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!

It's a . . . .

Today I am overcome with God's sovereignty. I feel very small. I feel very humble. I feel very undeserving.

We just received a letter from USCIS Department Immigration Services declaring that we have received a "favorable determination concerning orphan petition." We are now approved to welcome 2 children, male or female, ages 0-4 into our family.

The process has taken 6 weeks, although the website is charting 2 1/2 months in our region. We have moved faster than other families in the same process, and my heart aches for them. In faith, I know it's nothing about us, but must be about our children and when they need us to come to them. God called each of these families not to the first child in line, but to the son or daughter who before birth was predestined to be part of their family. I cry with joy that we are closer to our children.

Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him in love, He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:4-6

Handmade hair accessories with a huge help!

Glad to report that we had a great day at the festival today, introducing our hair accessory collection and talking about ministry to ophans. Thanks to everyone who came by to talk, shop, and donate, and everyone who prayed for those opportunities. We feel blessed!

If you weren't able to come by today (because you were already committed elsewhere or because it's just too far away from you) we have a special opportunity for you, as well! For the next two weeks, that's until 11:59 pm Sat, November 13th, you can get your choice of any of our available designs for free with any donation to our adoption fund! That's right, ANY donation!!





purple rosette




yellow and red flowers



holly



headbands in assorted color schemes



Just make a donation through our paypal donate button on the right side bar and in the paypal comments on your transaction, list these things:

       - your choice of flower, rosette, holly, or head band

       - preferred color

       - choice of french clip, snap clip, pony holder, or pin for flower, rosette, or holly

       - age of headband wearer (infant, toddler, big girl, adult)

       - address to ship if your different from your paypal account.



OR if that doesn't work for you, just send me an email at lauradavis05AThotmailDOTcom with the amount and name on your paypal account and the item you would like and I can get it to you. When considering your donation, please keep in mind the shipping costs involved, as well.



Finally, for all our new friends, a little bit about why we're raising money! God has told my husband Rob and I (Laura) that we have two more children who, for only months longer, live in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We have no idea what their names or genders or specific ages are, but we know that today they live in a dangerous, chaotic country where they are most vulnerable and most susceptible to the atrocities that surround them. We also know that God has chosen to redeem them and place them in a family and church where they will witness daily His great Love for them.

We are deeply honored that you spend the last several minutes reading about our hearts and efforts to bring our children home. Thanks

sneak peek ;)

This Saturday a new collection of hair accessories I've designed will debut at the Covenant Christian Academy Fall Festival! I'm very excited about it, because they scream "fall" to me and the falling leaves outside have inspired me to wear one most days this week. So you can be excited, too, I thought I would give you a tiny sneak peek (in blurred iphone fashion) of what's in store . . .

This weekend, all our bows, head bands, pins, and clips will be available for any donation to our adoption fund!!! If there are any left, I'll have details here on Monday about how you can get one. Monday afternoon, righ after we return from our USCIS fingerprints!!!

See you Saturday, at CCA from 10-3 on the field! CCA is located on hwy 20 between Grayson and Loganville.

Meet Liza!

Hello, Friends! Please meet Liza! She is a 16 year old Latvian orphan who will be spending a month with us over Christmas. She is a great student with a (I'm sure you've noticed) sweet smile. We'll be hosting her through New Horizons For Children, a pro-adoption organization that matches orphans with Christian families who show them practical, intimate, love as they experience functional, Godly family life. Liza will even have an opportunity to shadow at CCA during on some school days. We are very excited that God has asked us to have her as a guest in our home as we celebrate His Gift this coming season.

To be honest, we were tempted to say "No thanks, we're adopting from Africa. Maybe later . . . "  We could've felt justified saying "We'll help someone else . . . buy some socks or a sweater . . . " We would've been safe saying "We don't have any money. We still lack over $10,000 for our children that we're obligated to pay soon!"

Instead, by God's grace, we listened. We heard Philemon: 

So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back--not to mention that you owe me your very self. I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask. v. 17-21

"Yes."

Now, we're sharing with you, because we know God desires to use others in Liza's life, and that starts now. God has resources for her and we ask that you pray fervently with us for those resources to be loosed generously on Liza's behalf. http://www.active.com/donate/Christmas2010/Liza2010 Please share this work God is doing with anyone Holy Spirit prompts you to share with. And, most desperately, pray for Liza to meet her Savior this Christmas!

How much is enough?

