As you know, we have begun the 117 project. There is so much going on that I am really glad I am not the one to keep track of everything!! I am amazed at the people all over this country (most of them I don't know) who are stepping up to the plate to help us raise this money to bring our babies home. I love how God works in people's lives. He has given us all the same calling and we are all willing to answer it yet we don't even know each other. God is good! I hope that one day Scott and I will be able to take our kids down to Dallas to meet all these wonderful people who have opened up their hearts to help us.
The first BIG push to raise the next $6500 we need has begun. My friend Amanda has opened an Etsy store. You can find it here http://www.etsy.com/shop/117project?ref=pr_shop_more. There are few items available right now and more will be added every week. People have been making crafts and donating them to be sold. Every penny goes into our adoption fund. I am so excited to see what God is going to do. If you are interested in donating items you can email me at thejourneyhome.todd@gmail.com and I will put you in contact with Amanda. The big Grand Opening for the store will be April 1st!!! I will also try to post items on my blog as they are added to the store.
Thanks so much for checking it out. I need to get back to my sewing machine!!!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
New Glasses
My little man now has glasses. Poor little guy has been running into things and we decided maybe we should get his eyes checked. The Dr said he has probably had blurry vision his whole little life! I felt horrible! I had no idea that everything was so blurry to him. He just adjusted and didn't know any different.
After we picked them up, he told his Daddy, "You have big hair!" It is so funny his view on things now that he can see. Everything is so much clearer for him! I am so glad. I know it will take a few days for him to adjust but he is doing great. I am just so thankful that he can now see clearly and he is pretty stinkin cute too!!
Friday, March 11, 2011
50 Posts and $4100!!
Today is my 50th blog!!! Who would have ever thought I would get this far?!?!? It is funny how this blog as allowed me to write about my passion and has turned my passion into something I never dreamed possible. Scott and I are working to adopt two children from Honduras! That is amazing and only God can give you a desire for that.
We started on this journey with the need to raise over $35,000. The sooner the better. After breaking things down we set our sights on the application fee. $175. That was pretty easy to raise by just cutting a few corners here at home. The next step was $4100. Wow! That is a lot of money in a one income family.
We began this fundraising process by selling t-shirts that were designed by my brother-in-law, Brian. (These can still be purchased on the right hand side of our blog.) The 2nd fundraiser was a Chili Dinner and Silent Auction. We had an amazing time and raised over $2000. After that we had a concert with The Ascension Quartet were we raised around $700. Add to that the donations of friends and family and we were looking good.
3 weeks ago we were looking at the need to start fundraising for the next payment, but realized that we were still $500 of our $4100 goal. Through the kindness of an AMAZING friend we reached our goal that very day!!! God worked so quickly! He knew our hearts and He led our friend to give us $500. I pray that God will bless this person in the most amazing ways.
Well, today is the big day! After waiting for money to transfer from our PayPal account to our bank account, I wrote a check for $4100!! I cannot believe this day is finally here. God has provided every penny! He is an AWESOME God. We will now be able to begin the paperwork for our homestudy.
So, today with $50 in our Adoption Fund we begin raising the $850 we need for our USCIS approval ($670) and fingerprints ($160). We know that God will provide just as He has for everything else. He has proven time and time again that this is His plan for our lives and I can't wait to see how He will provide this time!
We started on this journey with the need to raise over $35,000. The sooner the better. After breaking things down we set our sights on the application fee. $175. That was pretty easy to raise by just cutting a few corners here at home. The next step was $4100. Wow! That is a lot of money in a one income family.
We began this fundraising process by selling t-shirts that were designed by my brother-in-law, Brian. (These can still be purchased on the right hand side of our blog.) The 2nd fundraiser was a Chili Dinner and Silent Auction. We had an amazing time and raised over $2000. After that we had a concert with The Ascension Quartet were we raised around $700. Add to that the donations of friends and family and we were looking good.
3 weeks ago we were looking at the need to start fundraising for the next payment, but realized that we were still $500 of our $4100 goal. Through the kindness of an AMAZING friend we reached our goal that very day!!! God worked so quickly! He knew our hearts and He led our friend to give us $500. I pray that God will bless this person in the most amazing ways.
Well, today is the big day! After waiting for money to transfer from our PayPal account to our bank account, I wrote a check for $4100!! I cannot believe this day is finally here. God has provided every penny! He is an AWESOME God. We will now be able to begin the paperwork for our homestudy.
So, today with $50 in our Adoption Fund we begin raising the $850 we need for our USCIS approval ($670) and fingerprints ($160). We know that God will provide just as He has for everything else. He has proven time and time again that this is His plan for our lives and I can't wait to see how He will provide this time!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Why Am I Surprised??
I really don't know why I continue to be surprised. God has called us to adopt and for some reason I continue to be surprised that He is working, that He has a plan for us and our beautiful children and that He is working even when I think He has forgotten us. Why do I do that? Why do I think the He will not complete the work He has begun in me?
