Friday, May 31, 2013

Dancing in Ephods!

“Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the LORD with all his might…” 2 Samuel 6:14

I’ve studied the life of David a few times.  I think if David were alive today, I would really like him.  He seems like such a manly man, yet he had such a sensitive, compassionate spirit.  Yes, he made a lot of mistakes and bad choices, but his heart was just precious.  Perhaps that’s why God said David had a heart like His.

 

Often times when I’m absolutely giddy with excitement about something the Lord has done, I mentally picture David dancing in his ephod (a garment that I envision as somewhat similar to a loin cloth).  I sometimes crack up about that mental picture because it just feels so real.  Like when no one is in our home and we crank up the praise and worship music and dance and sing in the shower.  That’s what I picture when I think of David dancing in his ephod.

 

So why am I talking about dancing in ephods?  Well, read on to discover why this is on my mind.

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I spent yesterday in the ER with my precious hubby.  Bless his heart, he has had his share of illnesses and injuries.  He’s the toughest man I know, with the most sensitive and compassionate heart of any man I’ve ever met.  He reminds me of David (minus the bad choices David made!). 

 

Matt has ulcerative colitis, which causes many other harmful disorders and symptoms.  Kidney stones a side effect of ulcerative colitis.  Matt has had three kidney stones in the last five years that have gotten lodged and caused pain levels like nothing else.

 

Just to give you an idea of Matt’s pain tolerance, back in 2005, he broke his back in 5 places when he was bucked off his horse and landed on a cedar stump.  OUCH!  He had internal bleeding and two hematomas the size of an IV bag of fluids!  Even then, without any pain meds, Matt walked into the ER and his pain level was only a 4.

 

Well, Matt woke yesterday morning knowing he had a kidney stone that had escaped from his kidney and gotten lodged somewhere.  He was MISERABLE with a pain level of 11-12 (on a scale of 1-10)!  I drove him to the ER and contacted his urologist.  I prayed over Matt, claiming healing and praying against the spirit of infirmity.  Several friends were praying as well, but Matt wasn’t getting any pain relief or healing.  I just knew Matt was going to need surgery.  Sure enough, a CT scan confirmed a kidney stone was lodged in the narrow ureter, just before the bladder, and it was a large stone that wouldn’t be able to pass without surgery.  (Matt had to have surgery three years ago for a different kidney stone that wouldn’t pass that was smaller than the one they found yesterday.)

 

Matt’s urologist confirmed he would need to surgically remove this kidney stone, and Matt agreed.  Because Matt’s pain level was so unbelievably high, he was admitted to the hospital and given Dilaudid, a wonderful IV pain killer (an opioid narcotic), which was the only thing that even touched Matt’s pain.  Matt was scheduled for surgery for 9:30AM the following morning because the OR was booked all day and night at the hospital, so he would have the first available slot, which wasn’t until the following morning.

 

Well, around 8:30PM Thursday, Matt was finally settled into his hospital room, exhausted and ready for bed.  His pain was managed well with the use of Dilaudid via a PCA pump that enabled Matt to simply push a button to administer more pain meds via IV as needed.  I decided I would go back home to the kids and sleep there, then return to the hospital this morning for his surgery.  I asked Matt to go ahead and use the restroom before I left so I could help him with his IV pole and all of the tubing and cords, then get him tucked back into bed for the night.

 

We bobbled our way to the bathroom, trying not to have to unplug the equipment and make the IV pole reach far enough for Matt to stand at the toilet.  (TMI, I know.)  Well, here’s the best part of the story:

 

What to my wondering ears did I hear?  Matt exclaiming, “I think I just passed it!!!!!”  To which I replied, “Remember, the nurse said there might be particles in the filter, but not to be alarmed.  I doubt it’s your stone, sweetheart.”  (Oh, doubting Thomas, katisk, katisk.)

 

Then Matt handed me the urine filter, and I knew immediately that Matt was correct.  He had passed the stone!!!  The same stone that was so large and so lodged that it would indeed require surgery.  We stared with disbelief at that painful, jagged stone we had prayed against. 

