It has been a long, slow process, but we're just about ready to be wait listed again!! After Charles lost his job this summer (and then found a new one in the fall), we were frozen right at the number we were at - #53. Before we could continue on, we had to update our paperwork and complete a new home study. For this paperwork-challenged, busy mama of four, that was no small feat. It literally felt like a towering mountain of clearances, medical records, fingerprint appointments, and financial statements were standing before us. Some days I felt defeated just THINKING about all that had to be done to bring us to where we are today.
But here we stand.
Paperwork in.
Signed.
Dated.
Notarized.
Home study written up.
Ready for the next step in our adoption journey.
And what is that you ask??
Currently, we are waiting for re-approval to continue moving down the wait list. Last week we had our dreaded home visit (again). Momentarily, it looked like perhaps things would end right there. We ran into a couple obstacles THAT MORNING regarding immigration expiration, followed by child abuse and criminal clearance expirations. The threat of having to start all over at the very beginning of this entire, crazy process loomed in front of us. And literally....the thought of THAT.....of having to start all over again.....made me cry. I literally shed tears of frustration, sadness, panic, and fear. GOD!! WHERE ARE YOU?? HAVEN'T WE DONE WHAT YOU ASKED OF US?
But as history proves, He is not a God who backs down from obstacles. He doesn't shy away from mountains that may rise up in our path. Instead, He many times uses those very obstacles to bring Himself maximum glory. And so, as we prayed.....as we begged.....just like those Israelites did......for God not to bring us out into the wilderness just to allow us to be boxed in by the Red Sea on one side and the Egyptian army on the other.....God moved. Providentially again. Not with the miraculous hand that we had witnessed last year, but in the steady, seemingly-coincidental hand of providence.
And we were humbled. And ashamed. That again, we had doubted. And again, He had made a way.
I just spent the last couple hours reading over our old adoption posts from the last two years. Minuscule and monumental roadblocks alike that God had hurdled over. Left me in awe of Him all over again. And so tonight I praise Him for this journey. This crazy journey that He has had us on for over two years now. This journey that I had thought would be over by now (surely, right??). And yet I know God is in control. I know that in ALL things He is working together for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose...even when times are tough and things don't seem to make sense. Even when God shows you things that you don't think will ever come to pass. Even though you wait...and wait some more.
And I wonder....is this a small glimpse of what it was like for Sarah? For David? For the Jews anxiously awaiting their Messiah? Promises and callings that took what may have seemed a lifetime to see the fruit of. Yet in some strange way, knowing what I know about how THEIR stories end, it brings me some solace as I stand in a place of waiting myself.
He is God, and He is still on His throne. No matter how our story ends. Nothing is out from under His divine control. The wait. The struggle. The ups. The downs. All of it. All for His glory as He weaves our story into His master plan.
So wait we do. Yet as we wait, we set our eyes on the One who is not limited by timeframes and immigration expiration dates. The One who is above all things. And we thank Him that we can confidently say, we are almost there!!!
Kirsten
Showing posts with label Job-Loss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Job-Loss. Show all posts
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Friday, November 16, 2012
THANKFUL!
Here's how life has been treating us.....
ON THE JOB FRONT - Charles working again has definitely been an adjustment for the entire family, but we are so THANKFUL he has a job!!! His new job comes with very early mornings, however, it (most days) leads to earlier afternoons as well. THAT makes mama happy. :) Overall, we have seen some wonderful things come from this new position. Things that we may not ever have thought to have prayed for. Things that we know could only have come from a detail-oriented God. So, so THANKFUL!!! THANKS friends for your prayers!
IT'S A PARTY!!! - Since my last post, we celebrated a birthday around here!!! My second oldest, Joseph, turned SEVEN!!! We are so proud of the little man he is becoming. This year he celebrated with a Star Wars themed birthday party in our backyard.
