Love With Abandon

Today's post comes from my friend Rachel at Walser Adoption Adventures.

Rachel started a really cool project in March that I just had to share with you. I

 love her heart for keeping vulnerable children with their families and

her passion for making it a reality ~ Enjoy!

 

Last February I went on a mission trip. Our church took a team of about 10 people to Addis Ababa. We had a dual purpose: training for indigenous church planters and serving with widow and orphan care ministries.

When I went on my first mission trip to Ethiopia in 2010, I was in the middle of our adoption process. I had never been to a third world country. Truthfully, I had never been on a mission trip anywhere. I was broken, in a good way, but I can't help but think everything I processed was seen by me, at least in part, through the filter of our adoption. Of course I was motivated to share the love of Jesus with all those sweet children and to see the face of Jesus in the beautiful people of Ethiopia. But it was also another layer to our story, to understanding the why of our decision to adopt internationally, seeing first hand the great need, and falling in love with a country that is now a big part of our life.

 

 

And I felt confirmed in our decision to adopt, and to adopt from Ethiopia. I love adoption so much. I love the gospel so clearly on display. I love kids without families being fought for, being loved, and being pursued so intensely and sacrificially so they can have a forever home and a forever family. "One less." It didn't seem like much of an impact after witnessing such great need, but it was something.

Fast forward to last year. While we were in country on our trip, we found out some news about our own adoption that brought to light that our story was not the story we thought it was. It forced us to deal with the truth that adoption is a messy business. Worth the mess, and a wonderful answer to a great need--but it is only ONE answer. And what hit me hard on that trip last year was, is it the best answer?

Hear me out. In some cases, yes, it is. But perhaps in other cases, it's not addressing the systemic problem. And--here's where it got tough for me personally to swallow--it might even be perpetuating unethical practices because we are so focused on working hard to get kids into our families that we don't even see the opportunity to prevent them from needing to be there in the first place.

I think of all the time, energy, blood, sweat, tears, and CASH poured into bringing Abby home. Was it worth it? Would I do it again? Abso-friggin-lutely!! In a heartbeat. She's worth it. And God is soverign--no doubt in my mind He brought her to our family.

But--here's the rub. Am I willing to pour as much energy, time, resources, and passion into fighting to keep children with their birth families?

Because I believe--and my eyes were opened to--many situations where mothers and fathers are giving up children for adoption because they do not have the means or ability to meet their basic needs. No parent should have to make that kind of decision. It's a harder problem to solve, and often waaayyyy messier to deal with. But as beautiful a picture as adoption displays of the gospel, isn't equipping a family to stay together and seeing it thrive also a beautiful picture of redemption and restoration?


Adoption is a great response. I'm just not sure it should be our first response.


And I am convicted all over again. I want to be mobilized and advocating for the adoption of true orphans, particularly those who are overlooked or considered unwanted. And, with the same passion and fervor, I want to fight for kids to stay in their families. I want to support and advocate for ministries that share the love of Jesus and offer much needed help to women who just need a hand so they can care for their children. And I want to serve firsthand women facing these kinds of decisions and let them know they are not alone, that someone cares for them and for their children.
And these thoughts and stirrings are what led me to launch the

Last year I raised approx $2500 for my mission trip. I decided I wanted to raise DOUBLE that amount to give back to orphan care---in all of it's different nuanced areas.


I have set a goal to raise $6,000 so I can give $1,000 each to 6 different needs, each addressing the orphan crisis in a different way. (Originally I planned to raise $5,000, but I'll explain why that changed in just a second.) Let me share with you first WHO I'm fundraising for, and then tell you HOW I plan to do it!

Bring Love In

Levi and Jesse are the awesome couple behind Bring Love In, which works to create new families in Ethiopia by pairing a single mom and her children with other orphans in a home unit, providing a family structure and support for a lifetime.

Compassion Families Intl

Peter and Elizabeth run Compassion Families, which provides drop-in centers for kids who need schooling, and/or after school care, also helping with needs like uniforms and school supplies and clothing and shoes. Making it a little easier for those families who are struggling to provide basic needs for their children.

