tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53804738695587196132024-03-05T12:04:19.980-08:00Fostering RedemptionA blog about fostering and adoption.Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-28903567314139473362018-01-26T05:59:00.000-08:002018-01-26T06:07:33.514-08:00Love & LossSalem Lael was born 1/22/18 at 9:15pm. Salem means "peace" and Lael means "Belonging to God." Our sweet baby (we don't know if it was a boy or girl) was given to us for just a short time, is now in perfect peace and has always belonged to God.<br />
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When I went in for our 12 week ultrasound, I found out that God had taken our baby back at almost 10 weeks. I carried the baby until I was almost 15 weeks along. I grieved hard for those two weeks I knew the baby wasn't alive, but I know God is faithful and merciful despite my sorrow and pain. Sin brought death into the world, but in God's sovereignty and justice He chose to bring that baby back to Himself. He is good. He is kind. He is loving.<br />
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I think it's important to point out that even in this pain, God granted several mercies that we were worried about. First, the baby came out intact. We had something to burry rather than being left wondering if it simply broke down, which happens. Second, the baby came when it wasn't Abby's birthday (24th), and before Sean left on a work trip. Third, we didn't have get it sucked out at the doctor's. This would have felt like an abortion, which would have added a lot more stress. These were incredibly important to us, and we are so grateful they all worked out.<br />
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My heart breaks within me. That little baby was such a miracle to be here. Even within the short 9 1/2 weeks it was alive, it was immensely loved and cherished. This baby will have a childhood I will never experience, and I grieve that. But this baby is at the feet of Jesus loving Him and being loved on by Him. God's graces and mercies are sometimes strange, yet they are good; they are perfect: James 1:17-18 "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Heavenly lights, who does not change like the shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the Word of Truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all He created."<br />
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"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kids, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2<br />
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Sometimes I get into a "superman" complex with my birth children. When I had Mikayla, I thought "No one can take her from me, she is mine. The state has no power over this baby." But the state is not the ultimate authority, God is. "Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.' As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins," James 4:13-17. "Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain, you rise up early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat--for He grants sleep to those He loves. Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from Him," Psalm 127:1-3.<br />
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God is the giver of all. We like to go around boasting that it is by our goodness or obedience that we have come "this far," but it is all due to Him and His grace and for His glory and our joy.<br />
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Every child given is a gift, a heritage, a reward. God allowed my womb to bring forth life for 9 1/2 weeks, but then I was this baby's resting place for 5 1/2 weeks. I never thought my role as a mother would be a tomb for her baby, but God's thoughts are not my thoughts, neither are His ways my ways (Isaiah 55:8). He allowed us to see the baby born fully intact and it is a beautiful, sweet little shell who's perfect soul is worshipping our Savior in Heaven.<br />
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We choose a life verse for all of our children. Salem Lael's is 1 Samuel 1:27-28a- "I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him. So now I give to the LORD. For his whole life He will be given over to the LORD."<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">"The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the Name of the LORD," Job 1:21.</span></div>
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Sean wanted to add an article from one of his favorite authors on this subject for anyone interested in the problem of pain concerning children.<br />
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<a href="http://www.equip.org/article/god-let-child-die-2/">http://www.equip.org/article/god-let-child-die-2/</a><br />
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<br />Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-9024597938150314292018-01-03T20:20:00.001-08:002018-01-03T20:20:04.350-08:00Kids Are Good For The Soul
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last month, one of my Facebook friends said that his
children are good for his soul. I don’t really know what event prompted the
post, but I’ve been letting the thought ruminate. I often feel this palpably
when I’m enjoying my kids; when Gabe (4) comes and sits on me saying, “Can you
snuggle? Snuggles are the best, Dad.” Or when Mikayla (1) taunts me to chase
her around the counter as she giggles; or when Annabelle (10) wants to help me
change the oil in the van. Regardless of the strain kids add, they have a way
of mending the soul at unexpected times and in surprising ways. <br />
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Interestingly, though, I find this saying to be true in a much different
fashion than it was probably originally intended. That is, kids are good for
our souls because they force us to deal with, and see, the depth of our own
sin. Before kids, in many ways, you can remove yourself from situations so that
you are rarely pushed to your breaking point. If you have a co-worker you don’t
like, you get to go home at the end of the day. If you’re sick and cranky, you
can take the day off. If you’re impatient, it will only mostly come out while
you’re driving behind a slow driver, etc. But with kids, these luxuries are
often unavailable. You suddenly come face-to-face with who you really are when
the chips are down. Kids will disrespect you in front of others, challenging
your patience, pride, and anger. Kids will get out of bed because they’re
scared just a little bit after you finally got everyone to bed. You’ve given
them all you have the entire day, and all you want is those two hours to
yourself, but now they’re scared, and you’re the lucky one who gets to deal
with it, challenging your selfishness. When you’re in a fight with your spouse,
the kids’ needs continue. When you haven’t slept all night, and you’re starting
to get sick, the kids still need you and have challenges of their own. I can go
on, but you get the point. <br />
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The fact of the matter is that we’re all broken, but sometimes it takes a
little extra nudge for us to see just how broken we really are. For me, kids
have been that nudge. And it’s good for our spirit when we finally realize the
depth of our own brokenness. Because it’s only in this realization that we can
know we need salvation. </span><br />
Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-41159606810102564092017-12-03T06:48:00.001-08:002017-12-03T06:48:07.333-08:00Adversity<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes it feels like we’re being attacked on every side.
Sometimes it feels like we can barely keep our head above water. From the
simple daily tasks of non-stop tantrums, to the spiritual battles of fighting
for their souls. <o:p></o:p></div>
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A dear friend and I are doing a Bible Study on the women of
the Old Testament, and this last week was on Deborah, the judge and prophetess.
After Joshua had led the Israelites successfully into the Promised Land by
God’s will, it says in Joshua 3:1, 4 “Now these are the nations that the LORD
left to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all
the wars in Canaan . . . They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether
Israel would obey the commandments of the LORD, which He commanded their
fathers by the hand of Moses.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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These past few weeks God has seemed to lead us through a
great testing of whether we will obey Him or not. When it seems as though the
world is caving in around us, will we choose to be obedient? “He has told us
what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to
love kindness, and to walk humbling with our God?” Micah 6:8. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s easy to fall into the mindset that we’ve “done enough.”
We’ve walked that hard before, so we’ve paid our dues. But His command is not past
tense, but present. To <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do justice, love
kindness, walk humbly.</i> In the midst of trials and weariness, we are called
to continual obedience to Him. <o:p></o:p></div>
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He is so gracious to remind us that He hears our pleas for
help like He heard the Israelites when groups waged war against them. Every
single time He sent them a deliverer. He reminds us today that we are never
alone. That this battle we fight on a daily basis is fought with those friends
who send texts of encouragements, or the family and friends who help babysit,
or the agency that continues to advocate for us, and the non-stop prayer we
receive from all over the place. He reminds us that He is in control. “Seek
first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be
added to us. Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious
about itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:33-34<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Chuck Smith said, “If I am only building on consent to the
truth rather than obedience to the truth, my house will fall in the time of the
storm.” It is so difficult to be obedient in trial, but the Lord’s faithfulness
prevails every time.<o:p></o:p></div>
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"For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." Galatians 6:8-10</div>
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Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-60805681270594772212017-11-12T07:11:00.000-08:002017-11-12T07:11:19.759-08:00Orphan Sunday<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Orphan Sunday<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 0in;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Today is Orphan Sunday. It’s a day
to realize just how dire America’s orphan situation really is. You see, the
fact of the matter is, the Bible doesn’t afford Christians an option in orphan
care, and foster care functions as America’s modern-day orphanages. We are
regularly and consistently called to step in the gap, to be fathers to the
fatherless, to provide for and comfort them, in spite of the sacrifice and pain
it may cost us.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 0in;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 0in;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Here are a few startling statistics
from a study in 2015:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: 0in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Roughly 428,000 children were in foster care on
any given day<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5380473869558719613#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->About 670,000 total children entered the system
at some time during that year<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5380473869558719613#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Nearly 108,000 are eligible for and awaiting
adoption<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5380473869558719613#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->In 2014, 35,000 Americans were randomly surveyed.