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| A Death Star Birthday Cake for one very special Jedi |
I had a gazillion more pics, but unfortunately they were lost to an untimely incident between a mug of hot chocolate and my MAC book. Ahhhh......life with kids. :)
Apparently in our house, if you lose a tooth ON your birthday, it gets you $5. Lucky dude. :)
HURRICANE NEWS - Unless you live in a hole, you've undoubtedly heard about a little Hurricane named Sandy wreaking havoc up and down the East Coast last month. Fortunately, we live far from the coast and didn't experience any damage in terms of water. The biggest concern where we live was the wind. More specifically: trees falling down due to the wind. And OH!! were there a TON of trees that fell!!! During the height of the storm, we took our flashlights, pillows, and blankets down into the basement and camped out for the night. Despite losing power early in the evening, we made the most of it by eating ice cream (Hey!! You can't let that stuff go bad!), playing Pictionary (by candlelight!!), and reading Detectives in Togas. Memories were most certainly made!!
When we awoke the next morning, it seemed that everywhere we went, trees were down. Blocking roads, on top of houses and cars, and resting precariously upon telephone wires. In my brother's wooded backyard, approximately 20-30 trees fell, all piled up in a neat, not-so-little stack. This is actually where we spent the week. Our power went out on a Monday night and wasn't back on until the following Sunday afternoon. With temperatures drastically dropping, it made for one really cold house. :) Honestly though, seeing the stories of the victims in New Jersey and New York, we felt quite fortunate that we merely experienced a slight inconvenience. We spent the week at my brother and sister-in-law's house. My nieces had off from school for the WHOLE WEEK due to the storm, so we got to spend time with cousins. It was an instant party! So THANKFUL for family and friends in the area who helped during this time!!!
IT'S HALLOWEEN!!! - Really, I'm not sure where the year went! Just a minute ago it felt like the beginning of 2012!! Before I knew it, Halloween was here, and with it came the costume demands. So......out came the sewing machine, and with a little bit of creativity, here is what we came up with.....
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| An Egyptian Princess... |
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| A red ninja... |
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| A green ninja... |
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| And a princess.... |
SCHOOL - As if hurricanes, birthdays, and job changes didn't keep us busy enough these past couple months, there is always school!! Our year has gotten off to a great start. We have managed to keep quite busy. Here are a few of the highlights so far....
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| Making mummies using paper mache.....poor Barbie. :) |
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| Haha. An attempt at marshmallow pyramids.... |
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| Class trip to Crystal Caves |
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| Inside the caves with my little love bug. |
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| Apparently soaking a raw egg in vinegar for 72 hours creates a "naked egg" (the shell has dissolved) that you can hold in your hand! Who knew??! My kids had so much fun with this experiment! |
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| Field trip to the local dairy farm.... |
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| followed by a hayride out to the pumpkin patch. |
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| Gearing up for the Presidential Election....took a tour of the Capital Building in Harrisburg, PA. |
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| The outside was beautiful, but OH MY, the inside!!!! So fun! We even got to tour the Senate, House of Representatives, and Supreme Court! |
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| Voting Booth!!! Tonight's decision?? Honey, I Shrunk the Kids or Orphan Annie and brownies or ice cream for dessert. |
(for the record, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and ice cream won) :)
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| The three oldest stayed up late watching the results come in and coloring in their Electoral College Maps. |
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| Philadelphia Art Museum field trip!!! |
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| By far, the kids favorite was the Arms and Armor room. |
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| Taking a break to play some chess..... |
ADOPTION - And finally, our adoption.....all is trucking along there as well. Due to Charles' new job (and the fact that 18 months are up), we are having to update parts of our portfolio. Financial statements, insurance information, medical records, FBI fingerprints, clearances, and such. I'm not at all excited to be back doing paperwork again (it's A LOT!!!!), however, THANKFUL to still be in the process! Once we finish up with our updates, we can be added back onto the wait list at the number we were "frozen" at. Looking forward to moving DOWN that list again real soon!!!
THANKS again friends for all your thoughts and prayers! We are certain that without them, we would have struggled much more than we did during this time. We have so much to be THANKFUL for going into this season of THANKFULNESS. We even managed to steal away last month for a little date night:
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| Dead Sea Scroll Exhibit - Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA |
Have a wonderful THANKSGIVING!!!
Kirsten
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Mustard Seeds
I just got done packing 6 lunches, five of which are going with my children and I to class tomorrow. The other, will be accompanying my husband to his first day of his NEW JOB. Yes, God is good. :)
That's right! You read correctly! He got a job!! We couldn't be more thrilled. Thank you all for praying for us. It has been a long, uncertain journey, yet exciting as well. We have learned much about His provision, as we never went without. When we were faithless, He was faithful (2 Tim. 2:13). So very true.
