Another major milestone conquered! Woot woot!
We have been waiting for our USCIS (Immigration) approval since they received our application on June 7th. We found out that an officer had been assigned to our case on Tuesday, August 6th. She reviewed our file (home study, fingerprints, etc.) and approved us to be adoptive parents of a Hague convention country on Wednesday, August 14th! We received our approval letter in the mail today and immediately scanned it to our social worker at Lifeline.
Now what? While we were waiting for our Immigration approval, we were busy gathering all the required documents for our dossier (the packet that goes to China). Our I800A approval letter was all that our social worker was waiting for to complete our dossier. Now that she has every piece, she begins authentication (Secretary of State seal and other legal necessities). It takes 2-3 weeks to authenticate our dossier and then it's off to China!
I must say, completing this step and seeing our dossier off to China makes it more real than ever! It's clear that we are getting closer and closer to meeting our Emily Hope. It's all very bitter sweet because we are so excited to wrap our arms around her and bring her home but we know there's still a good bit of time that separates us. And we know that a lot can happen in that amount of time. It's daunting to consider. If you would, please continue to pray for our family. We are trusting in the peace of God that transcends all understanding. Please pray for that peace to cover our hearts every day and for our focus to remain on Christ, the only source of good. We understand God's providence, his holy hand holding our Emily Hope. But y'all, it's so hard to be on this side of our adoption. The tugging of my heart strings... harder and stronger as we get closer. I see pictures daily of the inside of Chinese orphanages, as other adoptive parents post the joys of picking up their bundles. I see babies in the background, in metal cribs (many without a mattress or blanket), on the floor, wherever, and I wonder if that could be our Emily Hope. I can't imagine the pain we will experience after knowing who she is but not yet able to go scoop her up. (Sigh) Yes, this is so real, all of it. We do long for the day we are looking back at this process when all the pain will have been so worth it!
Just a sidenote, I created a page to track our adoption timeline. You can go to that page (link on the top right column of blog) at anytime to see where we are in the process.
Also, we just placed another big order of youth and adult sized t-shirts. So, if you haven't ordered yours yet, shoot me an email (lauraloman@yahoo.com) or click HERE for more details!
Monday, August 19, 2013
Friday, August 9, 2013
Bigger and Better than Death Valley?
I just want to remind y'all of what an amazing impact your encouragement has on us.
Seamus ran in to an acquaintance the other day. Like so many, he revealed that he has been following our journey through our Facebook page and blog. "I saw your adoption thing. I'm following you. I'm rooting for you!" Seamus was grateful and told me, "It gave me goosebumps. Like Death Valley on a Saturday night!" Okay, you may or may not be an LSU fan but if you are, you understand exactly what Seamus was talking about. You know the chills, the tears, the pride. It's overwhelming and AWE. SOME. If you're not... well, I'm really sorry. ;-)
My response to Seamus, "... but better." And it is, y'all. Your words of encouragement, your promises to pray for us, the hugs, all of it gives us the same feeling... times a thousand! It's hard to explain the effect every encouraging comment has. It's big. Way bigger than Death Valley.
So from our purple and gold hearts to yours (whatever colors yours may be)... Thank you for your encouragement. This journey is difficult on so many levels, and we don't want to go one day without it.
"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." (1Thes.5:11)
Seamus ran in to an acquaintance the other day. Like so many, he revealed that he has been following our journey through our Facebook page and blog. "I saw your adoption thing. I'm following you. I'm rooting for you!" Seamus was grateful and told me, "It gave me goosebumps. Like Death Valley on a Saturday night!" Okay, you may or may not be an LSU fan but if you are, you understand exactly what Seamus was talking about. You know the chills, the tears, the pride. It's overwhelming and AWE. SOME. If you're not... well, I'm really sorry. ;-)
My response to Seamus, "... but better." And it is, y'all. Your words of encouragement, your promises to pray for us, the hugs, all of it gives us the same feeling... times a thousand! It's hard to explain the effect every encouraging comment has. It's big. Way bigger than Death Valley.
