Psalm 126:3 says, "The Lord has done great things for us and we are full of joy." This verse sums up the story of our lives and more specifically our adoption of Levi. We praise the Lord for all of His blessings and how thankful we are for our newest addition! We see more clearly than ever before, the heart of our Father, who adopted us and made us heirs with His Son, Jesus Christ!
This weekend marks a new chapter for us as parents - we have entered the world of jr. high, youth group, winter camp, and we are just 2 short weeks away from Kenadie's 13th birthday. Exciting days are ahead, I'm sure!
Dominic and Kenadie are at Camp Sugar Pine near Yosemite for winter camp until tomorrow! I think Dominic was as excited as Kenadie to be going! He never went to youth camp as a teen, so he was really looking forward to the experience, and especially spending the weekend with Kenadie. Yesterday they left camp at went to Yosemite. (I think a family trip up there is in our future!) He loves the mountains - so he thoroughly enjoyed taking pictures of the beautiful scenery.
Dominic called this afternoon - it was great to hear that Kenadie is loving her first youth trip. I have been praying that the Lord would meet with her in a very real and personal way. She is tender and open to the voice of the Lord, so I trust that He is ministering to her heart while she is there.
This is the first of many youth trips, I'm sure. I just love that she is happy her dad is with her. He told me today that he has tried to give her her space - like not sitting by her at meals, but she chooses to sit with him. :) That blesses him, (and me!) Who said teens are too cool for their parents?
The rest of the gang and I have spent time with my parents - it has been a relaxing weekend, but I am ready for Dominic and Kenadie to be home.
So much more on my heart, but I will save that for another day. For tonight, I am praying for a revival in my own life and in the lives of Christians around the world. May we about the Father's business until He comes for His people!
He (Jesus) told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Luke 10:2
I am so hoping that we will have the opportunity to re-decorate the rooms
that children and their parents meet in at their weekly visits.
It is desperately needed -
Here is a video of some room make-overs put together by other TFI advocates and many volunteers to bring a little sunshine to the visit and waiting rooms in other communities.
These are just a few of the many ways
we can be part of bringing the love of Jesus to the
Foster Care Community.
How can we not take the command to care for the fatherless seriously?
He loves every single child - the orphan, the foster child.
He created them - Jesus died for them!
On Tuesday at the end of our time with the MOPS group,
the leader, Lynn, read a letter. It is taken from scripture written
as a love letter from God to His children.
She said, "Look at that little boy's sweet face (speaking of Levi)
as I read this."
Friends, it was moving.
I will leave you with the words of our
Heavenly Father -
(As you read them, think of the many, many children, who,
through no fault of their own, find themselves in foster care)
My Child,
You may not know me,
but I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1
I know when you sit down and when you rise up.
Psalm 139:2
I am familiar with all your ways.
Psalm 139:3
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31
For you were made in my image.
Genesis 1:27
In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28
For you are my offspring.
Acts 17:28
I knew you even before you were conceived.
Jeremiah 1:4-5
I chose you when I planned creation.
Ephesians 1:11-12
You were not a mistake,
for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16
I determined the exact time of your birth
and where you would live.
Acts 17:26
You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14
I knit you together in your mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13
And brought you forth on the day you were born.
Psalm 71:6
My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11
Because I love you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3
My thoughts toward you are countless
as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18
And I rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17
http://www.fathersloveletter.com/flltextenglish.html (to read the full letter)
I can't think of a better way to have spent my morning than sharing our adoption story with a bunch of moms at a MOPS group here in town. Norma (our adoption social worker) invited me along and since I can't resist the opportunity to talk about adoption and foster care and TFI, I happily accepted! What a blessing. :)
As I thought about what I would say today I couldn't help but reflect on the love I have been given by my heavenly Father and how walking this adoption road has given me a clearer understanding of the how deep His love is for me. I thought about how much we all love Levi and how adopting him has given us many glimpses of God's heart for His children. I thought again about missing the blessing of loving Levi had we not obeyed God's call. I thought about how God's timing and plans are perfect - I pray I was able to adequately express these truths as I shared my heart.
I took Levi along, and while I don't expect him to always want to be on display as the cute adopted kid, he stole the show today! I held him for the majority of my talk and he waved, smiled, snuggled, and babbled. He loves my earrings - and if they are even remotely round he calls them "basketballs". (He says it adorably, too, by the way.) So, right in the middle of my presentation, he calls out "batem-ball". Of course, all the moms laughed and oohed and aahed. He's quite the ham - so he continued to talk and wave and coo at the baby in front of us - He enjoyed every minute of the attention! Love that boy!!
Afterwards, one mom came to me and said, "I want to do whatever I can to be part of The Forgotten Initiative. How can I help?" Praises! I love making these connections. I love seeing others' hearts stirred by the heart of the Lord. I love being a voice for the fatherless. Another lady asked if she could contact me because she and her husband are considering adoption and she has lots of questions. Love it! Yes, yes, yes! I love talking about adoption. I love knowing other Christians are stepping out and walking this road.
We don't usually do much for Valentine's Day. So, spending the morning talking about all the Lord has done for us this past year was the best possible way to celebrate this day of love!
Hope your day is blessed - hope you and yours find yourselves full of the love of the Lord!
Last week I was invited to a press conference with our adoption social worker. Norma is passionate about adoption and serves on several committees and boards here in Bakersfield. She is sweet and quiet, but boy does she have connections. Let me tell you, she is amazing.
The press conference was for Safely Surrender awareness - a program where birth mothers can surrender their newborn baby without fear of shame, blame, or names. Since 2006, 25 babies have been safely surrendered in Bakersfield. Anyways, Norma invited me to tag along so I could meet some important people. First, let me say, the press conference was moving and emotional. Several people shared personal stories and the mayor made a proclamation that February is Safe Surrender awareness month in Kern County.
