National adoption month

Four years ago God spoke to me and slowly started changing my heart, giving me His heart for the orphan. I was slow in accepting the call as I needed so much validation from Him that it was right for our family. This was something so foreign to me and we already had 4 children, the youngest not even one year old. After 4 months of God confirming this was His doing, we stepped out in faith and began the adoption journey.

I'd never say it was or is easy. Nor would I say that everything went and will go according to our plans. We have no guarantee of our future or an easy road ahead. Every day is a choice to love and give for the glory of God. One thing I would say, I don't regret it! Romans 8:28 is a very well known passage. It says that God will work all things for good to those who love Him. I have come to love the next verse more. Romans 8:29 says that who God knew He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. God is working out all things in my life so that I may be conformed to the image of His Son, that is the good in verse 28. That excites me. I want to be more like Jesus.

And so as I reflect on this first day of November, I am thankful. Thankful that God has pursued me, adopted me, and is conforming me to the image of His Son. And I'm thankful that everyday I have a little reminder with big brown eyes that God is real and that my purpose is to love and serve Him.

Praying hard this month that many people will choose adoption!!

The Gospel and September 11th

9/11. It's been a few weeks now but still the thoughts of that day and this video stay with me. So many people question God's goodness and his very existence b/c evil is present in this world and question his power to prevent that evil. Please take about 50 mins. and watch this if you haven't! It's so relevant and points to the glorious cross of Chirst!

Waitlisted!!!

As of today, we are a waiting family! We are number 75 which right now is looking like an 18 month wait time. Thankful to be done on my end. Now, we wait patiently on the Lord to reveal our little girl to us in His time.

Almost there

Today we recieved our fingerprinting appointment with United States Immigration. This is a big deal but an even bigger deal is the approval letter than comes after our prints are cleared by the FBI. We have to have this one letter to get on the waitlist for our adoption. We started the process in March and I have everything I can do, done. After our fingerprints are cleared and we get that letter, we are officially waiting. Our agency, WACAP, is saying 18-24 months on the waitlist for a little girl under 3. So, I say we're almost there but really we're just beginning. :)

For such a time as this

Have you heard about the drought in Africa right now? They say it's the worst drought in 60 years, more than 4 million people in Ethiopia will be affected by this. A country that has so captured our hearts. A country that we love and the birth place of our daughter.
Following is an email from World Vision, an organization that has worked in Africa for many years. They are asking for help. The words that keep going through my mind right now were spoken by Keith Green....."This generation of believers is responsible for this generation of souls" What are we going to do about this? We live on the other side of the world and it's easy to just turn off the tv or just not read the news about this. But, please don't turn away. We live in such plenty. Maybe we have enough so that we can help in such a time as this. God, please continue to break our hearts for what breaks yours.

More than 10 million people in the Horn of Africa are in desperate need of life-saving assistance in what has been described as "the most severe food security emergency in the world today" (FEWSNET).

The worst drought in 60 years has devastated Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia with failed crops, dead livestock, and skyrocketing food prices. Your help is needed today.

Kenya: The north and northeastern regions are on the brink of famine.
Ethiopia: Prolonged drought has left 4.3 million people at risk.
Somalia: 1 in 3 children is malnourished. Thousands are fleeing to refugee camps in search of food.

World Vision is responding to the dire needs in the Horn of Africa. We are working to save lives through emergency feeding programs for children, food distributions for vulnerable families, delivery of clean water, support for agricultural projects, protecting livestock, and more.

Yet, as Nicholas Wasunna, World Vision's emergency advisor in Kenya warns, "We have not seen the worst yet."

Please give today to bring emergency food, clean water, and other essential care to children and their families in the Horn of Africa.
Please help save lives in the Horn of Africa with food, clean water, and other essential care.

Because World Vision has worked in the region for decades, we have been awarded government grants that can multiply the impact of your gift 5 times.

Join with us in praying for children and families in the Horn of Africa. And send a gift that multiplies 5 times in impact to feed and care for them today.

Thank you for your generosity.

In Him,


Rich Stearns
President, World Vision U.S.

Just some pics

Happy Independance weekend. Thankful for freedom and for those who give their lives for it!

Pure Worship

Do you ever have a time when you know the Holy Spirit is with you and He is so real you can almost reach out to touch him? Tonight while we were driving we had one on those “anointed” moments.

“Breathe” by Michael W. Smith came on the radio. Janell and I heard Jada humming the melody of the song as it played. At first I thought I was imagining. She’s never done that before. Then I look thru my mirror and saw her lifting her hands to heaven. I did a double take. Looking closer, it was clear she was closing her eyes, “singing” thru her hum, and lifting her hands to praise God. Janell turned around and saw the same. I looked at Janell with my mouth open, and then I saw big tears in Janell’s eyes. She knew what I knew… Jada has been touched by the Spirit of God and innocently was reaching out in worship to him. The Holy Spirit touched our family so clearly at that moment.

Can you believe it? Here’s a 2 ½ year old toddler who can hardly talk and she is innocently worshiping our father. WOW! What can we say about that? Really nothing, except thanks to God for selecting us to be his children. We often pray that Jada will make a difference in the world for God’s Kingdom. It seems pretty clear after tonight that he is doing just that.

As the song says:

This is the air I breathe
This is the air I breathe
Your holy presence living in me
This is my daily bread
This is my daily bread
Your very word spoken to me
And I I'm desperate for you
And I I'm I'm lost without you
This is the air I breathe
This is the air I breathe
Your holy presence living in me
This is my daily bread
this is my daily bread
your very word spoken to me
And I'm, I'm desperate for you
And I'm, I'm lost without you
And I'm desperate for you
And I'm, I'm lost without you.
I'm lost without you.
I'm lost without you.
I'm desperate for you.
(Cry out to live)
I'm desperate for you..
I'm lost, I'm lost, I'm lost without you..
I'm lost without you
I'm desperate for you

Bart