The past several weeks have gone by and Rob and I have noticed something:  we are changing. I don't yet know how many different ways, but as God shows us we'll share with you! One question that was been sticking in my mind often as a I lay in bed at night or am sitting at a traffic light is this, "how much is enough?" We think so often about what our children in DRC don't have, even as we bemoan (while picking up toys) what our children in Loganville do have. So, where is God's will in our stuff? I'm sorting through clothes now, putting sleeveless away and airing out sweaters, storing what has been outgrown and unpacking new sizes to grow into, and I want to know "how much is enough?"

Share with me. How much is enough for your family? Is it a week's worth of clothing? Two weeks? One pair of jeans, or two, or six? When do you say, "Thank you, God! Who can I share this with?" When do you spend family resources to get more?

Thanks for helping me work this out!

Fall fun!

On October 30th, Covenant Christian Academy will be having their annual Fall Festival. We will be there with a booth selling head bands and crocheted hair bows for any donation to our adoption fund and raising awareness for adoption and the needs of the people of  The Democratic Republic of Congo. There will be music, bake sales galore, games for the kids (the best kind--Anthony's class is sponsoring the Lollipop Tree this year!) and surely a few other crafty things. So come by and see us! Even if you only have boys! Help make our booth crowded! The address is 3425 Loganville Hwy | Loganville, GA 30052  I'll post some reminders and pictures of the bows as we get closer to the date.

"So, what's happening now?"

One of those things we hear a lot in this adoption. I think it's the equivalent to the pregnancy "how are you feeling?" question. I truly appreciate each person who asks, because just that simple question reveals that they've been thinking about us, and our children, and hopefully praying for us all, and maybe even asking so they can pray more specifically. That is really encouraging!! But sometimes, when I have that same dreaded "waiting" answer . . . again, it can feel a bit discouraging. So, I won't tell you that we're waiting for our I600A to go through levels upon levels of paper shuffling. Instead, I will tell you that we are resting. We are praying. We are filling out as many grant applications as we can find. We are praising God for His perfect timing. And we are beginning to understand that this adoption, which seems so BIG in our lives and even BIGGER in the lives of the children who will soon be ours, is not the main event, but a beginning. We have a longer wait to see what will come.

with Love,

Laura


P.S. for those that might be interested, because you are waiting too, we sent our I-600A on Friday, October 1st, via UPS and was delivered Monday October 4th, at 9:45 am. We'll let you know when we get any official word from USCIS that the envelope has been opened.

Jehovah Jireh- The Lord Will Provide:

Jehovah Jireh, the name Moses calls God in Genesis 22 after God had provided a ram for the sacrifice. Abraham, being obedient, led his son Isaac to an altar uncertain of Gods plan or how he would do it. Yet as we know God provided a lamb for the sacrifice due to the obedience and faith of Abraham. We have known since we started this journey that we would have to sell our car due to lack of space for our new children. What we did not know was how it would work out..where was the right buyer, what vehicle should we get to replace? Should we buy the most car we could with the money from the sale or spend as little as possible on a older car and put the rest towards the adoption. In His infinite wisdom and perfect provision God has lived true to His name as Jehovah Jireh, our provider, and answered all of our questions in an amazing series of events. God not only sent a buyer for our car but provided a van for us in the same transaction!!! He has given us a fair price for the Equinox to be applied towards the adoption as well as a 2001
Chevy Minivan! Its amazing how He is always at work even when we don't see everything coming together. They way this series of events has come together leaves us with no other explanation than God put it all into place. We are so thankful for His provision and pray protection and peace over our vehicle sold and our new blessing that will comfortably fit our whole family to come.

Love is action

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:16-18

God, teach us to love

A few things

A few things today.

First, we've moved the blog to blogspot. A few more features and easier to work with. So, please follow us here or subscribe to RSS feed. We'd love for you to link to us, too! More awareness can mean more prayers, which these children need desperately, and ultimately means real concrete change in lives.

Good news! Our homestudy is on a desk in our agency's office!! Now, we are in our first opportunity to wait. My first impulse is to ask everyone for prayers that our agency will move at lightning speed, recognize the urgency in my heart, and get a copy to us in 2 minutes so I can mail the packet I already have prepared to USCIS . . . so I can wait on them? No, I'm asking instead that you pray for me to be patient, to trust God's timing, to rest in His provision for my children. I know today is just the beginning of learning this lesson through our journey. Pray that I will learn well everything God desires to teach me.

Laura