Oh, I wish I could say that we never once doubted. I wish I could say that I knew all along that a job would open up quickly....but....well, that would be a lie. Many, MANY times during this process, I stressed. I worried. I wondered - What if He doesn't provide?? What if a job doesn't open up in time? What if.....
And every time, God nudged me to look backwards. He reminded me to look at all the times He HAD provided. All the times He HAD "pulled through". We've received many emails and sweet cards over the past few months marveling at our faith. Friends encouraging us that our faith has inspired them in their journeys. And you know what?? Every time it would make me laugh. Literally LOL. Why? Because there were MANY dark days where I pleaded with God to increase my faith. I begged Him to "fix my eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen (2 Cor. 4:18)". In my own strength, I didn't really have much of anything. All I could see were my surroundings, and well, they looked kind-of bleak. :)
Yet, as I prayed though, something happened. My faith would increase ever so slightly. Not much. Just enough to get me through the next hurdle. Then again, the Bible doesn't call us to have much faith. It merely asks us to have the faith of a mustard seed. Ever seen one of those??
And so, with mustard seed-size faith we persevered. Or shall I say, persevere? It is not over yet. Now begins a whole new round of paperwork. With new employment comes updated home studies and such. Charles' new job will need to be approved by our social worker, and our finances combed through again. We're praying that all will proceed smoothly, although we're learning when it comes to adoption, there may not really be such a thing. :)
Here's how you can continue to pray for us...
1. Pray that Charles' new job would be a good fit for him and our family (he is working for a company that is subcontracted by Merck Pharmaceuticals).
2. Pray that our updated home study, along with Charles' new employment, would be approved so that we could continue on in our adoption.
3. Pray that we would continue to see movement in our adoption, and that we would continue to be able to raise the funds necessary (we need about $10,000 more).
4. We need a car!!! Pray that we could find a good deal on one within the next couple months. We don't want to take out a loan, so it will have to be for a price we can afford!! For Charles' previous job, he drove a work vehicle to and from the shop in the morning. We had one personal vehicle for our family. Upon losing his job, we went down to one car. We do temporarily have access to a second car for the time being, however, we will eventually need a car of our own.
5. Lastly, pray that our faith would continue to increase. Pray that we would not forgot what God has done.
Thank you, thank you, thank you friends!!! We are so thankful for your friendship, your encouragement, and your prayers!! We are so incredibly blessed.
Alright, going to bed now.... 5:00 am will be coming early. :)
Kirsten
That's right! You read correctly! He got a job!! We couldn't be more thrilled. Thank you all for praying for us. It has been a long, uncertain journey, yet exciting as well. We have learned much about His provision, as we never went without. When we were faithless, He was faithful (2 Tim. 2:13). So very true.
Oh, I wish I could say that we never once doubted. I wish I could say that I knew all along that a job would open up quickly....but....well, that would be a lie. Many, MANY times during this process, I stressed. I worried. I wondered - What if He doesn't provide?? What if a job doesn't open up in time? What if.....
And every time, God nudged me to look backwards. He reminded me to look at all the times He HAD provided. All the times He HAD "pulled through". We've received many emails and sweet cards over the past few months marveling at our faith. Friends encouraging us that our faith has inspired them in their journeys. And you know what?? Every time it would make me laugh. Literally LOL. Why? Because there were MANY dark days where I pleaded with God to increase my faith. I begged Him to "fix my eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen (2 Cor. 4:18)". In my own strength, I didn't really have much of anything. All I could see were my surroundings, and well, they looked kind-of bleak. :)
Yet, as I prayed though, something happened. My faith would increase ever so slightly. Not much. Just enough to get me through the next hurdle. Then again, the Bible doesn't call us to have much faith. It merely asks us to have the faith of a mustard seed. Ever seen one of those??