 

Then…we danced in our ephods!!!  (Not literally in ephods, but close because Matt’s hospital gown wasn’t covering his private area!)  Oh my goodness, the shouts of praise coming from room 302 could probably be heard on every floor! 

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This meant Matt would NOT need surgery.  HALLELUJAH!!!  A Facebook friend had sent me a message just prior to this praying against this stone, praying for healing by the blood of Jesus, telling me she felt the healing was occurring right then.  I brushed it off and explained how Matt would have to have surgery and we were OK with that.  Nope, God had different plans.  Pretty crazy!

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Then a CNA (certified nursing assistant) came into the room, looked at the stone and said, “This little thing caused you that much pain?”  WRONG thing to say, Miss I’ve Obviously Never Had a Kidney Stone.  Wrong thing to say.

 

However, that didn’t put a damper on our praise party, although the CNA probably would have preferred to not view the ephod dancing. Smile 

 

We are seriously praising God for His healing!!!  Thank you, Jesus!!!

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Oh, The Places You’ll Go

I posted on Facebook last night a question for adoptive families, and I got lots of helpful feedback.  However, I thought I’d post on the blog as well because I know there are many of you who aren’t on Facebook.

 

God has been moving in our hearts recently in many ways. One of the things God keeps bringing up repeatedly is the direction of Boss Your Heart Orphan Ministries.  We believe God wants to direct us in this ministry to do some very specific things with regards to orphans and adoptive families, but we’re still in the praying phase of the how’s, when’s, who’s, and where’s.

 

The options are endless, and we all know that with God, all things are possible.  Wheels are turning, knees are bowed, and God is on the move.  Waiting for His clear direction and guidance can be challenging, yet His peace passes all understanding, and we’d much prefer to have Him lead the way than for us to take the bull by the horns and force something that may or may not be His good and perfect will.

 

Here are a variety of questions/thoughts God has placed upon our hearts, and we’d love your input and feedback:

  • Would adoptive families like to attend a family retreat/conference where the entire family would attend (where adoptive families would learn, fellowship, play, and worship together)?
  • If so, where would you like to see this hosted?  Any specific accommodation recommendations?  (We would need/want the facility to be ADA compliant so families with special needs could attend.  We would also want to keep the price as low as possible, so more families could attend.)
  • What specific topics/areas do adoptive families need/want to be ministered in?
  • We would sure love to have a ranch that could host events like this and minister to adoptive families, to come alongside struggling adoptive families with support and encouragement, to offer hope and community for adoptive families no matter where they are in their journey as a family.  There are several other adoptive families we’ve spoken with who feel God has given them a similar vision.  We feel like God may provide something like this, and we’re specifically praying it would be something in the hill country of Texas, with close proximity to the Austin/San Antonio area (which both have airports).  We’d love to have your prayers and feedback.  Be praying for God to give us the ranch and financial support if this is His will for the future of Boss Your Heart Orphan Ministries.  Wouldn’t it be incredible to see God knit this together for His glory?

 

If you have suggestions of other things adoptive families are in need of, please let us know.  And, as always, we would very much appreciate your prayers for Boss Your Heart Orphan Ministries.

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Happy 17th B-Day, Parker!

Parker

Our firstborn child was welcomed into the world on this day seventeen years ago.  So hard to believe it’s been 17 years!!! 

 

When Parker entered our lives seventeen years ago as our firstborn, our lives radically changed.  I thought I had everything figured out…before I became a mom. Smile

 

God used the gift of Parker to teach me so much.  First, He taught me how little control I actually had.  He taught me that I had to be utterly and totally dependent upon Him or I would fail.  And, in my own strength, I failed over and over again, but in His strength, He’d pick me back up again and encourage me to keep on going.  In His strength, all things were possible, even with a baby who never slept anywhere but on my chest (and if I moved, he woke). 

