PRAYER!

Please pray with me over adoptions and HAITI!  I will not go into all of the details here...you can probably google it and find lots of information.  BUT, I ask that you pray!  Pray for all of the children in Haiti! Pray for the Haitian government and those making decisions concerning adoptions!  And please also pray over the little one the Lord intends to be my child.  I pray against the enemy having his way in any way, in Jesus' name!  I pray over every family that is currently in the process of adopting from Haiti!  We shall not worry, instead we will pray and trust the LORD!

Praying over my adoption

Father, in Jesus’ name, I come boldly before Your throne of grace, that I may receive mercy and find grace in my time of need.  I am trusting in You and seek to do good, so that I may dwell in the land of feed surely on Your faithfulness.

I delight myself also in You, and You give me the desires and secret petitions of my heart.  I believe my desire to adopt a child is from You, and I am willing to assume the responsibility of rearing this child in the ways of the Master.

Father, I commit my way to You.  My confidence is in You, and You will bring this adoption to pass according to Your purpose and plan.

Lord, your Son, Jesus, demonstrated Your love for children when He said, “Let the children alone, don’t prevent them from coming to me. God’s kingdom is made up of people like these.”  Then He laid hands on them and blessed them.

Use me as your instrument of peace and righteousness to bless this child. I purpose in my heart to train this child in the way that he should go.

Lord, I am embracing this child, Your best gift, as my own, with your love, as Jesus said, “Whoever embraces one of these children as I do embraces me, and far more than me – God who sent me.”

Father, take this child up and be a Father and a Mother to him as I extend my hands and heart to embrace him.  Thank you for the blood of Jesus that gives protection to this one whom I love.

I thank you for that man and woman who conceived this child and pray that You will bless them, cause Your face to shine upon them, and be merciful to them.  If they do not know you, Jesus, I ask you, Lord of the Harvest, to send forth laborers to share truth with them that they may come out of the snare of the devil.

Mercy and truth are written upon the tablet of my heart, and You cause me to find favor and good understanding with You and with man – the adoption agency staff, the judges, the orphanage, IBESR, and all those who are involved in this decision making process! May ALL be careful that they do not despise one of these little ones over whom they have jurisdiction – for they have angels who see Your face continually in Heaven.

I believe that all my words are righteous. By my long forbearing and calmness of spirit those in authority are persuaded, and my soft speech breaks down the most bone-like resistance.

Lord, I am looking to You as my Great Counselor and Mighty Advocate.  I ask for Your wisdom for me and my attorneys.

Father, contend with those who contend with me, and give safety to my child and ease him day by day.  I am calling on You in the name of Jesus, and you will answer me and show me great and mighty things.  No weapon formed against me and this adoption shall prosper, and any tongue that rises against me in judgment I shall show to be in the wrong.  This is my inheritance as Your child.

Father, I believe; therefore, I have spoken.  May it be done unto me according to Your Word.

In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN!

From Prayers that Avail Much by Germaine Copeland

Art to Benefit Adoption

I have a friend who is a painter.  She has set up a website for her artwork.  She is also holding a garage sale this week, beginning on June 7th.  Fifty percent of any artwork purchased will be donated to my adoption.

Here is the link to her website:  http://artbynancy.tripod.com/index.html

The address of the garage sale is:
9742 Annapolis Lane N.
Maple Grove, MN   55369

THANKS!!!

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL '11-'12

The last day of school always brings a mix of emotions for me.  We recognized our 5th graders this morning as they will be heading off to middle school.  Seventeen of my 25 students stayed here at school rather than going home....so what do we do for the rest of the day?!?  Play games, go to the computer lab, watch a movie, have snacks!!!  We'll see if there are any tears come 2 pm.  There usually are!

I started this school year having already begun my home study and journey down the adoption road.  I was frantically collecting items for my dossier and got everything ready to send off to Haiti before Thanksgiving.  Me of course, not knowing how all this would work had big expectations that I would travel to Haiti in January to meet my child (HA!) or at least by March!  Now it is June 5.  My children know a lot about Haiti after this year and I believe the compassion they have developed will stay with them forever.  I wanted to bring them each a little something from Haiti.  Hopefully they will come to visit in the next few years and my child will be home!

Now the summer starts and I so desperately NEED this break!  I'll be back at school August 15 so every day is precious!!!!  Please pray with me that my OFFICIAL referral would be given to me this summer and that my paperwork would be ready to enter IBESR before school starts!!!  I trust HIS timing!  

BOTH HANDS

On Saturday, May 19, this group of people came together to do as we are instructed by the Lord, to care for the orphan and the widow.

Lifesong for Orphans has a special project called "Both Hands," where a widow or widower is chosen.  The woman whose home we worked at was able to have time to think about what kinds of things she would like done.

The adults and youth pictured all gave or sent out letters to friends, family, teachers and coaches asking to be sponsored for this work project.  Any funds raised would go to help bring a child into a forever home from Haiti.

We had a wonderful day!  This day was shown to be full of rain all week until Saturday actually came.  It was warm and sunny.  Bushes and trees were trimmed down, weeds pulled, grass mowed, windows washed and lots of cotton from those beloved cottonwood trees (lol) raked, swept and bagged up.  Organization of materials kept in and around the yard was also done.  We didn't count the number of bundles of bound branches that were carried to the alley but it was A LOT!

No matter how much money comes in to assist with adoption costs, it was an absolute blessing serving and working with every person pictured.  It is a wonderful thing when the body of Christ comes together to get some work done....I have many more pictures but the uploading is taking too long right now, so I'll add them another time!  Thank you to everyone who helped!!!!

Keep praying!!!!

Adoption Timeline

Well, I just wanted to update on a couple of things.  If you look at my post called, "When will your child come home," there is a timeline of each step along the way and tentatively how long it will take.  I am not very far down the road at all when it comes to the Haiti side of things, because first off you have to be referred a child, and I do not yet have a referral.  After I do have a referral my dossier and the child's dossier (all of the paper work about each of us) will enter what is called IBESR, which is Haitian Social Services.

In April, a decision was made that was very wise on the part of the decision maker to close IBESR for a period of time to any new adoptions.  What this means is there are many, many people who are in the IBESR step and many have been there for a LONG time, like over a year!  So over the next month or two, the goal is to work through all of the families that are in IBESR now before accepting new families.  It is a very smart thing!  Although I would love to have been referred a child and to be in IBESR, the stalling right now doesn't really impact where I am in the process....my hope and prayer is that my official referral will come through before new families are being accepted, which is expected to be end of July or early August.  I started the process last August.  My dossier arrived in Haiti last November.  The time since has been a time of waiting and praying.

Keep praying with me!!!  And when I have news I will share! It has been hard on me being asked quite often if there is any news or what is going on?!?!?  Believe me I will joyfully share when I am able about the little person who God will bring home to me in Minnesota!!!!

THANKS!!!!

Bracelets, Bracelets & MORE Bracelets!!!

*Are you having a garage sale this spring?

*Do you have any church events coming up?

*A weekly Bible study?

*Any other get-togethers?!?!?

***Please if you are willing, let me know if I could give you some bracelets to sell!  They sell themselves....I am just in need of a new market as those in my circles have bought over 200!  THANK-YOU!!!!


*Also don't forget MOTHER'S Day and Graduation!  Makes a great tie-on to your gift!!!