I am unwinding today from the AMAZING Hope at Home conference. There were about 70 people at the conference…and I have to tell you–I LOVED this part because it was truly a time of RESTORATION and CONNECTION. Believe it or not–I can be a recluse some times…I think it has something to do with having […]
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Category Archives: LearningPlease pray for the Stark family. They are an adoption family who live in Lawrenceville, Georgia. They have I believe 3 biological children–and they also adopted 6 special needs children. Cheryl, the mother, passed away after a sudden stroke on July 21st. Her husband has been out of work–and just received a job offer a […] Oh my goodness, we will be praying & will reach out… Thanks for posting this! As of yesterday, they’ve raised $200,000!! (in one week!) God is so stinkin’ good!  As I’m working with an amazing team of adoption moms…WAY AHEAD of me–so full of experience and wisdom…on a VERY special pre-Summit event, I have been praying WHAT Lord do you have for these moms…WHAT do you want them to hear? I was praying today–and being ONE OF THOSE MOMS in the middle of it […] It is so funny that I got up at 4:30 this morning to get ready and decided I had a little time to get online. I open up your blog and see that verse and it sends chills down my spine. I got home from youth last night and was thinking as I was in the bed that we need to read the bible more at youth service, I do to. It’s been awhile since I read the bible. I get mine out just let it fall open and read the first verse I see, guess what it was? YEP, Matthew 11: 15-30. I think someone is trying to tell me something. And no recipe? 🙂 I’ve gotta learn how to make these with my kiddos. Sounded like similiar kind of days yesterday, except we made chocolate banana pops to freeze since we had lots of bananas and some chocolate to use up! 🙂 Fun times. Praying for you as you juggle all that you will today, Andrea! Thanks for the reminder to rest. I needed this reminder in the craziest of ways. Thank you for allowing God to speak through you! I need this today. I am feeling the weariness…. And example to follow. Celebrate and give thanks … even on the hard days. I was just about to send you an email and nag you about that info packet and thougt I’d stop by your blog first. So glad I did–no need for me to add demands to your busy life!! Just get around to it when you are able (but don’t forget about me–I’m still interested and my Hus-B is on board!) Great post, Andrea–words from Jesus that every busy mom needs to read and take to heart. And please do share the whoopie pie recipe! They look so yummy! xoxo Water to my soul. Thank you, Andrea – you minister to so many of us. I will be praying for you. Wow Andrea lately what you are posting feels directed at me. I am trying to fight the good fight to often alone. Today I am trying to get through what feels like a test of my faith. Thanks for taking the time to post this. Sincerely, Rachelle thanks for this today andrea! i need REST in the worst way. so much going on, sick kids, adoption that’s a hurry up, then wait… then more paperwork… then fingerprints again. so many things uncertain except for the love of my Savior. thanks for reminding me to rest in Him, because I’m a complete spaz without Him. Praying for you Andrea……..God knows…  I feel like my posts the last few weeks haven’t made much sense–as I pray for what is ahead but wait upon Him for confirmation and His timing. So while I wait and pray–I do my best to share what I’m learning…partly to remember this part later–and the other part just because I feel like […] Love. This. Post. Oh sweet girl, this post was for me! We are in the midst of crazy over here. We are fostering a baby girl we’ve had since birth, she’s 3 months now. I am staying at home and really need to go back to work, but God just keeps saying no. My Mama-heart is glad, my checkbook is sad. We spent the day with our family yesterday who have quite different priorities. We toured my sister-in-laws new $400K house that only she and her 6 year old live in. We got to see the new bass boat my brother-in-law got for his 40th birthday. We heard all about the upcoming trip to Hawaii my husband’s sisters are taking in April, with a stop in California for a few days. Yesterday was the first day they had met our foster baby- who is black. They knew she was black, but knowing and seeing are two different things and that was evident. It was a long ride home last night. My heart just struggled with “things” we don’t have, and God’s plan, and acceptance. So, this post was very much for me. Thank you for sharing. Thanks, Andrea. Needed this! Praying for you! I needed to read this. We have a meeting coming up on Friday with our social worker from the pregnancy center. Everything is updated so we’re not sure why she’s driving 2 1/2 hours to come and see us and the kids are to be here. She said she was not at liberty to tell us, so my mind has been wondering what in the world this is about. Not typical, I don’t think, if there is such a thing as typical. Anyways, trying to let go knowing that God will not. Thank you for this post! I’m praying through some of those exact same things right now! I’m not one to “sit around.” I’m a “do-er.” So, the fact that I feel God call me out of a ministry that’s been SUCH a HUGE part of my and my entire family’s life for the last 8 years is SCARY! BUT, He is calling us into the wide world of adoption! We’re expecting from Ethiopia (possibly siblings!)