Fundraisers!

Here are the fundraisers we have going on right now:

AMAZON
Who doesnt love Amazon....ok dont answer that, lol. If you plan to do your holiday shopping on amazon please do so using the link below. A portion of your purchase goes toward our adoption. TYSM!!!
http://www.amazon.com/?&tag=beckfamiadop-20&creative=397325&camp=211173&link_code=ur1&adid=1ZYG1RXBQM0SYD7ABXPF

BRACELETS!!!
http://continuingourjourney.blogspot.com/2012/11/bracelets.html

Click here to purchase- https://www.wepay.com/stores/wristbands


KINDLE FIRE GIVEAWAY!!!!!
http://continuingourjourney.blogspot.com/2012/11/kindle-fire-hd-giveaway.html

You can also make a tax deductible donation here

http://reecesrainbow.org/36043/sponsorbeck


We are hoping to get travel dates at any moment now. So if you love adoption and want to follow God's command (James 1:27) to take care of the widows, orphans and fatherless here are some really great ways to do so. Thank you all so much for your support.

Be blessed

Yours to Hold

The smell of urine was thick tonight. It was almost too much for me to bare. I think God is preparing me for the orphanage.

"It is humbling when as you are praying for a homeless man he begins to pray for you"- Paul

Words cant really express of convey accurately the feelings I had. It was different tonight. I saw a side of a few that I hadnt seen before, anger and fear. I wasnt afraid though. I had a calmness about me. I knew that God was there. He was meeting these people right there on the urine soaked cement. He was laying with them as they tried to keep warm and sleep. 

One man had just gotten his Bible. He wanted to show us and read for us. It was in Arabic. I had to see.

The joy on his face at being able to read God's words in his language was humbling. How many Bibles we have and never open. How easy it is to get our hands on a Bible and yet we dont take advantage of that. This man was full. He had his Bible and a sac lunch and hot coco, he was happy.

 "Look! Look!" he said and then he would start reading to us. "And here!" and turn the pages and read another verse he loved. He was sharing the gospel with me, joyfully. A homeless man. He took the time to share with me God's word right there on the cold, dark, damp street. He didnt care what time it was. He wasnt in a hurry.

I sat on the ground and bravely ask questions I would not normally ask. "How...why? Um.. you look like an upper middle class guy how did you and your girl end up here?" I sat and listened as a man told me about his past and redemption. Prison and bad choices had  left a stain on him and now 20 years later it was still haunting him. He couldnt find a job because of his mistakes, but he knew his God would provide. "God gave me grace and covered my sins, but in this world my background makes it hard for me to get a job. I dont just sit here on the street all day. In the morning me and her get up and we go to the library and we look at the jobs online. Next week we will be bell ringers. Its not like no one cares. There are ministries that come out here wanting to help and I accept it. God takes care of us." 

Then he went into the Bible and the way we are so blind now a days. He spoke about being ready when the Lord comes and knowing that the end is near. I joked and said that soon he would have his home in Glory then, a roof, a real home. "I dont care about what I get in Heaven I just want my people there. I want to see my mom." This man really knew his Bible. "People come by every night and some say arent you afraid? Afraid of what I say? If God is for me who can be against me?" 

We sat for a long time talking about God, the world as it is now, the Bible, family and jobs. Someone tried to offer him pizza but he refused saying. "thank you but we have more than enough right now."

All he needs, all his girl needs is someone to take a chance on them. He wasnt asking for a handout he just wanted a chance to work. 

I left there feeling uplifted and like I had just been to a really inspiring church service. As I walked away I knew that I knew that one day Paul and I would see Ken in Heaven. It wasnt about reciting a prayer of words made up by a preacher. It was living Christ like, being humble and obeying God and His word. Ken did this. He loved God and I imagine a day when he will run into Jesus arms smiling and jumping and knowing he finally was home.

Another street, more people. Cold, dark, smelly.