And so, with mustard seed-size faith we persevered. Or shall I say, persevere? It is not over yet. Now begins a whole new round of paperwork. With new employment comes updated home studies and such. Charles' new job will need to be approved by our social worker, and our finances combed through again. We're praying that all will proceed smoothly, although we're learning when it comes to adoption, there may not really be such a thing. :)
Here's how you can continue to pray for us...
1. Pray that Charles' new job would be a good fit for him and our family (he is working for a company that is subcontracted by Merck Pharmaceuticals).
2. Pray that our updated home study, along with Charles' new employment, would be approved so that we could continue on in our adoption.
3. Pray that we would continue to see movement in our adoption, and that we would continue to be able to raise the funds necessary (we need about $10,000 more).
4. We need a car!!! Pray that we could find a good deal on one within the next couple months. We don't want to take out a loan, so it will have to be for a price we can afford!! For Charles' previous job, he drove a work vehicle to and from the shop in the morning. We had one personal vehicle for our family. Upon losing his job, we went down to one car. We do temporarily have access to a second car for the time being, however, we will eventually need a car of our own.
5. Lastly, pray that our faith would continue to increase. Pray that we would not forgot what God has done.
Thank you, thank you, thank you friends!!! We are so thankful for your friendship, your encouragement, and your prayers!! We are so incredibly blessed.
Alright, going to bed now.... 5:00 am will be coming early. :)
Kirsten
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
It Just So Happens....Again :)
For anyone who has been keeping up with our story on here, you will know that many curious incidences have "just so happened" to occur over the past couple months or so. Things that could merely be chalked up to coincidence or chance. WE know that these "just so happenings" have been nothing short than the providence of a loving, Almighty God. And so, here we find ourselves again. Shaking our heads. Sighing a deep sigh of relief. Marveling at God's perfect timing. Saying that phrase over and over to each other at night.....it just so happens....again. :)
Well, it just so happens this time, that we received a call from our social worker the other day. Didn't seem too out of the ordinary at first. How are you doing? How's the job search? Any new news on our part? And then....it came. News we weren't even expecting. Weren't even praying for. News that our agency had reevaluated their policy on job loss, and had determined that instead of a 3 month grace period, they were extending that to 12 months.
12 MONTHS!
Now, certainly, we are hoping and praying that Charles finds a job MUCH sooner than that. In fact, he has been called back for a second job interview tomorrow morning. Still, the weight of a thousand tons seemed to lift off of both of us upon hearing that we were being given more time to secure a job. Isn't God good??
Today I am praising Him for little glimmers of hope that He reveals just when we need it the most. Just when we are beginning to feel down...alone...unsure. He shows up in a "just so happens" kind of way. Still gets me every time.
Won't you praise Him tonight with us??!?
Kirsten
Well, it just so happens this time, that we received a call from our social worker the other day. Didn't seem too out of the ordinary at first. How are you doing? How's the job search? Any new news on our part? And then....it came. News we weren't even expecting. Weren't even praying for. News that our agency had reevaluated their policy on job loss, and had determined that instead of a 3 month grace period, they were extending that to 12 months.
12 MONTHS!
Now, certainly, we are hoping and praying that Charles finds a job MUCH sooner than that. In fact, he has been called back for a second job interview tomorrow morning. Still, the weight of a thousand tons seemed to lift off of both of us upon hearing that we were being given more time to secure a job. Isn't God good??
Today I am praising Him for little glimmers of hope that He reveals just when we need it the most. Just when we are beginning to feel down...alone...unsure. He shows up in a "just so happens" kind of way. Still gets me every time.
Won't you praise Him tonight with us??!?
Kirsten
Saturday, September 1, 2012
It Just So Happens.....
