meet the family again in the morning and will spend the day with the boys again.

I cannot tell you how much my heart is just bursting.  It totally felt like they were ours from day 1!  It was an instant connection, that I believe was placed there by the Father!  Only He could blend hearts for each other like that! It was so reminiscent of the days with Sam and Jacob when we were eating!  Just doing it with 2 of them and food all over and distractions and little tummies that wanted food NOW. 

We are now all checked into our hotel until Friday. We will spend time with the boys each day. Bonding and building that attachment.  It will break my heart to leave, not withstanding, a miracle from our Lord.  But I am so much at peace with it all.  My concerns about the boys' care and wondering if their needs are being met are all completely gone.  I can see that they are well cared for and truly loved by their foster parents and family.

Please join us in Praise to the Father for all He has done!

• Praise Him for the wonderful family He has chosen to care for David and Jonathan while we wait to bring them home!  People who have hearts for children and treat them as their own.
• Praise Him for the extra time with the boys we were blessed with today.
• Praise Him for the thoughts He has that are so completely not mine! 
• Praise Him for the peace and the comfort that I think everyone felt today after we all were together.
• Praise Him for the beautiful weather that allowed us to be outside for so much of the day with the boys. 
• Praise Him for this beautiful world that He created! So much to see and to think about just looking out our windows. 
• Praise Him for the family we met from Illinois!  Neighbors really. They are adopting a little boy from the same area.
• Praise Him for the safe travels we have enjoyed all week!
• Praise Him for the dear friends and family caring for our boys back home!

Prayer please...

• Please pray for a family that came to pick up their daughter and are at the hospital with her. She is having seizures and is dehydrated. Please pray for her health to be restored and that the family can get her home as quickly and that she will be comfortable on the journey home.
• Please pray for the rest of our time together with the boys.  That they will continue to grow attached to us, as much as they can, in this short time.
• Please pray for continued progress both physically and cognitively for the boys.  That they will continue to thrive and grow.
• Please pray for our boys back home.  They are well cared for by such dear friends! Pray for those caring for them!

Psalm 73:28

But as for me, it is good to be near God.
    I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
    I will tell of all your deeds. 

In His Embrace,
laurie