First fundraiser & prayer requests

We have officially started our first fundraiser!  You'll notice we now have a link on our sidebar to Coupaide.  You can get a $50 gift certificate to Restaurant.com for $20 (they can be used all over the US, see the list of restaurants in your area...Chattanooga has some great ones listed!).  Of that $20, we will get $10 for our adoption fund.

This is a WIN-WIN for all you bargain hunters!  Would you please consider buying one and taking your spouse or family out to dinner?  They would make great gifts too!

Also, would you please pray for us?

• My husband's car just broke down and he's waiting for a tow. Last week, my car was having issues.  My friends, the ones who are adopting from the same orphanage, have also started having car issues since making this decision.  Satan will use any means he can to try to discourage us. 
• The good news is I think our car insurance has tow reimbursement, and this week has still been better than last week in terms of spiritual warfare! Praise God for His faithfulness and for Him sending many wonderful friends to encourage us in the last week with words of wisdom and bible verses.
• Also, this week has been a very busy week tracking down things for our home study (like background checks, medical forms, etc.) and completing many more forms. Pray that all goes smoothly. Our in-home visit is on Monday, which I think will go just fine, but it also means another $800.
• Pray for our friends who are currently getting ready for their fundraiser, and are tagging A LOT of donated items for an upcoming consignment sale...there's a lot to do in a very short time, and it's a stressful time for them.  

Thank you all SO MUCH for all your prayers and encouragement!!! I cannot tell you how much it means to us when we hear your encouraging words and that you're praying for us.  God has blessed us with each one of you!  

And thank you, too, in advance if decide to buy a gift certificate...every bit counts and every gift is a blessing!

So why Uganda? - Part 2

In part one of answering the question “Why Uganda?”, I talked about how God led us to Uganda, that it wasn’t really a choice we made, and that this is definitely out of my comfort zone, which now leads me to the second part of the answer.

I mentioned that I (Cindy) am a creature of comfort.  Well, I had grown comfortable, not just in my home, but in my devotional time with the Lord, in my roles as a wife and mom, and in my ministry.  I was comfortable going about my day looking after my household, doing some volunteer work at the pregnancy resource center, helping here and there at church…none of which are bad things, except that I was too comfortable.  Before we even heard about the orphanage in Uganda, God started preparing the way for this journey by prompting me to reprioritize areas of my life, to purge time wasters (still working on this one!), to purge material clutter, to even say no to ministry I loved doing for this season of life, in order to make more room for family and new ministry. And as the new year approached, the word that kept coming to mind was “intentional”; to be more intentional with our time, our relationship with Jesus and memorizing scripture, our family and friendships, our finances and possessions, our health, our ministry, and even making a list of books I want to read this year.

Shortly after hearing about the orphanage, it became very apparent to me that God was also using this opportunity to open my eyes further to the harsh realities and overwhelming needs in Uganda and around the world, as well as the many blessings we (as a family, and as Americans) have, and all that I was taking for granted.

I became increasingly aware of His commands to believers that we are to love our neighbor, that we are to share what He has given us (because it’s all His anyway), and that we are to care for the fatherless, the widows, and those who are hurting or suffering.  Needless to say, I was convicted of my self-centeredness, complacency, selfishness, and head-in-the-sand ignorance.   I had failed terribly at following God’s commands, and was not loving my neighbors as myself or doing enough for those who are suffering. 

As I dug deeper into the plight of many in Uganda, I realized that even America’s poverty is rich in comparison to that of a third world country.   So what did that mean for our middle-class family?  To some extent I knew this extreme poverty existed because we sponsor two children who live in poverty-stricken villages of Africa, but God was clearly showing me that this needed to hit closer to home, that he wanted us to do more than share monetarily. He wanted us to share our lives and our home.

As I thought about our finances and whether we could afford another adoption and child, I happened to take a second look at my closet one day.  I almost counted the number of shirts and pants I have (and I’m no clothes junkie!), but sadly, I was too embarrassed to know the number.  I wondered about the children in the orphanage. Do they have one pair of pants? Perhaps two shirts?  I felt ashamed because some of my clothes don’t even fit anymore, and yet I let them hang there hoping they will one day fit again, instead of passing them on to someone else who needs them. 

