Praises

About a week ago we hit a rough spot in the process when we discovered our back up plan for financing the adoptions had fallen through.  If you've noticed our tracking thermometer over in the right side border of the page, you'll see that the amount we still need is pretty tremendous.

I will be brutally honest here: it often takes my head awhile to catch up with what my heart knows, so I was a scared, depressed mess for about 24 hours. It didn't help that we had some people shedding their doubts on me saying, "ARE YOU SURE you are supposed to do this? After all, you don't have the money, it might be a sign." SIGH.

I have debated this post with myself for quite some time.  I don't like for my blog to focus on the finances a whole lot.  Yes, they are needed, but that really isn't what it is all about.  However, some WOW GOD stories need to be told.  He has moved on the hearts of His people this week, and I would be remiss if I didn't share the story.  I don't want the rocks to have to do my job of singing His praises!  (see Scripture at the bottom of the post if you aren't catching my reference.)

First thing last Friday morning, a friend stopped by the house with an envelope that "someone" wanted us to have. She wouldn't say who, only that it was NOT her.  If it was one of my readers, thank you! Inside was $300 cash.  Remember the number.  It is significant later.

Another friend had given us some vintage magazines to sell.  Our Ebay auctions ended, and when the dust settled we received about $100.  This is also a significant number.

A check from the mother of a dear friend arrived in my mailbox, and remember when I was grumbling about jury duty?  My "wages" of $15 arrived.  Hey, a little adds up to be a lot!  And all of these things from Friday become very significant later in the story.

You would think that the happenings on Friday would have reassured me that God was moving in this situation.  But alas, I'm a little slow and that weepy mess of a doubter visited me for the weekend when the back-up plan fell through on Saturday.  I spent some quality time with the Lord on Sunday, and when I woke up on Monday morning, I knew it was time to stop my stewing and just move on to whatever plan D was.

Generally I check my email, Facebook, etc. first thing in the morning.  And a nice "good morning" was awaiting me.  While I was sleeping, someone (again I don't know who) donated $1000 through our Reece's Rainbow family sponsorship. (that is the link to the right)  Later that day another $20 appeared in that account. God wasn't finished yet.  Someone else sponsored a puzzle piece.  Yay God!

I got a call from a family member and a friend with offers of a workable plan D backup plan.  (So thankful for this!  I didn't have a clue!)

Later that same day, this is still on Monday,  we got notice from our agency that it was time to apply for our Chinese visas.  While we had gotten a large donation through our RR account, those funds aren't available to us until shortly before travel.  We had just scraped together everything we had for Jennifer's additional immigrations fee, so we wondered HOW to get this together quickly.  Believe it or not, with all the drama of the weekend we had forgotten about Friday, and that envelope with $300 cash in it. And the $100 from the auction.  And the checks in the mailbox.  Guess what?  It is pretty much exactly what we need to apply for our visas!

I think that is enough to qualify as a WOW story, but God wasn't done.  On Tuesday the kickoff for 40 to Forever began.  This is a Lenten emphasis with devotionals, give-aways, and fundraising/awareness for forty orphans.  Our girls are among the participants.  Friends rallied around to help us meet a Facebook "sharing" challenge.  My sister-in-law ended up winning the drawing which allowed her to choose which child received the $200 prize in their adoption account!  

On Wednesday a friend handed me a check to sponsor several more puzzle pieces.  Not done yet... 

On Thursday we received a phone call letting us know that we had been awarded a $2500 grant!  If you have been counting what has happened over the past week, that is over $4100!  We have watched our "funds raised" thermometer rise steadily all week and it is very encouraging. We are still a long ways from "there" but God has shown up big time this week to still my anxious heart and encourage me that we are on the right path. 

Luke 19:37-40
When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"

"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."