They found that an estimated 70% of American adults are self-professing
Christians<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5380473869558719613#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->But with all this, no more than 2% of Americans
have actually adopted<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5380473869558719613#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What Scripture Says<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
The above
statistics are both telling and disheartening. Undoubtedly, not every Christian
is called to adoption. But we are all called to actively help. James 1:27 says
that we are to help the widow and the orphan in their affliction. Isaiah 1:17
tells us we are to do right, seek justice, and take up the cause of the
fatherless. In Jeremiah 5, God brings a list of reasons why He is about to
destroy Judah, and one the primary reasons is their unwillingness to promote
the case of the fatherless and to defend the poor. The list goes on and on. <o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7DEP3wEZKSRVYt5afbFXNrsNhZ9L6dq_jXi5jXSCEUimHpFq7O7K4pOgSnzNQyKT794dWc2G4RF5t1cTJSC-JojljF90MGqr3nkZxr8fdDJO-xo8-YZuIoGYrB2N5jkKStziZ1c1fDVM/s1600/IMG_3323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7DEP3wEZKSRVYt5afbFXNrsNhZ9L6dq_jXi5jXSCEUimHpFq7O7K4pOgSnzNQyKT794dWc2G4RF5t1cTJSC-JojljF90MGqr3nkZxr8fdDJO-xo8-YZuIoGYrB2N5jkKStziZ1c1fDVM/s320/IMG_3323.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">How You Can Help<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
Many people know
that foster and adoption are ways to help, but they are quickly at a loss when it comes
to helping in other ways. So below, I compiled a list of a few ways people can
pitch in:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Help
local parents</b>: Many people know local foster parents. Come alongside them
by providing:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Meal
trains for foster or adoptive parents who recently received a placement, or
recently lost one<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Clothes
or equipment, such as car seats, during a new placement<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Transportation
to and from various appointments<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Childcare:
Foster parents rarely get out because of restrictions on who can watch their
kids and who is willing to. But legally, kids can be watched by an unlicensed
person if it’s 6 hours or less<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CarePortal:</b>
The CarePortal is currently implemented in about a dozen states. It’s a program
that brings churches alongside the Department of Human Services (DHS) so that caseworkers
can request simple things like food, beds, clothes, etc. when they see a need
for them.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5380473869558719613#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->If
you don’t have CarePortal in your area, you could simply contact your local DHS
and ask if you can provide any of those things to a local family in need. I can
assure you, they will have lots of opportunities.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->You
can also contact local foster agencies who would likely love to have extra
formula, clothes, or toys on hand for current placements.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CASA:</b>
Become a Court Appointed Special Advocate for a foster child in your area<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Gifts:</b>
Many children in foster care do not receive as many gifts during Christmas or
even during their birthday. Contact your local foster agencies to see if there
are any families that might have some toys in mind. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
These are only a
few ideas, but you get the gist. There are ways everyone can help. It’s simply
a matter of getting out there and doing it. We all have different gifts and
abilities. By getting involved, you are helping bring redemption within your
own community in a powerful way. As Christians, we cannot let this opportunity
slip out of our hands.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5380473869558719613#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/foster.pdf<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5380473869558719613#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Ibid.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5380473869558719613#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
https://adoptionnetwork.com/adoption-statistics<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5380473869558719613#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5380473869558719613#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
https://adoptionnetwork.com/adoption-statistics<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5380473869558719613#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Visit careportal.org for more information<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-13604321321440334702017-10-09T12:32:00.000-07:002017-10-09T16:10:22.117-07:00"Mully" Review<style>
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The other night, Rach and I went on
a date night for the first time in a couple of months to see, what else, a
movie about adoption. The movie is called “Mully”, and as the name implies, it
follows the story of a man named Charles Mully. Mully grew up in a small
village in Kenya where his family abandoned him when he was a young boy. After
leading a life of begging and stealing, he eventually walked three days from
his village to Nairobi, where he was able to get a job, save some money, and start
a family. He made a series of business decisions where he became a millionaire.
One day, he had an interaction with some street kids that brought him back to
the hopelessness of his childhood. It shook him to the core, and he came home
to his family saying that God told him he needed to give up the business and
care for the poor. He began bringing orphans home from off the street every
day. They filled their home with hundreds of children, which created so much
friction with his biological kids, that he actually sent his eight kids off to
boarding school for a year. Eventually the house became so full, they had to
move to a piece of land where they could build an entire compound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the years, his children have started
seeing eye-to-eye with his mission, and many of them help run the organization.
Through the years involving a series of miracles, they have brought in, and
cared for, over 12,000 children, all of which call him “Daddy Mully.” </div>
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It’s stories like these that put us
to shame. In America, it’s so easy to live our lives in comfort and to reject
any discomfort as someone else’s calling. After every placement, Rach and I
have said to each other that we’re done, that we’ve done enough and that we’re
tired. Yet somehow, God manages to refocus us every time (to be clear we are still unsure of what our plans are going forward). I’m convinced, that
as Americans, we must make the conscious decisions daily to intently put
ourselves into brokenness. In the movie, they saw devastation constantly as
they walked into the streets, but in many ways, here, we have a buffer between us
and getting our hands dirty. If we want to help the poor, we give to charities
that help the poor; if we want to feed the homeless, we give to food pantries
that then feed the homeless, etc. We must get back to giving of ourselves… not
just our resources. </div>
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I understand that it really is not
everyone’s calling to be foster parents, but that’s not the question. The
question is, where can we apply ourselves consistently in which we give of our
time, energy, and emotion? The news is full of stories on how our nation is
utterly divided. How can you bring about unity, spread the Gospel, and tangibly
meet the needs of those in your own community? Maybe you can volunteer at a
crisis pregnancy center where you will be face-to-face with a single mother in
your own area who is in desperate of a support system. Maybe you can help at
that food pantry that you give to. Or maybe you can help with Habitat for
Humanity, or Care Portal. Maybe you can even start having monthly block parties
in your own neighborhood where you just create community right where you live (for
more on ideas like this last one, read <u>The Art of Neighboring</u> by Pathak
and Runyon, I highly recommend it). All of these things strengthen community on
a level far beyond what we are used to, but they all require giving of
ourselves. And that’s where we really need to start. No one can do it all, but
we can all do something.</div>
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Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-36292698665498939082017-10-02T15:15:00.001-07:002017-10-03T07:07:53.944-07:00A Few Observations<style>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">A few weeks ago, M, our latest foster placement, went
home. This is the first time we’ve had one go home, and it’s been frustrating.
From our perspective, she is going home into an unsafe situation. What’s more,
they removed her so suddenly, that they essentially re-traumatized her and her
siblings by re-enacting their initial removal. We had 2 hours notice, and her
siblings, who are in different homes, had even less. So they had no time to say
goodbye to friends or teachers at school or in their neighbourhood. They didn’t
have time to say goodbye to grandparents who have similarly become attached.
They didn’t have time to process what was going on, and neither did our
biological and adoptive kids. They were simply removed again, and this is
injustice. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">With that said, we have a few observations that I think
are important:</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "times new roman";"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">We can’t let our own potential heartbreak stop us from
serving children</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Many people have said that they couldn’t do what we do because they
couldn’t handle getting attached to a child and then watching them leave. I
totally understand this sentiment. We can’t really handle it either. However,
that leaves the child to deal with the trauma on their own, and I don’t think leaving
children to their own devices is a better option. These children are going to
endure this trauma whether we decide to come alongside them or not. It is up to
us to meet them in their suffering, and take some of that anguish upon
ourselves so that they don’t have to carry such a load. If you feel you can’t
handle it, imagine handling this as a 5-year-old. And if we don’t join in,
these kids go to group homes due to home shortages where their trauma compiles.
