This is the Day

Today is a new day.  We actually are fortunate enough to have 365 of these potential new days each year!  Today is a new day so why not live like it! You see, today is not only a new day but it is a day that the Lord has made so why not rejoice and be glad in it people!
Today is a new day and for me, I have FINALLY been able to be glad in it!  It has been 7 weeks already that LyLah has been home and for a good 6 of those weeks I have been sick with some thing or another.  These last 2 weeks in particular have been the ones to really wear me down.  BUT I am here to say that last night was the first night since we've returned that I haven't felt the need to go to bed when LyLah did!  Praise Jesus!  I have been trudging along each day with the most amazing little girl there ever could be, as she too has been sick but you would never know it!  Unlike her momma, she continues on with a smile on her face and is the same happy go lucky girl that I met from day one!  She certainly has a knack for putting a smile on your face, even if you are feeling pretty cruddy.  Of course there are my faithful parents too who have continued to be by my side and  helped me take care of LyLah when I wasn't up to par. I thank God for them daily!
Today is a new day and I realized that these last 7 weeks have gone and went and it's about time to get kickin again and take every advantage of this new day He has made!  It's not easy to do when you're feeling tired or weary, but I'm here to tell ya those days fly by so fast they are here and gone!  I have learned that just because I am feeling tired or weary is no excuse not to rejoice in the day.  Each one of those days during that 7 weeks I woke up, didn't I?  That is reason enough right there to rejoice, but I know that I had plenty of other opportunities to be rejoicing ... and her name is LyLah!  So don't waste another day, or better yet 7 weeks like I did.  Today is a new day ... a day that our Lord has made ... let's put a lil' extra effort into some mighty fine rejoicing and being glad in it, okay?!  Oh yeah!
Today also marks the beginning of one of my favorite times of the year .... Christmas!  We have the tree up and decorations out and have already enjoyed nights with only the lights of the tree in the room.  How awesome it is to be able to celebrate Jesus, the creator of the universe, our Savior, not only today but everyday!  Don't wait until December 25th to celebrate Jesus, why not give Him the whole month of December?!  In fact, why not give Him all 365 days of the year?!  He is gracious enough to give us each day we awake, yeah?!  Celebrate Jesus!  Today and everyday!  Because this is the day that He has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Praise God for today!  Praise God for everyday!  Praise God for all that He is!  Praise God for Jesus!
Pray that today would mark the first day, if you don't already do so, that you would truly live like it's a day that He has made - Pray for that same spirit of joy everyday - Pray for a deeper understanding of who God is - Pray for someone to cross your path that does not know Jesus, and for words/actions to make known who He is and what He has to offer ... salvation ... shining the light on Him!

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!" Psalm 118:24

Love,
amy

Do Not Fear

So basically my question is ... "How in the world do any of you with more than one child plus a dog get ANYTHING accomplished?" Ha! Just joking of course! Well, sort of ;)
Life for me has completely changed.  Of course I was expecting it to and I am learning daily as I go what the important things are that need to get done and the things that can wait. Obviously I haven't exactly found the perfect spot to squeeze in my weekly blog so as I was telling my mom the other day, maybe I will try to do one every other week ... or maybe once a month! We will see!
One of the things that I have been struggling to get into my schedule is my quiet time, well maybe I should say a "productive" quiet time! At any rate, this is something that I crave so I know God will show me the way ... eventually ;)
The other day though I was actually able to squeeze in two different devo's (woot woot!), and ironically they both had to do with fear.  The first one came from Our Daily Bread and the second from a devotional by Joanna Weaver called "At the Feet of Jesus".  The words that got my attention right away read this, "Fear hinders faith, but trust kindles confidence." Wow! When life brings out uncertainties, things that aren't exactly going our way or as we have planned, how easy it is to allow fear to take over.  At least for me, this is what has been happening over these last three weeks.  I am confident in my head God's plan for LyLah in my life but am struggling with the confidence that has to come from my heart that I am capable of taking care of her. I am so very blessed to have such loving and encouraging family and friends that are getting me through this but I have definitely felt the struggle.  My mom and dad have either been here or I go to their house alot of the time, but every time I leave or they leave the tears begin to roll as the fear creeps in. The fear creeps in and which in turn then, hinders my faith. I wanna faith that has overcome fear ... of everything!  And this, God has promised me! All I gotta do is trust Him!
The one thing that continues to hold me up is the simple truth that in fact, I do not have to fear! God will help me!  God is helping me and it's okay to struggle.  This is a learning process and is going to take time. Yeah, so you all know me too well by now to know that I would rather have things go smoothly NOW ;)
Funny how LyLah herself has a bit of a temper if she doesn't get what she wants! Ya think God knew that ahead of time, ya know, that LyLah might be a bit impatient! Ha! Just like her momma!
On a brighter note, LyLah is absolutely amazing! She is catching onto things pretty quickly, I think anyway! She is crawling ALL over the place and wanting to pull up to things but doesn't quite have that mastered ... yet! Praise God! She is drinking from a sippy cup and doing well with the food we have started. She even got to try Grandpa's homemade noodles this week in which she loved!  Smart girl!  She loves to chatter and it sounds like she tries to say her name.  She dances whenever music plays and is starting to make some pretty funny faces.  LyLah is a little bit of a momma's girl (praise Jesus!) but she loves her Grandma and Grandpa, too!
Praise God for making my life complete with my beautiful baby girl! Praise God for being there 24/7 even when we feel far away! Praise God that we never ever have to fear anything ... ever! Praise God for Jesus!
Pray that we would not allow fear to creep in and hinder our faith - Pray that we would grow in our trust so that we can be confident of whatever God throws our way - Pray for God to reveal Himself in ways that we could feel when we feel distanced - Pray for my sweet baby LyLah to continue to grow and be a strong and healthy baby girl ... a child of God!

