Below is a video produced by Hope for Orphans, a ministry of Family Life, that celebrates the way that churches are beginning to creatively and passionately answer the call to care for the orphan.  What a powerful witness to the world as God's people step out to put their faith in action to those who the world has left behind.  For so long the onlooking world has described Christians as 'hypocritical' because they see people acknowledge Jesus with their lips and denying Him with their lifestyles.  Yet so many in the church now are being known for their love in action.  So thank you for all who have supported us this past year and done so much for others as well.  God bless and Happy New Year!

in Christ,

Brian and Whitney

Thank you God

Whitney and I were taking a moment to catch our breath the other night and reflect (which is really good to do sometimes).  As we were thinking about the adoption journey we were amazed about God's faithfulness to us.  Back in October we were definitely at one of those 'test your faith' points as we had exhausted our funds to pay the first wave of adoption expenses.  We are now in December and realized that God has already brought in a little over $21,000.00 towards our goal of $34,000.00 to fully complete the adoption (Just $13,000 more to go to get it done, yay!).  If you would have told me we would already be here at this point, I'm not sure I would have believed you.

So we now have the money to pay the next wave of expenses and will have some time to trust God for the rest over this next year.  God is so faithful and His timing has been perfect to provide exactly what we needed when we needed it.  My trust in God has gone from academic to a more practical level over this journey.  Let me tell you that when you step out to follow God and do the things that are in His heart....He will be faithful.  He knows our situation and He will supply your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus.

Whitney and I are realizing that at this point we can now focus again on finishing all of our paper work we need to get done to complete the Dossier.  Please pray for discipline and diligence for us to get all of that done (I need help in that area).  Thanks as always for your prayers and support.

in Christ,

Brian

Adopting Together

Here are some pics from our fundraising party on Saturday.  What an incredible night.  It was amazing to see so many friends and businesses come together to support the night.  So many donated food, services, and supplies.  So many helped us prep the food, the bridge, the decorations, etc.  So many helped the event by volunteering and helping us clean up afterwards.  Also, we were so blessed by the different families who gave donations and wrote really encouraging notes and prayed such awesome prayers over us.  I think one of the greatest blessings was the overwhelming sense that we are not alone but that so many are a part of this journey with us now and what a great celebration it will be when we finally get to bring our little one home.

Climbing the mountains of adoption

Well we are pressing on in our adoption journey.  We have completed our Psychological Evaluation and our Home Study at this point and are waiting to get the results back from both of those.  We are still not sure if we are going to be considered sane or insane...I will let you all know.  At this stage we are now working with a consultant company that is assisting us in completing the Dossier which is the massively huge packet that will be mailed off to Honduras for translation and approval.  The Dossier includes the Home Study, Psch Evalutaion, our pet medical records, fingerprints, every possible paper on us notarized, every inch of medical info that is possible, and on and on.  It is really mind boggling.  I am learning to just walk through the hoops and not gripe and complain (even though it is tempting).

The Fall season has brought challenges to us.  It was definitely easier to get paper work done and feel momentum in the summer but the insanity of the Fall schedule has really strained us.  We are also at a stage of life where we are figuring out how to manage everything: 2 working parents, kids old enough to have real school work and tests, kids old enough to be participating in extra-curricular activities, church activities, etc.  When you throw in adoption on top of all that it can be challenging.  There are days where we feel like throwing in the towel and discouragement lingers over us.  I find myself more naturally praying in a dependent and desperate way these days for sure.  As I look at what needs to happen and get done I simply do not have the answers and do not know how it's going to happen.

I feel like we are entering into the next level in the adoption journey.  Level 1 consisted of the initial decision and letting people know that we were doing this.  Level 2 consisted of the first round of payments and paper work that really added a whole new level of reality - 'ok we are really doing this'.  I feel like we have entered into Level 3 now.  We saw God provide financially to cover all of our Level 2 finances (over $7000) and it was wonderful confirmation that He is with us and He is our Jehovah Jireh, our provider.  So we got to the top of that mountain only to discover that it was a foothill and not a mountain and now a much larger hill is in front of us again.  We are now needing to raise around $12000 worth of funds and navigate a whole list of paper work items to reach the top of this next hill.