 

I can see now, in hindsight, how God chose to give me Parker first in order to prepare me for a variety of things He’d be leading me through later in life.  For about a year, Parker was very sick with high fevers (105-106).  He’d have fever for about ten days, then he’d be fine for about ten days.  This pattern continued for months, until the months of illness suddenly turned into a year of illness, with no answers.  He had more blood tests than I could even guestimate, always showing extremely elevated WBC (white blood cell count) and other whacky things, but nothing ever definitively revealed the source of the problem, other than possible Lyme disease, which was treated.  God used Parker to introduce me to advocating for my children, being their voice, navigating the medical community, and trusting Him in ways I’d never known before.

 

God also used Parker to teach me about therapies and sensory integration issues that greatly affected Parker’s behavior and his ability to function.  He was a healthy child who received proper prenatal care, yet it didn’t matter how “good” of a mom I was or was not, Parker required expert help.  God used the process of navigating and identifying Parker’s needs to prepare me for many future children He would entrust to my care who would also need expert help in order to thrive.

 

Parker was always our little Bible boy.  At age two, he cried because he wanted to host a Bible study in our home for his playmates who didn’t know Jesus.  True story.  At age three, he cried because he wanted to move to Asia to bring the Gospel to those who might never have a chance to know Him simply because no one shared the Good News with them.  Another true story.  Parker always gave his money away to causes that brought the Good News to those in need.  He gave money for Bibles in native languages around the world when he was just a toddler.  Yet another true story.

 

We didn’t have anything to do with Parker’s heart for missions.  NOTHING.  Honestly.  We were selfish and self-absorbed.  God used our precious first-born son to begin to open our eyes to the things that God cares about. 

 

Parker has always advocated for family time.  It would bother him greatly if we didn’t spend good quality time together as a family…OFTEN.  He advocated for family game nights, family soccer games, family swim time, family meal time (for all meals!), family…everything. Smile  He even begged us to start homeschooling when he was six-years-old.  Family is dear to Parker.

 

Parker quickly became known as “Grandpa” in our family.  God used Parker to steer us toward Him and His will over our own desires, even when we were resistant and stubborn.  Parker always advocated for justice and not only seeking God’s will, but obeying His will, even through the challenging times.  Parker gave a full sermon to our church during regular morning services (he was the pastor for a day).  He preached about the importance of having a daily quiet time, and he backed it up with scripture and personal examples.  Countless people shared with us how Parker’s sermon changed their lives, as they committed to having daily quiet time with our Father through Bible study, worship, listening to God, and prayer.

 

I’m not sharing these things to brag on anything we’ve done to make Parker turn out this way.  I promise it wasn’t us.  It’s always been God, despite our getting in the way.  In fact, if you ask many of our family members, they’d tell you the same thing. Smile  They’d even tell you they didn’t think Parker would turn out the way he has because he was such a challenging young child.  All of this is for God’s glory.  That’s the way He planned it, not only to help teach us and lead us, but to arrange things all along the way so that He would undoubtedly receive all the glory.

 

We have failed miserably as parents, as we learned to parent through the journey of our firstborn.  We spoiled Parker rotten, but God redeemed him (and us) though His unending mercy.  God has proven Himself faithful over and over and over again.  He has redeemed our mistakes and failures in parenting Parker and given us the proof through Parker that He is truly in control, not us.

 

On Parker’s 17th birthday, I am humbled at the results of seventeen years of parenting.  Parker is a GREAT young man, and we know this is NOT because of our doing.  It is all God.  We are so very grateful God chose to gift us with Parker as our firstborn, as the lessons He has taught us along the way are invaluable.  We are so grateful that God has held Parker close to Him, shaped his heart and his mind, and guided him to be who God created him to be.  What a privilege to call Parker our son.  Despite all our failures, Parker is what every parent prays for their child(ren).  Glory to God in the highest!

 

Thank you, Parker, for always teaching us and guiding us and reminding us of what’s important and what’s not.  Thank you for always following God’s ways instead of the world’s.  Thank you for your selflessness in sharing your parents, your room, your bed, your belongings, your home, and your heart with so many siblings, whom you’ve welcomed into our family with open arms, love, and acceptance.  Thank you for being you, “Grandpa”.  You’ve taught us so much along the way.

