On Friday, we were driving to a volleyball match to watch our daughter Kaitlyn. Betty started checking e-mail on her cell phone while I was driving. Fortunately, there was not allot of traffic because she got to one note and let out a yell of excitement. Had there been a lot of traffic, there is no telling how many cars I might have run into because of this unexpected shock to my system. Sometimes shocks are bad things and sometimes they are good things. This was one of the variety that can only be described as VERY GOOD. All the commotion was because of a note from Children's Hope letting us know that our dossier has now been move from the national office to a regional office. Our dossier has been moved to the Bogota regional office. For those of you who may not have been through this process, this is a REALLY BIG DEAL! It is in the regional office that you are referred a specific sibling group of children. We can now receive a referral at any time! Rejoice with us! While the referral can take days, months or years, because we have asked for an older sibling group, the referral is more likely to come fast than slow. This being our third adoption, I'd like to be able to say that this process is now "old hat" for us and that we are just patiently waiting the day.....
However, the truth of it is that we are swirling with every emotion you can possibly imagine, as if this was our first child not our 14th, 15th and maybe our 16th child. We are feeling giddy, EXCITED, jubilant, EXCITED, terrified, EXCITED, worried, EXCITED, grateful, EXCITED, awestruck... did I mention EXCITED? We are also feeling very humble that God has allowed us this opportunity. Of all the millions of people waiting to be parents, He has chosen us to steward these little ones for Him and for His glory. He has entrusted in us the responsibility to love and nurture them, but more importantly, He believes He can trust us to raise them in the fear and admonition of the LORD, to one day at the foot of the cross to give them back to Him eternally. Pray for us that we will not fail our LORD in this undertaking. This adoption is not about us, but rather it is about the children and the relationship they will ultimately have with the Father who loves them more than we ever can. We will try to love with the same love, but know we will fall short of God's perfect love. We will do our very best and trust to God to do the rest.
Many of us have often found comfort in the many places in scripture where God's word tells us that "nothing is impossible with God" or perhaps "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". In my quiet time recently these promises took on a whole new perspective. Most of these verses giving us this promise point back to Genesis 18:14. This is the first place I can recall anything like this being said in scripture. In Chapter 18 of Genesis, God is promising a child to Abraham in his old age. God asks Abraham " Is anything too difficult for the LORD?" Of course the answer is no! I took comfort in connecting the verses affirming that nothing is impossible with God to a promise of a child to a man who was thought to be to old to become a father. Betty and I stand on theses promises knowing God can grant us children even at a time of life when the world around us thinks us too OLD. If you are waiting for a child, or considering adoption, can I ask you "Is anything too difficult for the LORD?" We stand as an example of the power of God to answer prayer our prayers and yours. Rejoice with us, be encouraged and be in prayer!
Now things seem to be happening VERY fast. We continue to covet your prayers. Our prayers include:
That the referral will come
That we will finish the course
That God will provide a way for us to get a 15 passenger van or small bus
That God will allow us to somehow expand the size of our house
That He will prepare the hearts of our new little ones
That we will have safe travels
That He will give us opportunity to speak and be a voice for the fatherless
That His will be done in all things in our life
God bless you and thanks for reading our blog.
Why "Eight Is Not Enough"?
When we were younger, there was a television sitcom that was called "Eight is Enough". The television watching world was entertained with the thought of a family with eight children. Most of us were shocked at the prospect of such a large family- myself included! Then ever so slowly, God began to work on our hearts, until we surrendered to Him all of our lives- yes even gave Him sovereign control over the size of our family and He has blessed us immeasurably, with eight biological children. Each of these children have been an amazing gift to us and we cherish each of them. And we praised God for them and felt to ourselves "eight is enough" - at least for a time.
Then God began to stir our hearts. It was as if He spoke to say to us "these 8 precious children I have given to you, but what have you given to my orphans in return?" A burden began to build on our hearts to adopt. We knew that for us God still had other plans for us as parents if we would be faithful to His calling- that eight is not enough. And so, we followed this call to adopted and He has continued to blessed us through adoption. First a sibling group of three from Soacha, Colombia. They joined our family in November, 2008. In May 2010, we adopted twin infants from Texas. In September of 2012 we were privileged to return to Colombia and adopt a sibling group of two from Cali. At this time, we anxiously wait for our travel date to depart for China where a very special girl and boy wait for their forever family. By the time they all reach adulthood, we will have had the amazing privilege to be parents of children in our home for a half century. Our life is full beyond measure, beyond our wildest expectations, yes even beyond anything we could have ever hoped. Truly, eight is not enough. As of late we have wondered if God's plan for us as parents all along was not for eight children, but rather eight plus eight. Our heavenly Father knows and His word assures us "I know the plans I have made for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you." We trust He knows the number of His children He wants us to love and to nurture on His behalf, and whether that is eight or eighty times eight we stand ready and say speak Lord, your servants are listening and are prepared to be father and mother to your fatherless on earth.
Then God began to stir our hearts. It was as if He spoke to say to us "these 8 precious children I have given to you, but what have you given to my orphans in return?" A burden began to build on our hearts to adopt. We knew that for us God still had other plans for us as parents if we would be faithful to His calling- that eight is not enough. And so, we followed this call to adopted and He has continued to blessed us through adoption. First a sibling group of three from Soacha, Colombia. They joined our family in November, 2008. In May 2010, we adopted twin infants from Texas. In September of 2012 we were privileged to return to Colombia and adopt a sibling group of two from Cali. At this time, we anxiously wait for our travel date to depart for China where a very special girl and boy wait for their forever family. By the time they all reach adulthood, we will have had the amazing privilege to be parents of children in our home for a half century. Our life is full beyond measure, beyond our wildest expectations, yes even beyond anything we could have ever hoped. Truly, eight is not enough. As of late we have wondered if God's plan for us as parents all along was not for eight children, but rather eight plus eight. Our heavenly Father knows and His word assures us "I know the plans I have made for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you." We trust He knows the number of His children He wants us to love and to nurture on His behalf, and whether that is eight or eighty times eight we stand ready and say speak Lord, your servants are listening and are prepared to be father and mother to your fatherless on earth.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
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2 comments:
I am so "excited" for your family as you all move one step closer to bringing your children home. I often check your blog to see how things have been moving along and was so happy to see that you had received a call. I also wanted you to know how much your post touched me as I felt the Lord used your post to speak to my heart! We have just started the adoption process and have our first home study visit this week. Thank you for reminding us of the power of prayer! We will be praying for your family!
Blessings, Susan
Congratulations on getting one step closer to your new children! We were just approved today for a sibling group of 4 up to 8 years old. I'm hoping that before long we learn that our dossier is also no longer at ICBF, but in our children's region. You have a beautiful family.
Karen
www.burgessfamilyadoption.blogspot.com
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