Tuesday, December 31, 2013

4 Feet in 2014

We’re ending 2013 with a bang!

Instead of focusing this post on all God accomplished in our lives, family, and ministry in 2013, we’re excited to announce His plans for our family in 2014…

Drumroll please…

God is expanding our family by FOUR feet in 2014!

Yes, you read that correctly!  We are welcoming two girls, who happen to both have Down syndrome, to our family in 2014!

Here’s the scoop:

Since May 2013, we have been in the process of adopting a precious baby girl who has Down syndrome.  She’s from India, with an amazing God story I hope to share soon.  She should be joining our family in 2014!  We would love for you to join us in prayer for her court hearing this Friday, praying the judge will have favor upon her and grant her permission to come to Texas!  This baby girl is an absolute doll, and we are so eager for her to join our family!  We look forward to sharing her picture with you once her adoption is approved.  Oh how we adore her!

As if the blessing of this baby girl isn’t enough, God confirmed to us on Christmas Day that we are to pursue the adoption of another precious girl who is in desperate need of a family, but this girl is not a baby.  She’s a beautiful 13-year-old girl in China who has Down syndrome who MUST be adopted before her 14th birthday, which is in early March, 2014.  You can read a little about her right HERE.  Her nickname is Daphne, and she is already dear to our hearts, but due to the rules of her country, we are not able to post her picture here.  She is simply precious.

We have not yet been officially matched with precious Daphne yet because we must first complete a Hague-accredited home study (which we are currently in the process of doing).  Our current home study and USCIS (immigration) approval are non-Hague (meaning we are approved to adopt from countries that are not part of the Hague treaty on adoption).  Our first adoption was a Hague adoption (in 2008 from Colombia), but all seven subsequent adoptions have been with non-Hague countries.  We have no preference in where God calls us to adopt, so we have no concerns in whether it is a Hague country or not, it just so happens that’s the way God lined it all up the last seven times.

On Christmas Day, God so beautifully confirmed for our family that we are to pursue the adoption of Daphne.  God collided ashes with beauty as we served the homeless in San Antonio on Christmas Day.  Amidst the ashes of homelessness, God miraculously guided our paths to cross with a little girl at the park in San Antonio who has Down syndrome (who was not homeless).  The epitome of beauty.  As we stood among the lowly on that Christmas Day, it was a glorious representation of Christ our King born in a barn.  He is beauty from ashes, a King born among the lowly. 

The little girl God used to impact our lives so greatly on Christmas Day just happened to be in our path because as she was traveling home from Seaworld with her parents, a huge inflatable slide caught her eye.    We are the ones who brought and set up that huge inflatable slide in a park in the lower economic area of San Antonio where hundreds of homeless people sleep on the streets and under the bridges.  God is the One who orchestrated the events that morning to bring this precious little girl to the park to deliver a message to our family simply because of her presence.  Full of joy, love, smiles, and hugs on that Christmas morning, God used this precious little girl to speak directly to my husband’s heart, confirming to Him that our family is to pursue the adoption of an orphaned girl overseas who desperately waits for a family with little time left to be chosen.  Just as He promises to not leave us as orphans spiritually, God impressed upon our family that we are not to leave Daphne as an orphan either.  She is a part of His beauty from ashes that He continues to build for our family after the loss of our precious daughter, Chrissie, in 2010.  His unfolding beauty never ceases to amaze me.

We would greatly appreciate your prayer support, as well as your financial support, in the adoption of Daphne.  Because she ages out in early March, 2014, we have very little time and resources to get this done.  If Daphne isn’t adopted before her 14th birthday, she will never know the love of a forever family, as China will not allow her to be adopted after she turns 14.

If anyone is familiar with Hague adoptions, most take a minimum of a year.  However, both agencies involved with Daphne’s adoption will be expediting her case, as well as our paperwork to get to her in time.  We’ve already started the process, so we’re working as quickly as we can to get to her.  However, we have to wait for government clearances and approvals that we have no control over.  But God does!  Pray, pray, pray for favor every step of the way in this process.  Each day that passes without something being accomplished is a day not in Daphne’s favor.  God hears our prayers, and Daphne deserves an army of prayer warriors lifting her up every step of the way so that before her 14th birthday, she can be in the arms of her forever family instead of being transferred to Beijing on a bus, no longer able to stay in her orphanage, no longer eligible for adoption.  God is able!

The situation is desperate and if we look at the obstacles through our earthly lenses, it seems impossible to complete a Chinese adoption in a mere two months.  But, when we BOSS OUR HEARTS to beat in sync with His, we replace doubt with TRUTH and claim His promise that with God, ALL things are possible!!!

It is our great privilege to share our adoption fundraiser shirt with you today, In honor of Daphne’s adoption, and in memory of Chrissie (this is her legacy!):
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Click HERE to purchase your shirt today!