So we are stepping out and trying to keep on moving.  We are teaming up with Josh and Suzanne Bramlett, who are also adopting, to raise money through donated items at our church garage sale this Saturday (October 13).  We are also stepping out to host a big fund-raising party on October 27th here at the Bridge, our youth building, that will consist of grilling out together, family games, and a chance for us to share what we're doing.  Anyway, thanks for your support, your prayers and taking time to read my ramblings.  May God bless you and may you step out and seek Him first today in all you do!

in Christ,

Brian

What Jesus thinks about kids

In Mark 9:37 it says, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."  In the culture of Jesus' day and even today, children are often looked at as nuisances, in the way and not welcome.  Jesus spoke this word directly against that attitude.  He very clearly tells us that whoever welcomes a little child is welcoming Him.  Larry Wilson, the leader of our mission team this week in Honduras, shared a story from a few years ago.  He was working on a mission team and during his time in one of the small Honduran towns a little girl walked up to him.  Some of the local people said that she was a vagabond.  The dictionary defines that word as disreputable or worthless.  That is what that little girl was told.  So many of the little kids here believe that they have no value.  They are abused, neglected and mistreated. 

Eric Riggle, who has been coming here for years, shared a testimony today about a little girl.  He shared that God has given him a gift.  His gift is the ability to work with his hands and make things as a carpenter.  Eric has helped install roofs, built a house for a pastor, built a huge deck/platform for a youth center, tables and chairs for kids, and many more things beyond that.  With tears in his eyes he shared that this week God gave him another ability....the ability to make a little girl smile.  This little girl is standing beside Eric in the picture and her name is Marjorie.  Eric met Marjorie a couple of years ago on another project and she was missing her front teeth.  At the beginning of the week she would never smile.  Eric cared for her and spent time for her and eventually by the end of the week she gave him a huge smile.  Eric had become the hands and feet of Jesus to this little girl, communicating to her that she mattered to God.  This week that little girl wandered over to our church and found Eric again and they were reunited.  He learned that she has become a leader in her Sunday School class and also is one of the worship leaders in the church now.  Her life has been changed because someone believed in her and noticed them and loved them.

I heard a quote today that goes something like this, 'Don't ever get so big or so important that you don't have the time to answer a phone call from a 2 year old with a plastic toy phone.'  I like that.  Jesus cares about these little ones and so should we. 

Rich

Normally when i think about rich, i would tend to think about having a lot of money.  The reality is though, rich, is being connected to God.  When you surrender your life to Christ, you are connected to the One who created everything from nothing and the One who owns a cattle on a thousand hills, which is old school language for, uh, everything.  Because of His lavish love and mercy and glory He adopted me into His family and calls me His Son, wow.  I am starting to understand wealth in terms of relationships.  Truly the most wealty and rich people are those who are rich in relationships.  First, a relationship with God through Christ, and second through relationships with others.  That's been one of the biggest blessings about doing these short term mission trips is that my heart feels deeply satisfied as I grow richer in relationships through serving alongside of other brothers and sisters in Christ and through spending time with these kids and youth each and every day.  One of the biggest tragedies is getting sucked into the lie that money will make you happy and to do anything it takes to make money including burning bridges, taking shortcuts, and walking all over people.  One a sad ending for those who choose that path.  Everytime I go to a funeral of a person who was rich in relationships, it is profoundly powerful.  Never does anyone celebrate the money they made, but rather the relationships they made...their relationship with Christ and their relationship with others.

Pray for the North East

One of the things I've enjoyed very much about mission trips in the past is getting to know our team mates.  We have a great group serving alongside us from Vermont and it has been very challenging to learn about the state of the church there.  Vermont is the least Christian state in the U.S. and to hear one of the ladies share about it was powerful.  They truly walk around as the outcasts, aliens and strangers in their community up there.  They long for Christian fellowship in their schools and businesses but it is very hard to find.  We need to be praying for our brothers and sisters up in the Northeast.  Also, the pastors up there have the highest burn-out rate of anywhere in the country.  It is difficult when you are pouring out your life and you see little fruit.  But there is a strength in these Christians and a determination to depend on Christ for everything that is very challenging to me.  They are waiting upon the Lord and standing up for him boldly and expectant of what He is going to do.