Each person getting a need met because people chose to put their lives on hold and go to the street to be His hands and feet.

The hot chocolate was a hit, as were the hot dogs (still warm) and the warm burritos. 

A mans was screaming about war as a young man knelt down beside him to listen. The young man was there like every other night handing out food, praying, talking with and listening to these people. Tonight he took the brunt of this man's angry words and just listened. The angry man I imagine was more afraid than angry. He seem to have PTSD and was a vet. Not a very old man age wise but aged from fighting wars and seeing too much of things we shouldnt see. After the man tired out the young man walked away. He wasnt hurt, he wasnt afraid, he was being Christ like for a hurt man in need of healing. 

 Of course there was time for fun too. I mean when besides midnight could you bull ride a moving car?

Being on the streets tonight reminded me of a Skillet song. Yours to Hold

I see you standing here

But you're so far away
Starving for your attention
You don't even know my name

You're going through so much
But I know that I could be the one to hold you

[Chorus:]

Every single day
I find it hard to say
I could be yours alone
You will see someday
That all along the way
I was yours to hold
I was yours to hold
I see you walking by
Your hair always hiding your face
I wonder why you've been hurting
I wish I had some way to say

You're going through so much

Don't you know that I could be the one to hold you

I'm stretching but you're just out of reach
You should know
I'm ready when you're ready for me
And I'm waiting for the right time
For the day I catch your eye
To let you know
That I'm yours to hold

I'm stretching but you're just out of reach
I'm ready when you're ready for me

Some know Jesus and all He does and will do for them. They know His love and they bask in it.  Others they dont see Him, they dont feel Him, dont even know His name, but He is there waiting for the right time to hold them, to hold us.  We are living in times of such vanity to think that we can do it all we dont need Him. And still He waits ready to catch us when we fall, ready to take the hurtful words we spew at Him, taking it all, paying the price because He loves us.

Be blessed

Pearson

Meet Pearson

Pearson is a 16 yr old boy with Down Syndrome living in state care.

His profile reads:
Pearson is friendly and active. He loves to play with toys that are stimulating to the senses, especially ones that light up and twirl. He enjoys going to the park and playing on the playground. Pearson gets along with his peers; however, he prefers to play alone. He can become upset easily when he is told "no" and can have tantrums. Pearson is a great eater, although he needs to be watched closely, because he tends to put too much food in his mouth at a time. His favorite food is bread! Pearson attends life skills classes in school to give him the opportunity to live as independently as possible when he gets older. Pearson is making steady progress on his communication skills and daily living activities such as getting dressed and bathing himself. Pearson is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down Syndrome. He also is non-verbal, but is able to communicate by saying a few words. He prefers to communicate through gestures and sign language. 

Desired Family Profile:
Pearson needs a family who has experience with children who have developmental and physical challenges. He will do best in a family who can provide close supervision as well as a highly structured environment with a daily routine that is easy to follow. This family needs to be patient and understanding of Pearson's challenges and be able to provide a nurturing and loving home. Pearson will do best in a home where he is an only child or the youngest child in the home. This family will need to be willing to make a lifetime commitment to Pearson and be able to advocate for him across a variety of settings to ensure he is receiving the services he needs. This family will need to be able to celebrate the small achievements Pearson makes while challenging him to reach new goals.

http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Adoption_and_Foster_Care/Texas_Heart_Galleries/SanAntonio/pages/Pearson_60955.htm

Every profile I read says the child should be the only child or youngest. Why? More than likely he lives in a group home with a ton of other kids or in a foster home with several other kids. At 16 I highly doubt he is the youngest or only in a foster home. I say if you think he is your child go for it. If you have 10 kids or 2 but they are babies, go for it. Experienced or not, go for it. These children sit on these sites and wait for years and years for their caseworker to find that perfect family, well guess what! There is no such thing and in the mean time a child grows up motherless.

