I’ve been writing quite a bit about what God has done through our adoption lately. If you missed any of those articles, here are their links:

Do Not Give Up (written in 2014)

Filly Convinced (Feb 2015)

All It Took Was One Word (Feb 2015)

Will You Hold Onto the Faith? (March 2015)

Twenty-One Days: A Glimpse Behind the Curtain (April 2015)

God is just so incredibly good! He has once again done the impossible right before my very eyes, and I cannot help but sing His praises. As many of you already know, this has been an epic journey. What was supposed to take one to two years has turned into five (by the time they’re home). It’s been quite a journey. My family and I have grown in patience and compassion. Our hearts have been tested time and again. And every one of us (our two daughters included) can most assuredly say that our faith has been tested and has come out greater than before. It is trials that grow our faith, and this journey has been chalk full of them.

When we begin this journey, we had no idea how we were going to do it. We knew what God was calling us to, but to be quite honest, we didn’t have the financial means to do it. We decided to trust God, knowing that He always provides for what He calls us to. Over the last four and a half years, we’ve put over $25,000 into our adoption. The longer the journey, the more expensive it becomes. But in all that time, God has continually provided right when we needed it. He is so incredibly faithful. We have not incurred any debt as a result of our adoption.

With that said, we still have a long way to go (and we still don’t know how we’re going to do it)! Over the next few months, we will need to come up with an additional $25,000. We know God will provide, but that number is a bit scary right now. When we met with our pastor several weeks ago, he told us, “$25,000 is not a lot of money to God,” and we know He’s right. God will do this. But we also know that God often uses others to be His hands and feet.

After much prayer, my husband, Travis, and I felt like God was calling us to set up a way for others to make tax-deductible donations to our adoption through an organization called Ordinary Hero (note: this is not the link to our donation site). If you aren’t familiar with this ministry, it’s worth your time to check it out. I have fallen in love with them. We plan to stay at their guest house when in Ethiopia!

Expressing our need is ridiculously awkward for me. I have always had a hard time receiving, and apparently God is asking me to humble myself enough to put our need out there. In no way am I asking for you to give what you don’t want to give, but I do ask that if you feel God stirring a desire to help us bring our two children home from Ethiopia, that you do so. I honestly feel like apologizing for making that request, but at the same time, I hear God’s gentle whisper tell me, “We are the church.” And the church helps one another. Loves one another. Comes alongside one another in times of need. And so I lay my heart bare for you all (eek!).

If (and only if) you feel led to help us complete our family through adopting these two beautiful children, you can visit our donation site. Please know that if you don’t want to donate a dime, I am absolutely okay with that. But if you do, I am forever grateful! You can access our tax-deductable donation site by clicking here.

THANK YOU!!!

Love and hugs,

Laurie

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

James 1:27

A Glimpse into Our Journey