Another Day in the "Messed Up" Mestas House!!!

Today started w/chores/breakfast then the little's yelling and very upset because there is a bird trapped in our garage since yesterday and it won't fly out. They are afraid it is going to die. They have tried to coax it out and it just keeps going deeper into the back and burying itself under more "stuff"! Got some school assignments out then took my mom shopping for her birthday present...a new SMART TV 42" which SHE educated me on. I had no idea these even existed.
Lunch/then took the little's to our homeschool celebration beginning a new school year gathering at ClayFushion where they painted tiles and expressed their awesome creativity. Ellie & I were quite busy helping 5 of them paint, blow dry, then paint, blow dry, until they got their tile perfect! Got a call from BJ that the ARMY recruiter called and gave him medical clearance to proceed with his enlistment. :(
Came home, cooked up

steak on the BBQ (that Melissa & Randy bought for us and I LOVE IT!)w/scalloped potatoes, tomato salad and fresh asparagus. Cleaned up the kitchen got the kids bathed and ready for bed, finished our study on the book of RUTH, devotions and prayer time and got the phone call from BJ that he was in a car wreck. Thank the Lord he is OK but it looks like his truck is totaled.
Seven loads of laundry still on the couch cause I didn't get yesterday's laundry done. Spoke to my baby Melissa and Randy too! Saw new photos of my grandbabies which makes my heart jump w/joy! Ellie started her new Anatomy class tonight and loved it then baked a batch of "Lamenting" cookies for BJ and he devoured them all!
Just a little recap on all the things I had to handle today!! I still have a few more things to do before I can call it a day....but wait, it's tomorrow right now and I'm still not done with yesterday yet....it's always "More Than "I" Can Handle!"
Thank you LORD for another GREAT DAY!! Seven of my babies are here tucked in their beds, my hubby and mom are here, my dog Miss Ruby is laying on my feet waiting for me to take her upstairs to my bed and my HOT bath tub bubbling with Dr. Teals Lavender Bath Salts is calling me...blessings to all!!
www.morethanicanhandle.com

Another Blessing...Another "ONE" Adopted!

When I spoke at the Orphan Mile Conference in DuBois, PA last April, I was blessed by the overwhelming response from the crowd. I shared how the Lord had confirmed I was to share tHIS story for the sake of at least "ONE" child being adopted from that crowd.  I vividly remember one young lady who came to me literally crying and shaking as she told me she had been praying about a particular situation. She was afraid and not sure what the Lord had for her future. After she heard our testimony, she felt as though the Lord intentionally put her there in the audience that day, to be encouraged to "TRUST HIM" and walk the journey he had before her by "FAITH". Today I received this message from her and she gave me permission to share it with you! Be encouraged and get a tissue...I am still in tears!

Hi Eileen! My name is Mindy. I met you at the Orphan Mile Conference in DuBois PA. I'm sure you don't remember me, you meet so many people.=) When I met you, I told you about my situation, how at 34 I had to have a total hysterectomy and had never had children. I also told you about my brother and his girlfriend at the time and how they had asked me to adopt their baby. Well... little Ryleigh Cheyenne was born on June 4th she weighed 7lbs 14oz and was 21inches long. I was in the delivery room, I was the first to hold her. All the doctors and nurses referred to me as MOM!! I had my own room in the hospital where she stayed with me. I was blessed to be able to experience the entire thing just like it was me giving birth. I brought Ryleigh home with me and it has been amazing. I can't believe she is going to be 2 months old next week. The adoption process is going great. The birth parents rights have been terminated, I have complete and full custody, and now we are just waiting on the the court hearing to finalize everything.

As I sit here and type this message to you, tears are rolling down my face because I think about the despair I was in over the hysterectomy and how it all changed the day I held my beautiful baby! I have to share one more thing with you. The day I brought my baby home I said to my mom, "WOW! My body feels like I just gave birth. I know that sounds weird, but it really does!" My Mom said that's not weird....that's GOD!!! A few weeks later I noticed a discharge from my breasts, I didn't think much of it until a few weeks after that I ended up in the ER with major pain in my breast. I developed breast milk!!! My body bonded with the baby so naturally! It is not enough to nurse her, but it is enough to show me that she is truly mine!!! I just had to share that with you, because I know if anyone would understand that you would!! Thank you for being so transparent when you shared your testimony and for being such an inspiration!

