It was a few days after Christmas and I was sitting on an airplane on my way to a different country. I had just turned twenty and instead of spending my winter break resting at home, I was on my way to serve for three weeks in a Guatemalan orphanage. A lot of mixed emotions where racing through me but nervousness was the main one. While I had served on several inner city mission trips with my high school youth group, this time I would be spending three weeks away from my family, away from all Continue Reading
November & National Adoption Month {Day 29: 31Days}
God's glory was displayed each step of our adoption journey. We said yes and He led us down the emotional and challenging path to our son. I depended on Him like never before, and He provided in ways that still leave me speechless. His glory is magnified when children are placed in families. When an orphan becomes a son or daughter. Forever Families reflect the heart of God. They give us a glimpse of eternity. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing Continue Reading
The Power of a Letter… {Day 28: 31 Days}
Dear Gadafi - How are you doing? Things are good in Oklahoma. Summer is finally over and it's now my favorite time of the year. Fall! I love everything about Fall. The leaves change color, it's cold enough to wear sweaters, and there's pumpkins everywhere. We celebrate two holidays in the Fall; Halloween and Thanksgiving. Halloween is a day where kids dress up in fun costumes and go trick-or-treating for candy. They say, "trick-or-treat" and people fill their bags with candy and other Continue Reading
Spiritual Seeds Sprouting
In November 2012 I shared our adoption story during Orphan Sunday at my parent's church in Texas. We had a Compassion International table set up with approximately 20 children who needed sponsors. I remember praying over each child before the event, asking God to provide a sponsor for them. Only two children were sponsored that day. I left church feeling defeated and was on the verge of tears. I felt like I had failed God and those children. John reminded me that I had made a big Continue Reading
Happy National Adoption Day!
Today is National Adoption Day! A day to raise awareness for the 100,000 children in foster care waiting for Forever Families! The adoption agency in Oklahoma City recently began a partnership with the Department of Human Services. Their goal is to find families for the children who are eligible for adoption (approximately 350 children in Oklahoma). That means parental rights have been terminated and these children just need a family to say YES! Many of these children are older or part of Continue Reading