</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "times new roman";"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m so thankful we live in a country where it is so difficult
for the state to deem you an unfit parent</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Honestly, I continuously come back
to this thought. How many times have you yelled a little too loud at your kids,
or how many times could someone have at least perceived you as taking some
punishment too far? Parents don’t have to be perfect (or measure up to your own
subjective standard of parenting) to keep their kids or get them back, nor is
being poor illegal. In reality, the bar is incredibly low to keep your kids,
and this is a beautiful thing. While this doesn’t always work out in the
child’s favour, more often than not, it does. I can’t tell you how many times
we’ve watched our friends have cases where parents refuse to take part in a
treatment plan for months or even years, and at the last minute, they do the
bare minimum required, and they get their kids back. While this is frustrating
on the surface, it would terrify me to think that the state could easily take
my kids and give them to someone else. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "times new roman";"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">God is utterly sovereign</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: If there is one thing we’ve done
that has brought this point home, it’s fostering. In foster care, you lose all
control. We are only the foster parents. We’re expected to do what we’re told
and when we’re told to do it. The therapist, the case worker, the lawyer, the
judge, they all see themselves as professionals, and in many cases, they have
no interest in hearing from the adults who are in the trenches dealing with the
day-to-day activities with the child. Luckily, we have been able to look back
on situations that, at the time, looked utterly hopeless, but have been
redeemed in many ways. With that in mind, God has the bigger picture in view,
and we are left to trust. And maybe, just maybe, later on we will get to look
back on it with 20/20 vision. But for now, we can’t, and that’s okay. Our job
now is to do what we can with the time we have to do it. M has left her
mark on our family, and I am sure we have left ours on her in some fashion. Our
time with her matters, and we can only pray, and pray hard, that things will
turn out okay for her in the end.</span></div>
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Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-5573848988799821122017-06-18T14:14:00.002-07:002017-06-18T14:14:27.642-07:00Happy Father's DayAs we celebrate Father's Day, I get to reflect on how incredibly blessed I am to have a father who has shown me unconditional love. He read us stories, brushed our teeth, wrestled, went on hikes, took us camping, encouraged us to be adventurous, and spoiled us. He was always so patient with me and willing to be gentle in my emotionally charged teenage years. I remember times I would be sobbing in my room, probably for no reason, and my dad would come in anyway. He would meet me in my mess. He was and is such a great example of how our Heavenly Father pursues us, in our mess. And he always pointed us to Christ. My brother, sister and I have a collective favorite memory of him: seeing him reading his Bible while we came downstairs after we woke up. He is not perfect, but he knows that he is saved by God's amazing grace and always pointed us to God's truth, and I'm thankful he could show that to me. And even today, he does all he can to pour more love into my kids. We have asked him to love kiddos that aren't "blood," and he never gives it a second thought. He's as passionate about them as his own as I am, and for that, I am forever grateful. I love you, Dad!<br />
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Because of the man he was, my standards were pretty high to find a man to marry. In God's great mercy, I married Sean. I'm blown away at the dad he has become to our kids. I think back to when we were dating and first married, and he always said he only ever wanted one, maybe two kids (being raised with a total of 4 kids was too chaotic for him). But now he is a father of seven, and he is one of the best dad's I know. He makes them a priority in his life and moves beyond exhaustion to pour into them. This summer he has made it a point to wake up with each kiddo and look at the stars with them and teach them about the universe that God has created. He chooses to teach them God's truth on a continual basis. He is kind and gentle when a girly needs it, but then rough and playful when another needs that too. He gives all he is to be their father and to point them to Christ. I am so thankful that he is their dad. I love you, Sean!<br />
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<br />Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-7154042277152073362017-06-09T09:04:00.000-07:002017-06-09T11:05:02.428-07:00Love Your Neighbor As Yourself<style>
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This week has been rough. Very rough. A situation happened
to make me want to crawl in a hole and cry for a week. It was a defining moment
for our family in how we foster. We are choosing to let brokenness into our
home, and that brokenness affects every single area of our lives. Our innocent
children become aware of things far too early. We are tested and tried if these
children are worth the pain and strife they bring in.</div>
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Christ tells us the two greatest things in life are to “Love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
strength and with all your mind, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">love your neighbor as yourself” </i></b>(Luke
10:27). With what happened in our home, I knew that we were at a point of
loving this little girl like we would love ourselves. And when I think of
“ourselves,” I think of “our kids.” Many foster families will say, “I have to
keep my kids safe, so the foster kid needs to go for such and such a reason.” I
understand where they are coming from, but when are these foster children ever
going to be loved like they are someone’s “own” kids? When one of “your own”
children does something horrible, will you kick them out? Or will you do everything
in your power to make them be able to survive and eventually thrive in your
home? </div>
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Our girlie is teaching us that she needs to be loved. She
needs to be wanted. She needs to be safe and secure and free to make mistakes
and not get kicked out, or beaten, or abandoned for her sin. She is silently
asking us to love her as we love our other children. I have such a hard time
depicting any of my children different from the other. God has given us 7
children. How He gave us each child is as unique as the child. And I love that.
But with each of those gifts has come much heartbreak as well. </div>
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Colossians 3:1-3, 12-15, 17 “If then you have been raised
with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the
right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, no on things that
are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God . .
. Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts,
kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bearing with one another </i></b>and,
if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has
forgiven you, so you also must forgive. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And above all these put on love, which binds
everything together in perfect harmony</i></b>. And let the peace of Christ
rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body . . . <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And
whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”</i></b><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">P.S</i></b><b><i>. </i></b>Because of God's sovereignty, children are moved from homes not outside of His will. We have known families who have needed to move children from their home, and those choices are never taken lightly and really are necessary. Each family is unique. This is a post specifically about our family's foster journey. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></b> </div>
Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-55071811050523431422017-05-18T17:13:00.003-07:002017-05-18T17:41:01.624-07:00Miracle Number 1<style>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-size: 10.0pt;">"May I never boast
except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been
crucified to me, and I to the world" (Gal 6:18).</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One
thing that I’ve learned about foster care is that it makes you feel inherently
needy. First it isolates you from others in certain ways (friends don’t
understand what you’re going through, spouses have to divide and conquer by
taking different kids to different events, people think you’re crazy etc.). But
on top of that, it can stretch your finances. In foster care, they give you a
monthly stipend, which is normally enough to cover most expenses, but at times,
big purchases become necessary, such as a new car or a larger house, and it’s
been in this neediness that we’ve been able to really see God’s provision in a
way we’ve never witnessed before.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-size: 10.0pt;">When we first decided to
start fostering, we were continually going back and forth on the age of the
child we might accept, or if we should even accept two! But we knew we were not
ready emotionally or even physically to accept any over the age of eight. We
knew we wanted to be fully engaged emotionally with the older children, but with
us having a toddler of our own, a lot of time goes in to just monitoring her
actions. So we finally decided that we would accept one child between the ages
of 0-5yrs. While going through the training, our hearts broke more and more.
Every Sunday at church a song would play talking about how God is the Father to
the Fatherless. How I desperately wanted to take in as many children and tell
them of this TRUTH (Sean says he was a lot less sure he wanted to take in as
many as possible)! </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-size: 10.0pt;">But we just physically couldn't. Because of the legalities
concerning foster care, one child could share Abby's room, and another
little baby could sleep in our room (we had one other room on a different
level, but kids under 5 can’t stay on another level). On top of that, our car
couldn't fit three kids in the back, it could only barely squeeze two with car
seats. My heart continued to break because of this. But God had been teaching
me a lot. Sean and I started praying. If God wanted us to have two more kids
then He would just have to provide us with a van. But vans are expensive and we
didn’t have the money. He would have to do nothing short of a miracle for that
to happen.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-size: 10.0pt;">Even if we could save
anything, it would have taken us probably two years to get the money. But I
didn't know what my God had in store for us. One week before we were licensed,
I opened our door to find a manila envelope tucked underneath our doormat. I
picked it up and tossed it on the couch (we were on our way to meet Daddy at
his truck). The envelope would have to wait. When we got back, I opened the
package and I started shaking. Honestly, I was almost scared, because there was
$5,000.00 in cash and a note in there! The note read, "God hears
you." I started sobbing. Could God truly have heard our cry? Why was I in
such disbelief? My whole life God has shown Himself to be nothing short of
AWESOME. But in that moment, God had shown His faithfulness and provision.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-size: 10.0pt;">God brought us to a place
that we have challenged Him to "throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so
much blessing that you will not have room enough for it" (Mal 3:10). Well, we
"tested" (3:10) Him in it and He has done just that. He has poured an
abundance of blessing on us. "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse,
that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,' says the Lord Almighty,
'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out so much
blessing that you will not have room enough for it." Malachai 3:10</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-size: 10.0pt;">Thank you for this “Mom Van”
I swore I’d never drive.</span></div>
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Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-34740450076095005992017-05-15T18:59:00.002-07:002017-05-15T19:02:59.522-07:00Mother's Day<style>
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<span lang="EN-GB">I know this is a day late, but I wanted to
take the time to write about motherhood and foster care. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB">Obviously, I’m not the
mother, so I’m writing this from the outside in. But one thing I can tell you
about foster care is that oftentimes, the foster mom takes the brunt of a
child’s trauma; not just because she’s home with them all day, but because most
kids already have a bio-mom, whereas the bio-father may or may not be in the
picture. And this has been the case in nearly all of our placements. </span><br />
</div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">When we first started, we came into foster
care hoping to rescue children from hopeless situations. And in some ways we’ve
done that. But what no one tells you is that many of these kids don’t want to
be saved. Despite their circumstances, before being removed, the kids can count
on life being familiar. They know what to expect, even if they can only expect
abuse or neglect. What’s more is that there is an inherent bond between a
parent and child, even if it’s dysfunctional, and this is especially true of
the biological mother. So we find that most kids have a desperate desire to be
reconciled to their biological mother, even if that relationship is untenable.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB">As a result of these discoveries, Rach has
spent much of her time as a nurturer knowing that there is some type of
disconnect between herself and most of our children. Our kids love her, but
given the choice, some of them might choose their bio-mom over her if given the
chance… and this is a heart wrenching reality. In essence, Rach has been called
to be a mother to children who, at least at times, wish to have someone else in
that role. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB">But years ago, up in our bathroom, Rach
printed off a verse in which Paul writes, “<span class="text">I want to know
Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings,
becoming like him in his death,</span> <span class="text"><sup> </sup>and
so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.</span>” (Phil.
