Never Doubt

That our God still does miracles ....

Some of you already know some of the background behind our decision to adopt ... some do not.  Essentially, we have felt a pull to adopt for many years now, but finances had always held us back.  The timing of the decision to actually do this came after Dave had been unemployed for almost 6 months ... we had used up whatever meager savings we had, and had been pulling money out of a home equity line in order to live.  In other words, we were in debt, and with Dave newly employed, some would say, we needed to start being responsible and work on saving money and getting out of debt.  All ideas that we strongly endorse.  However, Dave knew that we were supposed to step out in faith at this time for the simple reason that we had seen God provide throughout his unemployment, and it no longer seemed ok to say that we weren't going to follow the calling he'd placed on our hearts, simply because of a little thing like money.  :-)

So here we are almost a year after beginning the paperwork .... having spent many thousands of dollars of our own, that we didn't know we would be able to come up with ... often wondering each month, how we have been able to make all of these payments and still stay afloat.  And yet, each of our needs have been supplied.  We have cut back spending from our already frugal ways (from the unemployed months), we have sold things, used tax returns, delayed spending, refinanced the house ... all the while reinforcing to ourselves and our children that we are so incredibly blessed that it would be foolish to feel upset for the small things we do without when so many do without so much more.

In April, when we finally received our referral and the beautiful picture and name of our son, we had to make a sizable payment, and our reserves had run out, so we put it on a credit card.  Our first debt of this process.  We had been praying about sending out a letter to friends and family updating them on where we were at in the process, asking for prayer and sharing our financial need, and finally decided to send the letter. I basically went through my email list and hard copy address book, and sent it to people who I thought might have a heart for what we are doing and want to join with us in some way.  I was sure that there were people that I missed along the way, but figured I would just trust that God would move the hearts of those people who wanted to help.

Fast forward a couple of weeks ... I had just posted a blog about a friend's lemonade stand ... and a week or so later, I received an email from a friend who is essentially just a Facebook friend.  We have known each other for many years, since childhood, but have had very little relationship until connecting through Facebook.  He and his wife had been reading my blog.  They were so excited about what we were doing, and had seen in the lemonade stand post that we had a financial need.  They said they had been blessed financially, had a huge heart for orphans, and wanted to be able to help us.  We exchanged several emails ... where in a kind way, they were pushing us to say what our needs were ... So we finally laid it out for them, how much we really needed ...

And here's where the miracle part comes in .... they finally emailed us back and said that they wanted to give us .... are you ready for this ..... $10,000 .... of the $15,000 that we are trying to raise ... yes, you read that right, they are giving us ten thousand dollars!!!  to help with our adoption expenses.  I'm still stunned by this amazing offer ... I keep asking myself, "Who does that?"  And in case there's any doubt, God does.  Because you see, we didn't even send them a letter asking for help.  Despite knowing them for many years, for some unknown reason, I didn't send it to them .... had it not been for my friend and her lemonade stand, perhaps they would have never realized that we needed help to bring our son home.  Meanwhile, God has made caring for orphans so much a part of their life, that when they heard there was a need, they thought immediately about how they could help .... if they had sent us one thousand dollars, I would have been floored and so completely grateful ... but this is so far above what we could have ever asked or imagined ... I know that it was God.  This amount will basically cover the cost of our plane tickets for the 5 of us to fly there and back ... and if we get a great deal, might cover Kenenisa's one way ticket as well. 

We are just overwhelmed by the magnitude of this blessing.  Truly!  And so it is hard to say this ... but, we do still have a need ... we're not trying to be greedy or take away from the enormity of this gift ... but our current financial situation has not changed ... only the amount that we will need to go into debt in order to completely pay for the ransom to bring our son home.  We know that God will provide, whether through other donations or through our own continued sacrifice.  We have NO DOUBT!

I don't even know how to end this ... I am still in awe ... 

Never doubt ... when He calls you to do something that seems crazy ... just do it.

Soli Deo Gloria ... To God Alone be the Glory!

Amy