Big News x 2

As I'm sure you all know we (finally) celebrated the adoption of our four children:  Joseph, Crystal, Brea, and Amanda.  Words simply cannot express what we feel.  The best words we can find are joy and relief.  Here are a few shots of that day:

In front of the courthouse

Sweet Brea Scott

Happy parents

Ready to start the hearing

Miss Amanda

Princess Crystal

My handsome stud, Joseph

Forever a Family!

Our loving family and friends who came to support us that day

Now, let me continue (for those of you at the adoption party this will be pretty close to my speech):

Jordan and I are so thankful for all of you out there who have supported us in so many ways.  Each comment, card, package, etc., came at the right time and was truly appreciated.  However, I feel it is also important for me to recognize a few people who have gone above and beyond to show us love and support.

I want to thank Trinity E.C. Church in Rutherford for instilling in me the fundamental truths found in the Bible.  They spent countless hours teaching me and preaching to me and for that I am grateful.  I want to especially thank Pastor Lewis for continuing to love me through my most unloveable years.  He taught me more than he'll probably ever know.

I want to thank the teachers, preachers, and friends at Calvary Baptist in State College for recognizing I possessed those fundamental truths but then challenged me to live them out in a very real way...and held me accountable in the process!

I'd like to thank Jordan for his steadfast and unwaivering support.  While he got tossed headfirst into parenting, he also got tossed headfirst into very rigourous training and jobs with the Marines.  He hardly complained, he loved me and the children, did extremely well at his job and joyfully ate more than his fair share of grilled cheese dinners when the days just got away from us.  He is my champion.
 
I want to thank my parents, my brother and Domenica, and my sister and Chris for relentlessly following us up and down the east coast over the past two years.  They met our needs before we even realized them and offered an over-abundance of grace and mercy while I figured out how to be a mom to four small children...even on the days when they likely wanted to punch me :)

Annie and Nicole, my two best friends, also deserve my thanks.  Though they have family and jobs of their own they made it a priority to love on all six of us.  They especially ministered to me.  They often bought last-minute plane tickets to spend time with me, sent care packages and cards, and accepted early morning and late night phone calls.  They did more than their fair share of loving when I found it difficult to fulfill my end of the bargain.  They showed me true-blue friendship at its finest.

Lastly, I want to thank my children.  They came into this family through no choice of their own.  They came to two parents who had all the theory in the world and none of the practice.  They readily give us grace and forgiveness when we fail and encouragement whether we deserve it or not.  They are living proof of God's goodness, mercy, and provision.  They are the true heroes in this story.

That being said, I cannot let the chance pass without telling you what has been on the hearts of the six of us:  (trust me, you'll want to read this to the end).

We are so very thankful for all of the encouragement from people who hear of our story.  I hear things like: "You are such an inspiration," "You are so amazing for what you've done," I can't believe your heart - what a testimony," and other variations of those comments.  While they truly have lifted us up and encouraged and blessed us in so many ways, I started to believe them.  Then I embraced them.  Then I became complacent.

In a wonderful book called "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan it quotes,

"Maybe you have already made sacrifices.  If so, you have seen that in some ways it gets easier, doesn't it?  You have witnessed the benefits of giving and are blessed because of it.  But it gets harder, too.  The temptation to level off increases with each passing year.  Pride tells you that you've sacrificed more than others.  Fear tells you it's time to worry about the future.  Friends say you've given enough, that it's someone elses's turn now."

 

Thankfully, the book doesn't end there.  As I continued with concurrent readings of "Crazy Love" and "Radical" by David Platt I came to learn that this way of thinking is wrong and downright dangerous.
Upon scouring and studying the New Testament I couldn't find one single verse about doing enough to have done "your part."  I found no verse telling me that I can stop helping and reaching out because I've fulfilled my quota.  Instead, I found verses like:

 

"Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." - Luke 14:27

 

"None of you can be my disciple who does not give up all his possessions." - Luke 14:33

 

"If anyone wishes to follow me he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."

 - Luke 9:23

With the help of  the New Testament, "Crazy Love" and "Radical" I was able to see the error in my previous thinking that I have "done my part."

You see, I believe Christ is telling us that while we're on this Earth our job is never done.  We are to carry our cross.  Jesus never said carry our cross for a little while and then relax.  He never said once you've fulfilled a certain quota we can kick up our feet.  It's a daily job - until we meet Him face to face.

I like how David Platt put it:

"But then I realize there is never going to come a day when I stand before God and He looks at me and says 'I wish you would have kept more for yourself.'"

 

I'm not pointing any fingers, friends.  I'm not even suggesting that anyone who reads this isn't doing their part.  I'm only sharing with you my journey and my heart.

I think it's high time for my and my family to stop asking "How much can we spare?" and start asking "How much is it going to take?"

We have all been given different abilities and gifts.  Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

 

"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.  Now to each on the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."

Jordan and I were undoubtedly given a heart for orphans.  "...Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names.  They are easier to ignore before you see their faces.  It's easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms.  But once you do, everything changes." - "Radical."

People have told my children "no."  People have pushed my children to the side.  My children were on the outskirts of society - and it breaks my heart.  While Jordan and I still have breath we aim to use our passions and gifts to fight for the orphans.

Now that I've shared our hearts, please don't think we're crazy when I tell you that all six of us have decided to adopt again.  We have already started the process to bring home two boys from Ethiopia.  We're only in the beginning stages so there is a good amount of paperwork and fundraising to be done...but we've started.  The kids are thrilled, we're excited.  We're not exactly sure how all the logitics will work out - but we know and trust they will.  As Francis Chan put it:

"...God doesn't call us to be comfortable.  He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come through."