Blaze's Witness

Hey Everyone!! Time for a plug for Blaze's sake! Month's ago God gave me a beautiful horse to teach me many life lessons. If you are interested in seeing any of these lessons feel free to visit! I also posted JUST today, an awesome story from a friend! I think you'll find it inspiring!! Blessings. And thanks again for all your prayers, comments, love and support!!!

God's Lessons Through A Horse

http://blazespage.blogspot.com/

Glory Magnified By Shadows

As we drove to church this morning, I caught myself thinking about how morning is my favorite time of the day. What I really like about it is the way the shadows and the bright rising sun mix. I look at how the beams of sunlight hit the bright fall trees in contrast to the shadows... and I have to say... the shadows make the sunny spots stick out even more. If it weren't for those LONG morning shadows, I don't think I would appreciate the beauty of the morning like I do.

So it is with life. If we didn't have to go through shadows in life... we wouldn't appreciate what we really have as much, would we. SO during this shadowy time, I rejoice because as I sit in the shadow, I see all the beauty of the good things that I DO HAVE in my life! And although I could think of this shadow as gloom... I don't. I will continue to think of myself as being under the shadow of God's wings! And I continue to believe.

As I prayed for the kids this morning in church, I closed my eyes and the Holy Spirit helped me to envision a mighty King riding His horse through the streets of Haiti. He was searching out the birth father of our children. He found him napping in his house and knelt at his bedside to minister to him. And I thought... only OUR King would humble himself to come to the bedside of one of his children to minister. Of course in my ignorance, I was standing right by the shoulder of the Lord cheering Him on as He made their father's heart right. The King however, lovingly told me to step back and allow Him to minister to His son. He was not rejecting me, but reminding me of my place. He does NOT love Caleb, Isabel and Daniel's Dad any less than he loves me. He is not going to just hand a miracle to us and rip something away from him. He is giving their father a chance to listen and correct his heart. A time to grow and be challenged. He reminded me that HE COULD just miraculously solve all this quickly, but in that, growth would not happen and He would not see their father's faith strengthened but possibly weakened and frustrated. A good parent does not give food to one of His children and forget about the others. He feeds them all and gives them all His equal attention, love, time and support. He gives us all time and works tenderly with us. I have been humbled... as I sit in awe of my God! Praise Him!!

Still praying!!!

Thank you to everyone for all your support!!! We are still praying and expecting the best. We are supposed to pray expectantly, and so that is what we press on doing. God is sustaining us and giving us peace. Love to all of you!!! Please thank the people who are praying for us that we don't even know! We have had several messages stating that "people" are praying for us!!! We are grateful!!!!

Potter's House (um..and then some)

Today I am SO SO THANKFUL for our awesome church family. I have to say they deserve credit for being humble and willing to serve each other and not making church a scheduled, program based show. Today after worship Pastor Carla was prompted to have people pray over me and for Rob and I and the adoption. I mean they "stopped everything" right before the sermon, had me stand up where I was, had people around me lay hands on me and everyone else stretch their hands toward me and pray. I mean ME.. I am one out of HUNDREDS at that church!!!! Do you know how many churches would just say "well... if we do that for you we would have to do that for EVERYBODY" instead of just obediently praying. Uggghhhh... we are so blessed! She prayed for a great PUSH to get the process moving. She hadn't even heard the down side of the roller coaster yet... I believe she was just being obedient to God's prompting... because this isn't over yet. It was so humbling to have faith family, I mean MANY MANY people, stop what they were doing and PRAY just for us and the kids... and no one rolled their eyes or grumbled about it to my knowledge. Not many churches do this and I praise God that He is convicting more and more of His children to minister this way. Praise God for churches that are REAL!!! Praise God for churches that care about EVERY part of the body and try their best to let no one get lost in the shuffle! Praise God for Pastors that take the limelight off themselves and minister to the church obediently. PRAISE God for people who KNOW He is still the SAME as ever, He still does MIRACLES!!! He still SPEAKS!!!! He still HEALS!!!! Thank you Potter's House for loving us and blessing us today. Your prayers WILL come to fruition!


One more thing... totally unrelated to Potter's House... Just in general...
I REALLY need to vent...

