where to start?

Oh my...time has sure been flying by. Things around our house have been busy, busy, busy. I am not even sure where to start. This is going to be one of those random posts - bear with me.

Let's see...um....

We enjoyed some time outside, hiking together. We always enjoy times like this so much.

We really need to do this more often! 

We celebrated the resurrection of our Lord!

(My beautiful kiddos - Easter Sunday!)

and then this...

I guess we shouldn't be surprised with 3 sisters in the house!  

(He keeps us smiling!) 

We delivered the first of many Journey Bags to the Department of Human Services. After my presentation speech, the social workers all clapped and thanked me. Truth is, without the generosity of so many believers this would not have happened. I have the honor of delivering the bags, but so many others have their reward in heaven - the many, many people who stuffed bags full of beautiful clothes, blankets, and thoughtful things. It was a humbling and exciting day! 

In the mist of all the other craziness we broke ground on the addition to the back of the house. (we are adding nearly 500 square feet) In an attempt to save money we are doing as much of the grunt work ourselves as is possible. Today we decided saving money is not all its cracked up to be....but, we pressed on and pushed through and got our part done. Now the rest is up to the professionals. 

After taking down our pergola - 

Dominic broke out our existing patio. He started with a sledge hammer and crowbar....

but quickly realized he needed a jack hammer. It was a lot of work - a lot! 

I love this picture. 

The three of them spent most of the day watching Daddy. 

  The forms are up. The concrete is being poured on Monday! 

You know you have great friends when they are willing to spend the day in the blazing sun demolishing the outside of your house! And tearing out your overgrown bush and shoveling 9000 pounds of dirt. Thanks Brent and Julie and kids! You're the best! 

I was blessed to be able to attend The Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit at Saddleback Church last week. But, that is a post for another day. Suffice it to say, I am still processing all that I learned and heard. What an amazing two days chock full of encouragement and support. To top it all off I got to meet Jami, the founder of The Forgotten Initiative, in person. It was truly the cherry on top! 

In all the busyness, Jesus is revealing Himself to me. He is ministering to my heart in the deepest places - I would not trade these days for anything. He is moving, friends. :) 

To God be the glory, great things He has done! 

amazed

Today, I stand amazed at all that the Lord is doing.

   

                  (Just a few of the Journey Bags and  packs of diapers that will be delivered next week!)

My entryway is overflowing with Journey Bags packed for little ones in foster care.
(not a bad problem to have!) 


Bags stuffed with "things", but more importantly filled with prayers and love. Just one way for the body of Christ to be His hands and feet - such a tangible and  meaningful way to show His love to those who feel forgotten. I trust the Lord will bless the lives of everyone who has given of their time, their money, and their heart to care for the least of these.  


On Sunday morning our pastor was sharing about the opportunity to pack a Journey Bag with our church. He spoke of the well-known verse in James. "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of the Father is this, to visit widows and orphans in their distress and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." He shared of the word used in African bibles meaning widows and orphans. I wish I could remember the actual word - but, I can't. But I do remember the meaning - "those without a covering" - and certainly foster children can be described as "those without a covering". The fatherless, the least of these, the orphan. And we are commanded to care for them - to cover them. With our prayers, with our love, with our time, with our things...
They truly are in distress. They truly need us to visit them. Literally and figuratively. May each bag be a visit from the very heart and hand of Jesus to these little ones and those who care for them. 

To date 150 bags are being filled. 

O.N.E. H.U.N.D.R.E.D. F.I.F.T.Y.!!!! 

I am beyond excited to deliver these to the Department of Human Services! I am anxious to bless the social workers who get to hand these bags to families and children. I am thrilled to think that in the moment of their distress, 150 little ones will be visited by the hope and love of Jesus!


To God be the glory, great things He is doing!




One a side note - the interview with Air1 and KLOVE for TFI has been scheduled for next Thursday the 26th at 10:00 am! I will have 25 minutes to share the heart and vision of TFI. Please pray for me - that the Lord would fill my mouth with His message! This is truly an amazing opportunity. 

faithful God

It has been a busy couple of weeks. 

Emails, meetings, running the girls around, etc...

I feel like I am treading water and sometimes I let it get to me. 

I get overwhelmed, frustrated, discouraged. 

But God. 

Don't you love how He is always right on time? 

He is always faithful - even when I am faithless. 

Faithful God. 

I was just lamenting to a friend yesterday about how I felt the need to do more to get 

The Forgotten Initiative "out there." 

I was feeling discouraged 

by the lack of support I sense from pastors I have talked to. 

I want to see the "likes" on our facebook page growing in number everyday, 

but its not happening as fast as I think it should. 

