Increase My Faith!

This past week we were at a Bible conference in upstate New York. It was a great time of rest and relaxation. We heard some great preaching/teaching, and spent time with some dear friends. On Tuesday, the conference center has a ladies' luncheon. The speaker spoke on faith. I was really touched by how she and her husband have stepped out by faith over the 40+ years of their marriage, and how they have seen God show up in really big ways. After she spoke, I told her about our adoption efforts, and how we are trusting God to supply our financial needs. I told her that her words had encouraged me anew to keep the faith. I know my God is big enough to meet ALL of our adoption needs!

At the end of her testimony, the speaker on Tuesday had us sing an old hymn that I have sung many times. But the words really struck a chord with me this time...especially the second verse. The hymn is entitled "His Eye is on the Sparrow":

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come, Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home, When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He: His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Chorus:
I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, For His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear, And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears; Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see (emphasis mine!); His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise, When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies, I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I really want to write a check for the entire adoption agency fee and surprise my agency when they open my letter...I have hesitated to write a check for half of it, thinking that perhaps God will supply in a miraculous way. If God's eye is on the little sparrow, then I know He is also watching me, and He knows just how and when and from where our funds will come. Will you pray for my faith to be increased? Thanks!

"Faith is believing what God SAYS HE WILL DO...He will supply all my needs in Christ Jesus!"

Only $2000 More Needed!

We are praising God today for another generous gift from another dear friend which puts us only $2000 shy of our agency fee! Please thank God with us and continue to pray for a miracle...the sooner we have our entire agency fee, the sooner our dossier gets to Taiwan, and the sooner we get our referral for Sophia!

Praising God from Whom all blessings flow!

Unexpected Surprise

Guess what came in the mail today, much earlier than anticipated? Our I-797C, the document stating that we have been approved for our advanced processing of orphan petition! I had heard that this could take up to 12 weeks to come through, and we had only done our fingerprinting and such in early June. We now have everything we need to submit our dossier to our agency and then to Taiwan EXCEPT...the second half of the agency fee! If I had another $2750 to send to our agency, I could have our dossier to them in the next week and to Taiwan in the next month...we would be that much closer to a referral for our little Sophia. Will you please pray with me that this money will come in sooner rather than later? I know God can do this! Thanks!

Praying for the next step to Sophia...

Half Way There!

Thanks to the generosity of some dear people, and the sale of our cookbooks and sub tickets, we are over halfway to our goal of $5500 for our agency fee! Praise God! I will probably be sending the first half of the fee to our agency this week, as it really is overdue anyway...they have been most gracious in working with us. The second half is due with all of our dossier documents, so please pray with us that it will come in by September when we hope to have everything ready to go for our dossier.

Thanks for praying with us...until Sophia is home!