11/25/2013

This side of 2 years


So we commented a while back on the 2 year milestone we passed as a family of six. I thought you might find it interesting to note that as of this month, Max has been with us longer than any other set of care providers in his short little life.
We just passed Orphanage # 3 as his longest running source of food and stability. The orphanage he was in when we met him, his third of four that he called home during the seven years he lived in Russia. We think we counted as many as seven sets of Russian care providers who housed him, making us his eighth set. But who knows how many people cared for him off of his official record. Strangers who passed him on the street and turned a kind eye toward him for just a moment. People who played their own little part in keeping him alive until our names were called.
First off we’d just like to tip our hats to all those who came before us, surely God has raised a community to shelter this child. Two really, his first in Russia, and his new found one here in America. To you we say “thanks for doing what you could for our son”.
Secondly we can only wonder if our heroic milestone means anything to him at all. We’d like to think that we’ve proved ourselves trustworthy by now. We’d like to think he knows he no longer has any reason to fear rejection. That he no longer thinks we’re just a stepping stone in his path towards a “real family”. That we aren’t going to give up on him and send him away. That whether he likes it or not, he really is stuck with us until we all go see Jesus face to face.
These are the truths that I’ve been begging him to accept since the beginning. Truths he hasn’t yet been able to process.  Truths he may not be able to process for some time to come.
But truths we will continue to pray over him as we ask God for a revelation on our son’s behalf. Please God show what a family really is. And help him to forgive those who’ve failed him in the past.

11/21/2013

Guest post with Hannah Bryant


 Hey there! Today we have a fun little guest post from the lovely and talented Hannah Bryant. Won't you give her a bit of blog love?

There wasn’t even a question. I needed to act and the time was now.
It was a few years back when I worked as a solo Flight Attendant on a small aircraft, the pilots flew the plane and I got a group of thirty passengers to myself. I must admit, I had a lot of fun on longer flights playing games with those I welcomed on board. I always wanted to have a karaoke competition but never found the courage to be the first one to start singing.
This particular day had seen a lot of rain, there before me was a mother who had an intellectual delay in my cabin with her eight month old baby. She was flying into Sydney where she would catch a connecting flight to Lismore, a rural country town north of New South Wales. The straight forward journey had been complicated due to the runway at her destination being under water-flooded.
I sat next to her and asked if she had a ‘plan of attack’ as she would not be flying out of Sydney until the following morning. She would need to wait a full twenty-four hours.
Her answer was to stay in the airport where she and her baby would sleep and survive the night as she didn’t know anyone in the big smoke and had a small amount of money.
Not on my watch.
I had a decision right there, in that moment, to choose a love which Christ demonstrates to me. A type of love which begs a response in practical measures.
I gently asked her if she wanted to come to my home? I had been fostering infants (as my three children weren’t thought of) and had a car seat set up, clothes which would fit her baby, a crib and all things needed to make her stay comfortable. She agreed.
After a call to management and my husband, giving him a “heads up” it was settled, my passenger was coming home with me.
I feel a little sheepish writing about my morning flight to Sydney as this is a very small gesture of extending love.
I know that you are being more radical in your expression of agape, so my story is to simply spur you on, to encourage and remind you,
That love finds a way to demonstrate itself in our everyday life.
We just need to be willing and then compelled to act accordingly.
God’s love moves us to act, it motivates action so His goodness can be displayed.
The ironic part is…Displaying His love is often done with things unseen.
Cooking someone a meal, cleaning a friend’s home, bending knees on the hard floor petitioning on behalf of a brother or sister, being generous with finances, placing others needs before your own, the list is endless.
“But the kind of love that God created and demonstrated is a costly one because it involves sacrifice and presence. It’s a love that operates more like a sign language than being spoken outright.”
Bob Goff, Love Does
‘Love unseen’ moves you into a decision making process that often doesn’t make sense to the naked eye, but makes complete sense in the spiritual world.
Getting your hands dirty for the name of Jesus is not in vain my friend, He sees the unnoticed and smiles at your heart with sheer delight.
He understands that its costly, requires energy, using your resources, sacrificing self and interrupting your plans.
It may not make sense in the moment when you hear the Holy Spirit inviting you to step out on His behalf, but the thing is this, you don’t need all the answers to respond immediately, just a willingness to listen and obey.
There is going to be a moment presented to you in the very near future where loving outwardly calls your name.
What is your response going to be?

Hannah, her husband & three children are currently living in Ontario Canada and are heading home this December to Sydney Australia to begin Three Rivers Church, a home church movement. Hannah is passionate about teaching women about their uniqueness in Christ and encouraging them to abandon fear in order to live radically for Jesus. You can keep up to date with her at Ashes-to-beauty.com

11/19/2013

(nearly) wordless wednesday






Forgotten favorite 
(as in, I took this one last summer and just found it tucked away in a file full of boring photos, isn't it lovely?)