 

Embracing Hope

Jerry and Christy Shannon run Embracing Hope, and it was their daughter's genius idea to provide a free day care for single moms so they can go to work without a child strapped to their back. Providing food each week, and supporting the moms with micro-loans and saving plans so they can look ahead with hope to a future being able to provide for their family without having to beg or prostitute.

LifeBridge Church

LifeBridge is my local church, and we just moved 6 months ago into a building that's located in the poorest zip code in our county. We are thrilled to be there, and each day the Lord is guiding us as to new ways to love tour new neighbors. Our ministries to the broken families in our area are just beginning.

The Waulk family

The Waulks are our dear friends and part of our church family. Josh is our Executive pastor at LifeBridge. They adopted Karis 2 years ago, and are in the process of adopting domestically again, a baby due this summer.

The Davis family

When I first decided to do this project, I was going to set out to raise $5000 for the 5 causes above. My friend Christy happened to be one of the first people I told about my project, and she was so supportive and excited for my efforts. She has always been the biggest cheerleader and supporter of many of our adoptions, long before they even began their adoption process last year. They have been waiting to bring a little girl home from Ethiopia. But just this last week, her husband died tragically, leaving Christy and three beautiful children behind. As many of my friends and I grieved, prayed, and served her this last weekend, it dawned on my how close to home it was now---the charge to care for widows and orphans. Now it's my friend, and now it's her kids. So it didn't take me long to decide to add their family to my project.

*********

So that's the WHO. Now for the HOW. And here's where you come in!
 

I am launching a store of fun items, and ALL the profits will go towards these ministries and families. My goal is to be able to raise $1,000 for each.
 

Are you in?! OK so here's the links you'll need:

• SHOP here!!
• Donate directly to Bring Love In
• Donate directly to Compassion Families (PLEASE make a note in donation that it is for Compassion Families--this organization supports other ministries)
• Donate directly to Embracing Hope
• Donate directly to LifeBridge Church
• Donate directly to the Waulk family
• Donate directly to the Davis family:
• Paypal a donation to scrappycdavis@yahoo.com
• Davis Children Trust, c/o Everbank, 26417 US Highway 19, Clearwater, FL 33761

(If you would prefer to donate by check to any of the above, please email me for information.)


(Please please let me know if you donate directly so I can count it in my total for fundraising!)

OK people--let's do this!!

SHOP! DONATE! POST LINK!! Let's all LOVE WITH ABANDON!!

. . . . . . . . . . .

Waiting for Glory: Month Four

That's all I got today. Waiting sucks.

How to Organize a Date Night Co-op

William and I have been blessed by an almost weekly date night for the last 3 1/2 years! Prior to organizing our date night co-op, we maybe had two real dates (without kids) during Moses' first two years of life.

I get asked all the time how we organized our date night co-op so I thought I would share it here. I'm guessing some of you are desperate for a date!

First I should note that the date night co-op was William's brilliant idea. I think he got it from Mark Driscoll. So, there's the credit where it's due. Or whatever.

1. Find three other families with kiddos around the same age as yours. It doesn't hurt to have a couple slightly older kids in the mix for helpers. Make sure the total number of kids is a number you are comfortable watching just the two of you. (We have nine kids in our co-op.)
2. Decide on a date and time. We do date night on Fridays from 6:30 - 9:30. (Yes this is past all of the kids bedtimes. Alone time with your man is more important than schedules.)
3. Determine your rotation. If there are four families it works easily - Family #1 has childcare the first Friday of the month, Family #2 has childcare the second Friday of the month and so on. If there are five Fridays we skip the fifth one.
4. If a family will be out of town on their childcare week they are responsible for switching with another family. This way, no one has to really be "in charge". 

Four families = Three dates a month.

Here's an example of our schedule
First Friday of the month - We have childcare. All the kids come to our house.
Second Friday - We get a date. Couple #2 has childcare.
Third Friday - We get a date. Couple #3 has childcare.
Fourth Friday - We get a date. Couple #4 has childcare.
It's that simple! Happy date-night!

Don't forget to check out the shop and use the FREE SHIPPING code "spring" when you check out!

Happy Spring! {FREE SHIPPING coupon code}

There's something about sunshine that puts people in a good mood. (ahem, vitamin D)

So, in honor of vitamin D, I mean, Spring we're giving everyone who orders from our shop

FREE SHIPPING for the rest of April!