3:10-11). Rach has participated in Christ’s sufferings in ways I may never
experience. Christ died for us even when we were still enemies. Even as
Christians, we push away constantly when He would draw near. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB">Similarly, Rach
has offered herself for these kids, though they unknowingly and subconsciously
push away. But she keeps pushing forward anyway. And this is to love as Christ
loves. It’s not always done in perfection, and many times we have rough days where we just need to regroup and let tomorrow be a new day. But if there’s one
thing that foster care has taught me, it’s in the realization of just how far
Christ moves toward us in spite of ourselves, and Rach has played no small role
in that realization.</span><br />
</div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Thank you Rach, for your persistence and
constancy in loving these kids. It’s often thankless work, but you’ve excelled
in it. </span></div>
Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-43748310246537900692017-05-03T19:17:00.002-07:002017-05-03T19:17:41.902-07:00Where it All Began<style>
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<span lang="EN-GB">“There are about
100,000 children in foster care that are currently waiting to be adopted across
America, and there are over 100,000,000 professing Christians in the same area.
Why aren’t Christians opening more of their homes to these kids when God clearly
calls us to care for the widows and the orphans? Where’s the disconnect?” This
was the statement that first made me consider fostering about 5 years ago. I
had been listening to Francis Chan preach while driving from job to job working
as a technician, and the rebuke hit me like a ton of bricks. The truth is, I
had never even considered foster care. I honestly would have been happy
stopping at the one girl we had at the time. On top of that, I was going to
school full time and working anywhere from 45-55 hours a week, so taking on
extra responsibilities was not at the top of my list. But God had other plans. The
sermon stuck out to me, so I brought the idea back to my wife Rachel. After a
few days, I basically forgot about the sermon, but Rach was actively looking at
agencies, and so while I brought the idea home, it was Rach who did all of the
leg work. She found an agency in town, and within about three months we were
trained and certified. Not even 24 hours later, we received a call for our
first placement, which we accepted. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span lang="EN-GB">It’s been four and
a half years since we were first certified. Throughout those years, we have
adopted four children, have two biological children, had a teen-mom who briefly
made us grandparents at the ripe old age of 27, had a number of kids come
through for respite, and we currently have one sweet girl as a foster
placement. Altogether, we currently have seven kids in our home. While most of
the time it’s utter chaos, there is something about foster care that teaches our kids that people are important, and they’re
worth it.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Rach and I have
wanted to start a blog on this for a long time. We’ve finally realized that
there will never really be a time when everything settles down, so we’re going
to try to just resurrect Rach's old one and see what happens by each writing about it from our
different perspectives. We want to give others a view of what fostering might
do to your family (both good and bad), or how one might help even if they can’t
take in a child as a placement, and lastly, how God has provided for us over
and over again, prepping us for each next step we were about to take. </span></div>
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Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-19045052068014228072017-05-03T13:31:00.002-07:002017-05-03T13:31:23.799-07:00A Letter to AbbyMy little girl is about to turn three here in a few months. I want to cry a little thinking about it. It's so neat looking back over the past 3+ years of God giving her to us. I had no clue that I wanted this little girl, but now I could not imagine life any different.<br />
<br />
She's got this duel personality. A public one and a private one.<br />
<br />
In public she is: sweet, sensitive, timid, compassionate, loving, caring, gracious, and kind.<br />
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<br />
In private she is: funny, loud, boisterous, sweet, naughty, arrogant, self-centered, bossy, cuddly, and loving.<br />
<br />
God has created her for such a unique person. Born the oldest, but two years later becoming the baby. People often ask us if we regret changing the "birth order." Never. God wants her just where she's at. I love you sweet Abby girl.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
MommySean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-13932075606671624622014-04-14T06:24:00.003-07:002014-04-14T09:54:33.398-07:00It's Been a Pretty Rough Go Lately...As some of you know, our family has doubled in less than a year from a family of three to a family of six. On December 20, 2012 God added two sisters to our family. On December 6, 2013 God added a baby boy to our family.<br />
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<br />
I'm tempted to ask God what He was thinking doing that, but I can't question God's character. He does not make mistakes.<br />
<br />
With that being said, this newest addition and transition has been physically exhausting. This baby seems to have gotten every little baby sickness possible, all while throwing up the majority of his food during the day just to not be able to sleep at night because he's tired and in pain.<br />
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On top of that, our poor sweet girls have had to go through more emotional trauma that would break any normal persons heart completely. But God made our girlies resilient. Either way though, it's been tough emotionally to handle the stress that has come from their trauma.<br />
<br />
After four months of these difficulties....I think I finally broke.<br />
<br />
I felt lost, abandoned and alone. I had no clue why God would be putting us through these trials.<br />
<br />
The weight felt unbearable.<br />
<br />
And then I read Psalm 66: 5, 8-12<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Come and see what God has done, He is awesome in His deeds toward the children of man . . . Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of His praise be heard, who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip. For you, O God, have tested us; You have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; You laid a crushing burden on our backs; You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; <b>yet You have brought us out to a place of abundance.</b>"</i><br />
<br />
This encapsulates everything that we are feeling right now. There is a crushing burden placed on our backs. We are being pushed through fire and water. YET, despite of it all, God has, and will continue to, bring us to a place of abundance.<br />
<br />
Sean and I have been talking so much lately about this crushing burden we've been asked to carry. I'm not always sure why, but after reading these verses, we are so honored and so loved that He would choose to test us. To try us. To refine us for His holy purpose. I am so honored thinking that He has chosen us to love these littles who are the least of these. Who everyone else might give up on. Yet God has given them to us because He knows we won't give up. He will bring us to the place of abundance because of the testing and refining He has put us through.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
P.S. If you would like to donate to our foster care agency, you can go <a href="http://www.fundeasy.com/m/1802421/" target="_blank">here</a>.Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-4191592054254853912014-02-16T13:57:00.000-08:002017-05-03T12:09:35.078-07:00A Mother's Loss<br />
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<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">"A child born to another woman calls me mommy. The magnitude of that tragedy and the depth of that privilege are not lost on me."</span></div>
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<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"> ~Jody Landers</span></div>
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An amazing foster mommy and friend posted this quote on her page the other day, and it resonated with me. Especially the "magnitude of that tragedy" part.<span class="UFIBlingBoxTimeline" style="float: right;"><span data-reactid=".3"></span></span><span class="UIActionLinks UIActionLinks_bottom" data-ft="{"tn":"=","type":20}" style="color: #999999;"></span></div>
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Lately I have been grieving the loss of a mother. The mother of my children. </div>
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That may sound odd to some, but it makes so much sense to me. My children's mothers are missing out on so many special, wonderful, beautiful moments. Moments that can never be recaptured or redone. A baby's first smile. A hand hold. Calling me mommy for the first time. An amazing teacher conference. Learning to tie their shoe for the first time or ride a bike for the first time. A child learning to read or draw hearts or spell and write. These are the moments that are stored away in a mother's heart that make being a mommy so priceless. </div>
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I am grieving for their moms who have not witnessed these moments. My children are so amazing. They are precious and they are beautiful. Their mom's don't get to be with them and that hurts my heart for them so much. </div>
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To take a step back to when I first became a mother, I had to decide whether to continue on the course of becoming a teacher or chose a different degree. Abby would've been born when I was student teaching. I could postpone that degree for one semester, but after that I would have to continue on. It was such a difficult decision. I thought for certain that God had called me to be a teacher, but then we got pregnant with Abby at~what I thought~was precisely the wrong time. I had to reassess what God had called me to do. I fought night and day over this decision, and a very wise woman, my mommy, told me something that has changed my life forever. She said, "You can always go back to school to become a teacher, but you can never get those moments back with Abby as a baby." That was it. I decided to finish my Bachelor's Degree in English Literature so that I could stay home and be a full time mommy with Abby. I have loved it. Of course there are days where I need to get away from my kiddos, but I could not <i>not </i>be with them.</div>
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That is why my heart grieves for these moms. These moms, who for some reason, cannot be in their children's lives right now. Mothering is the absolute hardest thing I have ever done, but it is also the most rewarding. </div>