So from our purple and gold hearts to yours (whatever colors yours may be)... Thank you for your encouragement. This journey is difficult on so many levels, and we don't want to go one day without it.
"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." (1Thes.5:11)
Monday, August 5, 2013
Let My Lifesong Sing
God loves to be in relationship with his children. I'm humbled by the access I have to boldly approach His throne with my eucharist, repentance, and petitions. He doesn't just tolerate my prayers. He loves them. He longs to still my heart, for me to talk to Him, listen to Him. This is a mystery I may never figure out, this mystery that a perfect God who created the universe loves to be in relationship with me.
Yes, He loves my prayers. But they are far from perfect, I assure you (thank you, Jesus, for your blood that washes my imperfect prayers clean). Far too often my prayers are shallow, self-centered, lacking faith. They remind me of many of the songs we hear on Christian radio. My intentions are good but oh how easy it is to take my focus off of Him, even in prayer. Through my shallow requests, the Holy Spirit often reminds me that the answer to all my prayers is simple. It's all about who God is. My prayers (and my entire life) should be central to who He is. My prayer should always reflect how perfect, how sovereign, and how loving our God is. I want my prayers and my life to reflect who He is.
This is my prayer today. "God, you alone are good. You are completely just and completely merciful, both in perfect harmony through the cross of Jesus. Reveal yourself and who you are to our broken and hurting world. Burden my heart for what burdens yours. Let my life be a reflection of who you are, nothing else. Let my life song sing your praises!"
Empty hands held high
Such small sacrifice
If not joined with my life
I sing in vain tonight
May the words I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
I want to sign Your name
To the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true
Let my lifesong sing to You
Lord, I give my life
A living sacrifice
To reach a world in need
To be Your hands and feet
So may the words I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
I want to sign Your name
To the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true
Let my lifesong sing to You
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Let my lifesong sing to You
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Let my lifesong sing to You
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
I want to sign Your name
To the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true
Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
I want to sign Your name
To the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true
Let my lifesong sing to You
Yes, He loves my prayers. But they are far from perfect, I assure you (thank you, Jesus, for your blood that washes my imperfect prayers clean). Far too often my prayers are shallow, self-centered, lacking faith. They remind me of many of the songs we hear on Christian radio. My intentions are good but oh how easy it is to take my focus off of Him, even in prayer. Through my shallow requests, the Holy Spirit often reminds me that the answer to all my prayers is simple. It's all about who God is. My prayers (and my entire life) should be central to who He is. My prayer should always reflect how perfect, how sovereign, and how loving our God is. I want my prayers and my life to reflect who He is.
This is my prayer today. "God, you alone are good. You are completely just and completely merciful, both in perfect harmony through the cross of Jesus. Reveal yourself and who you are to our broken and hurting world. Burden my heart for what burdens yours. Let my life be a reflection of who you are, nothing else. Let my life song sing your praises!"
Empty hands held high
Such small sacrifice
If not joined with my life
I sing in vain tonight
May the words I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
I want to sign Your name
To the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true
Let my lifesong sing to You
Lord, I give my life
A living sacrifice
To reach a world in need
To be Your hands and feet
So may the words I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
I want to sign Your name
To the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true
Let my lifesong sing to You
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Let my lifesong sing to You
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Let my lifesong sing to You
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
I want to sign Your name
To the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true
Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
I want to sign Your name
To the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true
Let my lifesong sing to You
Thursday, August 1, 2013
November Fundraising Event... New Information!
Progress... sweet, sweet progress. I wish I were talking about our Immigration status but I'm pretty stoked about what's recently been accomplished for our November Orphan Awareness Fundraiser.
First, a very special friend stepped up to take the lead and be chair-awesomeness over the event (or chair-lady, but I personally prefer "chair-awesomeness"). A special thank you to Renee Cresap for responding to God's lead on this. You are awesome, not just because of your dedication and faithfulness but because you are so stinking good at this!!