I guess it is human nature. Faith requires belief in something we cannot see. I am a visual person and to be honest sometimes it is hard for me to have faith. Sometimes it is hard to believe that Someone I have never seen wants to work in me and through me. That this Someone loves me so much He has a plan for my life and even if I stray from His plan, He does not.
So many times I feel so insignificant. I want to be used by the Father more than anything else in the world. The idea of being chosen by the Creator of this world leaves me feeling so small. Why in a world full of Andy Stanleys, Matt Chandlers, Carlos Whittakers, Brooke Frasers and Kari Jobes would God want to use me? Why would He choose me to be the wife of a man with KINGDOM GREATNESS in him? Why would He choose me to be a mother to the motherless?
So many questions leave me doing less for Him than completing the job He has assigned to me. He has chosen me to be His child!! I am a Child of the King! I am the sister of Jesus Christ! I have been adopted by the Creator of this world and He has called me HIS OWN!!! He wants to use me more than I want to be used by Him.
So I have decided from here on out the question will not be "Why does He want to use me?" but "Where does He want to use me?" I will no longer be surprised that He is working in my life, but I will stand in awe of His power and work humbly to complete the tasks He has given me. I will no longer allow others to dictate the ministry that has been set before me and I will not allow other's opinions keep me from the Father's work. I will follow Him and Him only. He has chosen me and I will forever keep my eyes on Him.
I guess it is human nature. Faith requires belief in something we cannot see. I am a visual person and to be honest sometimes it is hard for me to have faith. Sometimes it is hard to believe that Someone I have never seen wants to work in me and through me. That this Someone loves me so much He has a plan for my life and even if I stray from His plan, He does not.
So many times I feel so insignificant. I want to be used by the Father more than anything else in the world. The idea of being chosen by the Creator of this world leaves me feeling so small. Why in a world full of Andy Stanleys, Matt Chandlers, Carlos Whittakers, Brooke Frasers and Kari Jobes would God want to use me? Why would He choose me to be the wife of a man with KINGDOM GREATNESS in him? Why would He choose me to be a mother to the motherless?
So many questions leave me doing less for Him than completing the job He has assigned to me. He has chosen me to be His child!! I am a Child of the King! I am the sister of Jesus Christ! I have been adopted by the Creator of this world and He has called me HIS OWN!!! He wants to use me more than I want to be used by Him.
So I have decided from here on out the question will not be "Why does He want to use me?" but "Where does He want to use me?" I will no longer be surprised that He is working in my life, but I will stand in awe of His power and work humbly to complete the tasks He has given me. I will no longer allow others to dictate the ministry that has been set before me and I will not allow other's opinions keep me from the Father's work. I will follow Him and Him only. He has chosen me and I will forever keep my eyes on Him.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Update
I don't have a lot to update on today, BUT....
I am waiting on the whole 3-5 days for money to transfer from PayPal donations into our account so we can make our first payment!!!!! You would have thought we would have done this a couple of weeks ago, but they put a limit on each month!! I finally figured out how to get rid of the limit and was able to transfer the last little bit!!
So, the first payment being made means we can begin our home study! Completion of our home study means we can apply for grants and HOPEFULLY we will see quicker payments to our agency. I don't think it is to early to ask God to provide grant money. He knows what we need and He will provide.
Today my little man told me that he was saving his coins so that he could go to Mickey's house with his brother and sister. Every day he asks me when they are coming to live with him. He is so excited right now and I am afraid that may change when he realizes they are here forever!! Sharing Mom and Dad may not seem so great after awhile!
Well, I must get back to cleaning this house. I want it to be ready at a moments notice so we can get that home study scheduled, plus it is a good excuse to get all that spring cleaning done before spring so I can focus on spending my time with my little man before everything changes.
I am waiting on the whole 3-5 days for money to transfer from PayPal donations into our account so we can make our first payment!!!!! You would have thought we would have done this a couple of weeks ago, but they put a limit on each month!! I finally figured out how to get rid of the limit and was able to transfer the last little bit!!
So, the first payment being made means we can begin our home study! Completion of our home study means we can apply for grants and HOPEFULLY we will see quicker payments to our agency. I don't think it is to early to ask God to provide grant money. He knows what we need and He will provide.
Today my little man told me that he was saving his coins so that he could go to Mickey's house with his brother and sister. Every day he asks me when they are coming to live with him. He is so excited right now and I am afraid that may change when he realizes they are here forever!! Sharing Mom and Dad may not seem so great after awhile!
Well, I must get back to cleaning this house. I want it to be ready at a moments notice so we can get that home study scheduled, plus it is a good excuse to get all that spring cleaning done before spring so I can focus on spending my time with my little man before everything changes.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
117 Project
I have been talking off and on the last couple of weeks about our new project. I have told you about my friend Amanda (who has and AMAZING heart for God) who felt burdened to help us raise money for our adoption. She created the 117 Project with the help of some friends. I am super excited about this as we are now kicking off our next fundraiser!!! I thought it would be cool if she could tell you how this all came about in her own words.