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I have been crying what seems like non-stop the past few days for these moms. Thinking about how their children don't get to be with the one who birthed them, and thinking about how the one who birthed them doesn't get to be with my child. God has not orchestrated things to be like this, but how Sovereign, Awesome, and Gracious is He that He enabled me to be their mom today. I am so humbled by the fact that He loves ME so much to give me these kids. Not only does He let me serve Him in the capacity of mothering them, but He LOVES me. He is delighted by me. I am blown away by Him. </div>
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To the moms of my kids, I am so sorry for your loss, but I want you to know how much I love your babies. I will pray for you continually so that you may know the Father's love in an intimate and life-changing way. That you may know you are desired and wanted by Him. I pray that these children will have impacted and changed your life in such a way that they draw you to see the awesome Savior. He is so so good, and I can't wait for you to know that one day.</div>
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Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-74577825033106788052013-12-20T07:20:00.003-08:002013-12-20T07:20:59.662-08:00What a Man...Let me tell you about one of the best men I've ever met: My husband.<br />
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We have been married five years now, and I'm still in shock about how this guy could choose me. Maybe it was because of my awesome laster tag skills that I had when we played our Senior year in high school or because of the letters I sent to him in bootcamp, but somehow I snagged him.<br />
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I have been so blessed to see him grow into an amazing man of God. He leads not only me, but our family to seek after God with our whole hearts. And he leads by example. I can't say that I've met more than a handful of people who do that.<br />
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I watched Sean go from a man who said he'd be more than happy with just one kid, to now wanting five (or as many as God wants us to have.) That, my friends, is because he let God mold him into who He wanted Sean to be.<br />
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I'm challenged by him on a daily basis. I'm stubborn and don't want to change my ways. But when I see my husband willing to change and grow because of how God is prodding him, I want to change and grow. I wish it was as easy as he made it seem though. He truly changes with ease and lets God mold him.<br />
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Sean used to be this quiet, introverted man. Of course he's still just a little quiet ;-) but not with our kids. He plays, he talks, he interacts like an amazing dad does. He puts himself out there for them because of what they need and want. He's one of the best dad's I've ever met.<br />
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Even with our new little guy, he helps in the middle of the night when G is having his fussy time. He's amazing.<br />
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He's also one of the hardest workers I've ever met. Right now he's not only a husband, a daddy of FOUR :-), and working 50+ hour weeks, but he's getting his masters. Yes, it's crazy. And I think sometimes he's a little crazy. But we know that's what God wants Him to do. And rather than shying away from the difficulties, he presses on. He really even does so well in all of them. When I'm feeling so drained and needing time with him, he's willing to post-pone homework and give me a date-night-in. When the girls want to play mommy/baby with him, he'll agree to be their son and cry for them all they like. When he's asked to work all Thanksgiving, he does it, because he's a man of his word. And when he's asked to right 12 page papers, he writes them well and gives all he's got.<br />
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When I grow up I hope to be like him. I want to be kind and compassionate in all circumstances to our kids. I want to give 100% when I feel like only giving 50%. I want to honest and caring and loving at all times.<br />
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I'm so blessed to have you in my life. I love you Sean :-) Happy 5 Year Anniversary.<br />
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Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-26761073572514671972013-12-03T21:16:00.000-08:002013-12-03T21:16:24.107-08:00Letter to AI wish I was the mom you deserved.<br />
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When I step back from everything that's going on and look at you I see such a beautiful, amazing daughter of God.<br />
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You are a girl that lights up a room with your infectious smile. You get giddy with excitement over the simplest things. You bring such joy to our family.<br />
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I don't know why I'm so hard on you. Maybe it's because I see too much of myself in you so I push you harder and harder until one of us breaks.<br />
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It's not fair, and I'm sorry baby girl. You don't deserve that at all.<br />
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You are the girl, the new girl, who decides to befriend the other new girl at school. Your teacher said he's never known a new student to step up and welcome the other new student. But you do.<br />
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You are also the best sister in the world. Even when Abby is mean to you, you look for any way to be sweet and kind. Any girl would kill to have a sister like you.<br />
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You, my daughter, have the love of God in you and you share it with everyone else. Sometimes you may go overboard and smother, but you love wholeheartedly.<br />
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I pray you never lose that passion and zeal and child-like love of Christ. Tonight you made a poster of the manger scene and wrote "God sent Jesus to save us." Then you made a beautiful song about how God's people were being very bad, but because God loves us so much He gave us Jesus, and now His people can be good because we have Jesus. You're so precious.<br />
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I'm sorry I'm hard on you. Please forgive me sweet girl.<br />
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I love you always and forever.<br />
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MommySean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-79984212524183558032013-08-23T20:40:00.000-07:002013-08-23T20:40:20.530-07:00A Letter to TMy awesome sister, Beth, <a href="http://ramblingsofamomster.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blogs</a>. If you don't read her blog, you should start. She's pretty amazing and very well spoken/written. She has inspired me to begin writing a letter to my children. She has done quite a few and they're beautifully sentimental. I have this ideal world that I won't forget any moments with my children, good or bad. That my brain will remember it all. However, I am already forgetting simple things that were so "monumental" during Abby's first year of life.<br />
So, I will begin writing letters to my kiddos.<br />
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My first is to my beautiful five year old, T. She begins kindergarten on Wednesday, and I'm nervous, but excited for her. We went to her "Back To School" night last night and got a whole slew of paperwork to fill out. One was a sheet asking me to tell the teacher all about her. I love that I was forced to sit down and think about so many different things concerning just T. We fill out so much paperwork on these girls that I get lost in completing the task. But this time, I got to stop and think about this precious daughter of mine.<br />
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To my T.,<br />
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I am so blessed and honored to be your mama right now. You are determined and dedicated. Fragile and faithful. When you are encouraged and praised you keep trying until you finish and master it. We bought you a bike for finishing preschool and within five minutes you were riding with no training wheels, no help, no reserve. Your feet don't even touch the ground, but that doesn't deter you from riding it.<br />
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You are the best little mommy, and Abby just adores you. Abby may be naughty sometimes, ok, a lot, but I think she would be completely heartbroken without her big sister/mommy. There are way too many times when Abby cries out, "Mommy!" to receive my, "Yes Abby." Only to be returned by, "No, you not my mommy. T is my mommy!!!" You're kind, compassionate, and so loving towards her.<br />
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You are mommy's little helper and cell phone finder. I can always count on you to be more than willing to jump on a task that I ask of you. You're constantly looking for ways to receive praise, and I fail you too often by not giving you that praise, but you still help and do awesome things none-the-less.<br />
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You are Daddy's little girl. From the moment we got you, you wouldn't let go of him. Wanting to be held, wanting to hold hands, wanting to sit on his lap for stories and prayer. I sometimes feel as though you would trade me for Daddy any day, but I know you need me and love me too ;-)<br />
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I even think you sometimes have a lot of my genes. You take criticism really hard, are willing to eat anything for a treat, and love putting Leo, the cat, in a stroller for a walk. All summer long you have been asking to ride a horse. Did you know that I have a deep sense of love for horses? Nanny and Pa even let me have horseback riding lessons during middle and high school. Pa grew up above a barn for awhile and even Great Grandma Carol has worked with horses almost her entire life. It's in our blood. AND... for our mother/daughter date I knew exactly what you and I should do. Go riding! I think you were in Heaven.<br />
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T, I know you have so much to overcome and that there are hurdles that seem like mountains that you'll have to jump over. But I've already seen you do so much. You came to us not recognizing any of the alphabet, not knowing how to write your name, not drawing in the lines, having nightmares, not looking me in the eye or telling me you love me. Now, now you know the entire alphabet, write your name, color pictures, button your jammies, brush your hair, have sweet dreams, ride a bike, love me, and most importantly love Jesus and tell others how He now lives in your heart. You even say that when you grow up you want to be a Ballerina Missionary. Are you just the cutest thing??</div>