Afterwards, I was introduced to quite a few people as "the west coast regional representative for The Forgotten Initiative." I have tried to explain to Norma that that title is Dominic's joke, not my actual title. In an effort to make me seem really important, that is what Dominic jokingly refers to me as. And Norma insisted on introducing me as such! (just a bit overstated) How embarrassing! At any rate, I was able to meet Antanette - she is the Director of outreach for the Department of Human Services Child Welfare Division. Talk about getting straight to the top! She was warm and pleasant and invited me to speak to her staff about the vision and ministry of TFI. Too cool! This is exactly who I needed to meet and exactly who I needed to talk to about TFI to begin advocating here in Bakersfield. You go, Norma!
Antanette's secretary called me 2 days later and I am scheduled to be at their staff meeting Wednesday morning February 22 at 9:30! With that in mind, and because it is so important, we are having our first Bakersfield TFI prayer meeting - Tuesday the 21st @ 7pm - at my house. Everything we do with The Forgotten Initiative must be led by and empowered by the Holy Spirit. If you can't be with us, please join in praying for the work the Lord wants to do through us in the foster care system in Bakersfield.
I really expected it to take several tries and lots of phone calls to get to talk to someone who could give me ways that the body of Christ could serve the foster care community here. I came away from the press conference rejoicing in the way the Lord worked (again) to open doors for this ministry. The timing of the press conference, my invitation to go, Norma's connections, and the welcome reception from Antanette are all more evidences of the Lord working behind the scenes to pave the way for TFI! Praises! His ways truly are higher than ours - and when He is at work, hang on and get ready to run!!
I keep thinking, "This has to be God. None of this is a coincidence. Surely the mighty hand of our Father is orchestrating these things!" And I get a front row seat as He works on behalf of those He loves. So cool!
Let me explain....first of all the interview, which went great by the way, is a free 25 minute spot that airs on two radio stations in Bakersfield and the surrounding communities. Air1/KLOVE spotlight non-profit organizations giving them air time that they could never pay for. First, Mardi (foster parent coordinator for Koinonia) shared about Koinonia. She did a beautiful job and was a faithful voice for the fatherless. I already loved her, but hearing her speak with such passion and clarity causes me to love her all the more. Then it was my turn. Kurt, the interviewer, introduced me as an advocate for TFI and gave me 5+ minutes to share about the mission and ministry of TFI as well as our personal adoption story. I could have gone on for much longer than that, but I am thankful for the time I had. I surprised myself by getting emotional as I talked about Levi. I am not a crier, but I was on the verge - my voice was all cracky and I had to force myself not to give in and fall apart right then and there. The whole time was powerful and we could sense the Lord's presence as we spoke. Mardi and I came out of the interview rejoicing that we had the opportunity to be used this way.
After the interview, Kurt asked me if I would be willing to do a 25 minute segment by myself solely for The Forgotten Initiative! To which I whooped and hollered and jumped up and down. OK - truthfully, I was doing that on the inside. Outwardly, I was a bit more dignified. I told Kurt I would love to. We should be taping that interview next time he is in Bakersfield (in the spring).
Can you believe it? I mean, I know I shouldn't be surprised, God is in the business of doing great things!
Today is the day of my interview with Air1. I am not really sure what to expect. I hope I am not making too much of it - I mean, it could be a short 30 second commercial. I find it hard to believe that a radio station would give its time away to do a spot on a local foster agency, but then again, we serve a big God who works in big ways. I am convinced the timing is not an accident, not 3 months ago or 3 months from now, but right as I am launching The Forgotten Initiative in Bakersfield. So, if the timing is perfect, then I trust that length of the interview will be too!
So, I have been thinking a lot about our journey these past few days. About our first little ones that were with us for 7 short weeks, and then getting the call for a little guy, just 4 months old. We had time to think and pray about taking placement of Levi - a whole week. In ways that made the decision harder. I agonize about most decision (not one of my better qualities). I tend to think and rethink and over think things til I am wound up in circles and I can't make heads or tails of anything anymore! A week after getting the call about Levi we went to meet him at his foster family's house. I prayed and prayed that the Lord would allow there to be a love connection between us. We visited, snuggled, and played with him for an hour or so. When we left, I said to Dominic, "Well?" All he said was, "He's cute!" We didn't talk about our decision at all the rest of the night. The next morning I texted Dominic (yep, that's how our life changing decision was "discussed") and asked him what to tell our social worker. He texted back "yes". And that was it. He came home that afternoon! The Lord certainly answered the "love connection" request and all my thinking and rethinking didn't matter anymore. He was our son from the moment he laid his little head on my chest and fell asleep that first night at his foster family's house.
The first few months with Levi were great - and hard. He barely slept. I mean, we celebrated if he slept longer than 30 minutes at a time. I was up with him all through the night. He was restless and resisted laying close and still in bed with me, yet he cried and fussed in his own bed. As night time approached I could feel myself getting anxious and my stomach would begin to churn just knowing how long the night was going to be again. During the day he was happy and content, but again....no sleep. "Naps" were 20 minutes at best. It took months and patience and lots of lovin', but today, he takes 2 good naps a day and sleeps through the night! Not that sleep is everything, but to me it is one way I know he is settled here, he is secure and he knows he is safe.
So, as I think about this interview I wonder, how do I express the wonderful miracle of adoption in a sentence or two? How do I share all the Lord has done in our lives this last year and a half in a quick interview? I am known for my many words, so today I pray, "Lord, fill my mouth with Your words - let Your heart be made known."
Thanks for your prayers - I'll let you know how it goes!