This boy has 2 years. 2! Then he will be unadoptable. In foster care they throw you out on the street at 18 with a couple hundred bucks in your hand and say go and be a grown up after we stifled you all these years. Good luck with that! They wont throw him out on his own right? No he will spend the rest of his life in a group home with other handicap people. How are we more civilized than Europe?

Please spread the word. Pray. Help this child find his family.

Be blessed

BRACELETS!!!!

We have bracelets for sale! One for 4.00 

Two for 6.00

Three for 8.00

Four for 10.00

Five for 12.00

and that includes shipping.

If you are local and would like to pick up a few we can offer a discount.

Help us bring our boys home while using these bracelets to tell others what true religion is Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

                      -James 1:27

Click here to purchase- https://www.wepay.com/stores/wristbands

Be blessed

A Challenge...

Today on facebook as I was commenting about the need for the church to step up something occurred to me. Why do congregations support missionaries monthly and yet they do not support adoptive families? What is the difference between a missionary and an adoptive family?

A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. A Christian missionary can be defined as "one who is to witness across cultures."

Well that sounds a lot like adoptive parents. Usually part of a religious group. I educate my adopted children, I make sure their needs are met. I take them to get health services they need and perhaps never had.  My children like other APs kids are from all cultures so I would be witnessing across cultures. 

I know churches who support foreign orphanages which is awesome! But think about it, the church supports them in the orphanage but not the family God called to go and bring them home and set the lonely in families...hmmmm....how come?

Could you imagine if a church supported one adoptive family each month through the end of their adoption? They would be supporting a missionary in the US.  Say they give 300.00 and it takes the family one year to bring the child home. That is 3600.00 toward the ransom of a child. That is a lot of money to an adoptive family. In a church of 2000 people that isnt really a big amount of money only 1.80 per person in the church. C'mon! Seriously! 1.80 per person and you can give a family 3600.00 in a year. WORD!!

I imagine that from what I know about blessings and what I know about where your treasure is there your heart is also and what I know about God's love for the least of these, I imagine a very blessed congregation. You think you cant fit it in your very tight budget with all the bills you (the church)have. I feel like it is as important as tithe. 

So here is my challenge to the churches of America. I challenge you to find one adopting family and pledge to give them X amount a month. That amount  that after prayer God shows you to give. I challenge you to continue to give until the children are home.

But that isnt all. Commit to pray for them because you will never see warfare like you see in adoption. Pray for them daily. Talk about them when you are mentioning your giving or missionaries. Maybe ask them to speak one Sunday.

 

This is my challenge to you. Be the change you wish to see in this world. Watch the miracles unfold in your congregation. Tell your church about my proposal. Let me know if you are doing it. All it takes is 1% of christians to help and it will end the orphan crisis. 

"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act." Prov. 24:12

Be blessed

The Connected Child

If you are in the foster or adoption arena you know about The Connected Child. Karyn Purvis is amazing. Here are a few videos of hers. If you havent adopted watch them anyway. More can be found at http://empoweredtoconnect.org



I will add more to another post. These are great. Check em out!

Be blessed

International what now?

International Foster Care.

Do you know what that is?

http://www.ccdofw.org/ifc

"The International Foster Care (IFC) Program provides foster care for unaccompanied minors who do not have adult caregivers. The program partners with foster families to provide a safe, nurturing, and culturally sensitive environment that equips and empowers them to reach their full potential. IFC provides services to meet the needs of each youth. These services include tutoring, mentoring, independent living skills training, cultural activities, legal assistance, mental health services, intensive case management and education/ESL classes."

This program is a great way to help the orphans. In this program children are historically between the ages of 15-17yrs old. They flee their countries in the middle of the night to find refuge. Then they board a plane and land in a foreign place where no one speaks their language and they have a family waiting for them to help them get through this. Now the children coming over have been as young as 8yrs old. 

These children are fleeing genocide, persecution, trafficking. In the shuffle to get them out of immediate danger papers can be lost. Because of this and out of respect for the children's birthfamilies these kids are NOT available for adoption. 