Honduras

It's wonderful to have the opportunity to be here in the country that we are trusting God for an adopted child from.  i am so grateful to God for this opportunity because He has made it possible through the generous donations that people in my church have given.  All of you who have given are a part of this trip and your generosity encourages me and challenges me to trust Jesus more and more.  It's a beautiful country, very tropical, and the people are very friendly and have contagious smiles.  It was special to work with some of the kids from a village here yesterday and laugh with the, hold them and spend time with them.  I couldn't help but imagine our own future child as i looked into their faces.  Will write more soon....

Second Phone Interview

Well last Thursday we had our second meeting with Gladney.  This time we talked with a lady who focuses on Latin American countries.  So we learned a few more things specific to Honduras.  Our immediate steps right now are filling out gobs of paperwork known as Group 1 and Group 2.  Some of the items are just on us to fill out and get completed while other items are a little more dependent on others like getting our 5 references to fill out their forms and mail them in.

Last Friday we had another donation of $1000 come in so we are so thankful for that family who gave towards our goal.  That puts our total account up to $7600.00 at this point (praise God!).  I am really pumped for Whitney as she has also decided to step out and go on our church's mission trip to Honduras at the end of July.  I know this is definitely out of her comfort zone but I think it will be a powerful week of going and serving the people down there and also getting to know the country first hand where our future child will come from one day.  Thank you all so much for your continued prayers and interest in this journey!

in Christ,

Brian

A much better picture of the process...

Well today was a very informative day in the adoption journey.  We had about an hour and a half conversation with a really sweet lady from the Gladney adoption agency and she walked us step by step through the whole process.  There are definitely alot of variables as far as the overall time frame is concerned but from what I can gather it looks like it could be about a 2-3 year process before we have our child or children (whatever God has in store).  As far as the overall cost is concerned we will probably be looking at over $30,000.00 ($16,000.00 of which will need to be paid within the first 6 months).  We are rejoicing that God has already provided $6600.00 to our adoption account so far (what an awesome boost of encouragement and confirmation for us!).

It looks like if we stay on top of things that all of the major paperwork (homestudy, immigration forms, foreign dossier, etc) should be able to be done and sent off in the next 6 months.  After that we will be assigned a number and put on a waiting list (6-12 months?) until we are assigned a child from the IHNFA (the Honduran Adoption Agency) based on our criteria.  We will then have a doctor check out the info about the child and we will approve the child they have selected for us.  Within about 6 weeks of getting our child we will travel over there for our first visit which is about 5 days and we will undergo a psychological testing to make sure we are a healthy family.  After that we will wait another 4 months and then go for our final trip (about a 4 week trip) where we will receive our child and have an 8 day bonding or trial period with them.  After the bonding period we will sign off on everything and then just wait the remainder of the time to get all of the paperwork from the Honduran government which takes a couple of weeks.

It is great to have a more clear idea of what the process will be and how we can be praying more specifically for these steps.  Lastly, I have had some people ask me if there was a way they could give towards our adoption.  I will be adding a feature to the blog very soon where you can submit an online donation that will go into our adoption account.  My plan is to have a running total on this blog to let everyone know how our fundraising is going.  We are also starting to brainstorm on creative ways to fund raise as a family and will let you know what those will be soon.  Thanks so much for your continued prayers and support!

in Christ,

Brian

The Twists and Turns

Well, the wild adoption adventure continues on.  Last week we ran into quite a game-changing obstacle.  Our plan thus far has revolved around us not using an adoption agency but working directly with our lawyer in Honduras (a lawyer we were connected with through some relationships from our church's missionary work).  In using a lawyer we still need the services of an approved agency to do our home study which is called a 'modified program'.  As of a few days ago it appears that all of these agencies have shut down their 'modifed program' forcing individuals like us to have to do the full program.

It appears that perhaps God may be steering us towards doing this adoption through an agency.  On the positive side an agency really takes you by the hand through every single step along the journey.  The negative side is the cost of this adoption just shot up way high (estimated at like $28,000-$30,000?). One thing I am already learning is that we need not put our hope and trust in a certain set of expectations of how we think this will all go but simply put our hope and trust in God.  All we know is that God has put this on our hearts and we know it's in His heart and only He knows how it all will turn out and unfold.  We must simply trust in Him and not the circumstances.  On another note, a couple from our Young Couples class has also stepped forward to begin the adoption journey from Honduras.  So we now have three of us walking through it together which is really awesome!

Again, thanks so much for all of your interest, prayers and support towards us!

God bless,

Brian

More blessings to fuel the marathon!