Second event news to report... we have our live music lined up and although I can't reveal the name just yet, I'm excited to tell you that there will be amazing praise music on the village square that afternoon! Put "bring blanket" on your calendar reminder because you're gonna want to stay put and relax for this gig!
I also had the opportunity to have lunch with an amazing lady named Barbara Kellar, who will be cooking our jambalaya for the event. She has a Facebook page at BeBe's Kitchen Cooking for a Cause where you can read more about her ministry. She has a beautiful heart for Jesus and specifically for orphans around the world. We are honored to have her cook for us and feel so blessed to have this new relationship!
I'm super excited to reveal the incredible partnership we have for our event. Without further adieu, we present... (un)adopted, a ministry of Lifeline Children's Services! "(un)adopted exists to provide a hope and a future for orphans around the world by facilitating a safe environment to disciple and equip children in need." I encourage you to learn more on their website but here's a little blurb about what they do:
We Go: Proclaiming the message of the Gospel to orphans worldwide to provide immediate and eternal hope for those who have never heard the good news.
We Equip: Initiating planning and partnering strategies with orphanages, indigenous bodies of believers, government officials, businesses, schools, and homes, seeking to mentor orphans and equip them with job and life skills.
We Disciple: Developing sustainable relational ministry models that mobilize the indigenous international church to care for the orphaned and impoverished with viable long-term solutions.
We Facilitate: Facilitating short-term trips, multiple times a year, to expose churches, students, and business leaders to the plight of orphans, and to build relationships and trust within the international communities to begin affecting change and community transformation.
(un)adopted will be available during the event to chat with folks about their ministry. They will give a presentation towards the end of the event to bring awareness about the global orphan crisis and share ways we can all help. We couldn't be more excited to have this ministry to partner with. (un)adopted is an organization that is dear to our hearts. They are gospel-centered in everything they do and provide hope for so many who wouldn't otherwise have it. We can't wait to welcome (un)adopted and see God work through them at our event! A portion of the proceeds from our event will go to (un)adopted, to aid in their ministries abroad.
We now have a rain plan in place! Thank you to our family at New Covenant Presbyterian Church for opening her doors for our event. If the weather is terrible, we still want everyone to plan for a great event in the fellowship hall of our church in Mandeville.
Thank you to Bridge Church for donating their block party trailer for our event! Because of their generosity, we'll have a big bounce house, a popcorn machine, and tons of other equipment to help make this event a success.
Last, but not least, we have several volunteers dedicated to specific tasks for the event. Lots of people have stepped up and we are forever grateful. If you are interested in helping, we still have slots open for set up (noon-3:00), clean up (6-8pm), and several tables at the event itself (3-4:30 shifts and 4:30-6:00 shifts). Feel free to email me or leave a comment here and let me know in which of these areas you would like to help. We would be oh-so-grateful if you'd like to be a part of this. We'd like to have all volunteers secured soon.
If you believe you have an item or service that you may like to donate to the silent auction, please let me know. One friend had the fun idea to auction himself! He's still working out the details but it will look something like him being a slave to someone for a day. Ha! Now that's one good friend!
Oh! Be sure to wear your Emily Hope t-shirts to the event (we may have to wear a long-sleeved something under it since it's in November). ;-) We'll give one free beverage to anyone wearing our t-shirt at the event!
Between now and November 16th, I'll be posting updates and reminders about the event. We will have flyers available as the event draws nearer. If you have any questions at any point, feel free to shoot me an email or leave a comment. Be on the lookout soon for a page on my blog dedicated solely to the event. I'll update this page as details arise.