Struggling between knowing that the Lord is more than able 

to inspire His people 

and the responsibility that lies one me 

to be proactively putting myself and the TFI message out there. 

Then the Lord lovingly reminded me that He is in control.

Last night at our adoption support group, 

I was handed a bag full of baby boy goodies to fill a Journey Bag. 

Then I got home to an email saying that 24 more bags are being filled, 

a Girl Scout group is going to pack Journey Bags as a service project, 

and a lady who works for Bright House is hosting a drive at work 

for items off our shopping list!

He's got it!

I don't need to fret. 

It doesn't matter how many "likes" we have (or don't have) on Facebook.

His heart is for the fatherless and He is blessing this ministry. 

So, 12 bags from a dear friend and her co-workers

24 bags from a ladies bible study 

56 bags from Rock Harbor Church

3 more from individuals wanting to take part...

and this is just the beginning!

I have the opportunity to share about TFI at another MOPS group on April 12th.

More bags will be handed out at our church on April 15th.

I have been invited to speak at a friend's church on Sunday April 29th.

And lots more opportunities to speak to MOPS groups, 

women's bible study groups, and small groups have been offered, 

just need to set the dates. 

I may not be able to see it all, 

but God is moving and working behind the scenes

to see the forgotten in Bakersfield ministered to by His love.

Thank you, Lord for reminding me of your faithfulness. 

Even when I am faithless, You remain faithful. 

To God be the glory, great things He is doing!! 

tonight's the night!

Hello friends! Tonight the Air 1 interview I taped a few months back will air on two radio stations - KLOVE (88.7) @ 5:30 and again on Air 1 (89.5) @ 6:30

This is so exciting!

Twenty five minutes of sharing the Lord's heart for the fatherless.

Twenty five minutes of encouraging the body of Christ

to do something to meet the great need, both here and abroad.

Twenty five minutes - that's a lot of time.

I lived for so many years unaware, or ignoring, the needs right in our own backyard. Right here, in Bakersfield, CA. Then as we have journeyed the adoption road, to be made so aware of the dire need of so many orphans around the world. It can be overwhelming. What can one person do? Surely little 'ol me can't do much to make a dent in the enormous need. 

Let me assure you - everyone can do something. 

We may not all adopt or foster, but we can all do something to bring the hope and love of Jesus to a child in need. I am praying for those who hear the message tonight. Praying that their hearts would be stirred to do something. Praying that in the twenty five minutes of air time, many would hear the Lord say to them, "this is what I want for you!"

Lord Jesus, speak to your people!

If you are able, listen in. If not, join with me in praying that we would see God raise up many to care for the least of these.

(A great prayer guide is available at Cry of the Orphan.)

Thanks for praying!

To God be the glory, great things He has done!

the forgotten initiative

Well, the whole reason I started this blog in the first place was to announce that a wonderful ministry called The Forgotten Initiative was coming to Bakersfield. So, its only right that I update you all now on how it is going.


In short, the Lord has been working and moving and opening doors for us to serve the forgotten in our community! We have begun our first project ~ Journey Bags! These backpacks will be packed by people all over our community and given to children who have been removed from their homes. It is thrilling for me to watch the Lord give vision and inspiration to many whose hearts are burdened by the great need. 


We will also begin gathering donations and volunteers to makeover the visitation rooms at two separate locations! Such a great opportunity for every member of the body of Christ to use their talents and resources to tell the families and children in foster care that they are special and loved by Jesus. 


Lastly, the Department of Human Services asked us to put together teams to mentor birth parents that have been reunited with their children. This is so exciting to me - they are giving us the names of the broken, hurting, and lost in Bakersfield and asking us to get into their lives. 

Oh, Lord, 

may the gospel be spread throughout this city! 

May many come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. 

I wish I could tell you all that is happening, but my mind is mush and it would take much more time than I have to type it all out. Your prayers for TFI and all who are serving the foster care system are so appreciated. Remember the precious little ones who are displaced, through no fault of their own. Please pray, too, for the relatives who so often take care of these children when they are removed from their homes. In my conversations with DHS, it has been brought to my attention that so often family members take placement of their relatives and just how needy these families are. 


It is my deepest prayer that through the tangible things we do, all would know that Jesus loves them. He died for them and has a plan for their lives -each and every one of  the social workers, the children, the foster parents, the biological parents are so very special to Him. 


May His name be made famous in this city - and in cities across the United States as more TFI advocates join the family. 


If you are interested in learning more about The Forgotten Initiative - look  HERE
Or follow us on facebook - HERE

Lastly, this song has been playing in my head like crazy lately - the lyrics are the prayer of my heart for myself and all who name the name of Jesus. 

Lord break our hearts til it moves our hands and feet.