It just so happens that I've been listening to a Mark Driscoll sermon series on the book of Ruth this month. And it just so happens that that sermon series has been speaking right to where I am these days. I kind-of love how God orchestrates things like that. :)
The story of Ruth is a beautiful story of redemption. An ostracized foreigner. A bitter, old mother-in-law. A godly business-owner. Each playing an integral part in the plot. The curtain opens introducing us to the family of a man named Elimelech. Elimelech, from the town of Bethlehem, the tribe of Judah, moves his family to live among the Moabites when a severe famine overtakes the land. While in Moab, Elimelech's two sons both marry and start their lives over. Tragically though, Elimelech, and both his sons die an untimely death, leaving the three widows to care for themselves. In a patriarchal society such as this one, this is a terrible fate. Upon hearing that the famine has lifted in the town of Bethlehem, Naomi, the widow of Elimelech, makes the decision to return home to her people with her newly-widowed daughter-in-laws. Along the way, she comes to the realization that her daughter-in-laws, Ruth and Orpah, deserve better than to care for an aging mother-in-law who has nothing left to offer. She bids them farewell and pleads with them to return to their father's homes and to their gods.....to marry again, and start their lives over. Orpah, takes her mother-in-law up on this, and returns home. Ruth, however, has grown to genuinely love and care for Naomi and insists on continuing on the long, dangerous journey to Bethlehem. The widows are destitute, homeless, and alone, yet their faith in the one, true God of Israel, just so happens to lead them to a godly businessman named Boaz. Boaz provides for them, and ultimately ends up marrying Ruth, redeeming her and offering her a second chance at life (the entire story can be found in the book of Ruth). A foreshadowing of what Christ has done for us.
One thing that stood out to me while I listened to this series, was that God works in two ways. Obviously, God answers prayer through the use of miracles. We saw this miracle-working God in the life of our dear sister Anna just this past year. More often than not, however, God answers prayer through His providence. Seas don't part. Manna doesn't fall from the sky. Fire doesn't rain down from heaven. We see his care manifest itself in the ordinary, seemingly coincidental providence of a loving God as he provides for the needs of his people.
This is where I have been living the past couple months. Nothing miraculous has happened. A job has not fallen from the sky and landed in our laps. Yet, we see evidence of His provision everywhere we look. To some, it may seem purely coincidental. But to us, as we've grown to intimately know the ways of this God spoken of in the book of Ruth, the God whom the Bible says is the "same yesterday, and today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8)", we know it not to be anything other than the hand of a providential and loving God.
When we first received word that our adoption agency would grant us a three-month grace period to secure employment, we were also told that there were a couple stipulations that we had to abide by as well. The obvious, we needed to find a job that met the financial criteria for the country of Ethiopia. Secondly, we needed to be careful not to touch our savings account, so as to prove when all was said and done, that we still had the means to continue with our adoption. Easier said than done, when we still have not received any unemployment checks to date. YET, through it all, God has remained faithful. Despite having not received an official paycheck in over two months, we have still been able to pay all our bills on time, provide food for our little family, and continue to provide for our kids in a manner in which they do not even feel as thought they are without. Only He can receive credit.
Each time I have doubted his goodness, it just so happens that a meal shows up to our home. Every time I have wondered how we would get by, a gift card has been handed to us. Or a bag of groceries. Or a check. Or an invitation to pick in someone's garden. When I have worried about paying bills without tapping into our savings, He has so lovingly reminded me how He provides even for the lilies of the field.
He reminds me how he cares even that much more for me, and then his hand of provision blesses us with a side job. No more, or no less than we need for that month. He has left us marveling at His seemingly coincidental providence over and over.
He is so faithful.
So good.
So loving.
Not only has He provided our needs, but some desires as well. Undeserved grace being lavishly poured out upon our heads. This is the God that we serve.
To date, Charles still has not found a job. He has had several leads, filled out a couple applications, and has had an interview. We are waiting on one job in particular, as it has seemed somewhat promising. Please continue to pray that God would open a door for him and that the job He just so happens to provide will pay what we need to continue with our adoption. We are trusting that God has not brought us this far, only to allow us to be defeated. Pray that our faith would be strong, and that we would set out eyes firmly on Him.
In an ironic twist, as uncertainty has consumed our job-search, our adoption has begun to pick up speed. We know that God's timing is perfect, though not always making sense to us with our human eyes. Over the past year that we have sat waiting on the list, we have S-L-O-W-L-Y plodded down a couple spaces each month. Frustratingly, it has seemed that we would be in this stage of waiting forever. Yet, these past two months alone, we have seen our numbers drop from #67 to #53.