"Do not fear; I will help you" Isaiah 41:13

Love,
amy

Tiny black ringlets, Poopy diapers, and Mr. Crab

These are just a few of my favorite things. Tiny black ringlets rubbing against my cheeks as I rock my baby girl to sleep.  Poopy diapers ... with just the right consistency! Lol!  Possibly TMI but this means that my baby girl is getting better so bring 'em on! And last but not least the infamous Mr. Crab! One of LyLah's very favorite toys!
This last week and a half have been one heck of a ride but I am happy to say we are home at last and LyLah is lovin every minute of it! Of course momma is too!  LyLah is such a good baby and healthy as well as I took her to the Dr as soon as we returned, praise God!  She has been eating and sleeping well.  She is starting to eat rice cereal and green beans in between her bottle feedings. She is scooting around on the floor and beginning to learn how to crawl.  She has two bottom teeth. She is quite the social bug and likes to wave.  LyLah will put her arms out to go to pretty much anyone and gets annoyed when I don't let her go to strangers! Ha! She can say "momma" and is beginning  to respond to her name.  She is such a joy and I have been truly blessed!
God's hand continues to be in this adoption daily as He is guiding me.  He also provided the opportunity for my mom to stay with me this week. She has been covering a maternity leave at the Dr's office in town and just so happened to have last Thursday through today off!  Coincidence? I think not! God's perfect timing once again as He knew I would need her to stay with me!
God also decided to show His greatness in the fact that the Sunday LyLah was born in my heart was the Sunday that Marti Boal and Marcia Baldridge shared about their mission trip to Ethiopia to deliver water filters.  God then paved the way for their mission trip this year to coincide with my court trip and the team was able to come to the care center where LyLah was taken care of on the last day that I was there when I was struggling big time and their prayers were just what I needed at that particular time.  So the first Sunday that I will be bringing LyLah to church is the Sunday in which they will be speaking of their mission trip from this year!  How crazy is that?! Nope, not crazy at all.  Once again, this is God and I LOVE it!
This opportunity that I have been given to care for an orphan, a child of God, is such an honor but at the same time I am scared to death! But I know that everything will be just fine as I keep my eyes fixed on Him and listen for His leading and guidance through it all.  Of course there will be some ups and downs but it's nice to know I have a God who will be watching over us!
Praise God for LyLah! Praise God for providing such an awesome opportunity for me to share His love! Praise God that we can count on His wisdom and guidance! Praise God for Jesus!
Pray that my sweet baby LyLah would continue to adjust well to her new home and surroundings - Pray for God to make known opportunities He might have for you to spread His word and show others His love - Pray for His wisdom and guidance daily - Pray for the rest of the gals in my prayer group and their processes to be completed and cleared so they too can bring home their precious babes!

"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a real blessing" Psalm 127:3

Love,
amy

This is it!