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I so desperately want Jesus to let me be your forever mommy, but I know He loves you so much more than I do. That you are His little princess, now and always. That He will be by your side when I am and when I'm not. </div>
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You have a beautiful heart that you are so careful to guard and keep safe. I am so honored that you have chosen to share some of it with me. I promise you that I will do my best, and prayerfully even better at taking care of it for as long as I can. There is more to you than you know. You will be the light and appearance of God like you've never known or expected.</div>
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Thank you for letting me be a part of your life right now. I love you dear T.</div>
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Love,</div>
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Mommy</div>
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P.S. If you want to be apart of little girls and boys like T, you can donate to our agency that helps hundreds of foster and adoptive kids <a href="http://www.ministrysync.com/event/website/?m=1452466" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
<br />Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-61093555661768248302013-08-05T06:56:00.000-07:002013-08-05T07:05:37.333-07:00Moving MerciesOr I could title this blog "Moving Mayhem." Both describe the past few weeks well.<br />
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Over a year ago I was walking through my parents neighborhood looking at all the gorgeous homes and property surrounding the homes. We had just begun the fostering paperwork process and I was anxious to help as many children as possible. Our home only enabled us to take in two, and our car only one. God handled the <a href="http://thechroniclesofrachelh.blogspot.com/2012/11/gods-provision.html" target="_blank">car</a>. I began praying that if God wanted us to take in more kiddos He'd have to be the one to pretty much give us a bigger house.<br />
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I didn't doubt that God could do such a thing. I just didn't believe that He <i>wanted</i> to do such a thing.<br />
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I WAS WRONG.<br />
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About six months ago my parents approached Sean and I with the gift of their home. They'd been trying to sell their Bed & Breakfast, home, and cabins for nearly three years now. With many prospective buyers, none of them were able to purchase all the properties or even just the business. I guess my parents just felt pressed by God to gift us their house! Crazy right?! Essentially we'd be getting our inheritance early. They'd move into the Lodge and make that their home while we would be their neighbors in my mom's dream house she'd built twelve years ago.<br />
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You'd think we'd jump on the offer and immediately say yes to being given a house. However, it took us about five months to say yes. We had just recently gotten our two other daughters and were learning all about being parents to three kids and learning the system of fostering as well. After a lot of discussions and fine-tuning a deal with family, we said yes! God directly answered my prayers in giving us a bigger house. I so LOVE how my God works like that. I get to see Him tangibly through His servants everyday. I get to see how He provides for His kids when they walk in His will.<br />
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We really are pretty terrified of moving to a house where we could easily take in two more kids fairly soon, and with an extra seat in our van we could take in three more. Being a mommy of three has been pretty exhausting. And being a mommy of three very needy children is even more tasking physically and emotionally. But how can you say no to our God? How can you say no to bringing a child from an abusive and neglectful home to a home of crazy love chaos?<br />
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I have been so encouraged by reading Katie Davis' book <i>Kisses From Katie</i> and her journey of adopting 13 children in Uganda, as a single woman, of 22! She talks about how people so often tell her God will never give her more than she can handle. But God will most certainly give you more than you can handle so that He is the only possible reason you can get through the situation He put you in.<br />
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That is the type of situation Sean and I feel like we are about to enter into. My two oldest are about to start a new school, in a new home, in a new city, with new friends they have yet to meet, and I am nervous for them. Transitions are so difficult for children from hard places. And there are a lot of transitions they're going to have to go through because what God told us we could do. But it makes this mama's heart nervous!<br />
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And I know I can't handle more kids, but I also feel as though that is exactly what God wants us to handle. We do have a few months or so before we can actually take more kiddos, but will I be ready for more kids by then? No. But do I know God is ready for more kids through me-yes. I love how I can look back over the past seven months and see God's fingerprints all over these three girls. Truly, the days have been long but the months and years have been short. If we can get more kids and see God's fingerprints all over them, then it will all be worth it-no sleep and all.<br />
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I wish I could say I've entered into this house agreement with total grace and gratefulness without letting my flesh get in the way. That is not the case. I've belittled my parents and my spouse. Been annoyed at God and my children. And we've practically begrudgingly accepted this gift. My heart is so terrified of what God wants me to do that I feel like I'll do it but not without some kicking and screaming and whining on the way. I'm sorry Mom and Dad for that. I'm sorry Sean for not being your encourager. And I'm sorry girls for taking that frustration out on you. I feel as though I am now at the point to let the Lord do His work in my heart to become joyous and gracious for this gift-it's just taken six months to get there.<br />
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Our God is such an awesome God, and the fact that He lets me be used is so humbling. It truly brings tears to my eyes that He looks so favorably on Sean and I to use us at all! Thank you, Lord, for letting us be your light to a dark world. Thank you for using us despite our flesh and our sins. Thank you for even giving us the opportunity to house more of your children. And thank you for giving us a family, even beyond blood, that will let us be used by you.<br />
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Here's to more car washing experiences at our new home :-)</div>
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P.S. If YOU want to be involved in helping orphans or foster children just like our girls, consider supporting our agency, Hope and Home. Every year they do a fundraising event to raise money to help provide more and more for foster children. You can participate by praying for us, walking with us, or donating financially <a href="http://www.ministrysync.com/event/website/?m=1452466" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<br />Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-66830533841892720802013-06-21T19:44:00.001-07:002013-06-21T19:44:44.276-07:00A True MiracleSean is gone. He's gone for two and a half weeks and it's only been 8 days! It's been a rough 8 days though. I'm not sure if there's a spiritual attack, but that's sure what it feels like. Here's a sampling of what the week has looked like emotionally:<br />
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Tuesday: While waiting at the tire store to get our flat tire fixed, A. looks up at me and says, "Mommy, being with you is like being in Heaven. Being here with you and Daddy is probably just what Heaven is like."<br />
Thursday: While amidst a meltdown A. says, "I HATE YOU MOMMY!"<br />
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Both events make me want to cry. We worked through the last issue, but it still hurt. This whole week has seemed to hurt. I miss my husband. I miss him terribly. The girls miss their Daddy. We even had to spend Father's Day without him. I even just seeing my own Daddy around because he has to work all the time :-( However, it was a good reminder that we are here to celebrate the love of our Heavenly Father. Our Father who never leaves us nor forsakes us.<br />
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I have to begin to rejoice in the small battles we do win. T. is becoming more verbal with her emotions, and she's sometimes sharing on her own! She graduated preschool, can write her own name, is coloring awesomely in the lines, plays with other kids when she wants to, learned to ride a bike in five minutes, and more! A. has the sweetest, most generous heart, loves so deeply, is the best big sister, is compassionate, has calmed down immensely, is a genius, and eats new foods! Abby sometimes sleeps through the night (ha), is sometimes potty trained (another ha!), loves cuddling with T., thanks Jesus for everything she sees and every time we get up the driveway, and sings herself to sleep with 'Jesus Loves Me'.<br />
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I need to shout it from the mountaintops when we have big victories. T. gave her life to Christ at VBS!!!!!! Can you believe it!!!!!! Praise God! (Even satan tried to steal that victory, but I claim life over her!). A., awhile back, got baptized!!!!! Aren't those the ultimate victories? Everything else is just a wash. At the time it certainly doesn't feel that way, but I need to remember that we are here to pour Christ's love into these girls. I am a deeply flawed woman and mommy and wife. I don't know why God gave these girls to us, but they truly are my heart and song. They bring such joy. If only I could show you their sweet, beautiful faces, you would understand. But for now you get to see their beautiful hair :-) These girls already exude Christ's love, and that is the true miracle in all of this.<br />
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These are the girls we get to pour into. These are the girls who are the light of our lives. Thank you God for giving them to us right now.Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-82350215707717028072013-05-24T06:11:00.000-07:002013-05-24T06:11:13.427-07:00Prayers PleaseLong time no blog... I'm not sure why I've taken so long to write a post, but I have. The past month or so has had many ups and many downs. Mother's Day week was difficult to get through, <i>emotionally</i>. A & T are now done with school-<i>more emotions</i>. Bio mom missed four visits straight, but then decided to show up this past Monday-<i>more emotions still</i>.<br />