Like any foster placement the first 6-9 months will be difficult. 
There are only 22 places in the United States doing this. 

This is a way for God to use you for His glory. Please prayerfully consider your part to help the orphans.

For more information , please contact Merryl Barker at mbarker@ccdofw.org office 817-289-0466

Please consider what part you could play in helping these youth:

• Become a foster parent and have your home licensed so you can welcome these youth when they arrive (requires 36 hours of training and a home study by a CCFW home developer).
• Volunteer as a cultural mentor or educational tutor.
• Host an outing/party for the youth (soccer game, bowling, swim party, etc.).
• Donate: welcome boxes, school supplies, gift cards for clothing, or sporting equipment.
• Spread the news: Tell others about this great opportunity and how they can get involved. 

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.

Proverbs 31:8-9

Be blessed

Apathy

Apathy (also called impassivity or perfunctoriness) is a state of indifference, or the suppression of emotions such as concern,excitement, motivation and passion. An apathetic individual has an absence of interest in or concern about emotional, social, spiritual, philosophical and/or physical life.
Example: "Ryan was very apathetic when he was informed about the slaughter of orphans in Africa. When asked about the barbaric attacks, he simply shrugged and said 'It's not my problem."

That written above is from Wikipedia. I find it quite ironic that the example is about orphans.

Apathy

Apathy is what the church is. Apathy is what our country is. 

Tonight I heard a CASA worker talk about her job. First let's talk about what a CASA worker is.  Court Appointed Special Advocate. This is probably because there are not enough to go around.

CASA workers are not concerned with what anyone else on the team wants or needs, their concern is for the child. Learn more about CASA volunteers and consider becoming one yourself. There is a great need for more CASA volunteers and it is one way to help a foster child. If you are unable to foster at this time help a foster child out by becoming a CASA volunteer.

Tell me why I live in a town that has a megachurch with 50,000 people attending and 400 kids are waiting to have a CASA worker.

If my son had a CASA worker he maybe would have been adopted at 2 and not 6. He wouldnt have spent 5 years living in an abusive foster home. Maybe his school would have had to teach him and he would have been fed more than junk food and more often.  

I can imagine what it is like to be in foster care and not have a voice. No, I didnt miss type I said I could imagine it. I was in foster care.  At 15 years old I was lifted off the floor by my hair and my head was banged against the wall so hard the plaster came off of the wall. I barely made it to the door , then down the step and to the end of the driveway before passing out. That was the last time I was physically abused by my mother. At 15 years old I was taken out of her home and put in a shelter. I ask to live with my grandmother but because the woman who abused me said I couldnt I was not allowed. I was forced to live with a bunch of other girls, most were criminals. I showered in a group shower with soap that turned my hair green. I was then forced to live with strangers that were now my foster parents. (Side note: my foster parents I now consider mom and dad and are amazing. I am who I am today because of them. I love them and they love me.) 

No one ask me what I wanted. No one cared. When my foster mother learned that all I wanted was to see my grandma she called her and told her to come over. I got lucky. I had amazing foster parents who were my advocates. I never had a CASA. I never had a voice. I never had a choice as to what happened to me. 

Why are we so apathetic? Why do we allow children to be aborted, abused by their parents, taken from their parents, live in horrible abusive foster homes or orphanages, trafficked, sold into slavery (yes that still happens)? Is it because we think it isnt our problem or maybe because we dont feel like it will help. We cant save them all! (I cant hear that enough.) I dont have to save them all. It's not all on me. I dont have to do this alone. God will save them all I have to do is His will. If you dont know His will seek it, He promises you will find it.  

What if God were apathetic? Apathy: Example "God was very apathetic when he was informed about the fall of man(away from Him). When asked about the barbaric attacks, he simply shrugged and said 'It's not my problem."

