God-Style Multiplication and Other News

****UPDATE: Thanks in part to you, and in full to our God we have raised  over $3,000 to bring our sons L & J home! The giveaway is officially over. We should be traveling in around a month to the Philippines to give our sons a forever home.

And the "winner"  of the giveaway is #127  Kathy Bartony!!! See widget below.

Other wonderful news we received over the last 2 weeks:
*L & J have their medical appointments for their visas on March 14th
*L & J have their appointment at the Embassy on March 19th
*Our sons know we are coming! We were told this week that J in particular is "very eager" for our arrival. There was another family at the orphanage this week and when they left he cried thinking it was us. The caseworkers pulled out our photo and reassured him that we had not yet come. The ICAB worker said J has "worn out" our photo by showing it to everyone - "bragging" about his new family!
*We have learned that the orphanage is teaching Luke American Sign Language and that he has learned a few basic signs!
*My ankle is healing and the results of the multitude of medical tests I had all came back normal!
*We are so thankful and humbled as we are reminded that all we have is a gift from God and the example of so many of YOU to hold loosely, to give freely and eagerly is remarkable. To God be the Glory!

Jo Anna

Bringing L and J Home...FOR GOOD!

Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Today YOU have a unique opportunity. Two precious young boys, J and L are waiting for a forever family...specifically OURS. We were officially matched October 13th and the USCIS approved their visa applications on February 7^th (Scott’s birthday). The authorization to travel is expected in the next 6-8 weeks.

As you may already know from our original post, we are stepping out in faith to adopt these 2 little toddler boys (our girls are 9 and 11) with the younger having complete hearing loss. God has brought us this far, and He will not leave or forsake us...EVER. Jo Anna is possibly not returning to work in any substantial way...any time soon. In addition, L's medical bills alone will be impacting the family budget. Currently, we are confident that we can provide for our soon-to-be family of 6, but the initial costs are immense. This is where you come in. You get to be a part of something so much bigger than ourselves. You get to be a part of a story and get to help unite a family with their little boys. L and J are about to be orphans no more. Please help us so we can travel without having to worry about funds.

In celebration and in an effort to raise the funds for this trip we're offering a chance for your very own iPad!

Here's how it works. A fellow adoptive family was kind enough to donate a brand new iPad because they understand the financial strains put a family that chooses to adopt (in our case, 2 children at once). There is a helping others paypal donate button on my blog in the upper left hand corner. You can donate there by Paypal or credit card.

Donate $25 for 1 opportunity for the giveaway.  You may choose to donate more than once. ***DEAL: 2 opportunities for a $40 donation! Also, If you believe in what we are doing please consider spreading the word:

1. Repost on your blog or Facebook.
2. Tell others via email and other media.

We believe this will be our last fund raiser, with the goal of finishing off the purchase of airfare (2 adults and 2 children). Cutting for a Cause contributions made up the difference for this and accommodations. Entries will be numbered in order of donation receipt (displayed on blog) and the giveaway will be random.



The fine print disclaimer. In order for this FUNdraiser to happen we must raise at least $3000 for it to be ON! We need just 120 folks at $25 each to do this. We will announce when we hit that point and once we do, the giveaway will end 7 days later. This is NOT a r-a-f-f-l-e, please do not mention that it is. This IS helping to bring children into their forever family!

Visa applications approved!

Praise God! We found out late yesterday afternoon (on Scott's birthday!) that the U.S. govt has approved the boys' visa applications! They now have to be scheduled for a 2 day medical exam and then the visas and passports will be processed. It normally takes 4-6 weeks from this point before we get authorization to travel. We are praying we can travel mid-end of March, but we know to expect the unexpected...

2 Samuel 22:50 Therefore I will praise you, LORD, among the nations;
   I will sing the praises of your name.

Jo Anna

Thankfulness and Praise

Yesterday we were blessed in so many ways! At least 60 people received haircuts compliments of the wonderful stylists at Progressive Image Salon and Day Spa.

A huge thank you to Debbie Jones for organizing this event and for all of the stylists and volunteers who made our Cutting For A Cause event possible. Thank you to each and every person who came out to join us and who so generously donated to help bring J and L home to their "forever family". It brought joy  to our hearts to spend time with each one of you and for your support of our family. Words cannot fully express our appreciation.

We are happy to announce that the total raised was $1,533! We are still short by approximately $2,500 of what we believe we will need for travel to the Philippines. God has already moved mountains and we know that HE is faithful to provide the rest needed.