For the hopeless and the broken, 

for the ones who don't know that You love them, 

bring Your love to life inside of me.

well, that was awkward...

That was Nic's comment after a stranger approached us at Walmart and began questioning our family dynamics. 


You see, Nic hasn't been around for the last year since Levi joined our family. He hasn't had multiple opportunities to hear people's comments or respond to their questions. He is only here a short while - and while he is totally in love with his little brother - he isn't quite sure what to make of the unfiltered questions, comments, and stares we get when we are out together. 


When Levi first came home, I was keenly aware of the "looks" our family got everywhere we went. At first I was self-conscience about it and dreaded the idea of anyone asking questions. It didn't take long before I didn't even notice anymore. Oh, I am sure people still looked and wondered and many asked, but I didn't care. He was our son and I would gladly accept the "is he your's" questions, because by golly, Yes, he is our's! 


Fast forward a few months...and I am left wondering how to answer these questions. Not for my sake, but for his. He is still young enough not to understand, but those days are passing quickly and soon, very soon, he will not only hear, but understand what is being asked/implied. How do I respond? I never want Levi to feel like being adopted is something to hide or be ashamed of. Yet, does every curious stranger need to know his personal story. Where does his privacy fit in with answering the questions of a stranger? I have been wrestling with this for a while now. I asked it at our last adoption support group. It will be the topic for next month's meeting - hopefully with some good answers/advice from the social workers and other families. Then just last week, I read the very same questions from another adoptive mom on her blog. What a comfort to know that I am not alone - yet, there is still the very real issue of facing these situations on a regular basis. 


Then I was reminded of a quote I read on an adoption blog, 

Our family has the privilege of telling the story

of God's redemption and grace

every time someone questions our family dynamics." 

The questions and their implications don't have to be about me, or even about Levi - the answers can always be about God. It is a privilege to share what the Lord has done for us and Levi. I pray that whatever the question, whatever the awkward comment, whatever the motive I would be able to point people to Jesus. I hope that the uniqueness of our family would give us many opportunities to share the gospel and be a light for Him. 

Like the time the young African American man at Target asked me about Levi. When I told him that we had adopted Levi, he said to me (very sincerely and humbly), "So you love him and stuff? Like, you hold him and carry him around and stuff?" It saddened me to think this young man would have to wonder about an adoptive mom's love for her son. I don't know what his experiences were/are. I don't know why that was the question he most wanted answered, but I pray that my response caused him to think differently about foster/adoptive families and more importantly that he heard of Jesus' love that day. Our encounter was brief, but I pray that it made a lasting impact on his heart. 

We will most certainly always get funny looks, prying questions, and well-meaning strangers who are trying to understand our family situation. I want what we say and how we respond to be the example for Levi as he grows. We are not embarrassed or ashamed of his story. It is a story that points to the Lord's grace and protection - one of answered prayers and God's plan for a little boy and the family that loves him to pieces! 

To God be the glory, great things He has done! 

ramblings

It has been a busy couple of weeks.


Nic is here from Oregon. So good to see him and spend time with him. It has been way too long since he has been here. The girls LOVE their big brother and Levi thinks "Nee" is the best ever! He runs to him calling, "Nee, Nee, Nee" arms up and full of smiles. So special.














We celebrated Lexie's 11th birthday. Our cake bakin' girl made her first 4 tiered cake ever! Complete with different flavors, frosting, and piping. Lexie is growing up to be so much like her daddy and big brother. They know no stranger, love to eat, have great senses of humor, and are all around easy to like!

Next was Kenadie's 13th birthday. Yikes - we officially have a teenager. I am looking forward to these years being great! Kenadie is soft to the things of the Lord and truly desires to live for Him. What a blessing it is to watch her grow in her love and understanding of the things of the Lord. On her birthday she and I went shopping for her first "real" make-up. The light, shimmery eye shadow and lip gloss look lovely on her. She is beautiful. She is growing up for sure. :)






Let's see...what else has been eating up our time? Oh yes, after 10 years of driving our Toyota Sienna, we decided it was time for an upgrade. We searched, and searched and feel blessed to have found another Sienna for a great price. It is white (which I love - my only other choice would have been red - I love anything red) and has 8 passenger seating. Great for all the extra kiddos we cart around. I love that we have room for another little one should the Lord call us to foster/adopt again. Right now we can not take anymore because, according to the state of CA, our house is full. We are looking into adding a den and 4th bedroom to the back of the house. Exciting stuff!

Well, the weather is way too beautiful to stay inside and waste time on the computer. The kids have eaten, Kenadie is finishing up the dishes, Lexie just took her Reading Test, and we are headed to the park! Love these spring days in Bakersfield!