I’ve had a few new bow orders come in so I’ve been checking my paypal account daily.  We haven’t had any money come in for about three weeks now, so I haven’t been expecting anything, just a few payments for the bows.  The other night I realized I hadn’t checked my account in over a week so I signed in and was shocked to see a $100 donation from my best friend from high school, thanking us for allowing them to be a part of this journey.  What an incredible blessing!

Then, I’ve had three bow orders placed over the last 48 hours, so I signed on Paypal again just a few minutes ago and I’m pretty sure the blood drained out of my face altogether.  There was a donation made in the amount of EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS!!!  A friend from high school who also has a heart for adoption chose to bless us with a portion of their tax return.  I seriously sat here with goosebumps and tears streaming down my cheeks.  I can’t even begin to put into words how much that lifted my spirits.  I’m on cloud nine.  Over and over again, whether it’s $10 for a puzzle piece or $800, I’m blown away at the generosity of others; of God’s children who see the big picture and share our heart for orphans and as a result use their donations as the hands and feet of Jesus.  Thank you just doesn’t quite capture it.

God Story #4

three down, twenty-one to go (thousand, that is)

Bless you, bless you, bless you,

~audrey

My worship leader asked me to prepare something to share with our ladies’ Bible study last night regarding Christie and George and all that God is doing in and through them in Uganda.  She said she thought it would be a good idea to explain how God first led me to Christie’s blog, put an incredible burden on my heart for the orphans in Africa, and ultimately led us to pursue adoption in Ethiopia.  It was a long story so I typed it all out on two and a half pages and read it to the ladies with trembling voice and hands.  At one point I couldn’t even read the words through my tears.  I never intended to get so emotional, but reading God’s story out loud to all of those women for the first time just helped me retrace God’s hand in Zoe’s story and I was completely overwhelmed.

After I finished reading, they prayed for us and then I had to run back to the nursery to relieve my sister-in-law so she could help with worship.  When church was over, I was informed that the ladies took up an offering to help bring Zoe home.  Our church secretary text me this morning:

I have a check for you for a little over $300.  I’ll give it to you on Sunday.

God Story #3!

One of things I love most about this journey of raising money and fully depending on God to provide this impossible amount, is the faith it is building in my boys.  Watching their faces light up in awe of their heavenly Father and his provision for their little sister is priceless.  I hope I don’t forget a single detail of this journey.  May it be written on my heart that God might use Zoe’s story to forever encourage adopting couples to step out in faith and trust Him.

~audrey

Yesterday, I received all of our paperwork from AGCI.  It was very exciting to look through everything and I hope to watch the DVD that came with our packet tonight after church (if I can hold my eyes open long enough!).  I read about how the Ethiopian government has changed their rules in the last year and all adopting families are now required to make not one, but two trips to Ethiopia before taking your child home.  Two trips to Africa within two months of each other.  As I began the paperwork and saw the time frames and dollar signs on paper, I could feel a weight come over me.

There’s no way you can do this.

It’s going to be such a long road.

You won’t raise enough money.

But God spoke to me through someone’s status on Facebook.

Out of the mouth of an eight year old little girl:

“God makes things that are impossible, unimpossible.”

So many times I can look back on a situation and think, I guess if that had been easier, then it wouldn’t have been such an amazing God Story. You know what kind of stories I’m talking about.  The stories where nothing is falling into place, everything is falling apart, there’s no hope, there’s no money, there’s no help, whatever the lack may be; and then God steps in, shakes things up, and all of the pieces fall into place in a way that leaves everyone’s jaws on the floor, giving glory to our big, big, God!

In the midst of being overwhelmed, the phone rang.  It was a sweet lady from our church whose husband goes to Tanzania, Africa several times a year to bring tools to the locals and help them build homes and buildings.  She said she’d been reading about our journey for Zoe and wanted to encourage me and let me know how excited she was for us.  She also said that she and her husband will be helping support us financially on our journey.  Instantly, God blew wind back into my puny sails through that sweet lady.  I stood up tall as I hung up the phone and remembered all of the amazing stories I’ve read from other adopting families, knowing that one day we will have a handful of our own.

Of course it doesn’t end there!  I got on the computer and realized I’d received an email from my aunt in Maine.  She was telling me how excited she was that we were adopting.  She went on to say that she would talk to my uncle and see about donating to Zoe’s adoption.  I checked my paypal account a few minutes later and there it was, a large, generous donation from Aunt Kathy and Uncle Terry.  The donation that launched us past the one thousand dollar mark.  Unbelievable.  In that moment it was as if God whispered to me:

one down, twenty-four to go.

God Story #2!

All I need to know for sure is that God has never let me down.  He has never called me to something that He did not equip me to conquer.  Each day I learn something new about trusting the Lord and surrendering everything to him.  Thank you, for those of you who have already begun to pray and encourage us in this journey.  Your words are like water to my soul and the Lord continually brings them to remembrance when I get discouraged.  Will you continue to share our story in hopes that there are many more just like you out there who will allow God to take their $10 to Africa where there will soon be one less orphan?

Blessings,

audrey