Reminder of Event Details:
Saturday, November 16th, 3-6pm
Terra Bella Village Square (rain plan: New Covenant Presbyterian Church in Mandeville)
Live Music, Food, Activities for kids, and Silent Auction
Orphan Awareness Presented by (un)adopted Organization
First, a very special friend stepped up to take the lead and be chair-awesomeness over the event (or chair-lady, but I personally prefer "chair-awesomeness"). A special thank you to Renee Cresap for responding to God's lead on this. You are awesome, not just because of your dedication and faithfulness but because you are so stinking good at this!!
Second event news to report... we have our live music lined up and although I can't reveal the name just yet, I'm excited to tell you that there will be amazing praise music on the village square that afternoon! Put "bring blanket" on your calendar reminder because you're gonna want to stay put and relax for this gig!
I also had the opportunity to have lunch with an amazing lady named Barbara Kellar, who will be cooking our jambalaya for the event. She has a Facebook page at BeBe's Kitchen Cooking for a Cause where you can read more about her ministry. She has a beautiful heart for Jesus and specifically for orphans around the world. We are honored to have her cook for us and feel so blessed to have this new relationship!
I'm super excited to reveal the incredible partnership we have for our event. Without further adieu, we present... (un)adopted, a ministry of Lifeline Children's Services! "(un)adopted exists to provide a hope and a future for orphans around the world by facilitating a safe environment to disciple and equip children in need." I encourage you to learn more on their website but here's a little blurb about what they do:
We Go: Proclaiming the message of the Gospel to orphans worldwide to provide immediate and eternal hope for those who have never heard the good news.
We Equip: Initiating planning and partnering strategies with orphanages, indigenous bodies of believers, government officials, businesses, schools, and homes, seeking to mentor orphans and equip them with job and life skills.
We Disciple: Developing sustainable relational ministry models that mobilize the indigenous international church to care for the orphaned and impoverished with viable long-term solutions.
We Facilitate: Facilitating short-term trips, multiple times a year, to expose churches, students, and business leaders to the plight of orphans, and to build relationships and trust within the international communities to begin affecting change and community transformation.
(un)adopted will be available during the event to chat with folks about their ministry. They will give a presentation towards the end of the event to bring awareness about the global orphan crisis and share ways we can all help. We couldn't be more excited to have this ministry to partner with. (un)adopted is an organization that is dear to our hearts. They are gospel-centered in everything they do and provide hope for so many who wouldn't otherwise have it. We can't wait to welcome (un)adopted and see God work through them at our event! A portion of the proceeds from our event will go to (un)adopted, to aid in their ministries abroad.
We now have a rain plan in place! Thank you to our family at New Covenant Presbyterian Church for opening her doors for our event. If the weather is terrible, we still want everyone to plan for a great event in the fellowship hall of our church in Mandeville.
Thank you to Bridge Church for donating their block party trailer for our event! Because of their generosity, we'll have a big bounce house, a popcorn machine, and tons of other equipment to help make this event a success.
Last, but not least, we have several volunteers dedicated to specific tasks for the event. Lots of people have stepped up and we are forever grateful. If you are interested in helping, we still have slots open for set up (noon-3:00), clean up (6-8pm), and several tables at the event itself (3-4:30 shifts and 4:30-6:00 shifts). Feel free to email me or leave a comment here and let me know in which of these areas you would like to help. We would be oh-so-grateful if you'd like to be a part of this. We'd like to have all volunteers secured soon.
If you believe you have an item or service that you may like to donate to the silent auction, please let me know. One friend had the fun idea to auction himself! He's still working out the details but it will look something like him being a slave to someone for a day. Ha! Now that's one good friend!
Oh! Be sure to wear your Emily Hope t-shirts to the event (we may have to wear a long-sleeved something under it since it's in November). ;-) We'll give one free beverage to anyone wearing our t-shirt at the event!
Between now and November 16th, I'll be posting updates and reminders about the event. We will have flyers available as the event draws nearer. If you have any questions at any point, feel free to shoot me an email or leave a comment. Be on the lookout soon for a page on my blog dedicated solely to the event. I'll update this page as details arise.
