It's true. Sometimes I frequent the smoke shop. Perhaps you've seen my car there. Perhaps you've judged me under your breath.
What if I said I was buying for a friend? Would you tell me I was wrong and that I was condoning her "sin"?
What if I told you she was dying of a terrible disease that would, sooner than later, land her in a nursing home at the age of 46 and smoking is one of the only things she enjoys?
What if I told you I think Jesus wanted me to buy her cigarettes? Would you challenge my theology or question what Jesus I served?
Whether that's true or not isn't even the point. The fact is that we can get so caught up in being right that we often render ourselves incapable of loving others. And when it comes to others -loving them is the most important thing.
What if I said I know she sees more of Jesus when I show up and love her right where she is ?
a simple challenge:
Are people seeing Jesus in you by your actions towards others ? or are you too concerned about their sin and smelling like smoke that you can't get out of your comfort zone and into their life?
Loving others is the only way they will ever see Jesus through you.
Trust me when I tell you smoke shops and smelling like smoke are both way out of my comfort zone.
I just wanna be more like him.....
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17
We've been on a "waitlist" for 2 years and 2 months. We started this adoption journey at #97 on January 19, 2011.
Our March 2013 # is 10.
Most days on the waitlist look like ordinary everyday living (with the exception of the days we have had to update expired paperwork, there is nothing ordinary about that). We have ballgames to attend, coach and play in. We have laundry and dishes and sibling disagreements- The things that go on in most families. In the past 2 years we've experienced heartache and blessings. We've done all kinds of things to prepare for adoption. We've acquainted ourselves with other adoptive parents. We've attended attachment training. We've read lots information about what we can expect.
My favorite days are those precious days we dream as a family and talk about what we think our daughter and sister will be like, and talk about how we will fix her hair and things we will teach her.
Then there are those days as a mother I quietly ache for her and cry for the loss and heartache she will go through to be part of our family. I hope she will accept us as her own. I hope I can love her the way she wants to be loved. I pray I will have the strength to hold my little family together when it gets tough. This is when I realize the things that make a God-sized dream God sized.
At # 10 - the end is in sight. I feel as if I found out Im for sure pregnant I just am not sure how far along I am 2 months or 9 months. These differences are extreme I know but there must be a balance between being prepared and surviving a long wait.
I personally hope the days in the very near future look anything but ordinary. I'm ready to get the call that there is a baby in Africa waiting on us.
God size dreamers are inspiring. Follow your own God size Dream and join others here to be encouraged.
When I think about your dreams and mine I often get teary eyed. It so amazing to watch God work out such intricate details of the dreams He has placed in our hearts. I love to see Him show up and love us so deeply.
But often I get busy and forget. Forget to dream and even forget the passion. I get caught up in this daily grind of life. Is that you too? If I not looking and expecting I miss it. But with one little yes I am moving again. He is the wind behind my sails, and when I see Him working I get encouraged.
Will you be encouraged with me????? In this road of adoption it is easy for me to get discouraged and believe it isn't going to happen. But He has promised and He is faithful. and today I'm excited! I feel joy in being on the path He has chosen for our family. He is growing and changing us daily to live out the dream.
Every dream or desire you have that comes from God is and invitation for more intimacy with Him. You have been entrusted with certain ways of making a difference in the world and it's up to you to make the most of them during your time on Earth. Our role is obedience. God's role is results He has already given you all you need and made you all you need to be.
Don't those quotes just encourage the socks off of you!!!!! The timing of this book in my life is nothing short of a God love note.
God has great plans for you dreamer!!!! Don't sit back and miss it!
I mentioned in my last post I felt like God is leading me to something more after our Addi May comes home. I can tell you since beginning our journey to Addi, God has used it to open my eyes to the orphan around the world. It began when my BFF went to Ethiopia with our adoption agency to work with orphans(I couldn't go). As she was leaving she told me she learned they were also taking a trip to Haiti at the end of the summer and I should go. And like any good friend does , I listened and went. and these babes stole my heart.......
Then it happened... as I looked across at the kids playing in the courtyard I suddenly imagined these two (my boys) there in the orphanage without a mommy, without me to tuck them in bed and tell them they are loved and are special and are valuable. It was that moment when my heart recognized what it meant to be an "orphan". Food and shelter and education and loving caregivers do not equal a family.
and my heart broke..............forever changed
I do not know exactly where this "dream" is headed yet. For now it involves sponsoring and praying for this sweet girl....
and I know that this blog is a small step in that direction for advocating for the orphan.