That's 14 spaces! About as much movement as we have seen in almost a year. :)
We are thankful for this story of redemption, much like Ruth, that God is writing in our own lives, and in the life of our child, an ocean away. We pray that His providence would be just as evident in our hearts, as it was in the life of a poor, widowed Moabite woman. Only God knew the end of her story. Only God knew, in the midst of her sorrow.....her turmoil....her pain....that He had a greater story yet to write. That in the end, from Ruth's lineage, would come a Redeemer, much like Boaz, who would come to this earth to redeem the world. It just so happens that His ways are always better. And so, like Ruth, we wait.
We wait on our Redeemer.
The story of Ruth is a beautiful story of redemption. An ostracized foreigner. A bitter, old mother-in-law. A godly business-owner. Each playing an integral part in the plot. The curtain opens introducing us to the family of a man named Elimelech. Elimelech, from the town of Bethlehem, the tribe of Judah, moves his family to live among the Moabites when a severe famine overtakes the land. While in Moab, Elimelech's two sons both marry and start their lives over. Tragically though, Elimelech, and both his sons die an untimely death, leaving the three widows to care for themselves. In a patriarchal society such as this one, this is a terrible fate. Upon hearing that the famine has lifted in the town of Bethlehem, Naomi, the widow of Elimelech, makes the decision to return home to her people with her newly-widowed daughter-in-laws. Along the way, she comes to the realization that her daughter-in-laws, Ruth and Orpah, deserve better than to care for an aging mother-in-law who has nothing left to offer. She bids them farewell and pleads with them to return to their father's homes and to their gods.....to marry again, and start their lives over. Orpah, takes her mother-in-law up on this, and returns home. Ruth, however, has grown to genuinely love and care for Naomi and insists on continuing on the long, dangerous journey to Bethlehem. The widows are destitute, homeless, and alone, yet their faith in the one, true God of Israel, just so happens to lead them to a godly businessman named Boaz. Boaz provides for them, and ultimately ends up marrying Ruth, redeeming her and offering her a second chance at life (the entire story can be found in the book of Ruth). A foreshadowing of what Christ has done for us.
One thing that stood out to me while I listened to this series, was that God works in two ways. Obviously, God answers prayer through the use of miracles. We saw this miracle-working God in the life of our dear sister Anna just this past year. More often than not, however, God answers prayer through His providence. Seas don't part. Manna doesn't fall from the sky. Fire doesn't rain down from heaven. We see his care manifest itself in the ordinary, seemingly coincidental providence of a loving God as he provides for the needs of his people.
This is where I have been living the past couple months. Nothing miraculous has happened. A job has not fallen from the sky and landed in our laps. Yet, we see evidence of His provision everywhere we look. To some, it may seem purely coincidental. But to us, as we've grown to intimately know the ways of this God spoken of in the book of Ruth, the God whom the Bible says is the "same yesterday, and today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8)", we know it not to be anything other than the hand of a providential and loving God.
When we first received word that our adoption agency would grant us a three-month grace period to secure employment, we were also told that there were a couple stipulations that we had to abide by as well. The obvious, we needed to find a job that met the financial criteria for the country of Ethiopia. Secondly, we needed to be careful not to touch our savings account, so as to prove when all was said and done, that we still had the means to continue with our adoption. Easier said than done, when we still have not received any unemployment checks to date. YET, through it all, God has remained faithful. Despite having not received an official paycheck in over two months, we have still been able to pay all our bills on time, provide food for our little family, and continue to provide for our kids in a manner in which they do not even feel as thought they are without. Only He can receive credit.
Each time I have doubted his goodness, it just so happens that a meal shows up to our home. Every time I have wondered how we would get by, a gift card has been handed to us. Or a bag of groceries. Or a check. Or an invitation to pick in someone's garden. When I have worried about paying bills without tapping into our savings, He has so lovingly reminded me how He provides even for the lilies of the field.
"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow? They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you,
O you of little faith!"
~Matthew 6:26-33
He reminds me how he cares even that much more for me, and then his hand of provision blesses us with a side job. No more, or no less than we need for that month. He has left us marveling at His seemingly coincidental providence over and over.
He is so faithful.
So good.
So loving.
Not only has He provided our needs, but some desires as well. Undeserved grace being lavishly poured out upon our heads. This is the God that we serve.