Do you want to know the most frustrating part of this process actually... people that pity us... I mean their intentions are "good"... I love them, they obviously love us... don't get me wrong (and please don't mistake pity with showing you care... we still need to see THAT... we LOVE all the cards, calls and notes we've been getting... don't be afraid to show us you care just due to my impatient spat here). I'm sorry, I have to get it out. It's people that think this is the end, people that have lost faith even though they still think they have it. COME ON!!! WE CAN'T give up just after a couple of bumps. I honestly have caught myself trying to apologize because there are people who honestly think I am in denial... so I talk differently to those people as if I NEED to be in denial for their sake because they have given up on God being AWESOME. Forgive me God!! I'm sorry but...sometimes I want to yell... "People WHERE has your FAITH GONE"!!! He tells us to worry NOT... it does not add a minute to our lives... do you know worry and discouragement are lack of faith... and I am not pointing fingers... I worry and I get discouraged... and I am right now to extent... but I am willing to TRY to STOP doing that and ask God to refocus me on His truth I WILL NOT DWELL in negativity. I mean NOAH... how hard would it have been to be NOAH and build that "silly" ark!!! THAT was faith!!! And that's only ONE example. That's how we should still be living today! Do you wonder why false religions seem to be drawing more people... because Christians LACK belief in the very thing they believe!!!!!! If you are losing faith, please read your Bible and regard it as truth... EVERY bit of it... not just the parts you can explain... if that's the way you read the Bible then you have only faith in yourself and that gets you NOWHERE...or, actually.... somewhere... I would rather not see ANYONE go! I know it takes time for us to grow and embrace things in our walk and build our faith... but some of the people that have given up on God surprise me... they have been with God for quite some time. WHERE in the Bible does God say... and now I shall STOP doing miracles... now I shall stop talking to my people. Umm... honestly if you find it let me know... I will apologize. Yes, I still believe there are people SO FULL of God's Spirit (because they allow them selves to be) that when their SHADOW falls on believers needing healing... healing COMES!!! It HAPPENED IN THE BIBLE.... what in the world do WE think has changed??? We CLING to that same faith awaiting the return of our children once again! And I am totally NOT pointing fingers at ANYONE here... I love everyone who is supporting us, no matter how they know best to do it... I'm just saying... if you know better... stop being so silly.

ok
yes.... that feels better
I think I'm going to be just fine.

It's A Fast Moving Rollercoaster...

... and we happen to be in the valley again! But since it HAS been such a fast moving rollercoaster we will only accept that it means we will be back on top again in no time! Uggghhh.. yes.. more gut wrenching news! Caleb, Daniel and Isabel are once again back in their mother's care. The appointment at IBESR only came to prove that the mother cannot even leave the kids at the Orphanage without her husband's consent... let alone file any case against him for abandonment. So our kids are back with their birthmom at the time, again. They tried to contact the birthdad, but he hung up on them SOOOOOO PLEASE PRAY HARD... EARNESTLY!!!!!! Pray that God gives their mom strength and courage and provision... and please pray that their dad's heart is changed. It is not beyond God to do this!!! The dad, from what we understand has not done a thing to help with the kids... so it is frustrating that he won't HELP... but he also won't let them GO!!!! Please pray, please do NOT grumble, please do not loose faith and PLEASE stay positive... when God's word goes forth... so it is!!! And so... those kids will be here eventually!

I want to give Three Angel's credit where it's due also... my husband and I have been around the world and to many third world countries. We have many friends in far away places and have seen a lot of sad cases... we have to say the staff at Three Angels is among the most amazing we have ever met. And what an awesome orphanage!!! Do you know that Three Angels is a RARE case!!! It has love, health, cleanliness and comfort.. that is not what Rob and I are used to seeing... and sure the kids are sick once in a while, so are American kids, (many third world kids are DIEING.. so being sick is nothing) sure there are toys scattered about and there is dirt on the floor at TIMES (mind you... only at times... I have never seen women mop as much as those nannies do)... I believe there is dirt on my floor too!!! I just wish I could lay it all out there and just tell it like I have seen it... I can't even express how impressed I am with this place!!!!! I have seen much... RARELY have I seen such a blessed place in a third world country. THANKS Three Angels. We are impressed... you are amazing in our eyes!!!