Consequently, as we began to count the cost of this opportunity, I could no longer use finances as an excuse not to do this.

As I looked around my son’s room at his bed, clothes, shoes, toys, and books, I was reminded again of how blessed we (and our son) are and that we have the resources right here in our home to share with another child.   I was reminded of God’s provision and that He knows all of our needs, and the needs of those children.  For instance, the children at this orphanage did not have a proper pair of shoes (if they had shoes at all) so that they could attend school, and through His great providence, our church found out about the need.  Our church family came together and donated shoes for each child (and then some!) - all just in time for school to start!  God does the same for us, time and time again!  So I have no doubt that when God calls a person to something, He provides a way to accomplish His purposes, and I praise God that our Father knows what we need before we ask Him (Matt 6:8)!

Speaking of going to school, even America’s broken education system is better than no education at all. Often, Ugandan children cannot go to school, because their families can’t afford to pay the $20 (US dollars) each quarter to send them, or the children may be sent out to beg for money on the streets.

In addition, many of these children have also lost one or both parents, due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa or some other deadly disease like malaria (which is treatable if you can afford medicine). The oldest child of the family is then left to care for his/her siblings, while still being a young child too (50 percent of Uganda’s population is under 15 years old).

So the harsh reality is that with little or no family, with limited resources, food, and medical care, and with little or no education, these children have little or no hope for a future, unless others take notice and help.  They are not only our neighbors, but they are also orphans, the least of these, the needy, the hurt, and the suffering, and God clearly shows us in scripture that we, as believers, are all called to take notice and help (see Matt. 25:35-40, James 1:27, Acts 20:35, Gal. 6:2, Mark 12:31, Ps. 82:4, 1 John 3:17-18, to name a few). 

Unfortunately, this reality is happening all around the world, not just in Uganda.  According to UNICEF, there are 143 million orphans around the world today.

“So why Uganda?” you might ask. We would respectfully ask, “Why not Uganda?” 

The Lord taught us through infertility and our first adoption journey that it’s not for us to question the ways of our Lord.  His ways are perfect, and His timing is always perfect!  He is the one who knows who our children are, where they are, who they will be born to, who they will be raised by, who they will become, because He knit them together in their mother’s womb (Ps. 139:13), and He knows every hair on their head (Matt. 10:30)!

And, as Russell Moore states in Adopted for Life, “What better way is there to bring the good news of Christ than to see his unwanted little brothers and sisters placed in families where they’ll be raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?”

Once again, He has humbled us; humbled that the one Perfect Parent would call us, flawed and imperfect parents, to adopt again (we didn’t realize how flawed and imperfect we were until we became parents the first time!), and humbled that He would choose to use us (not that He needs us) to be a visual picture of His story of redemption and love, not once, but twice.  Yes, we are blessed beyond measure to be rescued, adopted, and loved unconditionally by such a glorious Father!

So what is God calling you to do today?  

How is He changing your heart to be more like His? 

How is He wanting you to demonstrate love for your neighbors, to care for orphans and widows, the least of these, the poor and needy, the hurt and suffering...to show the love and light of Jesus Christ to a dark world?

What's in the mud?

Part two of the last post is still on the way, but I was inspired today and wanted to take a brief detour.  

In this morning’s sermon about God healing the blind man with "spit-mud” (read John 9:1-7), our pastor made the statement “It’s in the mud [or mundane] of life that you will see the fingerprints of God.”  What a great statement!  He further reminded us about the dangers of only looking at what God is doing someone else’s life, and how important it is to look for His works that are “veiled in the mud.”