It has been a crazy 3 days as I received an unexpected email from the US Embassy early Friday morning.  I was anticipating an email with the date of the interview scheduled with the policeman who found LyLah ... instead it was an email that was entitled "Case Cleared"!  My case was cleared by the US Embassy, I don't even know if the interview was done or not but at this point that is the least of my worries! This does not make any sense to me, but I know that it makes perfect sense to God and I will take it!  Funny thing was I have been saying all along that I can't go back until after October 6th because that was the day for my last 2 road races and my last 125 points needed for the discount on my health insurance at work.  I would of thought God would of at least gave me a week or so to prepare!!! Once again, what do I know!! :)
Needless to say, I scrambled Friday morning trying to get in contact with my travel agent as well as my agency to make arrangements all before heading to work that day.  I went ahead and booked a flight to leave bright and early Monday morning from Chicago and we are to return the following Sunday night as long as everything goes as planned.  My appointment with the US Embassy has yet to be confirmed so there is a chance that we would have to stay longer if it does not.  Booking the flight without that confirmation was taking a bit of a risk, although I did not have much time to make decisions at that point, however my God is bigger and my faith is in Him alone!
My sister will be making the trip with me this time and she did quite a bit of "scrambling" herself! Trying to get last minute stuff at her school ready for the substitute principal that will be taking over for her while she is with me.  In fact she had to go in today to finish up! 
It's Sunday afternoon and I'm about to head out to go get my baby girl! It's been a crazy ride this last year but God certainly has been in control and had His hand in every single part of it.  The entire process has gone about as smooth as it can get in the world of adoption, to God be the glory!
Praise God for His perfect timing!  Praise God for giving us strength to get through any circumstance that requires waiting!  Praise God that His plan in everything is perfect! Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for a new understanding that God's timing is in fact perfect - Pray for God's strength to be revealed in whatever circumstance you are facing - Pray for trust in knowing God's plan is perfect - Pray for my Embassy appt  for Thursday to get confirmed and that all would go smoothly!

"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." Hebrews 11:1

By the way, next time I write a blog my baby girl will be right by my side ... just sayin!! :)

Love,
amy
 

Forgiven

A bit of a different week this week ... filled with excitement, disappointment, joy, frustration, but the most important thing of all this week ... was that in everything, no matter what, it was filled with Jesus!
I have a couple of songs on my heart that I will post the lyrics to, as well as the link to you.tube.  These songs have their own special place in my heart for my own reasons, but they also share something we all can gain insight from.  These songs shine the light on Jesus and the cross!  If nothing else, let's let go of everything of this world for just a few moments and give Jesus some praise!

"Hero" by Abandon

He walked the dirty streets famous for nothingHe said, "Come follow me" and they cameA face like all the rest, but something was differentThe Son of God would lead the way
And soon they all would say
There He goes, a hero, a savior to the worldHere He stands with scars in His handsWith love He gave His life so we could be freeThe savior of the world
He spoke with clarity, walked across the seaA single word would calm the stormHis touch could heal the sick, but He was called a hypocriteLaid behind the stone, his death was shortly mourned
He left the curtain torn
There He goes, a hero, a savior to the worldHere He stands with scars in His handsWith love He gave His life so we could be freeThe savior of the world
He chose to take the cross, shed tears for the lostThe broken and the needy, forgiving those who were and will beThe angel made it clear, he told them, "Have no fearHe's not here, He's not here"
There He goes, a hero, a savior to the worldHere He stands with scars in His handsWith love He gave His life so we could be freeThe savior of the world
http://youtu.be/kiXBVAJtj2k

"Lead Me to the Cross" by Hillsong United
Savior I come
Quiet my soul remember
Redemption's hill
Where Your blood was spilled
For my ransom
Everything I once held dear
I count it all as lossLead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Oh Lead me, lead me to the cross
You were as I
Tempted and tried
Human
The word became flesh
Bore my sin and death
Now you're risen
Everything I once held dear
I count it all as loss
Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Oh Lead me, lead me to the cross
http://youtu.be/StW6ZKHRCFo

As for the adoption process, I was submitted to the US Embassy on Wednesday morning!!! Praise God!!! Another step closer! Typically it has been 4-6 weeks then before final pick-up but I am still banking on having her by Halloween!
Praise God for forgiveness!  Praise God for the cross!  Praise God that He is enough!  Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for God to make known any area in your life where you might need forgiven or perhaps need to forgive - Pray that God would help you to then lay down that thing or person at the foot of the cross - Pray for a new awareness of God and understanding that He is in fact all we need - Pray for my sweet baby LyLah!

"Lord our God, we have been ruled by others, but You alone are our Lord." Isaiah 26:13