Well we had another huge praise this week that appeared in our mailbox.  Inside one of the envelopes was a check from another anonymous giver for $1500.00 that simply said 'God bless you on your adoption journey.'  What a cool blessing to receive in our mailbox that normally is just filled with companies trying to get me to sign up for a credit card.  These gifts have come along and really renewed our confidence that we are stepping out in faith and doing something that is in God's heart.  I had to laugh because as we were filling out the Home Study application one of the questions is 'How are you going to fund your adoption?'  I really just wanted to write 'I have a really rich Father.'

Meanwhile, we have been approved for our homestudy and are staring at a mountain of paperwork and questions and information we have to fill out.  Wow!  It's a truly overwhelming process and by the end of it they are going to learn just about everything there is to know about our family.  Also, you can pray that God will protect us from discouragement because as we talk to people and read blogs there seems to be a recurring theme of how nearly impossible it is to actually walk away with an adopted child from Honduras.  However, we still believe that God has led us to this country and we are going to trust Him all the way through to the point where one of His little orphans becomes a son or a daughter with a Mom and a Dad!  Thanks again for all of your prayer and support!

God bless,

Brian

Well, yesterday was a great step in our adoption journey.  First of all, I need to stop and thank God for a huge step of provision!  God, moving through the heart of an anonymous saint, provided $5000.00 towards our adoption fees yesterday.  This same person also provided that identical amount towards Josh and Suzanne's adoption fees.  This provision came at the end of a long and tiring week and was a beautiful ray of hope and confirmation for us that God is with us and has resources beyond what we can imagine.  Obi, my friend from church, prayed over us on Sunday and quoted Philippians 4 in his prayer that says, "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."  We have really seen God answering that prayer this week.

So we feel a new spark of motivation as we run this marathon.  Last night about 11:00 we finished our application to be considered for a home study (not the home study but a 13 page online application to start a home study).  So that was good to get that done.  I think our next step is to contact the Honduran Consulate downtown and sign the power of attorney paperwork.  Already, this process is strengthening our faith and creating great conversations with friends and family about adoption and why it matters to God and to us.  So thank you for continuing to pray for us!


in Christ,


Brian

The Beginning of our Adoption Journey

From the early days of our marriage Whitney and I have had a heart for adoption.  We love kids and know that they are all created in God’s image.  I have always been especially moved by James 1:27 that says, ‘²⁷ Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world’.  Also, in my continual reading through God’s Word with a heart to obey and walk out the Christian life, I have discovered scattered all over the Old and New Testament how much God cares for the fatherless and desires His people to stand up for them.  As time went on we have met friends and people who have adopted and it has become a less foreign concept for us.  Their stories and journeys have very much moved us.   So adoption has been one of those things that has remained with us and has been in our hearts. 

Currently we are beginning to walk through the process of adopting a child from Honduras.  Why Honduras?  We personally have a heart for international adoption as we think it helps us and our kids gain a perspective that God’s love reaches to the whole world and not just our backyard.   Our church has had a relationship with this country for several years now.  The leader of our mission trips has been Larry Wilson who is a seasoned church leader, works for Lifeway, and also happens to be a mentor for the small group that Whitney and I are in.  Honduras was a natural starting place as our church has a connection already with that country.

Another cool provision for us is that Josh and Suzanne Bramlett, the youth pastor and his wife at church, have a similar heart for adoption and also feel led to adopt from Honduras.  So we now have a much needed support group and accountability system with Josh and Suzanne and Larry Wilson as we walk through this process all together.  Whitney and I both have perhaps never felt a more clear imperative from God than we do right now.  We know that this is what we are supposed to do.  We know that this will not be easy and that we will have to depend on God to do some things that we can’t understand right now.  We have talked with enough people that have adopted to know that trusting God in a big way is just part of the process and we are freaked out and excited to be right in the middle of that. 

Another cool thing that I have had clearly impressed on my heart is that maybe God will use us and the Bramletts (two of the StoneBridge staff) to create more awareness of adoption and perhaps get more people involved in adoption (adopting, funding, fostering, or praying for adoptions).  I have talked to so many people at our church that are very interested in adoptions but just don’t know where to begin so we feel like we can help lead the way and maybe that becomes part of our legacy.  God has given us a mantle of influence here and we would love to make an impact in the lives of the fatherless (here and abroad). 