All you need to do is enter the coupon code "spring" at checkout.

 

While you're shopping, don't forget Mother's Day is less than a month away!

 

Here are a few of my favorites in the shop right now...

 

 

 

Happy Spring!

 

The Battle Is Not Yours

 

And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's. Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”

~2 Chronicles 20:15-17 (emphasis added)

 

 

These are verses I read and prayed numerous times during William's battle with cancer. Even now, when he gets his CT/PET scan every four - six months, (also known as the "mortality reminder") I cling to "Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's... Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”

 

 

Last week one of our friends and a fierce man of God, Jeff, was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. My heart immediately went out to Jeff and also his wife Sherry. The ground comes out from underneath even the most Godly person upon hearing the "c" word.

 

 

The evening before Jeff had his CT/PET scan (that would provide diagnostic information an MRI cannot) I texted him the above verse. His official diagnoses came later that day and a huge weight fell over everyone who knows their family. Prayer chains were started, meal planning began, fundraisers were being brainstormed and Jeff received over 70 visitors and 500 emails the first day! God's people are surrounding this family and holding them up when it is hard to just. keep. going.

 

 

I've been praying 2 Chronicles 20:15-17 this past week and realized, it doesn't apply just to cancer. (Duh.) Each of us has a
battle. Each of us goes to bed with a tomorrow we wish would never come. Each of us is up against a horde.

 

 

I don't know what your battle is. I know many of you are battling for children and the horde you are against is Satan disguised as piles of paperwork and adoption fees and governments near and far. Maybe your battle is cancer. Maybe your battle is a hostile work environment. Or a hostile marriage. Maybe your battle is a grown child who has gone astray. Or a broken friendship.

 

I DO KNOW THIS: The battle is not yours. It is God's.

 

 

I know there are amazing stories, particularly in the OT, of God winning battles on behalf of His people. But this mama is no theologian. I can't retell those stories accurately let alone eloquently. (I should really work on that. Seriously.)

 

 

What I can do is point you to scripture that is clear about Who is fighting your battle.

 

 

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.

~Psalm 18:1-3

 

 

Who is this King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle!

~Psalm 24:8

 

 

He redeems my soul in safety
from the battle that I wage,
for many are arrayed against me.

~Psalm 55:18

 

 

I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and will execute justice for the needy.
Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
the upright shall dwell in your presence.

~Psalm 140:12 - 13

 

 

Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
who trains my hands for war,
and my fingers for battle;
he is my steadfast love and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield and he in whom I take refuge,
who subdues peoples under me.

~Psalm 144:1 - 2

 

 

The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.

~Exodus 14:14

 

The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt...

~Deuteronomy 1:30

 

You shall not fear them,

for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.

~Deuteronomy 3:22

 

for the Lord your God is he who goes with you

to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.

~Deuteronomy 20:4

 

For thus the Lord said to me,
“As a lion or a young lion growls over his prey,
and when a band of shepherds is called out against him
he is not terrified by their shouting
or daunted at their noise,
so the Lord of hosts will come down
to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill.
Like birds hovering, so the Lord of hosts
will protect Jerusalem;
he will protect and deliver it;
he will spare and rescue it.”

~Isaiah 31:4 - 5

 

 They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you,

for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.”

~Jeremiah 1:19

 

Whew! That was a lot of scripture! It was therapeutic for me to read and I felt led to share all of them here, knowing many of you are tired and weary as well. I hope you are refreshed by these words describing our God:

 

///refuge///strong///mighty///safety///

///executes justice///deliverer///protector///

 

Praise God Deuteronomy 20 verse 4 says he is with us and fights for us TO GIVE US THE VICTORY. BUT, let us not forget Who the victory belongs to:

 

The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but the victory belongs to the Lord.

~Proverbs 21:31 (emphasis added)

 

Ready your horse, draw your sword, and remember when the battle is won, all victory and praise and honor and glory belong to Him who fought the battle for you.

 

Would you please join me in praying for healing for my friend Jeff? He has fought tirelessly on behalf of the fatherless in our community for more than a decade. We know God is able and believe he is willing to heal Jeff completely so he may continue the good work God has laid before him. Thank you!!!

 

And if you need continued encouragement (let's be real, who doesn't?) jump over here to win all FIVE of these awesome books!