Be blessed

Amazon and Adoption

Hey! Plan to Christmas shop on Amazon? Click this link and up to 10% of your purchase will go to our adoption! How cool is that?


http://www.amazon.com/ref=as_li_ss_sm_fb_us_ndp_tl?_encoding=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=399841&linkCode=shr&tag=beckfamiadop-20&link_code=ur1&adid=1E64V4C65T5237WZGHET

Thanks Amazon!

Be blessed

Not for sissies!

Adoption is not for sissies. Adoption isnt the way you get your perfect child, perfect family. Adoption isnt for the parents who want glorious easy beautiful children who come to them with no issues.
Even if you adopt a newborn or an infant or a non special needs from an orphanage. Let me tell you there is no such thing as non special needs from an international orphanage!

Adoption is hard work.
Adoption is dying to self.
Adoption is delayed gratification.

Let me tell you about my adoptions. I fell madly in love with the idea of my kids. After all in my head there is no sound haha. I was going to bring home this beautiful little gift of God and life would be beautiful. We are in Texas visiting him and he is just more than I could have ever imagined. He is perfect. He is gorgeous! He is so tiny! He smiles. Be still my heart I am in love. We continue to visit daily until it is Gotcha Day. He is handed to me and I never have to give him back. I am overjoyed.

Next day: He refuses to take the bottle. He hates me! He knows I'm not mom. Why cant I feed him? What is wrong with me? Paul has no issues. Paul feeds him and I play. Just me, Paul and our new bundle of joy.

We fly home.

Real life begins!

2 in diapers. 3 to homeschool. Paul returns to work. OMGSH what was I thinking! Doctors visits begin. 5 kids in small doctors offices that couldnt be further from kid friendly. Still refuses to eat from me. Why Why wont he eat? He hates me! He doesnt care if I am here or not. Four appointments a week for him. Months and months of this.

Gtube surgery. 7 day hospital stay. I stay all 7 days by his side never leaving. Learning how to care for a baby that has tubes coming out of him. Gagging when I touch the button, stomach pain and fear someone will trip over the tubes and yank the tube out. I will die if this happens! I cant do this!

4 days a week drs appointments. 5 days a week therapy. A minimum of one hospital stay a month. Tube feeds, mixing formula, changing bags, disconnecting ferral values, getting stomach crap all over me because I once again forgot to clamp one tube shut before I open another.  I cant do this!

Surgeries, hospital stays, drs, therapy, 5 kids. Overwhelming. But somewhere in there, and not for at least the first 6 months, I fell madly in love with him and he was mine. I was bonded. He was bonded. We were mother and child. It was worth it. I found my voice and I stood up for him. I prayed for him. I cried over him when things looked bleak. I fought for him. I feared no one. I would die before I let anyone hurt him. Our love is fierce. I wouldnt change it for the world.

Adoption is hard.
Adoption is denying yourself and taking up your cross.

God calls again.

Yes God. I want him. I dont care how hard it will be I want him. I can do it. I can.

We fight for Micah for a long time.
God gives us Micah.

Micah comes home. He smells bad. I cant understand him. He shoves food in his mouth and steals everyone elses food. He bites. He acts out in ways that I don't want to bring into my home nor deal with. Why did I ask for him? God help! I can't do this!

6 kids, 4 homeschooling, dealing with public school, ARDs, IEPs, doctors appointments, adoption paperwork and findraising for the 2 God called us to before we thought we would get Micah.

Adoption is hard.

But God is bigger. He will help when we humble ourselves and ask. I didnt bond to either of my boys right away. You may not either. That is normal. You may choose a child with no special needs who is barely a toddler from an international orphanage and when you get the child home they have FAS or orphanage behavior.  They may have RAD or not show you emotion until a year after being home.

You may choose a child with one special need and they come home with 5 other things.

Adoption is unpredictable.

