The "Pay It Forward" Ransom iPad

I have so many things I want/need to blog about, but there's just never enough time in the day for me to share all that I'd love to share.  I learned so much at the Together For Adoption conference last week, but I left my laptop charger at the hotel and was unable to turn on my laptop for a few days.  Life is so busy right now, and I wish so much that I could keep this blog better updated, so I thank you for your grace and support as you try to stick with me during this sketchy season.

I need to do a post to tell about Chrissie's b-day celebration, but I want to get this iPad post out first because time is running out and children's lives are at stake.

Remember when my friend Adeye gave away an iPad when she was fundraising for Yulia?  Remember how God so amazingly moved His people to donate over $20,000 in just FIVE days to pay Yulia's ransom?!?  Well, I have a neat little story to share about that iPad and the ransom.

My husband was recently given an iPad as a reward from the executives of the company he works for (Farmers Insurance).  I was SOOOO excited because I love the idea of an iPad and all of the cool things one can do with this nifty gadget, and, lucky me, my husband didn't have the slightest interest in the iPad, so he gave it to me.  (I didn't even have to beg him! :-)  Well, much to my dismay, within a few hours of my receiving the iPad from my husband (I hadn't even had a chance to open it up), I felt God telling me that I needed to give the iPad away.  WHAT?!?!  NOOOOOOOO!  This was MY iPad.  It was free.  It was a gift.  I soooooooooooooo didn't want to give it away. 

But I knew what God wanted me to do, and even though I didn't want to joyfully obey, I knew my obedience was more important than my temporary happiness.

So, I contacted Adeye to ask her if it would be helpful if I donated our iPad to her giveaway for Yulia.  Adeye had already purchased the iPad that she was giving away on behalf of Yulia, so I felt relieved that I could go ahead and keep my iPad! :-)

But then God told me to ask Adeye if she could return the iPad that she had purchased so that I could re-gift the iPad that I had been given.  Adeye let me know how much of a blessing that would be to their family during this season of their lives, so I, of course, told Adeye that I would just mail the iPad to whomever won the giveaway.  (I didn't mention my grumbly spirit that was trying to joyfully obey God in this, but my selfish flesh was giving me a good battle!)  Oh, and I secretly prayed that *I* would win the iPad!!!  And if that didn't work, perhaps the winner would tell me to just keep the iPad!

So when Adeye announced that the iPad winner was Jennifer, I noticed that the very same Jennifer had sent a friend request on Facebook that same night.  I was at the Together For Adoption conference at the time (where I...ahem... saw countless people taking notes on their iPads), so I took it upon myself to accept Jennifer's friend request and notify her that I'd be shipping her the iPad that she won.  (I was still secretly hoping she'd tell me that I could just keep the iPad.)

Well, God continues to blow me away b/c Jennifer did not tell me to keep the iPad.  Instead, she told me that she had donated to Yulia's adoption fund in memory of Chrissie, AND she was ELATED to win the iPad, not to keep for herself, but to GIVE AWAY in order to raise money to bring her 2 Russian children HOME!!!  Oh my word.  And what a selfish loser I felt like when I thought about my secret wishes that I'd get to keep the iPad!!!

This iPad has now become the "Pay It Forward Ransom iPad", and I'm once again blown away by how God works.  He is using an iPad to ransom His children!!!

Please, please, please go to Jennifer's blog and donate to help her bring her 2 cuties home before Christmas!!!  You may simply click HERE to donate or click on the ChipIn at the bottom of this post.  If you donate even a few dollars to this ransom fundraiser, you will be entered to win the Pay It Forward iPad.  And this isn't just any ole iPad.  It's a 64 gig!  The really good one!  And it came with a cover, too.  Yep, it's the whole shebang.  The good stuff.

But nothing is as good as saving a life.  Nothing.  And now I'm not bitter about giving away the iPad.  Because God's plan ALWAYS trumps my idea of what is good.  Always.  I'm thrilled that God is using this iPad to save His children.  Lives are eternal, and no orphan should be separated from their forever family because of finances.

Jennifer's family is ready and eager to go get their 2 kiddos from Russia, they just need the money to do so.  Everything else has been done.  2 kiddos are just waiting in an orphanage in Russia, waiting for their mommy and daddy to come get them and bring them HOME.  And all this family is waiting on is the ransom.  Adoption is expensive.  Orphans are worth it. Would you be willing to skip lunch out one day this week and donate $10 to Jennifer's adoption fund?

Hurry, there are only 4 days left until the iPad giveaway ends!

And if this family doesn't get their funding with this giveaway, these 2 Russian kiddos will be spending Christmas in their orphanage, separated from their forever family because Russia will not process adoptions in December.  It's now or 2011.  I vote NOW!  Please help make this possible.

"I" and "Y" in Russia are counting on you!  Please spread the word...Facebook, Twitter, blog, yell, scream, donate, donate, donate.  Jesus Christ ransomed your life.  Help ransom I and Y.  They're worth it.