While the first posts on this blog have been telling you about what is happening in our family, our prayer is that this blog will really be about looking for His fingerprints in the mud.  As we go through the adoption process, we know that it can get pretty mundane with all the paperwork and the many details, and we want to be looking for His work through all of it.   And as we share with you, hopefully, you will see that this is really about God and His glory and what He is doing for His kingdom and purposes.  We hope, too, that you will question what this has to do with you or what it is He is doing in your life or what He is calling you to do.

After all, as our pastor pointed out, God’s work in each person’s life is tailor-made for that individual’s growth and sanctification and healing.  And if we don’t look for what He is doing in our life, and follow with obedience, we may just miss the blessing.  I almost missed the blessing of this journey (see our first post), and am so thankful I didn’t!

So today I want to ask you:  What is God doing in your life?  Are you looking for His fingerprints in the mud or mundane of daily life?

Oftentimes we only look in hindsight for His work in our life.  But what if we searched for His fingerprints in the mud and mundane of our daily life now while we’re in it, rather than just looking back?  What would it look like if we stood watching and waiting on the Lord to work, ready to follow and willing to relinquish control?  Somehow, I don’t think our days would feel so mundane.  I pray that I search for His fingerprints more often as I’m going through life rather than in hindsight. 

We may not always understand His ways, nor will we ever know them all, but it is an amazing and beautiful thing to find Him in the details! 

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night…For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.” (Psalm 92:1,2,4)

We would love to know how God is working in your life, what He has or is calling you to do, and how we can be praying for you.  If you don’t mind sharing, please leave us a comment and sing praises to His name.

So why Uganda? - Part 1

One of the questions we’ve been asked is “Why did you choose Uganda?” The answer to that is actually two-fold.

The first part of the answer is that Thomas and I don’t feel that we chose one way or the other, but that God did.   We believe He is leading us to a specific child in Uganda, just as He led us to our son during our first adoption journey, who was born in the States.  We were not in the process of adoption and waiting for a child in either of these times, but we firmly believe that God has directed our steps (Proverbs 16:9) both times to the path (and child) He has chosen for us.

Believe me, if I had chosen, it would likely have been a much more comfortable path.  Adopting in Uganda takes me WAY out of my comfort zone!  And for various reasons, such as:  traveling to a third world country and not staying in a nice, cozy resort with good food and soft beds;  traveling 7745 miles away from home for several weeks with a three-year old in tow; being possibly the first Caucasian person a child has ever seen; fear of adopting a young child (rather than a newborn as our son was) who may have difficulty seeing us (who are not his biological parents nor do we even look similar) as “Mom” and “Dad”; and the list could go on.  

The one thing I know for sure is that my heavenly Father is not nearly as concerned with me being comfortable as He is my sanctification and spiritual growth and becoming more like Christ.  Following God’s path can be frightening or uncomfortable sometimes for us on this side of Heaven as He stretches us and grows us (after all believers aren’t called to the easy life), and our comfort must ultimately be found in knowing that we are in God’s hands and He is in control. (Luke 9:23)

As I sit here and think about the reasons that this forces me out of my comfort zone, I am reminded of just how comfortable we are in America.  The people in Uganda who live in poor conditions may never have known anything else, may never have known comfortable surroundings; and yet, oftentimes we Americans don’t like to suffer at the sake of our comfort for even five minutes.  Let me count the ways I have taken things for granted in my life and where I live, for I am definitely a creature of comfort! 

It is clear in the New Testament that the apostle Paul certainly wasn’t comfortable when he traveled to distant and foreign lands to preach the gospel to an often hostile group of people.  He wasn’t comfortable when he was being persecuted, imprisoned, and beaten almost to death for doing the work God had called him to do.  Many others in the early Christian church were also persecuted and often killed for their faith, just as many are in other countries today, and here a part of me resisted being taken out of my comfort zone! 

In the last few weeks we have found ourselves under spiritual attack after making the decision to do this, and even more so after publicly announcing our intentions to follow God’s call for us.  Our emotions have run high, we have doubted if this is in fact God’s will for us, and we have been praying for clarity and wisdom.  And God has provided once again! Just in the last few days, He has sent people to encourage us, to speak wisdom to us, to remind us why we’re doing this, to remind us how He led us to this orphanage in Uganda.  Through each person, He has confirmed that yes, this is the path He has chosen for us, and all we need to do is be faithful to what He has called us to do and He will make our paths straight.

