Orphan Train

During our PIP classes last week we discussed the history of adoption in this country. One of the things mentioned was the use of orphan trains, used from mid 1800's to the early 1900's, to transport abandoned or poor children from the east to help farmers in the midwest. When I mentioned this to a person at work, they told me that there was an orphan train mural and depot station in Delmar, IA. Well we were in Maquoketa, IA this weekend at Bluff Lake Restaurant and Delmar was on our way home. Below are some pictures from the Delmar Depot.

Brian

PIP Classes Completed

We had our PIP (Parents In Process) classes on Friday and Saturday, one more step in the process completed. We are celebrating every step we complete because it gets us that much closer to bringing Josiah home. We had a great time getting to know some other adopting families and the social worker who is going to be preparing our home study.

Speaking of which, the home study is the next step we must complete and a very important part of the puzzle. Now that our PIP classes are complete the bill for the home study is due. As I was reading the word today the Lord reassured me that He is still with us in this process and that He will supply. Habakkuk 1:5 "Look among the nations and watch - be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe though it were told you." The Lord is going to do a mighty work in this adoption in order to glorify His name. Habakkuk 2:2-4 "...'Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith.'"

Hebrews 10 quotes Habakkuk 2:3-4. It says, "...do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God you may receive the promise: 'For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.'" These verses from Hebrews were the very verses the Lord encouraged me with when we were seeking Him. Not more than a week later He showed us in His amazing way what His will was regarding our adoption of Josiah. Praise God that He is mindful of us to encourage us to have the patience and faith to wait on Him. He reminded me that His will is set for an appointed time and He will not tarry.

Rachel

Special Days...

We LOVE to have our special days with our girls! Once a weekend Brian and I have one on one time taking them out for an acitivity of their choice within reason. So while one of us is out with one of the girls, the other is home with one of the girls to spend special time with them. Paige particularly enjoys animals so some of the activities we have done with her are visiting the pet store and going to a pond to feed ducks and geese. Paris is much more adventurous so we have been on the Channel Cat (a water taxi that takes us across the mighty Mississippi River) and roller skating. Roller skating was certainly an adventure for me as I hadn't been since I was in elementary, I think. During our special days at home Brian usually plays some sort of pretend games with the kids, dressing up in capes and running around with light sabres. My days home with the girls usually consist more of board games, watching a girly movie with popcorn, or just hanging out and talking. However, my last day home with Paige she had a great idea. We did a "spa day" at home!


We did sea weed masks.




Next we did a foot soak and scrub. Then I did a very dangerous thing...


I let Paige paint my toenails.




Now we match!!

We can't wait to bring Josiah home and begin having our special one on one time with him!!!

The testing of your faith

If you are checking our blog for an update of where we are at in this process please check the message from 8/29/10.

James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

As Christians we need to be aware that not everything is always going to go smoothly in this walk of faith that we have. Peter said, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you also be glad with exceeding joy.” (1 Peter 4:12-13) The Lord sometimes chooses to test the endurance of our faith, just like when you are training for a race. When you start training you barely make it half a mile and you are huffing and puffing, but every time you train you push yourself to go a little further. Eventually you are fit and ready to run the race. In the same way the Lord tests our faith, sometimes pushing us past the limits that we set for ourselves knowing that we can go further.

So many times when we go through something hard we start to get angry sometimes blaming God, and even questioning His very existence. What we often don’t realize is that during those times the Lord is training us up for our good, but like a toddler whose parents try to give an apple instead of the chocolate they really want, we have a fit. The key to these temper tantrums is knowing and trusting the character of God. He is a Father that loves His children, forming them in the womb, keeping our tears in a jar, and knowing the very number of hairs on our heads. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
There are so many things we can learn from the testing of our faith. Patience is one of the most important things we can learn as it will help us to lack nothing. Tribulation also produces perseverance, character and hope as it says in Romans 5:3-4. Through hard times we are to develop compassion for others. There are so many suffering people in the world, but when we suffer we do so with hope and purpose knowing that the Lord will eventually come to our rescue. It is intended for us to share that hope and purpose with others who do not have it because they don’t know the Lord. It is also for us to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ who are going through the same things. Most importantly God will be glorified through it, as Peter said, that when His glory is revealed we will be glad with exceeding joy.

Adoption Update 082910

Here are some quick updates as to where we are at in the process. We have begun compiling our dossier which will be sent to China, this is pretty much the meat and potatoes of the adoption. This will include a lot of details about who we are and our ability to take care of Josiah. It is our hope that we will have everything that we need for our dossier by the time our homestudy is completed. Our adoption agency told us that they sent our letter of intent off to China last week, which is our formal request to adopt Josiah and promise that we will take care of him the best we know how. We are once again in waiting mode as we have applied for our passports and our background checks have been sent off.

On deck: Parents in Process classes

Everyday is one step closer to bringing our little man home, if only having patience meant that you can have what you want right now.

In His Service,

Brian

Manna from Heaven

Matthew 6:8 "...For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him."

There have been so many unexpected expenses connected to this adoption but God has provided for each and every thing that has come up before we even knew that we needed it! This idea is called "Manna for Today" or "Manna from Heaven." Matthew 6 says that we are to pray for our daily bread and James 1:17 declares that "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." Our daily bread is both the spiritual "food" that we need for our souls and the physical "food" that we need for our bodies. If an earthly father, with his sinful nature, gives his children the things they need to meet their necessities how much more will our righteous Father in heaven do for those who love Him. The Lord delights in providing not only spiritually, but also materially for His children. Matthew 7:7-11 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil (having a sin nature), know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"

When Jesus sent out His disciples as ambassadors for Him to do His work He specifically told them not to take any money or necessities with them. Matthew 10: 9-10 "Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food." Jesus wanted to build faith in them that if they are doing His work He will provide for the things that they needed. After all He is the master providing all the supplies His servants need in order to get His work done. It is generally not the servants responsibility to provide his own supplies but simply to be a good steward of what his Master has given him. You have to have faith to leave your home on an errand where you did not know where you were going, not taking any money or provisions with you, wondering how everything was going to work out. But when you know and trust Him, knowing He is a good and faithful Master, it will put so many doubts and fears to rest. "Perfect love casts out fear."

The Lord has called us to do His work in "setting the solitary in families." Just like Isaiah we heard the voice of the Lord calling, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Brian and I each responded, "Here am I! Send me." Like the disciples He called us at a time where we have no gold or silver in our money belts or supplies for the journey, but He is showing Himself faithful in providing for our every need.

Rachel

For His Glory

John 9:1-3 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him..."

This man was healed by Jesus, bringing glory to God, just as Jesus had explained. If Jesus came to save a world that didn't need saving, how would that glorify God? Josiah was found abandoned by the side of the road, for what reasons we don't know, but it is our hope that his life will be used by God to glorify Him. How could this little boy with no family and little use of his arms and legs ever make it in this world? Only by the grace of God. Ps 113:7-8 "He raises the poor out of the dust, and lifts the needy out of the ash heap, that He may seat him with princes-with the princes of His people." What many people will fail to realize is that as much as Josiah will be blessed with a family that will love him and take care of him, we also will be blessed by him. It is our goal as Christians to be used by God for any of His purposes. We are to be doers of the word not just hearers, and it is a priviledge to serve the Lord in this way. Not to mention, Josiah will be our son and Paige and Paris's brother. We look forward to having him home with us, from what I hear he can brighten any room with his heart-melting smile and happy go-getter attitude.

In His service,

Brian