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!

News Update

Most of you know I am working on writing a book of testimony about our miraculous adoption journey. I started it last January and felt no peace about proceeding after the draft. Last month the Lord started to stir things up again. On my prayer walk a few weeks ago I prayed, "Lord, if you really want this book published then will you please make it clear and show me how to proceed? I don't want to do anything out of your will. Please bring the publisher to me." Are you ready? I just got a call from a publisher who heard about us through Show Hope and he has agreed to publish our book!!! Do you believe the Lord brought this to me without me having to do anything to pursue them? This is the exact jest of the book. God is in the miracle business and when HE calls us to do something, HE makes it happen. HE doesn't call the equipped but equips those he calls. Please pray for me to get everything completed by Jan for submission. I have been invited to speak at a conference in PA in April 2012 and am hoping to launch the book there. This event is at a church of 1000 members. Here I go again on a journey into the unknown. I will trust and obey because there is no other way. May the Lord be glorified on this journey and please stay tuned for the rest of HIS story! Back to the cottage I go....

What Faith Can Do 640x480

The theme song for our family! Jeremiah & James were thought to be blind, deaf, CP and multiple learning disabilities. Josiah, Keziah & Keren were orphaned by HIV AIDS and thought to be forever in an Ethiopian orphanage. Solomon was a lonely heartbroken orphan with no HOPE or future aging out of the system, destined to be homeless in the streets of Ethiopia. They are all now beloved members of the Mestas family.

Solomon's Homecoming

Pure Religion Conference

I will be speaking at the Pure Religion Conference in August. Make plans to join us and tell your friends too!