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got a great photo for (nearly) wordless Wednesday to to share with us? Post a link so we can all see it!

11/17/2013

2 years in...

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As Thanksgiving approaches we pause to remember a pivotal date in our family history. On the 23rd of this month we will celebrate the second anniversary of our homecoming with little Max. The day we landed in the Detroit airport, weary and exhausted from nearly 24 hours of traveling with a terrified seven year old who didn’t speak English.
The day I finally let my guard down because I knew that the Russian’s could no longer state claim over what was rightfully mine. No long lost relative could spot us in a Russian alleyway and drag Max away from us, into the undergrowth causing him to disappear forever. The day that no Russian official could claim that my E’s looked a little too much like A’s and throw a year’s worth of paperwork into the trash. Condemning my son to a longer sentence of time away from the ones who loved him enough to fight for him.
How on that day, I thought I’d won the battle.  But little did I know that the battle had really just begun. That removing my son from the terrifying environment of a Russian orphanage would do so little to calm the fear that threatened his fragile heart, and that I would have to fight tooth and nail for an entire first year (and then some) as we continued to prove ourselves trustworthy and loyal.
And the big, scary decisions we would have to make about schooling and medication to get this kid to calm down enough for us to figure out what he was so afraid of all the time. Decisions I never thought we would have to make over one of our children. But so grateful that God gave us the courage to do so.
And I still feel like I’m peeling back the layers of this gift that God has dropped into my life. And how his adoption wasn’t nearly as much about my “rescuing” a boy from certain doom, as it was about him teaching me about what’s really happening outside my happy little homeschooling bubble. That pain, heartbreak, and courage aren’t just noble concepts to read about, but raw, life changing emotions that real people struggle with on a daily basis.
And traumatic social histories aren’t things to be cured in a day’s time. Or a month. Or a year.
And so we travel forward, bolstered with another year’s experience, another year stronger. Into what? God can only tell what the future holds for my special boy. I can only wonder what lessons he will teach us without even knowing it.
Maybe this year he’ll be brave enough to look at the pictures and remember where he’s come from. Maybe it’s still too early. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Thanks for following our journey…

11/14/2013

Practical Orphan Care Guide

So adoption isn't really on your radar (which does not make you a bad person, trust me) but you do get a little hitch in your gut each time you think about the problem. I put together a little list of practical ways you can love on orphans without taking on a mountain of debt and tangling with a mountain of legal paperwork.
Enjoy!

Pray for them
Pray for them by country or continent. Print out a little world map to keep in your prayer journal or use photos of waiting children / adoptable children. Find out what are the issues children on each continent face, including what countries are currently closed for adoption.
Pray for their hearts that Jesus would reveal Himself to them.
Pray that God would provide for all of their needs in His perfect way.

Speak for them
In your home, in your church, on your social media, to anyone who will listen.
Research the truth and hit that share button.

Connect with them personally 
First understand that what each child really needs is a family. But if you can't be the one who offers them a forever family, then show up to visit them. Hug them, play age appropriate games with them.  Take your commitment a step further by lending your emotional support to orphanage care givers, local church and community leaders.  Empower these adults to connect with the children on a personal level after you go home.

Support adoptive families
I'm sure most of you know at least one family who has adopted or fostered children. Sit down with them to see what their biggest challenges are and figure out how to support them. Offer to pray with them, offer respite care, bring them a meal.

Ease their burdens
While throwing money and trinkets at people isn't usually the best way to solve their problems, sometimes it is the most practical way to get involved. Research their needs and give appropriately. If at all possible, invest in sponsorship programs, scholarships and education efforts.

I found both of these articles rather interesting, so here you go:
10 Ways Every Christian can Care for the Orphan and Waiting Child
How to Help without Hurting (your mission trip visiting orphans)

11/12/2013

(nearly) wordless wednesday


He's one less. 
The orphan epidemic can no longer claim my son...

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got a great photo for (nearly) wordless Wednesday to to share with us? Post a link so we can all see it!

11/11/2013

The cry of the orphan


It's Adoption Awarness month and we've decided to devote an entire week to remembering those sweet little ones who are the victim of other peoples mistakes. Yesterday I shared a bit about what these youngsters can expect as they age out of the system, and what probably would have happened to little Max if we hadn't spoken for him.

Today we have a few resources to share with you. There are a million ways to care for the orphans across our planet, and it all begins with education. So click through some of these links, see what pops out at you, and pray about what you can do to help these youngsters out...

Orphan advocacy websites
FORO
Cry of the Orphan
Orphan Hope International

And here's a cute video that I think you'll like... which will hopefully work... technology and I are tight like that.



11/10/2013

The orphan epidemic

Imagine being born into a world where no one wants you. Where you are not only homeless, but without a family as well. Most of can empathize, but will never fully understand this reality, the reality that plagues as many as 140 million children on our planet.