To date, Charles still has not found a job. He has had several leads, filled out a couple applications, and has had an interview. We are waiting on one job in particular, as it has seemed somewhat promising. Please continue to pray that God would open a door for him and that the job He just so happens to provide will pay what we need to continue with our adoption. We are trusting that God has not brought us this far, only to allow us to be defeated. Pray that our faith would be strong, and that we would set out eyes firmly on Him.
In an ironic twist, as uncertainty has consumed our job-search, our adoption has begun to pick up speed. We know that God's timing is perfect, though not always making sense to us with our human eyes. Over the past year that we have sat waiting on the list, we have S-L-O-W-L-Y plodded down a couple spaces each month. Frustratingly, it has seemed that we would be in this stage of waiting forever. Yet, these past two months alone, we have seen our numbers drop from #67 to #53.
#53!!!
That's 14 spaces! About as much movement as we have seen in almost a year. :)
We are thankful for this story of redemption, much like Ruth, that God is writing in our own lives, and in the life of our child, an ocean away. We pray that His providence would be just as evident in our hearts, as it was in the life of a poor, widowed Moabite woman. Only God knew the end of her story. Only God knew, in the midst of her sorrow.....her turmoil....her pain....that He had a greater story yet to write. That in the end, from Ruth's lineage, would come a Redeemer, much like Boaz, who would come to this earth to redeem the world. It just so happens that His ways are always better. And so, like Ruth, we wait.
We wait on our Redeemer.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Adoption News!
The wait is over. After two loooonnnnggggg weeks of waiting for a decision regarding the possible termination of our adoption, we heard back from our case worker today. And....it was the good news we had hoped for. :)
Our adoption agency has determined that we are still in good financial standing to continue on with our adoption. They are granting us a 90-day grace period to secure employment and health insurance for our entire family. We will not lose our position on the wait list, and will continue to move down on the list as new referrals are assigned each month. Such a HUGE, HUGE answer to prayer!!
Obviously, the hurdles are not finished for us. In order to meet our end of the deal, Charles still needs to find a job that meets the income requirements for the Ethiopia program; all the while, being careful not to drain our savings, as this will reflect poorly on our financial status. Time is ticking. We also need to keep our dossier up-to-date, as many of our documents are beginning to expire. So, the future holds more fingerprint appointments, criminal and child abuse clearances, and physical exams, but that is OK with me. :) BRING IT!
As of today, we have moved down THREE more spots to #67. We are expecting to move again, as the end of the month is rapidly approaching (can it be almost August ALREADY??!?!?).
Thanks everyone for praying us through this obstacle. If there is one thing the Lord is teaching me through this trial, it is that the body of Christ is exactly that, a body. We were never meant to live this life alone. We were never meant to bear the weight of our struggles independent from others. We were meant for community. A community of believers who bands together to lift each other up when they fall. This is where we have lived this week. Groceries have shown up on our doorstep. Meals. Thoughtful cards and emails. Bible verses. Prayers offered up on our behalf.
"All of the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had."
~Acts 4:32
"Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us."
~Romans 12:4-6
"The body is a unit, though it is made up of different parts, and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ."
~ 1 Corinthians 12:12
We are beyond grateful for your friendships and humbled by the love we have received over the past several weeks. Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus, the body of Christ. Please continue to pray for us, if you would. Pray specifically for Charles to find a job within the next 90 days (preferably sooner!! :). We anticipate the day when we can share what God has done. What ONLY He is capable of doing! He is so good, and so worthy of our praise.
Kirsten
Friday, July 13, 2012
We Need Your Prayers! :)
Well, it's been some time since I last posted, and a lot has transpired since then. Let me try and bring you up to speed......
It all started three weeks ago, when my husband came home from work with the news that he had lost his job. The following day, my Mimi, the matriarch of our family, passed away. It was not a surprise; she had been on hospice for about a week. But still, it was a very, very sad day for our entire family. A sad weekend, I suppose.
The next week was a little bit of a blur. It was spent making funeral arrangements, sorting through unemployment procedures, and figuring out a plan to continue receiving insurance for our kids. All along, I was dreading the discussion that would inevitably have to take place with our case worker regarding Charles' recent status to unemployed. What would it mean for our adoption?? Surely, it couldn't be good. :(
As expected, losing our sole income will have an impact on our pending adoption. What kind of an impact? That we do not know yet. As of right now, we need to fill out a financial statement that is to be evaluated next week by a team of social workers at our agency. Depending on their findings, it will determine whether we will be allowed to continue, or not, in the Ethiopia program.