Reminder of Event Details:
Saturday, November 16th, 3-6pm
Terra Bella Village Square (rain plan: New Covenant Presbyterian Church in Mandeville)
Live Music, Food, Activities for kids, and Silent Auction
Orphan Awareness Presented by (un)adopted Organization
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
A Story for your Heart and BBQ for your Tummy
We have met some amazing people through our adoption experience. It's been really fun to see the Lord open doors and introduce us to other families who have been burdened for orphans. There's something really special about sharing encouragement with people who are living a similar life experience.
When we first began our journey, we were introduced to a very special family. I have mentioned them before but I'm dedicating this entire post to them (yeah girl, you can thank me later with some of Evan's homemade ice cream). Evan and Angie McGinty (and their 3 children) are adopting a little boy from Ethiopia and are also using Lifeline as their adoption agency. They happen to live about 2 minutes from us. When Angie and I met, it was eerie how similar our stories were and how similar we are. Seriously, Angie and I were finishing each other's sentences the first time we met! :-) But that's not why I'm writing about them.
They are determined and faithful in their walk to adopt a child in Africa. They have been changed because of their adoption in Christ and want to reflect that deep love. Evan and Angie have a rock solid marriage, incredible faith, and all the love in the world to share with another child. The only thing they don't have (like many of us) is a large chunk of cash sitting around to complete an international adoption. Seamus and I want to support them any way we can so I'd like to share their story with you here, as well as a way you can help this Sunday!
HERE is their sweet story of how their adoption began.
And here's Angie with her oldest daughter, Dixie, wearing their Emily Hope tees! They have been so supportive of us. Pretty girls!
The McGinty's church family is hosting a BBQ to help fund their adoption, this Sunday on the Madisonville lakefront (at the Maritime Museum). If you live in the area, wouldn't you love to join us for yummy, messy, good-cause barbecue??? Here's more information:
Hope you will join us this Sunday! The food will be plentiful and the company even better. :-) If you can't stay, feel free to pick it up and run.
Best wishes, McGinty clan. We love you to Ethiopia and back! (Angie has estimated that to be 17,136 miles of love) ;-)
When we first began our journey, we were introduced to a very special family. I have mentioned them before but I'm dedicating this entire post to them (yeah girl, you can thank me later with some of Evan's homemade ice cream). Evan and Angie McGinty (and their 3 children) are adopting a little boy from Ethiopia and are also using Lifeline as their adoption agency. They happen to live about 2 minutes from us. When Angie and I met, it was eerie how similar our stories were and how similar we are. Seriously, Angie and I were finishing each other's sentences the first time we met! :-) But that's not why I'm writing about them.
They are determined and faithful in their walk to adopt a child in Africa. They have been changed because of their adoption in Christ and want to reflect that deep love. Evan and Angie have a rock solid marriage, incredible faith, and all the love in the world to share with another child. The only thing they don't have (like many of us) is a large chunk of cash sitting around to complete an international adoption. Seamus and I want to support them any way we can so I'd like to share their story with you here, as well as a way you can help this Sunday!
HERE is their sweet story of how their adoption began.
And here's Angie with her oldest daughter, Dixie, wearing their Emily Hope tees! They have been so supportive of us. Pretty girls!
The McGinty's church family is hosting a BBQ to help fund their adoption, this Sunday on the Madisonville lakefront (at the Maritime Museum). If you live in the area, wouldn't you love to join us for yummy, messy, good-cause barbecue??? Here's more information:
Hope you will join us this Sunday! The food will be plentiful and the company even better. :-) If you can't stay, feel free to pick it up and run.
Best wishes, McGinty clan. We love you to Ethiopia and back! (Angie has estimated that to be 17,136 miles of love) ;-)
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Call to Worship
Our pastor at New Covenant, contacted me and Seamus earlier this week and asked if we'd be interested in opening up for worship this morning at both services. We responded, "Of course!" The "Call to Worship" is a 3-5 minute opportunity to awaken the body, to prepare our hearts for joyful worship. Needless to say, we were humbled and excited to be able to talk about our adoption with the ones we love most. More importantly, we were going to have the opportunity to share our testimony of who we are (adopted sons!) in Christ.