 

Happy 17th birthday, Son!  We love you and are so proud of the man you’ve become.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

God’s in the Details

As I was inflating balloons Sunday for Chrissie’s 3rd Heaven Day celebration, the song K-LOVE radio dedicated to her in April-May 2010 came on the radio.  “That’s What Faith Can Do” was a popular song in 2010, but it doesn’t come on the radio quite as often anymore.  I don’t think it was coincidence it came on at the exact same time I was blowing up balloons in memory of our princess.  God never ceases to amaze me as He orchestrates tiny meaningful details in our home while He keeps the earth spinning perfectly on its axis.  He never lets the ball drop on anything.  Only God!  Praise Him!

Monday, May 20, 2013

Happy 5th B-day, Kiefer!

Today is Kiefer’s 5th birthday!  We are so blessed to have “Kowboy Kiefer” in our family.  He’s all-boy, full of mischief and adventure, but also full of love and smiles.  He brings so much laughter and joy to our family. 

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Yesterday we had a party at our ranch to celebrate Kiefer’s 5th birthday, Parker’s 17th birthday, and Chrissie’s 3rd Heaven Day.

 

Chrissie’s special friend, Rowan, came to the house to deliver special birthday cakes, as well as pretty pink flowers, a beautiful poem Rowan wrote, a “special friend” balloon, and a plaque he made out of wood.  Rowan is a super special young man with a rare genetic disorder.  He occupied Chrissie’s room in PICU of Methodist Children’s just prior to Chrissie taking over that room.  Rowan and his family bless us immeasurably.  (Rowan’s big sis, Zoe, designed the Boss Your Heart logo!)

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Friends and family gathered in celebration of these three special events.

 

The sounds of joyful noises abounded from the pool…

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To the slides…

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To the food and fellowship…

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To the horseback riding…

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To the bonfire and s’mores…

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To the sky lanterns released in memory of Chrissie.

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So grateful for the gift of these children He has blessed us with, as well as for the special friends and family who help us to celebrate all He has done and continues to do.  Our hearts are filled with joy.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Three Years

Three years ago today.

 

A day we remember all too well.

 

A day none of our hearts were prepared to face.

 

It was on this day three years ago that our Princess Chrissie left this earth to dance eternally with Jesus.

Oh how we miss those great big bear hugs, the feeling of her little fingers digging into our necks as she hugged us tightly, her infectious smile, her contagious laugh, her abundant love, her excitement about life, her overflowing joy.

 

Pure joy.

Chrissie's princess party and surgery 274

 

I truly don’t know how we would survive these years without Jesus.  I have never felt such gratitude for the gift of Jesus’ blood, not only because He died to save my life and yours, but He died to save Chrissie’s too.  Jesus floods me with peace daily as He gives me visions of Chrissie in Paradise, the place we should all long to be.

 

 

Thank you to everyone who has prayed for and poured into our family over the last three years.  You have been the hands and feet of Jesus, and we are so very grateful.

 

PS  Today is the last day to order the limited edition 2013 Boss Your Heart shirts, in memory of Chrissie.  Click HERE to place your order.  If you buy a shirt and/or help us spread the word about the shirts, let us know so you may be entered to win a FREE shirt!  All proceeds benefit orphans, in memory of Chrissie.  Thank you for your support!

 

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

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Operation Abraham

My friend Wendy (a fellow Texan adoptive momma, who bought our 15-passenger van) is raising funds to help save the life of a precious little boy who has Down syndrome named Abraham. 

Abraham lives in Ethiopia, and my friend, Wendy has had the privilege of loving on him in person.  Abraham is blessed to live with his mommy and not be an orphan.

 

Ultimately, that’s what we want for all children:  to live with their biological families, to be loved crazily, and to have good health.

 

Abraham needs our help in order to have good health. 