I've been blessed beyond measure that God has given me a best friend to share the journey with. Our hearts are intertwined with the mission of fighting for the least of these.
Me &Teryia in Haiti Jan 2012
I love this quote in the God-sized dream series today@www.holleygerth.com "We were never meant to be lone-dreamers. You need a God-sized posse, a small gang, and someone to dream crazy dreams with. We were never meant to walk this journey alone. When we lock hearts with one another and dream God-dreams we are a force to be reckoned with! "— Jennifer Watson, Today’s Guest Poster
Want encouragement ? join myself and other God-size Dreamers @ www.HolleyGerth.com
I'm a planner, list maker, goal writer, dreamer, activity seeker, purpose driven kind of gal, if you get my drift. So this whole dreaming "together" thing was right up my alley.
I'm not sure when He began to stir my heart toward adoption.
Maybe it was here on this trip to Mexico, where as a young, newly married 22 year old I left this orphanage wishing I could take this little darling home to be mine forever.
I'm here now 16 years later.....waiting for a little girl on the other side of the world that God has chosen for me to be her mommy.
Is comfortable ? No way!
Is it easy? Ha!
Has it been smooth? Never count on it!
Have I doubted? to many times to number
Has it happened in my timing? Never! (Thats another blog post entirely)
Is it destined to Bring Him Glory? YES
Is it amazing? YES
Is it Life changing ? YES
Seeing God's hand all over our lives.........Priceless
So what are some things God has called you to do? Have you been too scared? Have you avoided it so much you've forgotten the dream that used to make you giddy to think about?
It's Christmas time and your not home .....so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in His arms and tell you from my heart , I wish you Merry Christmas.
Dreaming of the day when I can finally call you mine.......
Believing this will be our last Christmas without you in our arms Addi May
Last weekend was Orphan Sunday. Significant to some, maybe most didn't even know. For our family it was the beginning of this journey we are on ...... Orphan Sunday November, 2009 to be exact . Lloyd and I watched a live simalcast hosted by ShowHope. This is when the seed God had planted in our hearts many years before began to sprout. The rest of the timeline goes like this: January 2010- A discussion over dinner at confirms we both are "100%" sure about this thing called "adoption", something at the time we really knew nothing about April 2010 - "let's start", I research, I request packets, we explore options We found the agency we felt had the most reputable presence in the adoption community. We looked at countries that met our "hopes" for our daughter.....then it happened Bulgaria ....estimated 10,000 orphans Ukraine....estimated 100,000 orphans but Ethiopia........ 4.3 MILLION. That was all it took for God to open our eyes to something so much bigger than our desire for a daughter. May 2010- We began the application process to adopt our daughter from Ethiopia July 2010- We will call her "Addi May" Sept 2010 - We are officially accepted into the Ethiopia program with All God's Children Dec 31,2010 - our dossier is received Jan 17,2011 We are number #97 for a girl 0-2 So the wait begins, Here is a little taste of the process: May 2011-#70 Nov 2011-#48 March 2012-#35 May 2012-#34 August 2012-#21 October 2012-# 19
This process is nothing like anything else. It's like I've been pregnant now for 22 months. It's difficult to create a balance of preparation and anticipation for something so life changing, and yet continue to live and enjoy the day we are in at this very moment. I seriously feel like I've loved her for a thousand years
Because sometimes in the waiting for what we long for, we praise God long when the gift comes at long last. Sometimes God has his people wait long, so our gratitude becomes deeper and wider.” – Ann Voskamp, The Jesse Tree Journey Blessings~Kelli
What is your number? I question I hear on a regular basis and if in truth someone asked me for my number( meaning my phone number) I would most likely assume (like a fellow adoptive mom) they would mean our waitlist number.
Our waitlist number kinda sets the time frame for the process of this adoption.
On January 19, 2010 we were placed on the waitlist with our agency for #97 for a girl 0-2.
As of this day October 15, 2012 we are #19. Finally in the teens!
What has occured to me is that if you are not an official stalker of the waitlist, you may not understand exactly how it works. Basically there are 19 families in front of us. However, these families may be on a sibling list or boys list as well. So a boy referral may in fact result in movement on the girls list depending on the families parameters.
Something that I have often explained in an effort to communicate the waitlist process is that once we are at #1 we will receive a referral.
I no longer think that is how its going to go down.