If you know Seamus, you know that he loves the Lord with all his heart and loves the opportunity to live out the gospel. His gift is speaking to people face to face, informal, and impromptu. He abhors being the center of attention. I think he'd rather be stung by a thousand jelly fish. Okay, that's pushing it but he really doesn't like talking in front of a congregation of people. You get the point. It was hard for him. But y'all, my man is one special guy.
Seamus' testimony this morning was less about our adoption of Emily Hope and more about who our God is. He shed light on our adoption in Christ. Our story this morning wasn't our story at all. It's God's story. Adoption is what He does. It's who He is.
This is the reason we are adopting a fatherless child. It is an expression of who God is and all that He has done for us. It is our desire and our goal in life to be an example of who Christ is. "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us." (Ephesians 5:1) We don't need to adopt a child. We don't need to grow our family. We have a wonderful life. And frankly, our salvation is secure because of His grace. We're certainly not doing it out of obligation. We are perfectly content. But the truth is, our hearts groan for more and "content" is just not fulfilling. Our ministry of adoption is our worship to Christ as an outpouring of our thankfulness.
So here's my call for all of us to worship... (echoing Seamus' words... the Spirit's words really... from this morning) Let's be thankful, reminded of His sacrifice- His blood that was shed, His infinite love, and His worthiness of our praise. And in our thankfulness, let's worship Him in all we do, whether that be through adoption or caring for "the least of these" in other ways that reflect who Christ is and all HE has done.
I'm proud of you, Seamus Martin. I love you to pieces. I'm even more thankful to my precious God who provided the opportunity, the peace for Seamus to make it through, the wisdom to recognize who Christ is, and our burning desire to share this story with others. These gifts only come from our perfect God who made the perfect sacrifice to adopt us as His sons!
If you know Seamus, you know that he loves the Lord with all his heart and loves the opportunity to live out the gospel. His gift is speaking to people face to face, informal, and impromptu. He abhors being the center of attention. I think he'd rather be stung by a thousand jelly fish. Okay, that's pushing it but he really doesn't like talking in front of a congregation of people. You get the point. It was hard for him. But y'all, my man is one special guy.
Seamus' testimony this morning was less about our adoption of Emily Hope and more about who our God is. He shed light on our adoption in Christ. Our story this morning wasn't our story at all. It's God's story. Adoption is what He does. It's who He is.
This is the reason we are adopting a fatherless child. It is an expression of who God is and all that He has done for us. It is our desire and our goal in life to be an example of who Christ is. "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us." (Ephesians 5:1) We don't need to adopt a child. We don't need to grow our family. We have a wonderful life. And frankly, our salvation is secure because of His grace. We're certainly not doing it out of obligation. We are perfectly content. But the truth is, our hearts groan for more and "content" is just not fulfilling. Our ministry of adoption is our worship to Christ as an outpouring of our thankfulness.
So here's my call for all of us to worship... (echoing Seamus' words... the Spirit's words really... from this morning) Let's be thankful, reminded of His sacrifice- His blood that was shed, His infinite love, and His worthiness of our praise. And in our thankfulness, let's worship Him in all we do, whether that be through adoption or caring for "the least of these" in other ways that reflect who Christ is and all HE has done.
I'm proud of you, Seamus Martin. I love you to pieces. I'm even more thankful to my precious God who provided the opportunity, the peace for Seamus to make it through, the wisdom to recognize who Christ is, and our burning desire to share this story with others. These gifts only come from our perfect God who made the perfect sacrifice to adopt us as His sons!