PLEASE BE IN PRAYER EVERYONE!! THANKS!! - Hope and Rob

Proof...

Our babies are back! (See details below) These are recent pictures of them since their return. Please continue to keep the process in your prayers. The mom showed up today and did what she needed to as far as we know... keep praying for the dad to do the right thing.

Please continue to pray for us as we consider also adopting their big brother Daniel (this is a pict. of Isabel.... not Daniel). It does not make any sense to us to do such a thing financially... but GOD rules this situation AND our finances... we are just waiting on His voice. God please bless everyone involved!!!

THEY'RE BAAAAAAACK

Yes.... they are back. The story is the mom does not want them, the dad has not been around to help with them, and yet he doesn't want to sign off. SO the kids are at the Orphanage... please pray that the dad's heart will soften and that he will see what is best... pray that the kids are safe as well as their mom. Please pray for her as I am sure her heart aches right now. Pray that she clings to Jesus and feels His arms wrap around her tonight! Please pray that she stays firm in her decision as flip floping like this is hard on everyone involved. Pray that the dad will quickly decide to sign off with no problems. These kids are meant to be here... home with us. And we do not say that out of any disrespect to their birth parents... we say that because God has shown us that and we will not let the worldly circumstances tell us otherwise! Please pray and praise God with us!!!!!!!!!!! OH YEAH... and their older brother Daniel is now with them at the Orphanage too. We don't know that we could financially afford adopting three although we are totally willing to... so please pray for God's will here. MAYBE we will adopt all three! MAYBE there is a family in Midland that is called to adopt him. We really need to seek God on this issue. All our love! See what GOD can do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!! Thank you to those of you who prayed while you were in Haiti. Thank you to the men who prayed with the dad... please continue to pray!

Heartbroken... But Not Hopeless

Caleb and Isabel's biological parents have taken them back today. It is now a hard day for us and yes we are heartbroken... BUT we NEVER EVER want any of you to give up on this situation or look at it in despair... God is bigger and WE will continue to believe for a miracle. God has a plan here, and He will reveal it in His time. Who are we to qustion God!!?? Many people have been praying, many people still are... and God hears our cries, please continue to pray. If we turn from this situation now and just shrug our shoulders and stay in a state of mourning... we would be forgetting to acknowledge this all is happening for a reason. We won't sit and grind out teeth until it makes sense... that's where faith comes in! We don't HAVE to figure it all out... that is the beauty of faith... it eases our minds, and we refuse to bow to this world and act as though it has won and caused us grief. Discouragenment is a choice! We have the Holy Spirit within us... that means we have all the miraculous strength we need to get through anything... so we don't feel that we need to come to terms with anything... only God knows the terms anyway!! All we ask now is you ask the Holy Spirit to rush to our children (yes... they are still ours) and ease their grief, and keep them healthy and safe. PLEASE pray for THEM!!!! We know you have been praying for us... the peace that surpasses all understanding is falling upon us. Thank you!!! Don't give up on this situation! We aren't! God is good and our faith won't waiver... and contrary to belief... we are NOT in denial... I mean for pete's sake I am crying as I write this, BUT if we give up our hope in God... what do any of us have!!!??? WE WILL NOT be Christians who serve a small God! WE WILL NOT be waves tossed in the sea!!! This world will NOT dictate to us! God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow... He still can part seas, bring the dead to life, release captive and heal the sick... He can still do anything... it's not denial... it's Truth! All our love!!! Thanks for you support!!!! Love Hope and Rob

Issues

So the issue at hand... Caleb and Isabel's mom wants them back. The situation they would be returning to sounds like it would be the same as the one they left. Their mom says her heart breaks for her kids and she can't stand the thought of being without them (understandably). And yet, they will not be able to give total proper nutrition or any education to the kids. We are praying hard and need your prayers. Pray for the best for the kids. God sees the whole picture and we do not, so pray also for our peace. It seems strange to us that it would not be of God that they come home to us. God knows we would do all we could to keep the kids in touch with their family and raise them to love their culture. And what opportunities they would have. Please just pray hard and declare scripture over them. We will let you know when we know anything else.

PLEASE...

Ask the Holy Spirit how you can pray for us today, and please pray earnestly. Thanks!