Helping with an adoption + recieving a new patio = a really neat opportunity!

I bet there are 2 things you have been telling yourself! 1. I would love a new awesome patio! AND 2. How could I help someone bring an orphan home! Well...now is the time to do both at once!  Ha ha! Our good friend (Brian Bland) who has a huge compassionate heart for orphans....is donating his labor to help with our adoption. Here are the details:
250 sq ft
Approx ...16ft x 16 ft
Decorative stamped, colored patio. (see picture of sample) Your choice of one base color and one accent color.
Must live within 40 mile radius of Bloomington, Normal.
Tear out of old patio extra$1.50 per sq ft.
If it has to be hand dug (back hoe unable to go into back yard) $1.00 per sq ft extra.
All money from labor (even extra charges mentioned above) will be donated to Swindles adoption.
$2500 value. Starting bid $1500 To bid you can go to godspathtotaiwan.blogspot.com beginning tomorrow to start bidding. Auction ends Sept. 18th.

We are so excited and feel totally blessed that we have such wonderful friends!

Psalm 33:4 For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.

     We have some very exciting news.  We have found an organization that has excepted us in Taiwan.  This whole journey has been led by God and we want to make sure that it stays that way.  The organization that we found asks first if you are a Christian.  They only work with Christian families.  Well, sounds like a perfect match to me.  We have been on a roller coaster of emotions these last 4 months and they just keep getting better.  The only way to tell you how happy I am is to say that my heart won't quit smiling.  We are finally on our way.  We have a meeting with a new home study agency on Monday.  The one that we started is different than the one we are going to need now.  We have found out some answers to a few questions we had and a few questions that some of you have asked me.  It should take around 1 year.  The cost is going to be right around $26,000.  I know that sounds like an impossible amount right?  Wrong, God has done more than impossible so far so why should I be worried for one minute.  I want to thank all of you for the prayers and the continued support everyday.  We knew we had some pretty great family and friends but that does not even begin to describe all of you.  Your prayers have helped to lead us to where we are right now.  Thank you all so much.  There are a couple of things we would still love to have prayers for.  The first, Taiwan is changing some of there laws on adoption.  They should go into effect as of Jan. 1st 2012.  We ask that you pray that the changes will not effect our adoption process.  the second thing we would ask for prayer for is finances.  I know when some of you hear that it is $26,000 you think that we are a little crazy.  Well, this is what I know.  My God has called us to adopt, and from Taiwan he has shut and opened doors, and this one has led us here.  I have had to learn to trust him more than I ever have had to before and it has turned out to be a wonderful thing.  I wake up praying, talk to him all day and go to bed praying.  I can truly say that I have never been this close to God in my life.   I am so glad that you all are getting to walk this out with us.  We are honored to have all of you in our lives!

Pr. 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding: In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

We Would Love To Hear Your Stories!

We have been facing a few hurdles on our adoption journey but I know that it is all in God's time.  We thought that it would be very nice to hear some enouraging adoption stories.  If you or anyone that you know has a story that you would like to share we would love to hear from you! 

A New Direction!

Well, many of you know that we have been trying to get things worked out with an orphanage in Taiwan.  We found out last night that it has fell through.  I was a little discouraged last night, but then I talked to a friend .  She was quick to say "Monica evidently your baby is not there."  Kent and I both realized yesterday that it was God's way of saying you have to step out a little farther in faith.  We were so excited about adopting from that orphanage because it was going to be so much easier financially.  We believe that God is wanting us to trust him more.  It would be a lot easier to raise $8,000 but it takes a whole lot more trust and faith to raise $30,000.  We don't know where he is going to lead us but we are praying very hard to try and figure out which direction to go.  We have e-mailed many agencies and are hearing from new ones everyday.  Once we have an agency I will feel so much weight lifted off our shoulders.  If you could all keep praying that God would show us the way and he would open the right doors we would appreciate it very much.  I will tell you this that since this whole journey began my faith has deepened to a point that I did not even know was possible.  Kent and I have been married very happily for 16 years but this has brought us as close together as a couple can get.  We have watched so many videos of families bringing home their little ones and it is the most amazing thing to get to see.  We can't wait for our video so we can share it with all of you!

Only one door needs to be open to enter!

Well we have had a crazy week this week.  We got together with a social worker from the Babyfold.  We now have 3 folders with papers to fill out.  It is so exciting that we are moving forward a little.  It is starting to prove very hard to adopt from Taiwan.  We have looked at all of the agencies that are offering a Taiwan program.  Some of them are closed right now do to changes that they are making in their adoption laws.  The other agencies want to know that you have $80,000 worth of assets.  Well, as many of you know since Kent is the manager at the cemetery where he works the house is part of his pay. It is very similar to a minister living in a parsonage.  Well, because we don't own the house it is very hard get  in to many of the programs.  We have one more option (we would love some prayers.)  There is an orphanage in Taiwan that I have been in contact with another couple about.  They have previously adopted 2 children from this orphanage via private adoption.  We have not lost hope and know that whatever God's plan is, it is good.  If we are unable to adopt from here we will have to try and figure out another country.  We know that whatever the plan is, it is going to be exciting and we can't wait.  This whole story has been written by the one who wrote the best selling book of all times and we can't wait to experience all of the little stories that make up the big one.

Stepping Out In Faith!