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Biometrics... Check
We had our biometrics (fingerprints) appointment in New Orleans today, and I am happy to say that's one more little step behind us. From here, USCIS (Immigration) will assign an officer to our case and eventually approve us to be adoptive parents of a child from another country. We should receive their approval (I800A) in about 4-6 weeks. I'll be stalking the mail man around that time frame... again. ;-) In the meantime, we'll be putting lots of energy into planning our November fundraising event. Keep sending those prayers up, friends!
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Waiting
Waiting. It's hard. It's so contrary to our carnal world. It's not something we tend to appreciate. Society tells us that we should have what we want when we want it. Our culture is impulsive, telling us that "now" is the time. "We've worked hard. We're doing the right thing. We deserve it. Why wait?" I'm guilty of this. I can grow weary. And skeptical. And fearful. I want my Emily Hope now. I want to know that she's being cared for. I want what's best for her and in my mind, that's being home, in our family... NOW. But God knows better.
God's word tells us over and over again that waiting is a good thing.
"But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)
"Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand." (James 5:7-8)
"The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him." (Lamentations 3:25)
"Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!" (Psalm 27:14)
God uses waiting to sanctify us, to make us more like Him. It draws us deeper into relationship with Him. It forces us to rely on Him, rather than on our own flawed plans. Patience is the fruit of a faithful spirit (Galations 5:22). How patiently I wait for God's will to unfold reveals my trust (or lack of). 'Patience is the willingness to suffer- to put aside plans for a person, to lay aside self to serve, to set aside agendas to step up to an altar.' God is sovereign over everything and nothing is outside of His will. When I grow impatient in my waiting (for Emily, through pain or illness, in any context really), I am saying that I don't trust in God's sovereignty. Can he really handle this situation? Does He really know what He's doing by allowing our wait for Emily to be pushed back even further? Am I willing to suffer, trusting He's got it all in the palm of His hand? Y'all... Yes, Yes, and Yes!
Friends, I do grow weary, skeptical, anxious, and fearful. I need to be reminded of the very truth I'm sharing with you here. I need to be reminded that God has a perfect plan for my life and for Emily's life, reminded that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God, reminded that His timing is perfect and any events that I consider "obstacles" can and will be used for God's glory, reminded that my times of waiting are opportunities to be in prayer and relationship with the only one who can accomplish this adoption (and everything else for that matter). I need to be reminded that no ministry is worth a darn if I'm not being still and waiting for the Lord's voice.
Waiting. It's hard. But I thank God that He makes me wait. I thank Him for making Emily Hope wait. And I thank Him for His perfect timing. I may not understand His timing but I do know it's perfect... and I'm kinda okay with perfect.
"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope." (Psalm 130:5)
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Gearing Up for a Very Special Event
With doughnuts and t-shirts behind us (we do still have plenty of shirts left for sale), we are moving our fundraising focus towards a family event we will be hosting on Saturday, November 16th from 3-6 pm. I don't have all the details now but I would like to share some preliminary information.
We are partnering with a very special organization (to be revealed soon) and it will be held on the Terra Bella Village Square. The goal of this event is to bring awareness to our community of the global orphan crisis and to offer education on how ordinary people can help in extraordinary ways. Funds raised at this event will benefit this special partner organization as well as our personal adoption of Emily Hope. Things to look forward to are live music, delicious food, kid-friendly activities, and a silent auction!
I am particularly excited about the silent auction we have planned. We want to make sure this auction has plenty of quality items. If you have an item or service that you would be willing to donate for the silent auction, please email me at lauraloman@yahoo.com. If you know someone that may be willing to donate, please share this request with them. Ideas for auction items include, but are certainly not limited to: art work, spa services, vacation home rentals, gift baskets, jewelry, children's clothing, baked goods, gym membership, autographed memorabilia, new sports equipment, restaurant gift cards, handmade collectibles, and furniture. Creativity is key in making the auction a success! We will begin collecting items for the auction now so feel free to contact me as soon as you have items available. :-)
There will be oh-so-many areas of help needed... market and advertise, set up and clean up, organize auction, man a station, etc. A local church has already donated their "block party" equipment for our event! I can't wait to give them a special shout out for all the awesomeness they are contributing. If you have a desire to help with a specific area, or just want to show up willing to do whatever, we are grateful for any hands and feet. Let us know and we'd love to have you get involved! Many, many "thank you's" in advance for your willingness to help!
