THE WINNER IS...........(In more ways than one!)

I thoroughly LOVED reading each of your "looking back" moments.  Isn't it good to see that we are not alone in learning lessons from God?  I hope you read through them all.  Each friend has such a testimony.  Thank you to each friend who commented.  I wish I could give each of you one of the necklaces.  But alas, I can only give one.  That winner is...........

                                                               JEN CHASE

Well this would be a good time as any to ask all the rest of you to join Chris & I as we join Trevor & Jen THIS Wednesday night in prayer.  They have a birth mother interview on Thursday in Ethiopia at 7:30 AM, which is 11:30 Wednesday night here and we need to boldy pray that the interview goes smoothly and perhaps there very long wait to bring Bek home will come to a final celebration time on Thursday when they get clearance from our Embassy to GO PICK UP THEIR SON!!!  (Very appropriate for Jen to win this week, as "Faith in God's Timing" has been one of her major lessons in this journey as well)  They became a waiting family December 2010, recieved their referall November 2011 (after 10 1/2 month wait), and hopefully will be picking Bek up June 2012 (7 1/2 months after seeing his gorgeous face). See Bek and read all about their specific prayer requests HERE.


Also, there was actually a referral this past week which is a huge praise, b/c they had come to a complete stand still.  We are now #38, which may be what you thought we were already, but in early spring we had actually climbed the other (wrong) direction and I didn't have the heart to change my number.  So PRAY that more referrals could come THIS week!!  I would love some prayer warriors on Chloe's behalf.  We would love to see who she is!!!!

****Also a huge shout out to The Adopt Shoppe for donating the necklace.  Since then she has printed my adoption verse on one: The Lord will fight for you.  You need only to be still. Exodus 14:14.  So that is my choice and I am just going to go buy myself one.  :)  Hoping for a new number by our 1 year waitiversary in 3 weeks.

11 months & His timing.......(oh and a giveaway)

****This is just one of the newly Vintage Inspired Pendants a lucky blog followe can win.  Details below. ******

Today marks 11 months on the waiting list.  I never thought we would get to this point---besides those that have been/or had been waiting on siblings, most people in the last 2 years had not waited over 10 months with an average of a 6-7 month wait.  But none the less we sit here, I will not lie to you I have been tempted to jump ship and adopt within a different country or a different agency, but our love for Ethiopia has grown in the last year and half and we feel like we bathed the agency decision in prayer as well.  We are not quitting!  PTL there was a referral yesterday (first one in 3+ months).  It was for an older child (8 years) and went to a friend that has been waiting 10 months---so all that to say at this point our number has stayed the same---#38.  Then a friend who has been waiting a month longer than I, posted this yesterday and I felt like it was a good depiction of some of my current feelings. 

God is Working on Your Behalf By Samantha Reed

"Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him." Isaiah 64:4 (NIV)

An ultimatum from my boss left me no choice but to head into unemployment. I'll never forget the day she asked me to lead an initiative that went against God's Word.

Staying at my job would deny my faith. Leaving would challenge it. Fears clamored. If I quit, I'd be broke. I had no husband, no savings, no additional source of provision.

Day after day I pleaded with God to intervene, to change my boss's mind. But it didn't happen.

She made her decision, which solidified mine: I turned in my two weeks notice.

That was my first step into my journey of joblessness. My mind raced with fears: would I be able to pay rent, find a new job, hold onto hope? Day by day, my financial, spiritual and emotional accounts were depleted. I couldn't see beyond my raw emotions and dreary situation.

God nudged me to send my resume to a ministry. A place I knew rarely hired. Somewhere I didn't know if my gifts could even be used. I doubted they'd accept my application, and pushed aside the thought to apply.

If only I had lifted my eyes away from the despair, I might have realized God was working on my behalf, much like He did for Naomi in the book of Ruth.

You see, at the same time soil churned, seeds nestled underground, and crops waved in the wind, Naomi needed God to intervene. She lamented to her widowed daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth:

"Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— would you wait until they grew up?" (Ruth 1:12b-13a NIV)

Perceived destitution left her feeling desperate. Can you feel it in this widow's words?

Then Naomi told them, "'Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me?'" (vs. 11a)

It would take time for Naomi to look beyond her dire circumstances and see the divine intervention waiting on her. God had plans of redemption that involved Ruth, the very person Naomi tried to push away. Yet she was so engulfed by her emotions and circumstances, she couldn't fathom how God might provide.

"Call me not Naomi [pleasant]; call me Mara [bitter], for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me." (vs. 20b AMP)

Perhaps your current situation is bitter and dismal. Maybe your journey has been long. You can't see how God is working things out. You don't have the energy to apply for one more job, so you turn down the lead a friend sends you. Your marriage is on the verge of collapse anyhow, so you opt to cancel your counseling appointment. Life in general is bleak, so you withdraw rather than join your sister for dinner.

If you are weary; if the road is too difficult; if you feel destitute financially, emotionally, spiritually; don't miss this—

"So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning." (vs. 22 NIV, emphasis added)

Naomi's journey was hard and long. Yet her first step began at the same time soil churned, seeds nestled underground, crops waved in the wind. And when she arrived at her place of redemption, the harvest was beginning; a harvest that was gleaned by Ruth, the very one she had pushed away.

It was in that field that Ruth caught Boaz's attention. Boaz, who was Naomi's kinsmen redeemer, unceremoniously provided above and beyond for both women for the rest of their lives.

Well before I turned in my two weeks notice, the Lord was tilling the heart of my would-be new employer to hire an assistant. He faithfully watered that seed as I was searching for a job. And a new position was created shortly after I applied.

Looking back now, I wish I had chosen to believe and looked expectantly for His faithfulness instead of torturing myself with worry and fear.

Though unseen, God is divinely intervening. If you are walking in what feels like a desperate and destitute place, might I encourage you? Look to the Lord instead of your circumstances today. He's working on your behalf.

Dear Lord, You are faithful. Please direct my thoughts and my steps. Take what doesn't belong—fear, doubt, unbelief—and replace them with hope, trust and joy as I focus on You instead of my circumstances. Thank You for working on my behalf. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

I cannot wait till I hear what my "looking back now" story will be.

THE GIVEAWAY:  You will win ONE vintage inspired necklace from The Adopt Shoppe.

(The custom name necklaces with children/grandchildren is NOT part of the giveaway.  I just wanted to share some of the awesome stuff Kate does over at The Adopt Shoppe.  She is also a fellow adoptive mom, so any support her way goes to bring home her child from Taiwan!)  WIN-WIN!

Up to 5 Entries: 
1) Do you have a "looking back now" moment?  Leave a comment about it.
2) Browse the Vintage Album HERE on facebook and leave a SEPARATE comment about which one you would choose should you win.
3) Like The Adopt Shoppe on Facebook and leave a SEPARATE message saying you did so.
4)  Become a follower of my blog and leave a SEPARATE message saying you did so.
5) Share my blog/giveaway on your own facebook wall and leave a SEPARATE comment saying you did so.

Isn't this just gorgeous????

GIVEAWAY WILL END FRIDAY NIGHT (JUNE 15TH).

Not part of the giveaway, just showing off some awesome stuff.


Keep Praying!