–I’m finally caught up on all of your blog updates! I’ve even been able to comment on a few. Too bad they’re all just going to pile up next week as we take the youth to camp for a week.
–I also finished Radical by David Platt this week…I’m now ready to re-read it and mark it up!! I would definately recommend it! I’ve now started on Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood by John Piper, Wayne Grudem, and others. I’m gearing up for a Girl’s Retreat that I’m taking our youth girls on in August. It should be lots of fun. Please be praying for them NOW, that they would be pierced by the word of God and turn away from the things that this world is telling them girls and women should be.
–An update on our friends and their foster care situation…she has given her agency until August 7 to make a decision…whether they will take them both or not. Please be praying for God’s hand in this situation. These little boys deserve a loving and forever home.
–We sat down to do our agencies “acceptance forms” last night. In other words, disabilities/diseases/birthparent choices, etc. that we would be willing to accept. Talk about hard! Knowing that God has called us to adopt, and that He has made each and every one of these children in His image…how can we say, “No” to a child with a certain disability? It’s hard, it’s sinful, there’s no excuse….please give me some insight on this. Bibilical wisdom would be helpful…we feel so torn.
I think that’s about it around here. Our quiet week has been great. Time alone with one another for a whole week (that’s rare!) and we still love each other 😉
We are heading home tomorrow and gearing up for a high-adventure camp full of white-water rafting, rapelling, paintball, skeet shooting, zip lines, puddle jumping, river tubing, and THE WORD OF GOD…woo, insanity! Pray that our youth would be excited for the Word, not the thrill of activities…we need life and heart changes this week….forever.
P.S.
This camp really is great. God centered, which is most important. If you have a youth group that you’re close to, I would highly recommend this camp…located in the mountains of North Carolina.
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Wish you lived closer to us- then you could come to our camp 🙂
We always thought we knew what kind of children we were called to adopt, and then God has broken down many walls since then. Now we have just given it up to Him. That is hard sometimes to know what to say, but all children need a home. All children have “risks” and all need love. So I will pray for you on this. It is tricky.
Christie, I know that that was hard to fill out those forms. We had a hard time with it too. We decided we would not take a child with “special needs” for our first child. I definitely do not think that is sinful… Just my opinion. I think God’s plan was for us to adopt but we just did not feel “led” to do that. I know some people use the excuse “I’m just not led to do that” but this is the truth for us. We prayed about it. Pray about it! See what God leads you to do. And remember, God is not going to make you feel guilty about something that is in His will. Sounds so simple, but true. We haven’t felt guilty about our decision at all and are at peace about it. You just have to do what you know is right for YOU and your future family. And in the end, if you are at peace with it inside your soul, then you’re doing the right thing. I will be praying for you Christy! 🙂 Love in Christ!
Tara
Not sure if the form is the same in all states, but when we filled ours out, we just put “will consider” as the option for just about everything. Just b/c you put that doesn’t mean that you have to accept a situation that is presented to you. I know that sounds hard, but truly, when a situation arises, that’s when you can pray & ask the Lord if that’s what He has chosen for you. The “situation” we ended up stepping into was something we NEVER would have come up with on our own, but what a blessing our daughter has been!
Oh my goodness, I’m exhausted just reading about your week to come! Be sure to pack your Motrin!!! *wink*
Ah Christie, I don’t know how to help you fill out those forms. They are hard and all I can say is I truly feel that the Lord will lead you and give you peace. If you don’t have peace, pause, pray, and listen. They ALL deserve the love a mommy and daddy whether they have a SN or are perfectly healthy. It’s a matter of allowing God to lead you to the child that needs You to be the Mommy for. He already knows. If you have anxiety over a particular decision then I would be hesitant to add it. But at the end of the day it’s all an unknown. As our SW pointed out, all adopted children are in a way SN. Whether they are physically healthy or not, they will all come to us with a broken piece in their precious lives and it’s our job to do all we can, and allow God to use us as their glue.
I will say, there is one thing I have noticed amongst my girlfriends who have adopted SN children (we did not, with both China and Ethiopia we requested a healthy 0-24 month old)…they have a passion. A spark and strength burning in them and peace. Sure they are nervous, but their not scared. I’m convinced this is the Lord equipping them for the journey ahead and it’s awesome.
Anyway….I’m rambling on and on….
Sending a hug your way and am so excited to see where God leads you! He will LEAD Christie, rest in that :o)