Mindy

Another Blessing of Fruit...Two More Precious Children Adopted!

This weekend we were blessed beyond measure to attend the Answers in Genesis conference with Ken Ham, Buddy Davis and Dr. Gary Parker, at Colonial Baptist Church in Cary, NC. As we were leaving for a lunch break today, I heard my name being called out from the crowd. I turned to see a young mom in the playground with several children, both white and brown. As I turned and walked toward her, she looked familiar but I wasn't sure where I knew her from. "Do you remember me?" she asked. Then it hit me, "Yes, I do! You were at the Pure Religion Adoption & Orphan Conference I spoke at last August."  "Yes! I was sitting next to you crying when Pastor Sean Cordel was speaking. You gave me tissues and we talked. Then my husband went to your session and that changed everything for us! I have been talking about you ever since and wrote about you on our blog.(www.roepnack.blogspot.com) After hearing your testimony, we knew we were supposed to move forward on our adoption. I have been wanting to contact you to tell you we got home 3 months ago with "Moses" & "Miriam" from Ethiopia! I stood there looking at these precious children and my whole body just shook with goosebumps literally all over me! She then turned to all our littles and said, "It was because of your story that we were encouraged to adopt our two babies!" All five of them got wide eyed, smiled with joy and began hugging and kissing on "Moses & Miriam". They were overjoyed to know the Lord is using them and their story for HIS glory! What a JOY to see her and yes, we were in tears again! But this time, to be able to hold and kiss her precious children was more than I could have imagined! I literally looked up to the sky and thanked the Lord for this honor and  privilege of seeing some "Fruit" of speaking at that conference last August. He moved the mountains and gave them miracles!

 Here is a note I got from her this afternoon.....
"Eileen, what a joy it was to see you today. I can only think that it was YOU today that God planned for me to see when I thought I was going to see Ken Ham. Thank you for giving my family an unbelievable joy, your gift is now my family's legacy. Missy"

I am so encouraged because I believe this is the purpose of our ministry. The Lord has called us to encourage the saints to be about HIS business of orphan care and adoption. Every time HE gives me the honor and privilege of hearing a testimony like this, I am hopeful that the book HE wrote for our family to share will also be an encouragement to others and more children will be welcomed into HIS family as a result. There is nothing more important than to love and teach the next generation the Holy word of God with the hope that they will receive the Lord Jesus as their Savior. Every child deserves the opportunity to be in  a loving family, protected from harm and to be taught about the Savior of the world. It is my prayer and hope that our book, "More Than "I" Can Handle" will result in more testimonies like this. May all Glory Honor and Praise be to the Lord!

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life, peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

You however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation ---but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. (Adoption) And by him we cry, "ABBA Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of god.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:1-28

"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile---the same Lord is Lord of all  and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."  Romans 10:9-13,17

BOOK COMING SOON!

Our book is in the final stages with the publisher and will be released very soon. We are blessed to have almost 100 copies already sold and if you are interested you can pre-order here: www.morethanicanhandle.com

So excited to see what the Lord is going to do with it, only HE knows! Thank you for your support along this journey. This is HIS story for HIS glory!