!!! STILL, I feel a restlessness that usually, in my case, means, HOLD ON, KELLY! I HAVE BIGGER THINGS YET! And, I think, “Seriously? Can I take a small break?” Then I think of Oswald Chambers in “My Utmost for His Highest,” when he says (paraphrased), “You will never be released from the Great Commission.” So, keep on keepin’ on, and I’ll try to do the same!!! (I’m trying to get a blog up and running…unsuccessfully right now, but it’ll be up soon!) 🙂 Needed this reminder!!! WIth our adoption taking longer than we planned it is so wonderful to be reminded that it is not longer than God has planned. His timing will be perfect for our family….and to rest in the beauty of seeing it all unfold is a blessing. Love you and praying for you too! Love this, friend. I was just thinking the other night about how we are on kind of a “high” right now. God is moving BIG and fast and we are seeing Him minute by minute in exciting ways. I was wondering what it’s like to come down from that mountain and settle into the everyday. God is teaching me so much lately that the everyday is where the true miracles happen, I am just more likely to miss them. Isn’t He good? Yes…yesterday I was reflecting on how our huge age gap, adoption heart, etc. were so normal 2 weeks ago in Georgia and as I sit with my oldest son’s basketball team the moms are all smiling at me chasing my 2 year old and saying, “So glad we are done with that stage.” Well, with the exception of one mom who started over with a little boy from China and is now 4 (CL/CP too)…she gets it! 🙂 She is the light of our life…so glad we didn’t miss this opportunity to be parents again! Praying we take courage and don’t let fear stop us if the Lord calls us to adopt again! I have loved “finding” and following your blog!!! You have been very encouraging to me lately as we begin the process of adopting from Ethiopia(our second adoption-first was Bulgaria-home July 2010)….we are already facing financial attack, emotional attack, and in the middle of it all..I have this CRAZY idea that we’re supposed to request TWINS!!! It is a crazy hard road into the unknown, and we have very little support…SOOOOOO, keep writing!:) It ministers to my heart and gives me the courage to continue on this WILD path of international adoption!! God Bless, PRAYING for you as God continues to call you to what He has for you. I feel those moments ….many times. The moments inbetween. Love what God does… Right there with ya Andrea! This post was for me too. Our family is about to enter the “crazy” life and leave our comfy American lifestyle behind. I know it’s the perfect path for us, but I wonder how many people will understand and encourage us along the way. I am blessed to have a husband who doesn’t question this path and is obedient to God’s perfect plan. Thank you for writing you thoughts and feelings, it makes me feel that I am not the only “crazy” one put there…. I am sitting here reading your post and amazed at how God speaks through people that I don’t even really know! God has been calling our family to a life that isn’t normal and goes against what society says a family should do or have. He is calling us instead to give Him all that we have so that He can make much of His name through us! Oh how that doesn’t make sense to alot of people! Thank you for allowing God to use your journey to encourage me. You were speaking on EXACTLY what I have been praying about!!! Praying about God really breaking my hubby’s heart for those in need. He gave me a triple dose of mercy but hubby just doesn’t understand. God is bringing people into our lives who need lots of support on top of the call to adopt. I am just faithfully trying to follow his call even when it’s hard. Even when it costs or results in sacrifice for our family. Sun I had a discussion with my hubby about getting his heart ready for what God has in store for us & that adoption while scary for him is our next step. Afterwards he accidentally broke my super heavy indestructible mantle cross the 4th one since I felt in my heart to adopt. I told him God is letting him know that faith without deeds is meaningless & that we are called to act despite our fears. He is a factual guy & is having a hard time reconciling what “makes sense” with what God is doing in our lives. Oh & the other day God used your blog to lead me to ourunveiledfaces.blogspot because they are needing 100 families to donate just $20 to build a grain mill in Holeta!!! God has used you to bless