Wordless Wednesday: Apple Works 2010

 

 

Last Call for T-Shirts!

Just a friendly reminder that we are accepting t-shirts orders through tomorrow, Friday, September 24!  Or, if you happen to be in the Indianapolis area this weekend, stop by our church's Fall Festival on Sunday from 1-7pm.  We, along with our friends the Hennessy's, will have a booth set up to our sell t-shirts and beautiful handmade dolls for the Hennessy's adoption! 

I promise that we'll return to our regularly scheduled blogging soon.  I've got new pictures of Mia to post, some new stories to tell, and of course, more progress to report on adoption #2.

Why Adopt (Again)?

To put it simply: it's what God has called us to do.  As it says in Proverbs 24:12, "Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do.  God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know and holds us responsible to act."  It's true.  Not just in adoption, but in every part of what Christ calls us to.  If we read and study His Word, follow the path He lays before us, and seek Him with all our heart, mind, and soul, He will open our eyes anew.  He will reveal fresh revelations to us, day by day, for our entire walk of faith with Him.  It's an awesome promise He makes to us, and frankly, it thrills me. 

Here's the catch - once we know something, we can't go back.  We can no longer claim ignorance and say we just didn't know.  When He reveals to us a new truth, it's usually not just for our benefit.  He wants us to use it, put it into practice, and it's always to bring Him glory.

So you see, when people ask why adopt again, it's because our eyes have been opened to this awful fact that 147 million children are nameless.  They have no one to call them their own.  They are alone, afraid, and at risk.  And we have come face to face with these facts.  I have seen their faces, their pleading and longing eyes.  No, I cannot adopt 147 million, but I can bring another home. 

I was reading on another adoption blog this evening about how the shear cost scares so many away from adoption.  Her friend replied, "How poor is your God?"

We do not deserve your help and support.  Just like the grace He so freely gives to us, we have done nothing to merit it.  But it brings great hope and peace to my soul to know that I serve an all-powerful, sovereign God who has infinite resources at His disposal. 

At the end of the day, this will be about Him, not us.  There will be one less bed filled in the orphanage.  One less victory for the enemy.  And hopefully, one more child in the kingdom of God. 

So What's the Deal with the iPad?

I know there's been a lot of activity on our T-Shirt fundraiser tab, and many of you have even purchased your own (thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottoms of our hearts!), but I wanted to draw your attention to our iPad Giveaway.  Yes, you read that right, we are giving away a 16GB WiFi + 3G iPad.  Why?  Well, truthfully I got the idea from my adoption buddy and Ethiopian travel friend Kathy Garrison, whose family is currently in the process of adopting 2 more kiddos from Ethiopia.  She had tremendous success with it, and really it seemed to me a no-brainer.  So we decided to do one too.

Here's how it works: For every $10 donation you make, you get one ticket entered into the giveaway.  So if you donate $50, you have 5 tickets.  Make sense?  But here's what I love about this fundraiser.  You don't actually have to donate any money to us to help us (although you might want to for your own ticket and shot at the iPad).  Instead, we'd like you tell your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, whoever about this giveaway.  It's a great way to get other people involved and raise awareness about adoption.  Please consider reposting this on your Facebook, blog, or even just plain ol' talking to your friends (I know, a shocking thought in this technological age!)

If you'd like to try to sell a book of 10 tickets, message me or leave me a comment.  I can send you everything you need and you don't have to give us any money up front.  It really does take a village, and please know how hard it has been for us to even ask you guys for help.  I can't begin to tell you how emotionally taxing the last few days have been for me.  When I received our first donation and t-shirt order, I was literally in tears.  It made me realize how important it is for me to be a blessing to others when the opportunity presents itself.  Thank you so much for surrounding us with your love and support to bring this little guy home.