To put in perspective, last week the family that received their referral was #10 on the waitlist for a girl 0-2.
I think its time we start anticipating a "call".
As we wait we are trusting God and His perfect timing for a "call" about a little girl across the world, that we pray will take us as her family.
.....besides the fact they have completely consumed the Belt home January and February 2012
Today I awakened to a yucky sad feeling. Nothing unusual and something I have experienced most mornings since January 4th. But today was for a different reason. We lost. The Falcon boys basketball lost their chance to win the Gold Ball. What in the world !- how can this possibly compare to the loss of my mother. How could the two even remotely be viewed as similar. So I wrestled most of the morning with this wretched desire to throw in the towel and chalk all of life up as a loss ( a little dramatic I'm sure).
Then God began to show me something ....... As I cleaned the kitchen I finished listening to a sermon entitled "Pivotal Circumstances" by Andy Stanley which I recommend you go here Five Things to Grow your Faith and download for $1. I had listened to half of it on the way to the basketball game last night.
So what does losing one of the most important people in my life have to do
With Basketball?
I have watched my husband pour his life into these boys......practicing with them every Sunday night for 3 years . Talking about them non-stop. With a dream of them getting the ultimate reward of the gold ball and winning the state Championship. They were supposed to win....they were the best in the State of Oklahoma....
My husband has watched me pour my life into my mom for 4 years. With a dream her health would be restored. She wasn't supposed to die. Her cancer was stable......
Dreams over , gone. What we hoped for are not even possible anymore. God did not show up and answer our prayers.... But this is where He showed me something very profound .
When my mom past away we buried her with one of these bracelets. One of our adoption bracelets that say "praying for Addi May". A gesture of including our daughter who will never know my mom .
When the state tournament started I saw my husband wearing one of these for the first time. I thought that was really special how he must have wanted her to be a part of this "win" since she is not with us yet. But he didn't win.
And this is where I realize this bracelet represents so much more to us. It represents our belief and hope. We have fallen in love with an Ethiopian baby we have never even seen. This bracelet represents our hope for Him to redeem a life story of a baby girl on the other side of the world and not leave her as an orphan.
Even in our hurt and loss we trust Him anyway. Our belief is in a God who is bigger than this sin ravished world that takes our dreams. This bracelet represents, more importantly, our believe in our own redemption through our adoption as sons and daughters of a Living God.
I want to see Him even in our losses. Disappointment and gut wrenching hurt is sure to come, maybe through death. Maybe in a basketball game. I want to say "I believe" even when my circumstances try to convince me I have nothing to hang my belief on.
Today I am going to put on my bracelet , enjoy the sunshine and do some singing along with Crowder
I figure one day when the wait is over and Addi May is home, people will actually be interested in what I have to say. So I figure I better start blogging now so I can work through all the kinks and get a little more comfortable with the online publishing.
Reading Adoption Blogs is one of my most favorite pastimes. This Blog is amazing and this is her amazing giveaway!
Check it out!
These women on these adoption blogs are who I aspire to be like. Incidentally, they are very Christlike. They display the heart of Christ in everything they do.
Okay I finally am launching the sale of my license plates that have been ready for months. They are two images on one plate , what you see depends on the angle you are looking at it.
This is the plate on my car from different angles changing between ONE LESS to Africa with a heart over Ethiopia. Mine is pink but if you want one for a boy then I will change it to red. They are $25 and you can purchase through the Donate button on the side.
Micah got in trouble tonight. He is having one of those days like when you know your 2 year old needs a nap because of their irrational response to things. But it was 6:30 and he's not 2 he's 7 so I made him lay down on my bed. After crying a little he shouts out, " mom what # are we?" I cracked up at the timing . It was like somehow if our number had changed it would bring him comfort. Of course we hadn't moved up so when I told him his response was "STILL?????"--------the next 9 months should be interesting. The boys have just started paying attention to our number on the waitlist. I love it!
Here we are the last day of August and we are officially #59 on the waitlist for a girl 0-24 months old from Ethiopia and we are super excited about it. We know we have many people who have been praying for our journey already. At this stage in the process I feel like its time to announce our "pregnancy" so to speak. Based on the time frame to this point it will be about 9 months from now until we see our daughter's face for the first time. If not yet then very soon she will begin her life story and her journey to be part of our family. Please pray from the very beginning of her little life she knows she is loved! We can't wait to see what God has in store for our family!