The Orphan Mile Conference

We had a wonderful time of blessing at the Orphan Mile Conference in PA on April 14, 2012. While driving up there we were in a fender bender within an hour of leaving our home. Praise the Lord there was no serious damage...but what was supposed to be a 9 hour drive turned into 13 hours. This was our first conference without my right arm, Sweet Ellie! We were all feeling her absence and know this is going to be our new normal since she is now working and going to nursing school. We are blessed with 5 amazing little kids who were awesome all the way. Keziah is still bragging about the fact this was the first trip where she did not get car sick and vomit all over herself. She is still so happy about it and even mentioned it again today! As we were driving into the town of DuBois, PA, around midnight, I asked the Lord why he was bringing us to this event all the way from our humble abode in NC. As usual, he answered me within seconds with that soft whisper to my heart saying, "I brought you for one to be rescued!" I started to cry and shared with Jerry what I had heard. When we arrived at the conference the following morning, I was preparing to get on the stage and went for my quiet time with the Lord. I was sitting alone in a beautifully decorated room with a desert theme, feeling very close to Him. I prayed for the Lord to speak another word of confirmation to me that HE did in fact call me to be there for this conference and to give me assurance and confidence to share HIS story. I opened my bible and this is the first thing I saw, "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31:8-9 I was amazed yet again, at how he answers me with His word in such a timely and exact manner. I was filled with peace and knew He was the reason I was there. As I shared testimony, I honestly felt like taking off my shoes as I was standing on holy ground. There were many people who shared testimony with me afterwards, that felt the Lord was speaking directly to them relating to what they were going through in their personal walk with Him. It always brings such joy to my heart to hear those words. I just have to share this amazing testimony I received from our last speaking event in March at the YWAM base in Ozark, AR. This is why we do what we do and why the book is being published. The Lord's testimony in our lives is sooooo powerful and life transforming not only for us, but for many who HEAR it! March Letter from Rhonda, Dear Eileen, I had the privilege of hearing you speak Ozark, AR, YWAM base. You made an impact on me that won't soon fade. Thank you for your very transparent testimony of life and leading. I have always held "adoption" as a possibility and so has my husband. I can hardly get my mind around it being a possibility at this stage in our lives. We have a 20 year old college student, a 16 year old in public school and a 14 and 11 year old whom I home school. I have felt incredibly tired for quite a long time....weary and maybe even undeserving of more children. It seemed just as well because I also think of myself as too old too. I had pondered how many years until I had no children to educate and could take on a different roll with them, I could garden, work, whatever. I'm 45 years old. But seeing you, seeing your children, the work I know you do, it made me ponder.................ponder if God could have more for us too? I still don't know. Thinking directly of it makes my head spin. It seems too big for me, it seems too good, too much, too hard, too wonderful.......too late? I know the answer would be that IF God had something more; it is never too late to follow Him and yield to His will. This I would want, but I don't really know what His will is in this. But, I am open, I am thinking and I could see that my husband was wondering as well. I just couldn't bring myself to even dialogue with him about it. I don't want to force it, I would only want God's will, as anyone would who follows Him. April Letter from Rhonda Dear Eileen, I had to tell you that since hearing you speak at YWAM Ozarks, we have been undone, unraveled, and are on the road to adoption of two from, we think, Africa as well. I am still researching agencies, because I am anxious to start, but knowing that HE will lead in all things and all ways on this new path. Forty five years old, 4 kids, and applying to adopt.....wow. It was a "calling out" from God and so here we go! Bless you and your family for taking your story to folks like us. ♥♥ You certainly have described it accurately when saying it is an "Awakening of God's people". For me, it IS an awakening, and a BLINDSIDING and a rescue from the "regular and ordinary" that my heart had been settling into. My heart was for God, church, and family; we care for some of the needs of both of our widowed moms, yet it was also for creating a little Eden in which to reside while my hair continued to turn gray and my kids grow up around me. Now, Eileen, I have been crying daily for over a month! Do you know what I mean? My heart feels like it is growing by leaps even as I type...and it goes even beyond the ones that we hope to bring into our home and family, it is a yearning to do something more for many. I pray for them now, for the children and for the ministries He's shown me, and give what $ that I can, and wait to see what else He might see fit to engage us in. But, already there have been crazy things happening to confirm and to spur us on in this new thing. Many confirmations on the adoptions, too. Many wonderful "YES's"!! Thank you for helping the Lord rescue us from self-preservation, from ordinary, from walking in the ruts. We have broken out of the ruts and no tellin' what that will mean for us. Bless you for writing to me. It was like a sweet whisper from the Lord that he sees me and He is the undercurrent drawing us onward. I've been chatting with an Adoption Agency about their Uganda program...it is still a two year wait. This is hard to swallow. So, we shall see! Many Thanks, Rhonda So, now we wait and SEE what the Lord has prepared for those who heard HIS story in Dubois, PA. We wait with great hope that at least "ONE WILL BE RESCUED!"

Announcing PRE-ORDERS for our book!