 

It tears me up to know that our Chrissie waited FOUR YEARS to be able to get the proper health care she so desperately needed, but by then, it was already too late.

 

Don’t let that be the case for Abraham—we can all pitch in to get Abraham the proper health care he desperately needs and deserves.

 

Abraham has a heart condition and needs life-saving open-heart surgery.  The cost is $6,500.  Wendy has worked countless hours trying to arrange this surgery for Abraham, and it’s finally all come together.  But there’s only TWO WEEKS to raise the required funds.

 

Will you please consider donating to help save Abraham’s life?

OPERATION ABRAHAM

Click Below to DONATE



All donations are tax-deductible through

Project Hopeful

Or click HERE to donate (if “Donate” button doesn’t work)

 

Here’s what my friend, Wendy, wrote on her blog about Abraham:

It has been 16 months since I laid eyes on Abraham for the first time. There has not been a single day go by that I haven't prayed for this sweet boy and his amazing mamma. I was seriously touched by his sweet face & from that very first moment I knew that God had placed me there at just the right moment to see him. It was a God Appointed meeting. I knew I could not sit back and do nothing. As we sat that day in her tiny little mud hut I told her that I wanted to help her. As a family we began to sponsor her and her family through Hope For Korah and we gradually began to see Abraham looking stronger & healthier:) Because we have 2 littles with Down Syndrome we knew that since Abraham had never seen a doctor in his 2.5 years it was crucial that he be seen. We finally were able to get him to a hospital where he could have a full medical workup. We knew that because of his Down Syndrome he might have medical issues that would need to be taken care of for him to continue to stay well & grow into a strong little boy. The results were no shock but yet I read the report and cried. Sweet little Abraham has 2 large holes in his heart that need to be closed! In Ethiopia not only do they rarely do heart surgery on pediatric patients, but they would not consider doing surgery on a child with Down Syndrome:( So we have worked over the past year to find a way to get his heart repaired and after many no's, we finally got a YES!!!!! Abraham will be traveling to Tenwek hospital in Kenya to see if the amazing surgeons can heal his broken heart. We have been completely in awe at how God has lined everything up so that Abraham could get strong enough to have surgery at an amazing hospital, with amazing surgeons, and we are beyond excited!!!! Our prayer is that we can raise the needed money by...hmmmm... let's see... the end of THIS week!!!! It is URGENT & Abraham needs to be in Kenya June 2nd to see the doctors. We are in a time crunch, but we know God has got this!!

Please pray about how you might be able to help & click on the Paypal Button below to be a part of helping Abraham get the medical attention he so desperately needs.

He lifts the poor from the dust-- Yes, from a pile of ashes-- And treats them as princes sitting in the seats of honor. For all the earth is the Lord's And he has set the world in order. ~1 Sam 2:8


OPERATION ABRAHAM

Click Below to DONATE



All donations are tax-deductible through

Project Hopeful

 

*Click HERE to read about Abraham on Project HOPEFUL’s website (look for “Abraham” on this link).

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Truth

 

Oh my goodness, this video is so powerful and packed full of TRUTH and encouragement.  If the video won’t play, click HERE to watch it.  Every single word is true.  Oh how I wish society would give these special children a chance!!!

 

If you’re a parent to a child with special needs (by birth or adoption), what would you add to as your TRUTH to your journey to parenting children with special needs?

Monday, May 13, 2013

It’s Never Crowded at the Cross

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“When we gather at the foot of the cross, it’s never crowded.” –author unknown

 

One of my favorite times of the week is going to church as a family on Sundays.  We attend a small church in our area where the pastor and leadership is on fire for Christ.  They’re passionate and it fires us up just to be in their presence, where the Spirit is overflowing and His peace is ever present.

 

Every Sunday, I cherish holding my little lovies on my lap.  God always makes a way for each child who wants to crawl up into my lap to find a comfy spot there.  It’s just never too crowded.  And that’s how our Father feels about us.  His lap is never too crowded.  He longs for us to crawl into His lap and find that comfy spot, too.  God has allowed my heart to feel just a tad bit of what His must feel when we crawl into His never-crowded lap for some lovin’ and comfort.

