It is Sunday, February 25, 2007, we are sitting in church and the teaching is on Mark 4 ... The Parable of the Sower...'where the people have ears to hear but they do not hear me, they have eyes to see but they do not see me, they do not have the faith and trust to step out and obey me.'
As I was sitting on the back row listening, I really felt the LORD impress upon my heart that He wanted us to share our testimony with His Saints, "Tell them what "I" did in your life this week, tell them so that they know it is "I" working out this adoption and not you and Jerry. I want them to see ME, Hear ME and OBEY ME. I want them to be a part of my work, this adoption ministry is MINE, I don't want them to think this is you and Jerry working on your own agenda".
So, I leaned over to Jerry and told him what the LORD just said to me. He reluctantly looked at me and said, "We can't just go up there and share, it's not on the agenda." He sat there for a few minutes and then went and talked to a fellow elder who told him to call me up after communion and we can share testimony if that's what the LORD has prompted us to do. He had absolutely no idea what we were going to share. No one did! We hadn't told anyone at church what had happened. So, we stood up before the congregation and shared this awesome God story. We told them we had $20,000 coming in 10 weeks, but we needed $5000 to get the paperwork in by next week which was what Debra at Gladney recommended, due to the Ethiopian government closing down for the flood season in August and September. I also told them we still needed another $10k and requested that they pray for us. I specifically challenged them to remember this story, for all of the children in the congregation to SEE God and know and remember when we have these girls sitting with us someday that they can clearly testify they saw Jehovah Jireh, the LORD is very much alive and still in the miracle business today just as in the scriptures.
When we finished, there were many tears and applause for the Lord's amazing miraculous works. Then, as we were all getting ready to move on to our meal and fellowship hour, a family that had been visiting for the first time came up to us and said "Thank you for blessing us today with your testimony. Please accept this gift". It was a check for $500. Then a few minutes later another family came to me and said "We feel led to help you bring your daughters home, please accept this gift - it's not much". It was a check for $500. The LORD provided $1,000 in one day. Then as a result of our testimony, the elders and deacons met and decided to have a "Special Offering" the following Sunday to help us raise the $5,000. They sent a church wide email to the congregation. At the end of the that service, we were given a check for $4000. We again stood in tears, trembling with awe at what the LORD was doing in our lives. I felt so unworthy for this calling. I still do!! So, we sent the check off to Gladney, CIS and officially began this adoption.
Three weeks ago we had no money. Today we have over $25,000 that the LORD provided. WOW, how do you explain that without using the word "miracle" in the sentence?
The adventure continues!