We will keep you updated with details. For now, mark your calendars for November 16th and start spreading the word. We are hoping to have a huge turnout for this worthwhile jubilee!
We are partnering with a very special organization (to be revealed soon) and it will be held on the Terra Bella Village Square. The goal of this event is to bring awareness to our community of the global orphan crisis and to offer education on how ordinary people can help in extraordinary ways. Funds raised at this event will benefit this special partner organization as well as our personal adoption of Emily Hope. Things to look forward to are live music, delicious food, kid-friendly activities, and a silent auction!
I am particularly excited about the silent auction we have planned. We want to make sure this auction has plenty of quality items. If you have an item or service that you would be willing to donate for the silent auction, please email me at lauraloman@yahoo.com. If you know someone that may be willing to donate, please share this request with them. Ideas for auction items include, but are certainly not limited to: art work, spa services, vacation home rentals, gift baskets, jewelry, children's clothing, baked goods, gym membership, autographed memorabilia, new sports equipment, restaurant gift cards, handmade collectibles, and furniture. Creativity is key in making the auction a success! We will begin collecting items for the auction now so feel free to contact me as soon as you have items available. :-)
There will be oh-so-many areas of help needed... market and advertise, set up and clean up, organize auction, man a station, etc. A local church has already donated their "block party" equipment for our event! I can't wait to give them a special shout out for all the awesomeness they are contributing. If you have a desire to help with a specific area, or just want to show up willing to do whatever, we are grateful for any hands and feet. Let us know and we'd love to have you get involved! Many, many "thank you's" in advance for your willingness to help!
We will keep you updated with details. For now, mark your calendars for November 16th and start spreading the word. We are hoping to have a huge turnout for this worthwhile jubilee!
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Fingerprints and Wait Times and Barbecue, Oh My!
Ups and downs. Anything goes. That's adoption.
Immigration fingerprint appointment secured for July 16th in New Orleans. This is the last action item on our end before we get our I800A approval. Even a fingerprint appointment is one step closer to being united with our Emily Hope.
Further news... our agency has informed us that wait times to be matched with a special needs girl under 2 years old has just increased by several months. This could change again but for now, we've gone from about a year long total process to maybe summer of 2014 or later. All in God's timing.
Lastly... Save the date! Our awesome friends, Evan and Angie McGinty are in the process of adopting a little boy from Ethiopia. If you live on the Northshore, please mark your calendar for Sunday, August 4th, for a BBQ to benefit their adoption. Their church family, Bridge Church, is hosting it at the Maritime Museum in Madisonville. They will be serving between noon and 2:00ish and you can eat it there or take it to go! Y'all. These people are amazing and your support would really be appreciated. The Lomans will certainly be getting our fingers messy that day! To read more about their story, visit their blog.
Immigration fingerprint appointment secured for July 16th in New Orleans. This is the last action item on our end before we get our I800A approval. Even a fingerprint appointment is one step closer to being united with our Emily Hope.
Further news... our agency has informed us that wait times to be matched with a special needs girl under 2 years old has just increased by several months. This could change again but for now, we've gone from about a year long total process to maybe summer of 2014 or later. All in God's timing.
Lastly... Save the date! Our awesome friends, Evan and Angie McGinty are in the process of adopting a little boy from Ethiopia. If you live on the Northshore, please mark your calendar for Sunday, August 4th, for a BBQ to benefit their adoption. Their church family, Bridge Church, is hosting it at the Maritime Museum in Madisonville. They will be serving between noon and 2:00ish and you can eat it there or take it to go! Y'all. These people are amazing and your support would really be appreciated. The Lomans will certainly be getting our fingers messy that day! To read more about their story, visit their blog.
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