     I have heard so many times that stepping out in faith is hard.  It is more than hard but I know that his plan is way bigger than I can ever imagine.  Over the last few months my relationship with the Lord has deepened to a level that I would of never imagined.  I have learned that intimacy with him is so much more than church buildings, more than just reading his word, more than hanging out with other believers, and more than I ever deserve.  Intimacy with him is talking, just simply talking with him from the depths of my soul.  It is feeling his embrace while driving to work, it is feeling him while doing even the most average everyday chores that were before a hinderance now a pleasure with him by my side.  It is a feeling of wholeness even when the world around me is in chaos and I'm not in control.  Since Kent the kids and I have stepped out in faith we have had quite a lot of stuff thrown at us.  I know that is how it works.  I do read the word and know that when you take a step in the right direction Satan quickly jumps in and tries to detour your route and make things seem impossible.  Well, I have news for him.  Our family is stronger than he realizes and my God can do anything and with him nothing is impossible. 
     Since the day that we decided to follow this calling on our heart God has done some pretty amazing things and I really want to share some of them with you.  He has used relationships that we have had over the years to open doors we did not even know were there.  Kent has a friend that hunts out here with him that knows one of the guys that works at Lifesong.  Lifesong is an organization that helps families that are adopting.  They give out grants and help people fundraise for their adoptions.  They have been so wonderful to us.  We can't get to the grant stage until we have the homestudy finished but it is such a relief to know they are there when we get to that point.  We have had so many friends send us links and webpages that have been really helpful.  We have had names and numbers given to us from some to get us in touch with others that have been where we are.  We want to thank everyone for your continued love, support, and prayers.  This is all still very new to us and we are kind of figuring it all out as we go.

Who would have ever imagined?

     First of all I have to thank you all so much.  Who would of ever imagined that in less than 24 hours we would have over 500 views of our blog.  It is so unbelievable to me the outpouring of support that we have had.  I mean we knew that we were blessed to have some wonderful friends but wow I am almost at a loss for words.  Those of you that know me on a personal level know that it takes a whole lot for me to be speechless LOL. 
     I want to answer a question that some of you might have.  Why did we pick Taiwan?  Well, we didn't pick Taiwan, God did.  About a month ago we had a wonderful visit from some missionaries(The Bielby family) in Taiwan at our church.  They informed us that Taiwan has more idols and more temples than almost any other place in the world.  When children are young there they take them to one of the temples and invite spirits to come and live inside of them.  Christianity is almost unheard of in most places in Taiwan.  Through research we have also found out that when unwed women get pregnant there it is a disgrace.  They are shunned from their families unless they have an abortion.  The family wants the woman to be the only one that feels quilt so they send her to kill her own child and  deal with the grief all alone.  There are a few Christian organizations that will take these mothers in and house them until the pregnancy is over and then they will give the child up for adoption and go back to their families. 
     The other day we were sitting at the computer looking up countries to adopt from and Sam said "Mom you know we should adopt from Taiwan.  That is where the Bielby family lives."  She was so right. we were just introduced to the fact that so many people, do not and will not know who God is there.  We have really had it on our hearts to not just adopt but to help save a child.  What better way to save a child than to save his relationship with the one that made all of this possible.
     We have been researching the Internet like crazy, but as most of you know the problem is not lack of information it is the overwhelming amount of information that makes this all very hard.  There are not that many adoption agencies that even support a Taiwan program.  We have been researching for about a week and we are having a hard time choosing an agency.  Once we invest in one it is a done deal.  So if you could all be praying for some clarification for us so that we could discern the right path to take it would be very appreciated.
     Thank you all again for all of your support.  This is already an amazing adventure and we are just getting started. 

James 1:27  Religion that God our Father excepts as pure and faultless is this; to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
    

Our Adventure begins!

My husband and I have been married for 16 years.  We have 2 beautiful children Samantha (15) and Dawson (12).  After Dawson was born my husband got fixed and decided he was done expanding our family.  My heart said a different thing, but I knew if God ever softened his heart we could adopt someday.  I have tried to talk to him many times over the years about it to get a funny look or a quick change of subject.  We have been going to church for many years and I have prayed and prayed for God to change his heart, and then I thought maybe that was a selfish prayer.  Maybe I should be praying for my heart to change not his.  Well, that did not work very well at all.  I finally just realized that it was not going to happen and that I was going to have to accept our family as it was.  Well, then about 3 months ago out of nowhere, my husband came to me.  He told me that while he was on the rider mower that day that he was praying about adoption, I ran across the house and jumped on him and just started to cry.  Even if this went nowhere else at least the thought had occurred to him without me saying “just one more.”  Well since that day God has done some pretty incredible things in our lives.  I started reading the book Choosing To See by Mary Beth Chapmen and we were on a family trip to visit my great grandma about 2 ½ hours away.  I read a little portion out loud that everyone had to hear and then I started reading to myself again.  My 15 year old daughter (Sam) said “Mom why did you stop reading?”  So for the next 2 hours we read that book as a family.  When it got to her families first adoption, I got so moved I could not read for a minute so I put the book down to take a break.  When I looked up they were all looking at me like ok mom hurry up collect yourself and keep on going.  So we read until we arrived at our destination.  My husband came to me not to long after and had a conversation that went like this, If there is a child out there that is supposed to be in our family I want them here right now, but I don’t want to adopt just to adopt.  We went up front in church Sunday and got prayed over.  Monday night my husband had sound practice at church, (he runs the sound system at our church) and then he had a friend pray with him there.  He called me on his way home and apologized for not being more open to my heart on the adoption subject for the past 11 years.  He told me he was ready and he knew that God was leading our family on that road.    So here we are.  We are still trying to figure a lot out but we really feel like God is leading us to adopt from Taiwan.  The scary thing is that it is really expensive to adopt from Taiwan and we are going to have to do a whole lot of fundraising.  We are ready and excited though and know that it is possible or God would have not laid it on our hearts.