 

Yesterday, on Mother’s Day, I treasured holding Conner and Kiefer on my lap.  As I looked down on these two treasured blessings, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with emotion.  While Mother’s Day is meant to be a special time of year for all those blessed with the gift of being a mom, it can also be a sad day for those who long to be moms, those whose moms no longer live on this earth, and those who are moms yet have a child no longer living on earth.

 

While I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE getting to hold my precious lovies in my lap, I long to hold our precious princess in my lap again.  And I miss my own mom, who now lives with Jesus, too.

 

But I rest in the peace found through Jesus Christ, the peace that passes all understanding.  I know that I know that I know that I know that one day, I WILL get to hold my princess on my lap again, and I WILL hug my mom’s neck again.  I do not grieve the type of grief that has no hope; I grieve the loss of my mother and daughter on this earth, yet I hold on to the promise through Jesus’ blood that we WILL one day be reunited.

 

Until that day of reunification comes, I will cherish the moments He grants me on this earth, and I will strive to live my life here for His glory.

 

If you long to be a mom, consider adoption.  It changes lives, just as our adoption by the King of kings does.  Our hearts and lives are never the same after we’ve been adopted by our Father, so we can expect the same life-changing results when He allows us to adopt others.  Adoption is a blessing, for all parties.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Love Hungry

The hunger for love is much greater than the hunger for food.” 

~Stephen Ucembe

 

What powerful words, spoken from a person who knew this all too well.  Stephen Ucembe is now a successful adult man, but he spent his entire childhood living as an orphan in an institution in Africa.  He beat the statistics that he’d be dead before age 18.  Now he advocates for the orphan and spends his life pouring into the lives of the needy, the vulnerable, those without a voice.  Yes, Mr. Ucembe knows personally that the hunger for love is much greater than the hunger for food, and he has chosen to do something about it.

 

Mr. Ucembe’s words replay continuously through my mind, convicting me to do more.  We’re quick to give food to the hungry, which is fabulous and needed, but perhaps we could offer love to the hungry as well.  Giving food is easy.  Giving love?  Perhaps that’s a little more challenging.

 

Are you up for the challenge?  Ask God to show you how you can share His love.  He has abundantly showered His free, unconditional love upon us. How can we share this love with others, particularly with those who are starving to receive it?

 

I think the answer to that question comes in many forms.  How will you show love to the hungry?

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

BYH Shirt Giveaway!

We’re giving away a FREE Boss Your Heart shirt from the limited edition Spring 2013 line!  (Click HERE to purchase your shirts!)

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Will you choose the neon pink shirt?

 

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Or is blue more your style?

 

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Or do you just love those precious hand and foot prints of Cooper and Conner?

 

If you win, which one will you choose?

 

Here’s the contest entry rules:

  • With each shirt purchase, you may enter to win another free shirt of your choice.  To enter, just leave a comment on this post letting me know you purchased a shirt (be sure to leave a separate comment for each shirt you purchase!).
  • With every single time you share about the Boss Your Heart shirts via social media/online (Facebook, Twitter, blogs, emails, etc.), you receive one entry (you may receive unlimited entries for sharing publicly about the shirts!).  Just leave a comment on this post letting me know where you shared about the Boss Your Heart shirts.
  • Please be sure to leave this link when you share, letting your friends know where to purchase the shirts:  http://www.allarepreciousinhissight.com/2013/05/2013-boss-your-heart-shirts.html
  • Contest/giveaway ends at 11:59PM May 19, 2013.

 

Thank you for helping us spread the word!  All proceeds from shirt sales will benefit orphans, in memory of Chrissie.

 

PS  Click HERE to purchase your shirts!

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Stuck Documentary and March for Orphans

I received this email and wanted to pass it along to all of you:

It's been an amazing journey over the last couple months and the Stuck Tour is fast approaching our nations capital! Don't miss the remaining stops:

Thu, May 9

New York, NY

Clearview Chelsea Cinema

Sat, May 11

Princeton, NJ

Montgomery Cinema

Sun, May 12

Cherry Hill, NJ 

AMC Cherry Hill 14  It's Mother's Day! All moms get in FREE.