We are also so thankful for the staff at Christian Adoption Services who went above and beyond to see that our home study update be completed in a timely manner! Our homestudy is now complete and ready to be mailed off to the USCIS tomorrow along with the other documents requested. 

We are praying that we will receive authorization to travel some time in the month of March. Nonetheless, we have learned to expect the unexpected!

Ruth 1:8 "May the Lord show you kindness as you have shown kindness...to me."

Jo Anna and family

Providential Provision

Philippians 4:19 "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."

As we were so eloquently reminded this Sunday at Salem Chapel by substitute-teacher and my friend Bill Ketner, the "new" commandment given to us by Jesus is just that...a commandment. John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” The Greek word used there is entole and speaks of "an order, command, charge, precept, or injunction" (via BibleStudyTools.com Greek Lexicon). Hmm. Sooo, in other words we don't have a choice? Correct. Have I always abided by that "rule"? Nope...no way. BUT, by God, I should. Jesus Christ came to earth, lived a sinless life, and paid the price for my sins (and yours as well, if you call upon his name - John 3:16) and rose again on the third day. God so loved the world...so loved me, that I ought to love others. Just. Like. He. Did. I appreciate the chorus that the worship band sang near the end yesterday: " Oh, praise the One/Who paid my debt/And raised this life up from the dead." He deserves my unending devotion...that which I fail to do, but strive to otherwise. Part of that is to obey His command to love, just like Jesus did and still does today (love us).

Now step forward to the reason for my post -- and backward (huh?) to the verse at the top -- God's provision. One of the "names" of God is Jehovah Jireh (English translation, if you will): The LORD will provide (Genesis 22:14). Just as He did for Abraham by supplying the substitute for Isaac with the ram, He still provides for His own today. We re-evaluated our adoption financials today. Wow. Our God has already provided for us, His children for our future children by His calling. We have miraculously paid $18,405 of the anticipated minimum of $29,015 that the adoption of L and J will cost. Again I say WOW. All this is in addition and during some unexpected expenses such as a new air conditioner, car repairs, a spinal fusion surgery and 4 months living on short-term disability and a mission trip to Guatemala for our entire family. Amazing. But wait...there is more.

We still have around $10,610 to go. We don't have that much in the savings right now. We have -- being transparent here -- around half that. Yep. Now, remember we had a great poinsettia fund raiser that yielded $1200 and have 2 more events scheduled...a hair cutting event and an iPad give away. We are trusting that He will provide for us through people like you -- our family and friends -- through these opportunities to partner with us in bringing our boys home. Trust. Webster's defines that word as the "assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something." We know what our God is capable of....we just need to believe it despite the circumstances. We must actually have faith that Jehovah will provide. After all, He loved us enough to send His Son. I am reminded of His command to love, just like Jesus did and still does today (love US). "...(our) God will meet all (our) needs..."

We have found our home/We have found our peace/We have found our rest/In the one who loves/He will light the way/He will lead us home/As we offer all/To the One who saves us...Forever His love endures/Forever and EVER! - The One Who Saves by Hillsong/Ben Fielding

Scott

A Timely Reminder-The Great Equalizer

A Prayer from today's devotion-Dave Keesling's A Journey: Life in Real Time:

"Lord, You are the great equalizer. In Your presence, no one can stand. My best righteousness is like dirty rags compared to Your glory and majesty. Father, there is nothing I can bring to You by which I can be made worthy. I am like every other man or woman in Your sight, fallen and sinful and desperately in need of the redemption that can only come through the sacrifice of Your dear Son."

May the attitudes of our hearts be honoring to God.

Jo Anna

Cutting for a Cause Event and Adoption Update

Happy New Year!

Progressive Image Day Salon and Day Spa in Winston-Salem is sponsoring "Cutting for a Cause" as another means of assisting us with the remaining funds needed for L and J's adoption. For a minimum donation of $15 you will receive a shampoo and haircut by one of their professional stylists. They are located at 3538 Vest Mill Road, 27103. and the phone number is 336-760-1292. The event will take place on Sunday, January 15th from 2-6. Please contact the salon for more details. We hope to see you there!

Thanks to USCIS (said with irony), we now have until February 5, 2012 to submit a new home study update in order for the boys' visas to be processed! This is mainly due to L being classified as "special needs" due to his severe hearing loss. Our new home study must show the resources available to us and ways in which we will specifically parent these two little boys. Of course, not only is there now increased expenses for the home study update and the $350 processing fee to USCIS, but it also delays our travel to bring the boys home from the Philippines. Please pray that things move quickly and that we will be approved upon submission.

Jo Anna