Today is a surreal and exciting day! Our publisher has announced it is time to take orders for the soon to be released book "MORE THAN "I" CAN HANDLE!" The Lord has been prompting me for two years to write this book and it is so exciting to SEE it finally coming to fruition. I did not write this story, God did! I am merely the story teller. This is not just about our adoption journey, but more importantly about an amazing God who has a plan and purpose for each of us. He desires that all people would love Him with all of our hearts and live according to His purposes for His glory alone. When we are faithful to HEAR his voice and OBEY his commands, we will SEE His miracles and fulfill His purposes. This story is not unique to our family. This is just one example of how our amazing God works in the lives of those who desire to live for HIM and be about HIS business. He is the same God today, yesterday and tomorrow. "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:11) My prayer is that tHIS story will encourage every reader to ask the Lord what He desires their own lives and that they would be encouraged to have the faith to listen and obey and experience God in amazing ways. To HIM be all glory, honor and praise. Please go to our website and place your order today. The first 100 copies will be signed with "LOVE" and "GRATITUDE" for your support and sent with a prayer that you will be encouraged to love and serve the Lord Jesus Christ in faith with your own life! www.morethanicanhandle.com

HELLO MY FRIENDS, I'M BACK!

Hello my friends, it has been a long time since I posted on our blog. I had no idea how difficult it is to write a book! It has been a very interesting journey over the last year. There have been many lessons in faith and trust and the Lord has been graciously taking me on HIS journey to surrender more and more of myself to HIS will not mine. We are gearing up for the debut of the book "MORE THAN "I" CAN HANDLE", soon to be released. This is a whole new world opening up and I honestly have no idea what I am doing. It also appears the Lord is opening more speaking opportunities in our future, so this means I have a new set of prayer requests. If you would join me in prayer and if anyone can help with the following needs I would greatly appreciate it! . Website for the book . I need an ipad . Starting a new business for book sales . More Speaking Opportunities . Training all the Little's for ministry I am absolutely on my knees asking for strength and wisdom to serve HIM well. I shared with my sistah Beth this morning that I feel exactly like I did when the Lord started us on our adoption journey five years ago. I knew that I knew HE was leading us but had no idea where it was going. Here I am again, He is telling me to get ready for our ministry to grow in a new direction and to trust and obey. He alone knows what HE he has in store and because of His faithfulness, I am excited. So if you are one of our faithful friends, please pray as we embark on this new journey. We pray the book will be an encouragement to the saints to have faith, trust and obey what the Lord is calling us to do, even when it doesn't make sense and we feel inadequate. This is why we need HIM and how HE gets all the Glory. If anyone can help with any of these new projects I would greatly appreciate it! Update on on our family: Melissa & Randy are having our third grandchild in May and they are in the Chic-fil-a operator/ownership program. Jonathan felt called to take a leave of absence from the Fire Department and is currently serving with YWAM in Asia. Ellie graduated High School and became a Doula Birth Coach. She starts Watts Nursing school in May on her journey to becoming a midwife. Solomon is living in New York and goes to computer school in NYC. Jeremiah & James are 8 years old and loving 1st grade, Awana, Legos and losing all their teeth. Josiah is 7 years old and also loving 1st grade, Awana, Legos and entertaining the family with his singing and sense of humor. Keziah & Keren will be 5 years old in two weeks! I can't believe how fast the time has flown by. They are in Pre-K and learning to read and write. They are the most energetic of all my children...keeping me on my toes all day long. They are both full of life and love! They are all gearing up for their role as little missionaries to join in our ministry to engage the church to rescue the orphans still waiting for a family. They are little prayer warriors and the Lord is doing a great work in each of them. They are all a joy and blessing to our lives! Jerry is working as an Investigator for GEICO Insurance and loves his job. In fact, one of the benefits is that if anyone calls GEICO just for a quote, he gets $15.00 per call. So, I am asking all of you to help us raise support for our ministry. All you have to do is make the call, you don't have to buy the insurance,but my prayer is that it will in fact turn out to be a blessing to you and maybe save you some money. We saved $700 by switching our homeowners and car insurance. Please help donate $15.00 by calling 1-800-342-9070 and enter Jerry's referral code: 144381. It should only take a few minutes of your time but no cost to you! The Lord continues to show his faithfulness to provide for us. Stay tuned as we will be making changes and updates as HE leads us to serve on behalf of the orphans still left behind. Blessings to you all, please feel free to leave comments!