Being called to adopt transracially and internationally may come with more complications, more difficulties, more spiritual attacks, than our previous journey, but it is nothing compared to Jesus suffering and dying on the cross for the sake of our adoption!!!  I may shed a few tears along the way, but Jesus shed his blood for me. 

In Adopted for Life, Russell Moore writes, “The primeval insurrection in the garden turned the universe into an orphanage – the heirs were done, done in by their appetites…”  (Imagine our plight, which was MUCH worse than the poverty in Uganda, and yet…) “When we were still orphans, Christ became a substitute sinner for us.”

David Platt says, “It is important to realize we adopt not because we are rescuers. No. We adopt because we are rescued.”  Fortunately for us, when He adopted His children, He found them in all parts of the world; so too shall we if that is His will.

And with redemption and reconciliation comes tears of joy!

Stay tuned for the second part of our answer…

Our journey begins...

We’re so glad you stopped by, and just in time to hear our exciting news!   Our family is growing again!!! :-) We hope you’ll stick around for a few minutes so we can tell you how God has been working in our family lately.

This is all came as quite a surprise to us, because we’ve been very content with our family of three since adopting our son nearly three years ago. Did I mention we were very content?  Well, apparently God knew otherwise!  He began to do what He does best…changing hearts…and things started to change several weeks ago.

In January, we heard the news that our friends, the Lusks, were adopting two boys from Uganda, and we were so excited for them! We were reminded that adoption is a beautiful, living example of God adopting believers into His family, and reminded of the joy of finally meeting the child God has chosen for you.  It was also very exciting to hear how God had orchestrated all of this!  A director of an orphanage in Uganda was in our town visiting a mutual friend, who introduced the director to the Lusks, at which time they learned that the director is able to facilitate independent adoptions for the children in his orphanage (having the added bonus of less waiting time and costs than using an agency, both a very big deal for international adoption).  

As I (Cindy) heard more details about the orphanage and learned that the director was a trusted friend of our mutual friend, it was apparent that God was moving in this situation.  So I contacted couples that I knew wanted to adopt, but was,  quite disappointed when they didn’t feel God was calling them to this opportunity. (Please allow me to clarify, I wasn't disappointed in the couples for not doing this; I was disappointed because I thought God wanted me to tell them about this and I had hoped this would work out for them. I firmly believe God already knows who and where their children are, and His ways are always perfect!)   I kept asking myself, “Why am I so disappointed?”   I just couldn’t seem to get these children out of my mind!  I felt an urgency to find them a home, and God kept nudging me until one day the question popped in my head that changed everything:  Why not us? Why was I looking for another home when we had room right here?  I was surprised by it all, really, but pleasantly surprised.  And so was Thomas, when I asked him the same question later that night! :-)

That was the beginning of some deep discussions, and over the next week or so, I tried to find out all I could about this opportunity that God has provided and adopting in Uganda.  And still, I came up with every question, concern, and excuse I could think of as to why this might not be a good idea (i.e. family dynamics, finances, our time, our son’s wellbeing, if I was a good enough mom, if race would be an issue for some, etc…).  Some were legitimate concerns while others were purely selfish, but even more were clearly lies of Satan trying to discourage us.  And every single time, God sent just the right people, just the right book, and just the right challenge from our pastor to speak wisdom and truth into our situation.  I am so grateful He did, because otherwise I may have missed the blessing He had for us.

The more we learned, the more we knew this is what He was calling us to, and to ignore that would be dishonoring to Him.  God was making it clear that He wants to knit us together and grow our family again, and now it was our turn to act! 

This is the beginning of our journey…                                                       

                                                             

Won’t you please join us as we eagerly watch God’s plan unfold?  I will warn you, though, God may be nudging you to ask “What can we do to help?” or perhaps even “Why not us?” :-)