I don't say this to discourage you. I say this to encourage you. If you are reading this and having a tough time with a newly adopted child please know you are not alone. Its not abnormal and there is nothing wrong with you. Sometimes we don't talk about it, but we should. We don't want to hear "well you chose this!" or see the judgmental stares.  You wont get that here.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3: 23

Be blessed

Auction Ends Nov 9th

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Help-bring-Misha-and-Judah-home-Auction/292476597530497

Check out our FB auction. It has a little something for everyone and all proceeds go to our adoption. So if you have any Christmas shopping to do take a look. Thanks so much for all the support.

Remember our Kindle Fire HD Giveaway too!!!

http://continuingourjourney.blogspot.com/2012/11/kindle-fire-hd-giveaway.html
https://www.wepay.com/donations/kindle-fire-hd-giveaway_1


Here is a link just to donate

https://www.wepay.com/donations/EE-adoption

Be blessed

Open Adoption

Today's topic for Adoption Month is Open Adoption.

he Myths About Open Adoption

Adoptive parents and birth parents in open adoptions are constantly confused about their parental rights. It's difficult to tell where one parent stops and the other begins.

• False. Adoptive parents and birth parents within open adoptions are usually fully aware of their responsibilities and rights. This is a relationship that is constantly evolving and needs lots of open communication to flourish.

Birth family members take the adoptive family back to court over and over in an attempt to get their children back. If this doesn't work, kidnapping is often an employed tactic.

• False. Birth mothers and fathers working within an open adoption do not attempt to regain custody of their children. Seriously, how often do you hear of kidnapped adopted children on the news?

Children in open adoptions are completely confused about who their parents really are. They do not understand the roles of their birth and adoptive parents.

• False. Children in open adoptions understand the parental roles of their birth and adoptive families. This is easier for the children when the adults in their lives are open and honest with them.

The adolescent's adoptive identity and degree of preoccupation with adoption are related to the level of openness in the adoption. The more open the adoption, the greater the lack of identity for the adopted teen.

• False. Research shows that an adopted teen's sense of identity and how preoccupied he is with adoption is not related to the level of openness in his adoption.

Open adoptions have a negative impact on an adopted child's self-esteem. The more open the adoption is, the worse the adopted child feels about herself.

• False. Openness in adoption does not seem to influence the adoptee's self-esteem negatively.

Adoptive parents in open adoption often feel out of control and lack a sense of attachment and relationship with their child.

• False. Adoptive parents in open adoption often feel that they have control and a GREATER sense of permanence in their relationship with their child.

Open adoptions interfere with an adoptive parent's sense of parental right to parent their child. They tend to feel more like glorified babysitters.

• False. Most adoptive parents within an open adoption relationship with the birth family do not feel that they have any less right to parent their child.

Birth mothers in open adoptions struggle with grief resolution. Spending time with their placed child is painful and recalls the past grief. Open adoptions delay healing.

• False. Birth mothers in open and ongoing mediated adoptions do NOT have more problems with grief resolution. In fact, research shows that they did better with grief resolution than those birth mothers in closed adoptions. However, research also shows that an abrupt stop in contact did cause birth mothers more difficulty in grief resolution.

Source:
Child Welfare Information Gateway

Below is a video of one families story on Open Adoption. Check it out!



Also as some of you know our first adoption is an open adoption. To read about Noah's story check out his blog:
http://ourjourneytoadoption.beckfamily143.com/

Here are a few cool posts-
http://ourjourneytoadoption.beckfamily143.com/2010/05/gotcha-day.html

http://ourjourneytoadoption.beckfamily143.com/2010/05/little-trip-to-doctors.html

http://ourjourneytoadoption.beckfamily143.com/2011/03/adoption-day.html

Be blessed

Kindle Fire HD giveaway!!!!

Soon we will get travel dates and then it id off to Bul*aria for me!!! I will get to meet our boys. The ones we have fought for, fundraised for, begged money from people for, saved ever penny for. In order to go when they say GO! I will need travel money. We believe God will provide this, but we arent just gonna sit around and be silent expecting people to just give. We have been fundraising our butts off. Our newest fundraiser will be a Kindle Fire HD Giveaway!