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But there have been many positives as well. This Mother's Day I was celebrated as a mommy of three-<i>complete joy.</i> "My husband rose up and called me blessed"-<i>complete humility. </i>Sean completed school just last night-<i>sense of relief! </i>A & T learned how to ride bikes-<i>total excitement! </i>Abby's a little light in this darkness that we go through at times-<i>blessing. </i><br />
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But now we find ourselves at month number five with our girls. While A has truly made huge steps forward in learning how to handle certain emotions, we've watched T regress more and more since the day bio mom stepped into the picture. She is finally starting to show emotions, as difficult as those tantrums are, she is <i>finally </i>showing emotions. Abby has made the transition, we believe, fully into having two older sisters. Her first two months were complete chaos, but how she is finally sleeping "regularly," playing, eating, getting bigger, bringing joy and laughter and a lot of sassiness. But I can see how much A & T love her and how much Abby loves them. I've loved watching Abby develop these relationships with her sisters and vice versa. They may "only" be foster sisters (and I say that term sarcastically), but they are family now and forever.<br />
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June 4th is a big day in this household. It's court. As far as we know bio mom has done absolutely nothing except show up to court <i>once, </i>show up to mediation <i>once, </i>and show up to a grand total of four visits in the past five months (that's four hours in the past five months that she has seen her beautiful kids.) My frustrations are high, but I KNOW without a doubt that our God has this all in His hands. Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." That is what we must rest in, and that is what we rely on.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvm8fIF908nUmOTMzt7i7iIb7bDaVhQnG7PJbnzrHocKstSnI0o09vyuEgPErKvabLx7icMcB22lIwaf9aYpl8hBUknnh_s1a7dZTOYX0luET3ftizU9NFqKUTezWugJs7tKiPM7CpPcS8/s1600/DSC04620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvm8fIF908nUmOTMzt7i7iIb7bDaVhQnG7PJbnzrHocKstSnI0o09vyuEgPErKvabLx7icMcB22lIwaf9aYpl8hBUknnh_s1a7dZTOYX0luET3ftizU9NFqKUTezWugJs7tKiPM7CpPcS8/s320/DSC04620.JPG" width="320" /></a>Court, we are praying, will begin to make some hard decisions against bio mom, pressuring her to get her act together <i>or else</i>. The foster system, as much as it is intended to be a system to protect the children, is seemingly set up in favor of giving bio parents every last chance to win over their children. It makes me furious. But as Sean and I were talking last night, he came to a tough revelation that shouldn't we, as Christians, desire for others to have chance after chance after chance and an abundance of time to find Christ (at least while they spend their time here on earth)? Maybe I'm using this verse out of context because it seems to be discussing one who has already been a Christian and wandering off rather than one who is not, but Matthew 18:13-15 says "And if he finds it (the one sheep that wandered from the 99), truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish."<br />
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We want God's will to be accomplished, but we so desperately want God's will to be us keeping these girls. We're asking for you all to be praying for us and with us as this time approaches. They are going to be requesting additional "Relative Resources" to be made, which sends out more letters to all the relatives seeing if any of them want to take the girls. We're terrified about that, but we know our God loves these girls and cares for them more than we do and will continue to protect them. But that does not mean our prayers are to be weak-willed.<br />
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<i>2 Corinthians 1:3-11 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we knowthat just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sense of death. <b>But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead</b>. <b>He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us again. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many." </b></i></div>
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Please join with us in fighting for our girls on the spiritual realm. God is their Defender, but I know He wants us to ask Him to do what He <i>can do </i>and so much more. God has not called us to sit idly by as His children, He has called us to fight this battle <i>as </i>His children.<br />
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Thank you friends.Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-54813456601112803992013-04-06T08:05:00.001-07:002013-04-06T08:05:41.843-07:00What A FunkWhat a week!<br />
I'll be honest with you all, this has been the most difficult week for me since we've gotten the girlies. After three months of their biological mom not being in the picture, two weeks ago she showed up for her first visitation. Our oldest, A., did NOT want to go. But we had to force her. Court order. I cried and cried as I watched the girls walk away from me and to their bio mom. With their mom not in the picture at all, I truly felt as though I took on every aspect of being their mom. I was raising them from the point of view that they were MY daughters. And these girls were looking to me as though I would be their forever mom.<br />
The past two weeks has changed that. They are now ready to move back with their mom and constantly remind us that we're not their <i>real </i>home. I'm not their <i>real </i>mom. Abby isn't their <i>real </i>sister. This breaks my heart into a million pieces. I keep asking God why He would let things unfold in such a way. And although I have not gotten back a solid answer, I can only imagine He really needed me to love these girls like they were my own. To hold nothing back from them. And that is what I've done. But now my heart is suffering for it.<br />
This week I have been dealing with those emotions, and for about four days I've sulked through it. Sean kept asking me what was the matter, but I don't think I even knew to explain to him. So he got a lot of, "I don't know. I just feel defeated." Hard for a hubby to hear. He couldn't do much because he didn't even know what was going on, but he was still supportive and very hands on with the girls when he was home, but my attitude drained him as well.<br />
To add to the emotions, A. has been having 4-10 meltdowns a day since her visit with bio mom this week. She's perfectly fine one minute, but the next she's a little monster. And then she's great again. We've now (kinda) learned how to handle them (since they have taken on a whole new face than her previous meltdowns), but it is DRAINING! I love this girl so much, and it makes me so upset that the courts would allow children to endure more trauma like this. But this is what it is. And these are the beautiful girls God gave to us. I can't stop loving them, even when they say I'm just their foster mommy, and Abby's just their foster sissy.<br />
After day four of sulking I was able to go to my Bible Study. I honestly can't remember much of what was spoken in the class, but our devotional speaker said Isaiah 55:<br />
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"Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on them, and to our God, for He will freely pardon. <b>For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. </b>As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is MY word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thorn bush will grow the juniper and instead of the briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord's renown, for an everlasting sign that will endure forever."<br />
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It was a smack in the face to read that. God is Sovereign and in control, and His plans are NOT my plans. But I will hold tightly to the promise that His Word will not return empty. That these girls are watered and immersed in truth because we pour that truth over them. That instead of turning into thorn bushes they will be junipers. His love will flood into their lives because of us, and I pray they know that love from everlasting to everlasting.<br />
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<br />Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-90905627948533658722013-03-16T07:47:00.001-07:002013-03-16T07:47:31.477-07:00Fostering Frustrations...We are heading into our third month of having our sweet girls! However, this road seems to be getting harder rather than easier.<br />
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After we thought we had "figured out" our oldest daughters triggers in avoiding episodes and meltdowns, we are getting into the nitty gritty of the court system.<br />
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They tell you over and over again that the goal of fostering is reunification, but I won't lie to you, my heart desires these daughters to be our daughters forever. We fall in love with them more and more every day. Even in dealing with severe meltdowns with our oldest, we wouldn't give her up for the world.<br />
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I'm not sure where God is guiding and directing us in all of this, but I know He is sovereign. I'm currently in a Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, and Kay Arthur study called Faithful, Abundant, True. The past few weeks have been about God's power, and how to live in His power. We are His daughters filled by the Holy Spirit to do great things. Jesus tells us in John 14:11-13, "Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even <b>greater things</b> than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father will be glorified in the Son." Priscilla says that she often prays, "Do this or do something greater." My prayer is: Please give us these girls God, or do something better with them.<br />
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As foster parents, we have practically zero rights over these girls--these girls they tell me to be a mommy to, but don't actually be a mom to them (but that's a rant for a whole other time). But because we don't have any rights in the legal system, I have had to step back and see what I <i>can</i> do for these girls. And a verse was put before me that I know God wanted me to hear for this moment: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine <b>POWER</b> to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." Our place as their foster parents is to be praying fervently over them and loving them as much as we possibly can. There is such an urgency to do everything all at once, but we are exhausted! That's why I am so incredibly appreciative of the friends and family who have banned with us in investing in these girls life. I even have friends and family who aren't here in town who are dedicated to praying often for us and the girls. And the battle is truly being fought in the spiritual realms, not in the court system. I don't know how we could do this without support of those who love us and who love the girls. Thank you!<br />