$14 from every shirt purchase will go directly toward the expenses related to Daphne’s adoption.  The total estimated cost of Daphne’s adoption is $30,000.  Please share this fundraiser with belief that with God, all things truly are possible.  Join us in bossing our hearts to beat in sync with His, replacing lies and doubts with His Truth and promises with every beat of our hearts, every step of the way.

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Boss your heart! To donate directly to our family (instead of purchasing shirts), you may do so here:

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

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Team Boss Your Heart wishes you a very merry Christmas and a joyous New Year!

 

We hope to host you on our ranch in 2014!

 

Click HERE to make your reservation to stay with us.

Friday, December 20, 2013

21 Years

Yesterday Matt and I celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary.

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We attended the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Vegas.

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Our 5-day getaway was wonderful.

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Filled with rest and relaxation for just the two of us.

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A rare opportunity for this mom and dad of 11 precious blessings.

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We’re so grateful to everyone who served our family during our absence.  Without your help, this trip wouldn’t have been possible.  Thank you!

 

Our 21 years of marriage has been filled with highs and lows, mountains and valleys, but through it all, we’ve always had Jesus and love.  God has brought us a long way since the day we said, “I do.”  As Matt and I reminisced about our 21 years, we agreed the only thing we’d really want to change is not losing our Chrissie.  God has been so faithful to carry us through that valley, which is most definitely the lowest season of our 21 years together.  God has taught us that, indeed, with Him all things are possible.  We love because He first loved us.  He is the head of our marriage, and without His strength, I don’t know where we would be.  So we thank and praise His precious name for blessing us with the last 21 years, and we pray with belief, expectancy, and joy for the next 21+ years together.  Together, we’re better. Smile

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

A Serial Killer

My friend, Jenni, is the executive director of Chosen Marathon, a fundraising race for adoptive families and orphans.  She’s an amazing woman of God who stewards His gifts well.  I enjoy Jenni’s Facebook status updates because she shares deep wisdom and truth from God’s Word.  Nuggets for chewing on throughout the day.

 

This was Jenni’s status update last night:

 

"There is a serial killer loose in the Church today and he must be stopped. He uses many masks, often masquerading as virtuous friends like wisdom, stewardship, thoughtfulness or peace to access the door to our souls. Yet once inside he begins to kill our dreams, paralyze our promises and derail our destiny. His name is FEAR and he is on God’s most wanted list. Many Christians harbor this violent fugitive by reducing their God given exploits to accommodate their fear. What these baffled Believers refuse to understand is that the dogs of doom stand at the doors of their destiny. There is always a strategically placed giant in our God-given promise land. When most people hear barking dogs or taunting giants they hide in the wilderness of mediocrity, perpetually wandering through slave camps like boredom, discouragement or meaningless living. It’s time to arrest this dream killer and apprehend our promises." - Kris Vallotton KVMinistries.com

 

While Jenni didn’t author this quote, she shared it with others, which is why I’m sharing it here today.  If Jenni hadn’t shared this, I would have never read these wise words written by Kris Vallotton of KV Ministries.

 

The serial killer of FEAR has been hovering over our home and family recently, trying hard to turn us toward the comfort of hiding in the wilderness of mediocrity, trying hard to convince us that we cannot do this life He has called us to. 

 

We rebuke fear in Jesus’ name.  We will NOT wander through slave camps of boredom, discouragement, and meaningless living.

 

While Satan has used discouragement heavily lately, we cling to the promises of Jesus.  We CAN do all things through Christ who gives us strength, and we WILL have victory in Jesus’ name.

 

For those who have a child or circumstance in their lives that is making life seem impossible, take heart.  Do not lose hope, no matter how difficult the circumstances.  Satan wants to win, but we know the end of the story.  JESUS WINS.

 

While Satan will try hard to convince to resign to the mediocre life and enslave us to discouragement, He DOES NOT and WILL NOT win.  Cling to God’s promises and BOSS YOUR HEART through the circumstances, no matter how challenging they feel.  The serial killer of fear has no place in our hearts, our families, our lives, our homes.

 

We can do ALL things through Christ who gives us strength.  (Philippians 4:13)

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Join the Village

 

Village of Hope--Answering the Call from Adeye Salem on Vimeo.

 

I’m honored to know Adeye in real life.  She’s an amazing wife, mom, Jesus-loving, adoption and orphan care advocate.  I’m privileged to call her my friend.

 

Click HERE to read Adeye’s most recent blog post.  You won’t be disappointed.

 

Praying you’ll join the village today by supporting Village of Hope in Guatemala.  I’m also privileged to know Amy Block and her family in real life—the founders and directors of Village of Hope.  Amazing folks.  Please support Village of Hope and help them to help more kids know the HOPE of Jesus Christ and His abundant, unconditional love.  They’re desperately in need of OUR help.  Thank you!

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