To enter just click on the link and donate
https://www.wepay.com/donations/kindle-fire-hd-giveaway_1


Here's how many entries you get for each amount of money

$5.00 - 1 entry
$10.00 - 2 entries
$20.00 - 5 entries
$35.00 - 9 entries
$50.00 - 13 entries
$75.00 - 19 entries
$100.00 - 25 entries


Please help us bring our boys home and one of you lucky donors will get a new Kindle Fire HD just in time for CHRISTMAS!!!!! Yay!!!

Hurry because you only have until Nov 30th because the drawing will be Dec 1st 2012 !!!!


https://www.wepay.com/donations/kindle-fire-hd-giveaway_1

Be blessed

Depraved Indifference

"Jesus Christ will change a man into a man that feels what Jesus Christ is feeling and he can not stay in Suburbia USA anymore and do nothing! Heroes are made because they are moved. Not in their head but in their heart."

My boys are in Bul*aria. They are starving, they are in need of love, medical care, food. When Eric Ludy says that if his son were in another country he would claw his way through a cement wall to get to him. He would call every friend he knows and say hey go get my child! I get that! I get that. There isnt anything I wouldnt do for my children. Paul and I walked through hell to bring back Micah. We would do it again as well. We had to lose a child in order to find Noah. God is still good. When I go to see my boys I will see things no one should ever have to see. I will smell things that will make me want to vomit. I will touch the faces of Jesus while I am there and it will change me. I will never be the same again and thats ok. 

If you are growing tired of me rant about adoption and seeking and saving the lost, if you are tired of hearing me ask you for money then you will have to go check out some other blog full of sunshine and roses because with every breath I have in me I will fight for my children. If it were your child over there what would you do? These are God's children and we are suppose to be His hands and feet so we need to go. Run, dont walk! Go! 

Foster, Sponsor, Adopt, Give, Pray. 

           A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
                                                                                     Psalm 68:5


Be blessed

In their eyes

Yesterday I met wonderful young people waiting for their forever families. I had the privileged of taking their pictures and listening to what they wanted to tell me. Through there eyes I saw their story.                  
                                                     Eyes full of hope

Eyes that have been hurt

Eyes that say I had to grow up at a young age

Eyes that say I have done this before and the outcome didnt change why would it now?

Eyes that say I pretend I'm a diva but really I just want to be loved

Eyes that know hurt, real hurt, devastating hurt

Eyes that have been told everything will be ok soon and they are young enough to believe it

Eyes that have carried the burden of their family's situation and think they can make this all better for everyone.

Eyes that dont believe they are beautiful or worthy of love.

Eyes that want to love but are afraid that it will hurt again

Eyes never given the opportunity that we all take for granted like learning to write

What I pray is that these eyes saw me and knew that I saw them. Knew that I cared. Knew that they were real, raw, hurting and ready to be home. Eyes that prayed for Heaven because this life is too hard to live. Those were the eyes I saw yesterday. 

All these children are legally free for adoption and the costs are minimal if any. Some are sibling groups others are all alone. Waiting. They know they arent home yet. A foster family though it may be wonderful and awesome is not the same as a forever family. One girl who sang last night at our dinner told me she really hoped she could be adopted before she aged out. She was 17. She lives in a foster home and told me her foster parents are nice but they do not want to adopt so she was hoping her and her sisters would find their family. 

Orphan care isnt a nice gesture that we should be applauded for it is a command in the Bible. You are not a follower of Christ if you are not in some way caring for the least of these. If you need ways to help just ask. If you have an empty chair fill it. If God has ask you to adopt do it. You may think that you will be blessing that person but what happens is that person ends up blessing you.

For more information on the children above please contact Gladney at 817-922-6000

Ask for the New Beginnings Program. 

And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. Matthew 18:5

Be blessed