AGCI - First agency packet

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."
John 14:18

"Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed."
Psalm 82:3

We got AGCI packet last Thursday and I was like a kid on Christmas opening up the package! I had the kids by myself all day (Neil was out of town) and didn't get to it till about 10 at night but I read cover to cover. It was very exciting to have the info right at my fingertips when there is so much that you can't access online. It came with a book that I just started and a DVD that Neil and I will watch together.

Wow - this is just another step in this exciting journey of research. I continue to ask God for His guidance so I don't pass on what exactly He wants for us. The one thing that the packet kept saying is "the child God has chosen for you". LOVE that!

"We're committed to uniting your family with the child God has chosen for you."
"AGCI believes that, if God has called you to adoption, He has chosen a child for your family."
"We strive to assist families in detereming which program is right for them and ultimately, where God has chosen your child"

It was so amazing to think that even now, God knows all the details of this journey and ultimately the child who will be ours one day. He knows them by name!!

Someone else is embracing our family's desire to adopt - big sister Claire!!
She pointed through and said "I want to bring that girl/boy home." When she saw the Ethiopian page she asked "Is that Haiti?" So sweet. (She asks to pray for Haiti every night) Last night before bed she said "We're going to have a brother someday." I laughed and said I prayed we would. So she said "If he wants to play with my blue purse, I'll give it to him. And if he wants my star purse, I'll let him play with it." This is her new purse from Grandma that is sparkly and attached to her all day. I said "Your star purse?!" and she looked at me and said "mmmmmmm.... maybe not my star purse!" We talk freely about it around her and she will say things here and there that encourages me that her heart is as open to bringing someone into our family as we are.

no, really.... why?

So I just read my last post and realized that I never REALLY expressed why I want to adopt besides it always being something I've wanted to do. Wow - this is a toughy and a loaded question but I can sum it up in a few short words.

God is Love.

He loves us enough to open His arms to us when we don't have anywhere to turn, to celebrate with us, to hold us up, to encourage us, to be the only one we can 100% depend on because we all know people disappoint and fail. He is there even when we turn away. What more precious than to share God's love to a child who doesn't know the word family? Who doesn't have someone they can turn to, celebrate with, get an atta-boy or atta-girl and just be themselves with people who will love them NO MATTER WHAT... it breaks my heart to know there are so many orphans out there wondering where they belong. Neil and I have SOOOO much love to give (Claire and Eden too!) and we want to share it with a child who needs and craves it so desperately. We want to show this child of our heart the love of Christ and let them know that we will love them NO MATTER WHAT. They will be our sweet child but they are first a child of God.

We are certainly not motivated simply by wanting to "save" someone but to LOVE them. Our heart breaks for all those children and although we can't help all of them, we can bring one home to a forever family.

"We love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19

Matthew 25:35-40
35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Our First post

So this blog is a secret =)  In reading other stories, researching, brainstorming, etc. I realized I needed a place to keep my thoughts organized. I'm also excited to be following a number of adoption blogs through this one so that I can learn from experience. Gotta love the blog world!

I have so much to write... I don't even know how to express how I feel about this stage in our lives right now... exciting, fearful, anxious... but most of all, blessed. What an amazing journey God has given to our family. I pray that our hearts be opened to His will for when and where. For us to learn as much as possible. For us to be transformed into a more Christlike and faithful household throughout the process. For us to one day be united with the child that God already knows is ours bu first of all, HIS. I know He has it all figured out:

"For I have plans for you, Plans to proser and not to harm you" Jeremiah

Lord, use us for your glory and your will be done.