Through it all, I must say, God has been so faithful to us. He has rallied friends and family around us, and has given both Charles and I a peace that passes all understanding. As we look back over the past few years, we see how our experiences, both good and bad, have been preparing us for this current trial we find ourselves in. A few things I know, that I know, that I know about God....
1. God is good. All the time. In every circumstance, good and bad. He is good.
2. God is sovereign and in control of ALL things. Not a single hair on our heads can be touched without Him allowing it.
3. God is all-powerful and certainly ABLE to change situations.
4. Prayer WORKS!!
5. Often God allows everything to be stripped away before showing up BIG, thus bringing Him the most glory (example, Anna).
We do not know what the future holds, but we are confident in the One who holds the future. 2,000 years ago, on an unassuming Friday afternoon, a stone was rolled in front of a tomb, and the Roman soldiers and chief priests who stood by watching declared it finished. But God had other plans, as He so often does.
It all started three weeks ago, when my husband came home from work with the news that he had lost his job. The following day, my Mimi, the matriarch of our family, passed away. It was not a surprise; she had been on hospice for about a week. But still, it was a very, very sad day for our entire family. A sad weekend, I suppose.
The next week was a little bit of a blur. It was spent making funeral arrangements, sorting through unemployment procedures, and figuring out a plan to continue receiving insurance for our kids. All along, I was dreading the discussion that would inevitably have to take place with our case worker regarding Charles' recent status to unemployed. What would it mean for our adoption?? Surely, it couldn't be good. :(
As expected, losing our sole income will have an impact on our pending adoption. What kind of an impact? That we do not know yet. As of right now, we need to fill out a financial statement that is to be evaluated next week by a team of social workers at our agency. Depending on their findings, it will determine whether we will be allowed to continue, or not, in the Ethiopia program.
Through it all, I must say, God has been so faithful to us. He has rallied friends and family around us, and has given both Charles and I a peace that passes all understanding. As we look back over the past few years, we see how our experiences, both good and bad, have been preparing us for this current trial we find ourselves in. A few things I know, that I know, that I know about God....
1. God is good. All the time. In every circumstance, good and bad. He is good.
2. God is sovereign and in control of ALL things. Not a single hair on our heads can be touched without Him allowing it.
3. God is all-powerful and certainly ABLE to change situations.
4. Prayer WORKS!!
5. Often God allows everything to be stripped away before showing up BIG, thus bringing Him the most glory (example, Anna).
We do not know what the future holds, but we are confident in the One who holds the future. 2,000 years ago, on an unassuming Friday afternoon, a stone was rolled in front of a tomb, and the Roman soldiers and chief priests who stood by watching declared it finished. But God had other plans, as He so often does.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than
your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
~Isaiah 55:9
Three days later, as the disciples were hiding away in a room, confused and saddened by the weekend's events, God's plan was unfolding. A plan to redeem the world. A plan to bring beauty from the ashes.
And so it was on that day, that Jesus rose and conquered death and sin forevermore. God's plan, perhaps not making sense at the time to the mere minds of humans, was the only thing that could rescue the world.
Although, this is not the way WE would have ever chosen to write OUR life story, we trust that God's ways are better. That He sees the whole picture, and works accordingly. We know that the call to adopt that was placed on our hearts two years ago, is still very real to this day and cannot be thwarted by human hands. We ask you to join us in praying that God would make a way, where man says it is impossible. Here are some specific, tangible ways in which you can pray for us this upcoming week:
1. Charles would find a new job quickly (and smoothly!!).
2. The financial statement that we are busy preparing would favorably describe our family.
3. When the case workers gather next week to review our case, that we would find favor in their eyes and would be allowed to continue with our adoption.
4. Continued peace and endurance for Charles and I during this trial.
5. Grace to accept plans that may be different than what we had envisioned.
Thank you so much for your prayers!! We have already begun to feel them. We are blessed beyond measure to call you friends.
Much love,
Kirsten
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