Another aspect of this decision is thinking through how it affects Emily and Joshua.  I feel this conviction that it will impact them deeply.  I want them to see and experience their Mom and Dad following God’s calling by faith.  I want them to see our family praying for God’s provision and direction and wisdom as we go through this.  I want them to understand that we are all ‘adopted’ as God’s sons and daughters when we receive Jesus Christ.  I want them to widen their perspective of God’s heart for the nations and to better understand how big and far-reaching the gospel really is. 

As we make accommodations for this new child it will require sacrifices on so many levels.  But what a powerful life-long lesson in the way Jesus called us to live our lives, by loving sacrificially.  I think that perhaps we will better understand Philippians 2 where it says, ‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.’  I believe that God built us to be at our happiest and most joyful when we live for others and not just ourselves.  I believe that when we become His servants and learn to love like He does that life is full and amazing.  Adoption gives us this lifelong experience of choosing this child and sacrificing for them and loving them because God first loved us.  Emily and Joshua and Whitney and I will get to be a part of that together.

So, yes there are a lot of hard decisions that we will have to make.  How will we afford it?  Will Whitney have to quit her job and find something part-time maybe?  Will we have to lessen our schedule and reduce the amount of activities we are involved in?  Will we have to get a mini-van to hold everyone?  How will this new child from another culture and country adapt to our life?  How will Joshua handle not being the youngest anymore?   

For me, as I observe Scripture and the lives of those who have faithfully walked with God over the years, there seems to be a pattern.  God speaks and we obey.  When God called Abraham, He simply said ‘go to the land I will show you.’  He did not answer all of his questions.  God does not call the equipped but He equips the called.  God does not wait for us to get all of our ducks perfectly in a row and then He uses us.  He often comes right into the mess of our lives and calls us to step out in faith and follow Him.  He tells us to ‘seek first His kingdom and righteousness and all of these things will be added to us.’  He loves to be our provider.  We are stepping out into something that is in the ‘center’ of God’s heart, ‘the fatherless’ – pure religion.  I am willing to take risks when I know I am in that realm.  

So this is the beginning.  Thanks for stopping by...Thanks for your prayers...Thanks for your support as we step out and trust God!

in Christ,

Brian and Whitney

T-Ball Games and Limbo Contests

Finally, after 2 consecutive rainouts Joshua got to participate in his first T-Ball game on his team, the Arizona Diamond Backs. Before the game he had his pictures and right before the photographer snapped the shot he slipped and fell into the mud thus giving the impression he like slid into homeplate for the winning run or something. This first picture is Joshua before the game. The second picture is Joshua on third base poised and ready to make his dash for homeplate. It was quite an entertaining experience getting to watch these little guys participate in the very first baseball game. One kid hit the ball and ran straight for the pitching mound (like he was charging the mound or something) and then eventually was rerouted to first base by several parents and the coach. Many of the kids hit the ball and then just stood there for a while in amazement and after several voices reminded him to start running he eventually made his way over to first. All the Dads hung out in the field with our sons and coached them throughout the game. My most repeated phrase was 'Joshua, watch the batter' as he was quite distracted with the grass and other things out in the field. All in all, I think he

had a lot of fun, had three decent hits, and got to throw the ball over to first.

Part 2 of my Saturday was spent with my beautiful little daughter Emily. We got to go to our first ever Daddy/Daughter Dance. I first asked her to go with me on Thursday night and I think her response was a very non-chalant 'maybe' later followed by a 'sure...' The night ended up being a really special time. We went with Matt and Elyse McCauley from church. We got all dressed up, had our pictures made and the girls both got roses (thanks Matt!). We went out to eat together at Black Walnut and Emily got to eat french fries instead of a vegetable (hey, this is her night). We had a great time hanging out and talking together at dinner. Next we went to the dance together. We put together a little butterfly craft at our table. Then we went and experienced the chocolate fountain together and ate some goodies. Daddy got a little silly as he tried dipping brocolli, carrots, celery, and potato chips in the chocolate. Emily seemed to get a good laugh out of that. Eventually, Emily agreed to go out on the dance floor with me. At first she was doing her own thing but after awhile she opened up to us dancing together. After awhile we were shagging, and jitterbugging, and break dancing and just going crazy. We did the hokey-pokey, the chicken dance, the macarena, the limbo and many other dances. It was an awesome time for me and my little girl (who is growing up) to spend together.