Many many of these kids receive a somewhat decent upbringing in foster care homes or orphanages. Praise God for that. But. Each year 14 million of  these unwanted children age out of the system.These teens generally have no real support network or resources to build their new lives around. Human trafficking, jail, suicide. These are the realities that await for each one of those 140 million citizens of our planet.

As many as 60% of these girls become prostitutes and 70% of the boys become hardened criminals. 

10% – 15% of these children commit suicide in the first two years after being released from the system.. 

This is a reality that I am really not ok with. And I want you to be not ok with it either.

Many of you have met my son Max. He's just the cutest little thing with sparkling blue eyes and adorable tendency drive people a little batty with his incessant chatter. If we had not spoken for him, he would  never have made it to his 20th birthday.

Adoption can be hard. I ain't about to lie about that. It's HARD y'all. Lengthy legal processes can wear down even the most persistent would-be parent. While raising a child with a traumatic social history can bring the best parents to their knees. 

But.

My son is no longer a statistic. He's a boy. The way God wanted it to be all along.

This week we're doing an advocacy push to celebrate National Adoption Awareness month. I have all sorts of resources and information waiting in the wings to toss out at you.

But before you go, hear me when I tell you that adoption is not for everyone, and know that I am not the one who is trying to guilt you into speaking for a child that was never designed to be a part of your family.

 My true plea is for you to hear what I am saying and be not ok with it either. And to act on your not-ok-iness with the appropriate response for you. Be it prayer, donation, visitation or just a little more research. Just follow God's lead.

11/08/2013

Clifton Chase giveaway winners!

Hey all!
A bit late on this announcement this time round, but surely you'll extend this weary mama a bit 'o grace? M'kay, thanks.

Anyway, here are our winners for this go around, so happy for you ladies!

 Who was: Amber Beery
 Who was: Lrmom
Who was: Julie Palazini

Thanks to everyone who entered! Wish I had one to give to everyone, but for those of you, here's the amazon link to Clifton Chase so you can put it on your wish list!

11/06/2013

Author interview: Jaime Engle

We're so excited to see another book launched out into the stratosphere of bookdom. What's even better than getting the scoop on the newest books on the scene is having an exclusive interview with the author of one of these books.

I had a sit down recently with Jaime Engle, author of Clifton Chase and the Arrow of Light, here are her thoughts from her latest project...

Hello! Welcome to my humble little bloggity blog, I'm so glad you're here!
I'm thrilled to be here, and so grateful that you are allowing me to connect with your followers and friends!

Where did you come up with the idea to write your book?
I had an image of a boy in his bedroom and a strange arrow leaning out from his closet. He left in a rush, and as soon as he did, the nose of a dwarf poked out of the darkness of the boy's closet. He was looking for the arrow, but the boy had found it first. This scene sent me to the internet to research some possibilities of what this arrow could mean. When I stumbled upon an oil painting of the Battle of Bosworth Field by Philip James de Loutherbourg, and learned about the two forgotten princes, I had found my story.

What was the most challenging part of writing this book?
The most challenging part is keeping the voice true throughout the entire book. Usually, when I start writing, I don't have a firm grasp on the storyline or the characters. Once I get going, those solidify, so making sure the characters sound the same from page one to 'the end' is very important to me. It's a vital part of keeping the reader connected to the story.

How does your book contribute to making this world a better place?
What an awesome question! I think the universal principal in the book is that we are all apart of something greater than ourselves. In the world we live in, there is a tendency to focus on ourselves first and foremost, and this mentality is encouraged in our civilization. I mean, we have I phones, I tunes, and I pads. Not hiding the agenda...it's all about the individual. My hope is that some child reading this book will begin to consider the possibility that they are on this Earth for a specific purpose and that it is far greater than just for themselves.

Where can we find more from you?
Just about everything you could want to know is on my blog, http://www.jaimiengle.com/. However, you can also follow Clifton Chase (the main character) at his facebook page: facebook.com/CliftonChaseAdventure where he blogs about being a twelve year old boy. There is a pretty awesome book trailer on youtube at http://youtu.be/phZclUViIBQ which depicts the first chapter of the book. I even co-wrote the music for it, which was super fun. There's some behind the scenes pics on my blog, along with the first 6 chapters (for free) and downloadable coloring pages, crossword puzzles, and word searches (for free). OH, and you can also link to amazon to buy the book right from my blog! How's THAT for convenient!!
Thank you again for this interview!  Do you have any final parting words to share with us?
Thank you so much for having me and helping to spread the word about my book. As a mom and wife, I would encourage anyone reading this interview to follow their dreams. You can achieve anything you desire if you are willing to sacrifice and put in the hard work. I'd be happy to help anyone interested in writing a book. Just contact me at jaimiengle@cfl.rr.com
 
 And we have a great giveaway going on this week, 3 copies of Jaime's latest book, 1 paper copy and 2 digital ebook copies. If you want to hear what we had to say on this one you can read our reviews here.

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