Mon, May 13

Wilmington, DE

Penn Cinema

Tue, May 14

Baltimore, MD

AMC White Marsh 16

Thu, May 16

Washington, DC

AMC Georgetown 14

I also want to encourage you to act NOW and join the Stuck Tour in Washington, D.C. on May 17th for the STEP FORWARD FOR ORPHANS MARCH to help make an impact for these children.

 

WHY ARE THESE CHILDREN STUCK?

The problem is political apathy, the reason political apathy exists is a severe lack of public awareness. The STUCK tour has changed that. Now is the time to transform new found awareness into action. Our elected officials are applying their attention and energies to other issues because other groups and lobbyists have succeeded in making their issues prominent and important.

 

Our turn is NOW! We can move adoptable kids out of orphanages and into families if we can convince the world that these kids' lives matter. Each of us has leverage with our elected officials: our leverage is our vote. The kids we are advocating for cannot vote, so they do not have a voice. Use your vote to be their voice. Let your legislators know your vote is connected to this issue and their position and actions will influence your future voting behavior. Be bold, be persistent!

 

WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT THE CAUSE

Whether or not you are able to join us in Washington, D.C.:

  1. Reach out to your local representatives to promote awareness and expose the flaws in the current international adoption system by sharing the link to the digital download of STUCK and the trailer. [LINKS: Advocate ToolkitSTUCKdocumentary.com]  
  2. Circulate the petition and encourage people to sign. [LINKS: Online petition or download PDF file]  
  3. Recruit others to attend the march and to volunteer in Washington, D.C. [LINKS: RSVP online, Facebook event or sign up to volunteer]  
  4. Help us maximize our exposure on social media by doing the following:
    • LIKE us on Facebook
    • Change your profile picture to the STUCK Movie Poster (download from on our Facebook page)
    • FOLLOW us on Twitter
    • Use the following hashtags in your social media:
      #STUCKDCMarch #StepForwardDC

Where the church exists there should be no child without family.

Together we can make a difference!

Thank you for all you are doing!

Jason

Director of Ministry Development | The ABBA Fund

CoFounder | Together for Adoption

Monday, May 6, 2013

There’s No Place Like Home

We had a WONDERFUL time and enjoyed meeting so many of you.

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We felt so incredibly blessed to be able to take four of our oldest children (Parker, Meribeth, Mattie, and Sawyer), along with two of our family helpers and friends (KJ and Emily).

 

Mattie said the best part of the entire trip was getting to love on Harper (the daughter of Anthony and Adeye). 

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I think everyone from our family felt the same way. Smile

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Adeye asked us to join her panel for her session on Special Needs Adoption-Myths vs. Truth.  We felt quite unworthy of being included.  We were SO happy to see so many people attend the session who have a heart for children with special needs.  I just wish we would have had hours to visit with everyone.

 

One of my favorite sessions was entitled “Ministry is a Family Thing”, led by Mary Beth Chapman (wife to Steven Curtis Chapman) and her daughter, Emily.  They are so humble, so wise, and such an inspiration.

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Steven Curtis Chapman joined them at the end of the session.

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And then he led a concert that night, which brought many tears because he played the song Cinderella as his first song.  This was Chrissie’s last song to dance to on earth, and God used Steven Curtis Chapman to minister personally to our family just three days before Chrissie went to live with Jesus.  Mr. Chapman was instrumental in helping Matt to see that we would survive if Chrissie didn’t. 

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On our last night in Nashville, we met the lead singer of the band Among the Thirsty.  He was our waiter at Cracker Barrel. Smile  His most popular song is entitled “I Need a Savior”, which played often on K-LOVE while Chrissie was in the hospital.

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We arrived home Saturday night.  We missed our other kids greatly, and we’re enjoying being together again as a family.  There’s no place like home!

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