Rwanda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Ethiopia......

My toe hurts :(.  Ok whine over.  Yesterday we took both of my sisters to the airport and saw them off on a huge adventure.  They have moved to Australia for the next 8 months of their life.  I am so excited for them and can't wait to hear about their experiences and the challenges they face.... I have a feeling there will be quite a few challenges based on how much effort it took to get them through the airport.:)  The image of my sister kicking her bag repeatedly as she rode the escalator will forever bring a smile to my face!!! It hasn't really hit me that they're going to be gone for that long.  I will miss them but don't think it will really hit me until I can't get a hold of them anymore.  So Suz and J, if you read this I love you dearly and miss you!  Be safe and make sure the harness is on right before you jump off that bridge!!! <3

So back to me...ha that sounded so conceited!  What I mean though is it's time to update on our life.  Since we went to the missions conference a few weeks ago I haven't really been able to update a whole lot.  We took in so much information at that conference.  I learned so much about how to support our missionaries, how to help and not hurt locals as you minister to them, how to pray for our brothers and sisters in persecution and to stop seeing persecution as something to get believers out of but to pray for them through.  Check out this story of persecution.  It's amazing and totally moved me to tears!

Needless to say Steve and I came away challenged to get more involved.  To love our friends and family who are serving better.  To find ways to bless them and encourage them.  We also came away totally convinced we needed to be a part of a community.  To have a group of people that we could go to and be ourselves with.  To have a group where we are ministered to as much as we minister.  We've begun to pray for that and really seek to see it happen.  It's been really great seeing how God has giving us those people and shown us truths about it.  This Thanksgiving was such a example of what we've been craving.  Fellowship with believers and friends who become family!



So on Nov. 19th Steve and I went to an adoption seminar hosted by the agency we will be using in July.  Steve's brother and his wife came with us to support us and learn more about what we are doing.  It meant so much to have them there with us and for them to begin to understand first hand why we are going this route! The seminar brought up a lot of questions for us.  One of them being Rwanda currently does not do sibling groups.  I didn't understand how that was possible... in my head all I could think was "God you told us a sibling group.  Does this mean Rwanda is not where you are taking us? Is this just a step to get us where you want us?" I became very confused and slightly frustrated.  I thought I had it all worked out.  Over the last few weeks God has shown me some issues I have allowed to build up about adopting and my pride.  I had to face these things head on and work them out with Jesus.  Needless to say I did work them out or am still working them out.  I'm the oldest of 4 and growing up was always in charge, taking charge or put in charge.  I'm used to figuring out how something needs to be done and then doing it.  Well that is not how things are going right now.  I thought I had it all figured out with the adoption but now and just waiting.  I have begun to earnestly ask Jesus to show us where he wants us to go.  To show us where our babies are.  I have begun to ask for a clear sign from him about which country.  I'm begging to ask for a clear sign and direction about selling our home.  Do we stay where we are and simply ask for boys or girls? (you can't have brothers rooming with sisters etc. with adoption laws).  We currently have 3 homes for sale on our street of 10.  I began to panic when the third one went up for sale.  God keeps reminding me though that the more the impossible things seem the more he gets the glory.  I also keep getting reminded that my ways are not his ways.

Ethiopia

So the countries we are praying about are Rwanda or  Ethiopia.( Two minutes ago the choices included Uganda but Steve just called me to tell me Uganda was not an option because they are not accepting families right now.) If you could be praying that we get a direction on all of this in the next few months.  July seems a ways off but really it's right around the corner!

Rwanda

Here's a music video I saw yesterday that I LOVED! 

Are there things you have begun to worry about?  Are there things you are trying to control?  Cast your cares on him! It's hard but so worth it!

Love to all!