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Keep on praying and fighting for these girls to be victorious in the will God has designed for them. They are amazing. And if you haven't gotten a chance to meet them yet, make it so we HAVE to do something. Our lives are crazier everyday, but these girls need to know they are loved by so many, even more so loved by God.<br />
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Again, thank you to those who are supporting us. We truly don't know how we could do this without you.<br />
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<br />Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-88347789188519449352013-02-19T19:33:00.002-08:002013-02-19T19:33:25.694-08:00A Weekend AwayThis past weekend we got to go on our first overnight getaway as a family of five. I must admit that I was a little nervous about being in a car for four hours, but the girls did amazingly well! Even Abby! They slept half the time up there, which meant I didn't have to listen to four hours of Veggie Tales ;-)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand Lake, CO<br />View from our cabin</td></tr>
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Sean, Abby and I have been up to my father-in-law's co-owned cabin once before, but it was during the summer. This time when we got there we had to park about 200ft away from the cabin because the snow was too deep to drive through, (also, our van does not do well in the snow so it was really probably for the better). Only one child fell while walking to the cabin. I tried not to laugh, but it was a classic snowfall, and she was adorable doing so. It made the trek through the snow a little more light-hearted anyway.<br />
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Saturday was our "snow" packed day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We went sledding</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">built forts</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted Marshmallows</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made snow angels</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tended to the fire</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoyed the fire :-)</td></tr>
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made snow men, shoveled, painted, read books, and relaxed. Although a vacation with three children is not as relaxing as a vacation with two, or even three, it was still a time away. A time away from endless laundry, dishes, dirty bathrooms (and everything else dirty), paperwork, and the list goes on.<br />
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Learning to just stop and play with the girls has been one of my biggest challenges. I seem to always have something to do. This was finally an opportunity to be with the girls and even just sit on the couch with my hubby and read while he did schoolwork.<br />
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I love that we had a family getaway. And the girls loved it as well. We kept asking them what their favorite thing to do was and the answer was always changing. What I gather from that was they enjoyed everything.<br />
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Our family growth has brought challenges and changes, but I wouldn't chose to have it any other way.<br />
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I feel the journey thus far (2 MONTHS!) can be summarized through these verses:<br />
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<i><b>Psalm 40:1-4a</b></i><br />
<i><b>"I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust" </b></i><br />
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I praise God for giving us this time away as a family. I praise God for giving me this family. And I praise God for using us to love on these girls like they are our very own.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 7px; line-height: 0px;"><br /></span></span>Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-7589545903267512382013-01-30T12:45:00.000-08:002013-01-30T12:45:14.853-08:00A Praying ChildWe have now been a family of five for six weeks. Our foster agency tells you to just make it through the first month, and we have! Trials and tribulations have definitely occurred, and I'm sure they will continue to occur, but we are so blessed to be able to love on these girls.<br />
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Despite all the difficulties, one of the best things we have witnessed in the past six weeks is the girls' relationship with Jesus. I absolutely love how they have fallen in love with God. There are times when I think they know more about how to just love Jesus than I do, and I think they've really only ever known about Him starting six weeks ago.<br />
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One way I see this is in their prayer life. When we first got the girls we made it a point to pray with them every night. The first couple of weeks they didn't want to pray. I don't think it was because they didn't want to pray, but I think it was more the fact they didn't know how to pray. Now they seem as though they are prayer experts. And because of their prayers now, our little, just turned 2 year old even prays!<br />
I love it. I love when they pray. Their prayers are usually short, simple, and sweet, "Dear Jesus, I pray we don't have any nightmares tonight. Amen!"<br />
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Other times their prayers seem to be never-ending: "Dear Jesus, I pray we don't have any nightmares tonight. Thank you that I got to have special time with Nanny today. I pray sissy gets to have special time with her soon too. I pray that Abby sleeps through the night so mommy gets more sleep. I thank you for sissies. I thank you for mommy and daddy. I thank you for nanny and pa. I thank you for Mimi. I thank you for Auntie Beth, Jo Jo, Micah, Ella . . . " And the list continues for awhile. Yes, it's bed time and I need them to sleep, but how can I cut them off from talking to God?! Their Father who has loved them since before they were born?!<br />
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(Abby's prayers seem to go something like this, "Pray no nightmares, Pray no nightmares, Pray no nightmares. Amen!" They are elaborated if her sisters prompt her with something else to pray about)<br />
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Our Elementary Pastor has been encouraging the kids at church to find quiet time with God, and as I went to wake up our 7 year old, she said "I was talking to God just now." Melted my heart. She loves it. She loves talking to her Daddy, and I love her talking to her Daddy too.<br />
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Mark 10:14-16 says this, "Jesus said to His disciples, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.' And He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them."<br />
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Our girls came to us with horrible nightmares. We began praying over them immediately, and now they too, ask God to give them peaceful sleep. I think it has been over a week since they have had a nightmare, and even before that they only seemed to be having them intermittently. God hears the cries of these girls, of His children, and answers them; He blesses them. It is one of the most beautiful things to be a part of.<br />
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Our prayer now is that their love for talking to God and experiencing Him grows tenfold as the days go on.<br />
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There truly have been many difficulties in the past couple weeks, but I know the focus needs to be on the successes these girls are making. And this, I believe, is one of the greatest successes yet.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380473869558719613.post-71280046062143789712013-01-12T20:47:00.000-08:002013-01-12T20:47:38.778-08:00Start Small, See Him Move BigThis will be a short and simple, but a very powerful post. Only powerful in the fact because it's all about God's power.<br />
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I am amazed everyday I chose to let God be the ruler over my life. He never fails to reveal Himself to me.<br />
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Today's amazement started over a month ago, when we bought our miracle van. I really wanted to sell our other car before we bought the van, but that's not how it ended up happening. Do I think I could've walked in God's sovereignty better at that point? Yes. But did God's will still reign supreme? YES. And He used that faltering to show me His power even greater today.<br />
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We still hadn't sold our other car and we had our first payment on our van this past Wednesday. I was discouraged that God still hadn't sold our van (cause it's all God's fault right???) :-( I thought it was His fault, but now I know He wanted to show us His power again.<br />
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So, finally, I decided to put our situation in His hands again. All last year we saw God move mountains in our lives through fasting and prayer, so I decided to fast and pray on Friday (PS. I don't say this to say I'm righteous, because I am so corrupted and evil and need God so much~that's why I fast, to have God change me to be more and more like Him). I listed our car again on Craigslist Friday evening and got a call 20 minutes later. They wanted to come see it Saturday morning. I was so excited. Our car was listed on Craigslist for over a month and the only calls we got were all spams. This was finally a legit call! They had cash, and they seemed ready to buy.<br />
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They came, and decided not to buy it. But before they even came we got another call about the car. And then another. They both came to look at it, and we were starting to get a little discouraged, because like the first guy, the second offer was discouragingly low. But God knew what He was doing, and by the time the third family came around, they made us the offer we'd been praying for!<br />
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Goodbye trusty car. You were a great blessing from God for the time being.<br />
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I don't know why I don't learn my lesson every time. I always chose to walk in my own will rather than in His. Not only does His sovereignty amaze me everyday I chose to let His sovereignty reign, it's His love that amazes me even more. He lets me continue to walk in my way, but takes me back to His every time I ask.<br />
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I would encourage any of you who feel you're in between a rock and a hard place to put your life in His hands. Honestly, I have seen God do so much when we fast and pray.<br />
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Start small, and see Him move big.Sean and Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11509398092081368533noreply@blogger.com1