New Freedom

Over the last year of our life, its absolutely amazing how God has grown Laura and I in our relationship with Him. To be honest the lives we now live I once thought impossible, something a pastor or teacher told you to strive for but it was not realistically attainable. Truthfully, until recently I never saw anyone living it. However I have watched God grow so many families in our church to this place, it has become a reality. There is so much I have felt God impressing on us to share but I have been reluctant because these things are so radically different from our normal American culture. This morning I was reading Titus 2. After reading this passage I felt that any reservations or excuses I could come up with didn't separate me from the fact I know this message should be shared with any who are willing to read it.

Titus 2 (New Living Translation)

 ¹ As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. ² Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.  ³ Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. ⁴ These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, ⁵ to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.  ⁶ In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. ⁷ And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. ⁸ Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.  ⁹ Slaves must always obey their masters and do their best to please them. They must not talk back ¹⁰ or steal, but must show themselves to be entirely trustworthy and good. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way.  ¹¹ For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. ¹² And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, ¹³ while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. ¹⁴ He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. ¹⁵ You must teach these things and encourage the believers to do them. You have the authority to correct them when necessary, so don’t let anyone disregard what you say.
 
What I want to share is how God has led Laura and I to a place in our lives where this is becoming who we are. Its a life where we are divorced from the culture of selfishness and married to a culture after God's heart. A life totally committed, not only when its convenient. It means getting our hands dirty, making sacrifices, placing others before ourselves. We are becoming further separated from our sense of entitlement each day. From things we once thought were rights like meat at every meal, a nice looking car, designer clothes, possessions, steak when we eat out, and so forth. Its like we have found a treasure buried deep in a cave that has lit our entire world. There is a freedom and profound awakening we have stumbled into from I believe by simply being obedient to what Holy Spirit has called us to and revealed in our lives how daily choices we all make prevent us from living a fulfilled life in the Spirit. I don't think we have it all figured our but I know I don't want to live another way. My desire is to share what God has revealed to me over the last year of my life and pray you find encouragement and opportunity for growth in your own life. I encourage you to journey with us and pray with us as God continually stretches us beyond ourselves and each day we find grace abounding in areas we never saw before.
 
Our prayers are with you all,
Rob

We Have Our First Grant Approval!!!!

Praise God! We have recieved our first grant approval for the adoption from Promise 686. Its a matching grant up to $6000! It provides a tax deductable avenue for donations that will be dispersed back to our angency for the adoption expenses. What a tremendous blessing to have the opportunity to recieve up to $12,000 for our adoption! Typically we all seek ways we can lower our tax burnden this time of year and we ask you to seek God if He would have you partner with us in giving 2 orphans from DR Congo a forever family by contributing a tax deductible donation through the donate button on the bottom right of this blog. All donations run through Promise 686, a registered 501 C3 non-profit. They will send you an annual statement for tax purposes. Laura and I are so blessed to be able to share our journey with you and we pray God would break our hearts with the things that break His. Defend the cause of the fatherless, love the loveless, seek out the least of these in your lives!

If you would like more information on Promise 686, their website is http://www.promise686.org/

10 days until Liza comes!

Our lives always seem busiest between Halloween and Christmas. Always.

So many preparations, so much rearranging, all to welcome the season of giving and remembering God's gift of sacrifice personified to us. This year is just the same. Except . . .

We have yet to put up a red or green decoration, anything that jingles or smells of evergreen pine. This year we are busy preparing our home, rearranging our rooms, all to welcome Liza. 10 days until we meet her and I cannot wait to become a small part of the plan I know God has for her life because He has chosen her to spend this sacred season with our family and our church. I love her already, because I know that Jesus loves her immensely!

Now, with 10 days left, we still have to pay $1,650.00 for her travel costs. You can help us by donating here http://www.active.com/donate/Christmas2010/Liza2010.  And she will need clothing and a warm coat. Lip balm and a hair brush. I hope God will provide resources to take her bowling (she mentioned she would like to go bowling in her bio) and do a few other fun things.

If you and your family have a few of these things used, we would truly appreciate them. She does not expect things with tags and most likely has never had new clothing anyway. If you would like to give her a giftcard to somewhere like Walmart or Target where she could pick out a few things for herself, she has probably never been able to shop in a store for herself before. A giftcard would also help her buy presents for her friends and caregivers/teachers to take home with her.

If you don't feel God leading you to give to her in that way, would you please consider sending her a Christmas card? Something to welcome her and encourage her?

Thank you, friends!