I've always been fascinated by the thought of adoption. Even when I was a kid I used to think how cool it would be to be adopted. Mind you, I had a wonderful childhood and would not trade my parents for anything in the world, but I used to think how interesting it would be if I had been adopted by them. I believe that to give a loving home to a child, who would not have otherwise, is one of the most honorable things that can be done.
Last year I posted on my Facebook a statistic that I read that simply broke my heart. "If just ONE family out of every church in the United States would adopt an orphan, there would be NO orphans in the US." That thought was staggering to me. My question was then, "Why in the world are there orphans?" How have we as a church failed so greatly at this? How far off the mark have we fallen from the "pure religion" spoken about in James 1:27?
That same Facebook post was commented on by several people and one person wrote, "Well, I can understand this, the adoption process is hard and costs a lot of money." What?!?!? So these two facts are what is keeping ONE family from adopting? Again, I asked "What in the world is wrong with this picture?" If the rest of the church cannot gather around to help and finance ONE family to bring a child into a loving home, we are completely failing the name of Christ! What if that is what Christ had said, "Oh no, that is going to cost too much and be hard" in His adoption for us? Where would be today?
I am not currently in a life position to adopt. While I know there are many single women who adopt in order to fulfil the longing in their hearts (and I commend them), at this time I do not feel that is the direction God has for me. However, I absolutely feel that I am to help financially, emotionally, physically and any other way that I can to help bring these children to loving homes.
As I began to explore what more I could do to help those in the process of adoption, I realized that this has been a life long dream deep in my heart. A dream that I did not know dwelt there until I began to pursue thoughts and ideas around how to help raise funding for my friends who desperately want to adopt and change the life of a child.
With this dream in mind and with the help of several amazing and talented people I am launching the 117Project. This organization is in the beginnings and while not quite fully formed has a mission to fulfill the charge of Isaiah 1:17 --learn to do good, seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widows cause.
There is a lot of work to be done, and details to work through, however, at this time we are set to launch the first project on March 17th. Stay tuned for more details...
I've always been fascinated by the thought of adoption. Even when I was a kid I used to think how cool it would be to be adopted. Mind you, I had a wonderful childhood and would not trade my parents for anything in the world, but I used to think how interesting it would be if I had been adopted by them. I believe that to give a loving home to a child, who would not have otherwise, is one of the most honorable things that can be done.
Last year I posted on my Facebook a statistic that I read that simply broke my heart. "If just ONE family out of every church in the United States would adopt an orphan, there would be NO orphans in the US." That thought was staggering to me. My question was then, "Why in the world are there orphans?" How have we as a church failed so greatly at this? How far off the mark have we fallen from the "pure religion" spoken about in James 1:27?
That same Facebook post was commented on by several people and one person wrote, "Well, I can understand this, the adoption process is hard and costs a lot of money." What?!?!? So these two facts are what is keeping ONE family from adopting? Again, I asked "What in the world is wrong with this picture?" If the rest of the church cannot gather around to help and finance ONE family to bring a child into a loving home, we are completely failing the name of Christ! What if that is what Christ had said, "Oh no, that is going to cost too much and be hard" in His adoption for us? Where would be today?
I am not currently in a life position to adopt. While I know there are many single women who adopt in order to fulfil the longing in their hearts (and I commend them), at this time I do not feel that is the direction God has for me. However, I absolutely feel that I am to help financially, emotionally, physically and any other way that I can to help bring these children to loving homes.
As I began to explore what more I could do to help those in the process of adoption, I realized that this has been a life long dream deep in my heart. A dream that I did not know dwelt there until I began to pursue thoughts and ideas around how to help raise funding for my friends who desperately want to adopt and change the life of a child.
With this dream in mind and with the help of several amazing and talented people I am launching the 117Project. This organization is in the beginnings and while not quite fully formed has a mission to fulfill the charge of Isaiah 1:17 --learn to do good, seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widows cause.
There is a lot of work to be done, and details to work through, however, at this time we are set to launch the first project on March 17th. Stay tuned for more details...
Feel free to follow Amanda's blog at tigpan.wordpress.com
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
I Want to do More
The last few weeks have brought a lot of changes in my life. They have definitely been for the better and I am thankful that God took me through the valley to bring me to this point. God has really opened my heart and I have begun focusing upward and ourward rather than inward. God has broken my heart and shown me things I need to change. He has been a patient God.
God has really been pressing on me to do more for orphans. I honestly have no idea what that will be, just that I have this burning desire to do more than I ever thought possible. So many great ideas have come my way but I do not have the peace to choose one.
God has really been pressing on me to do more for orphans. I honestly have no idea what that will be, just that I have this burning desire to do more than I ever thought possible. So many great ideas have come my way but I do not have the peace to choose one.
Waiting to choose a project is a first for me. I am a good Baptist and we tend to get great ideas and put them in motion immediately only to see them fail for lack of planning. Then we are discouraged because our great idea didn't work. I am trying really hard to wait. There are just to many little lives at stake to rush into any decision. God has a plan and I will wait on His timing and I will be positive in the waiting. I have learned that even if I don't see Him working, He is. He may be preparing others and I wouldn't want them to miss out on what He has planned.
So until then, I will wait and pray.
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