my life and to speak to me in so many ways!!!! Thank you for your courage & faith!!! Thank you friend. You are so encouraging at keep things in perspective! Thank you Andrea. You let the Lord speak through you today and it clearly reached many of our hearts. Just today I received more paperwork from AGCI and our journey to Ethiopia is getting so overwhelming. But your words lifted me up and reminded me of all of God’s promises that I’ve been standing on since He first called us to this task. I look forward to holding my Zoe Ameris in my arms; giving God all the glory. Bless you. Andrea, you are wonderful! I’m so thankful for your thoughts and inspiring attitude and faith. I feel as though we’re being called to adopt. My husband doesn’t feel the same; saying we’re stretched enough with the four kids under 9 we have now (the youngest being just 7 months). My sister tells me how much we’ll miss out on and how crazy life would be with more. We even discussed how my kids just might not get the chance to go to Disney World. 😉 I’m so relieved that someone else thinks as I do in that those things don’t really matter to me (and I don’t think they will really matter to my kids). I want them to be grateful. happy. giving. loving. faithful. I don’t think that will come with material things and experiences that society says they “should” have. Keep doing what you do – because it’s great. God Bless You! Okay–first…if you SCROLL to the very bottom of my blog you can see the number of visitors since I put that little fun counter on it last January. It counts the number of unique visitors per day–and I just saw this little blog that I forget other people read is about to hit it’s 500,000 […] Oh how I loved your post yesterday and how I love it today too! Thanks for sharing the struggles and frustrations along with the victories! And I LOVE God moments when the scripture I’ve been pondering and just blogged about is the same scripture on your heart!! Thanks so much for this one. It seems I’ve been having this type of day more often than not lately. Thank you for sharing your day and explaining Psalm 46 a little more clearly. I’ll be carrying it with me today…and hopefully on and on. Yep, you are definitely a “river whose streams make glad the city of God.” You are constantly using opportunities to share His praise. Praying for today to be a better day! Oh, and you have to check out Ann Voskamp’s new book, One Thousand Gifts, if you have not. Beautiful, encouraging, challenging, but simple read if you fit in one chapter a week and take time to just really reflect on it. It’s all about how “thanksgiving (eucharisteo) always precedes the miracle.” SOOOOOOOO good. And the (in)courage blog is doing videos with her over every chapter right now. I think every busy mama who has so much in the “here and now” that seems mundane and stressful sometimes will appreciate this book! 🙂 I love this…probably b/c that is how so many of us feel…great and thankful, attacked, blessed, serious, silly, organized, out of control, and so on!!!! A day in the life! I love how you CONTINUALLY turn and keep your eyes fixed on Jesus! I missed being the 500,000 reader by only 551!!! LOL. After my day yesterday (blogged), Psalm 46 was perfect – more than you can imagine. =) |
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Both of my K kids have just memorized Psalm 23… So all of this is so fresh on my mind! I adore that Psalm so much because each time I hear it I have a visual in my mind! The words are so amazing! Thank you for sharing your heart!
This is my FAVORITE song right now. We have this cd and I’ve even got to playing it so much that now my 2 year old says “again!” when it ends on car rides. 😉 Another one by him was “God of Our Yesterdays” that carried us through some very long hard days during a difficult season, and it still brings gratitude to my heart now every time I hear it. Glad you were able to get away for some rest and refreshment this weekend. I was just telling a friend going to C4C how I don’t know how in the world you do so much! 🙂
Never once is a song i heard a few weeks ago and God used it in a mighty way for my heart and healing of grieving annabelle, it has since become my anthem in a way. i love the song.
Thanks for being real and for including the “it’s not too late to run” comment. Whereas, you followed it with a ;), I recognize the truth in that statement. We’re in the process of adopting siblings from Ethiopia, and this LONG wait is breeding ground for DOUBT! I’ve found myself stating your comment exactly on occasion. I mean, we already have three kids! I believe Satan is at work in trying to prevent two more orphans from being in God’s family (and ours). I’ve been going back to “You, God, will provide what I need to parent five children.”
Just as I needed today, Andrea!! Thanks for the words of encouragement and truth. xo
i really needed to hear this today. 3 months into bringing 2 boys home from africa and i am TIRED to the CORE.
I needed this today girl.