I AM SO GRATEFUL

Well, we are finally getting well in our house. We have all been sick since we got home from Ethiopia and Jerry was out of town all of this past week. I was feeling really poochie and never had the energy or time to post. But before Jerry left for CA, we all got dressed, sick and all, and went downtown to take our Christmas picture. Melissa set up her tripod and we spent a lovely afternoon posing. We look pretty good considering our health status. So, this is our new family and an update.

We are all on the rise back to good health. My dad is feeling better. The doctors wanted him admitted to the hospital but he said he would rather stay home and ride this out. So, he has been sleeping a lot and tonight when I visited with him he looked and felt better.

I want to send a special "THANK YOU" to all of you who have been praying for us. Thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to follow our amazing journey and to leave us comments. It is sooooooo encouraging to get your comments and know that we are being lifted up. THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts.

According to the counter on this blog we have had almost 20,000 views which absolutely blows my mind. The reason we started this blog is because the LORD told me to "TELL HIS STORY" for the purpose of encouraging others. If you have read our story from the beginning, you will remember this all started when God spoke to me through HIS word in JOB 42. I sat at the kitchen table and asked God for direction on whether or not we were to pursue adoption, which I basically thought was out of the question, but I really expected him to give us direction on how to start an adoption ministry in our church and community. Well, as the story has unfolded you see HE did tell us to pursue adoption again. When we left for Ethiopia several weeks ago, I thought it was just to go bring our new children home. I now realize that this journey has just begun and that actually GOD did both. He gave us new children and an adoption ministry in our church and community.

Over the past several weeks we have heard from several people that have been reading our story and have said as a result, the LORD has impressed upon them to also adopt. They have been encouraged by our journey and have decided to step out in faith and also pursue adoption. We have been blessed beyond measure as they have shared some amazing testimonies with us. Jerry and I have been transformed by this amazing and miraculous journey and we will never be the same again. We are passionate about adoption, and about our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ as we have come to KNOW HIM, to SEE HIM, to HEAR HIM and to LOVE HIM in such a new, real and greater depth.
We are so excited to share the faithfulness of God when we are about HIS BUSINESS.

When I began this journey and had my first conversation with God, I specifically said, "GOD, I am begging you to please speak to me right now and let me know if we should continue to pursue adoption or just start up an adoption ministry. We are too old to adopt now, we have absolutely no money and I don't want to keep Ellie hoping that we will adopt again. So please, I want to open your word and I am asking you to speak directly to my request. Give me your wisdom on what you want us to do. And this is how he responded to me: Job 42:1-6 " Then Job replied to the LORD: I know that you can do all things; no plan of your can be thwarted. You asked, "Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?" Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. You Said, listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.' My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."
...10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice s much as he had before....12 The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. and he had three daughters...the second Keziah and the third Keren...Now where in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.

Well, as I sit here with my three precious new children asleep upstairs and with an exciting new adoption ministry starting up in our lives, I read over this passage again and I am in absolute awe!! My LORD had these wonderful experiences planned for me and THESE THINGS THAT WERE TOO WONDERFUL FOR ME TO KNOW. MY EARS HAD HEARD OF HIM, NOW THEY HEAR HIM, MY EYES HAVE SEEN HIS MIRACLES, SEEN HIM work out all of the details, the plans, the papers, the money, the safe travel, the children and our family have been born again!! I DO REPENT IN DUST & ASHES as I think back on where I was before this journey began and I PRAISE HIM for where I am today in my faith and love for HIM. I had my God in such a small box compared to where HE IS TODAY IN MY LIFE. Nothing is impossible with HIM, HE CAN DO ALL THINGS, NO PLAN OF HIS WILL BE THWARTED! WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED IN THE LATER PART OF OUR LIFE MORE THAN THE FIRST.
We are now the proud parents of eight children (so far) and we are in absolute awe of how GOD has worked out HIS PLAN for our lives. We are praying about another adoption from Ethiopia. You see, we had three children in our younger years and so to be blessed twice as much we need to have another child, six in our latter years. But honestly, we are praying for the LORD to send us as many as HE sees fit. We are open to HIS plan and purpose for our lives. We are also praying for a bigger house just for the record.

We are currently putting together a slide show of our adoption journey to Ethiopia and of the KOLFE ORPHANAGE. So please stay tuned, we will have them posted this week.
And a note to all of our dear friends and family following this journey, please leave us a comment if you haven't as yet. We would love to hear from all of you! May you be blessed as we celebrate this CHRISTmas season. May you see JESUS like never before as you follow this journey and SEE HIM WORK OUT HIS PLAN. Blessings to you all!