Love,
amy

One Week Closer

Another week gone by means one week closer to bringing LyLah home! Oh yeah! This week I was able to get the car seat and a high chair which makes it even more real. I never thought I would have such fun going through Babies R Us! Oh how hard it was not to cram pack an entire cart full of stuff!
I eventually learned that "I" do not need a new pair of jeans or shoes for every day of the week ... I'm thinking this lesson is gonna take awhile to catch onto when it comes to LyLah's wardrobe! Ha! At least I am a bargain shopper, yeah?
Satan has started to creep in again and of course this is not surprising as the process gets closer. He is filling my head with doubts that stem mostly from the fact that I am going to be a single mother.  What will I do if she is sick and I can't take off work?  Will I be able to provide financially for her? Will she be confused because she doesn't have a dad around?  Am I going to be able to raise her up as a child of God and not just a good kid? And the doubts keep filling and flooding and overflowing in my head ... BUT I am fully aware that this is just Satan trying his best to bring me down so I know very well how important it is going to be to armor up! The battle is on and it's stronger than ever but my God is greater and with Him, I can overcome anything!  He has already won the battle! Praise Jesus!
As for the adoption process, Tuesday I found out that my agency had in fact received LyLah's medical report which means that most likely my case will be submitted to the US Embassy this coming Wednesday! Typically, it has been 4-6 weeks following submission that dates for pick up have been scheduled, however my God is not "typical" by any means! He has sped up the process on many occasions and I'm counting on Him doing so again!  I received new pictures of LyLah today and I learned that she is now able to sit up! She was not able to do that a month ago when I was there.  I am truly blessed to have the access to all of the pictures that are taken by the families that are in and out of the care center, but at the same time it makes me miss her all the more.  One week closer it is!
Praise God for His promises that we can stand on!  Praise God for His armor!  Praise God that the battle is already won!  Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for reminders of specific promises when various situations come about in life - Pray that we would remember to put on the FULL armor of God, not just part of it, when faced with trials - Pray for strength in the Lord and in His great power - Pray for my sweet baby LyLah to continue to grow strong and healthy and get ready to come home to her momma!

" be strong in the Lord, and in His great power" Ephesians 6:10

Love,
amy

Life As We Know It

I've been thinking alot lately about "life".  I've been thinking alot about how I often take for granted this simple, yet indescribable word.  Life. So I decided to google it and see what they had to say.  According to Wikipedia, "Life is a characteristic that distinguishes objects that have signaling and self sustaining processes from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased (death), or else because they lack such functions and are classified as inanimate."
Life as we know it consists of going about our daily routines and activities. Some of which may include: sustaining a job perhaps - raising children - taking care of the house, finances, yard, animals - getting together with friends, family - spending time with your spouse - going to sporting events, band concerts,  dance recitals, plays - going to church and various church activities - the list could go on and on and on and on!  These things that "life" consists of can be pretty overwhelming at times and we can easily get frustrated when we don't seem to have the time to fit it all in.
I've been thinking alot lately of how very blessed that I am because every morning I wake up is a gift from God.  He has given me the ability to live and move and breathe - to see and taste and smell - to think and speak and hear.  He has given me a new chance at life every single day I awake and I'm hear to tell you that I have taken advantage of that for way too long.
I've been having some crazy thoughts running through my head about things that could happen and how would I take care of LyLah. Key word there is could! Ha! Satan get behind me or God preparing me?! Either way, I have a new awareness of the fact that I need to be thankful for each day that I am given. Each day God gives me is yet another chance at life because I am alive! Better yet, in Christ! I have self sustaining processes that God has given me! Each day God gives me is yet another chance to live the life He has planned out for me, and be that light shining bright giving all glory to Him! Praise Jesus!
As for the adoption process I am still waiting on word that my agency has received the final medical report.  Once they have that in hand, my case will be submitted to the US Embassy. I watched a "Gotcha Day" video posted on a blog I follow from a fellow IAG mom last night, and it brought me quickly to tears. Every day that goes by I am missing out on something new perhaps that LyLah might be doing and it definitely makes me sad, but I am going to hold onto the fact that she is in God's hands, safe and being loved on, and I am one more week closer to bringing her home!
Praise God for life! Praise God for new chances every day we awake! Praise God for the Spirit within He has given us!  Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for a new awareness of the life you have been given - Pray for remembering to be thankful each day you awake - Pray for His Spirit to move inside you and fill you with joy - Pray for my sweet baby LyLah to witness Jesus in some way while she is far away from her momma!

"In Him we live and move and exist ..." Acts 17:28

Love,
amy

Anticipation

A piece of scripture was brought to my attention today that I just can't seem to get out of my head.  I know that I have read this verse on many occasions, but it obviously did not seem important at the time or seem to "click".  Today I was given a verse that I am certain God wanted me to hear!
You see the last week or so my 6:30 daily prayer time has been seemingly repetitive.  The six of us from the agency who have committed to pray together daily continue on, but I must admit that I have been struggling with praying the same thing day after day after day.  If any of you know me very well you know I like "specifics", and there just hasn't been enough specific stuff to be in prayer for ... at least what I can see.  This is the kicker, "what I can see". Ha! Again, this is where I have gone wrong! Thinking that this daily prayer time is all about what "I" think or what "I" can see from where each of us in our prayer group stands! 
You see today I was reminded that we have a God who not only hears our prayers, but He anticipates our prayers with the blessings of His goodness. He knows in advance what our prayers will consist of.  And even better yet, before we finish getting our prayers out God is able to provide what we have, or should I say "would have", prayed for!
You see we have a God who wants us to know just how important hearing our prayers are! Praise God we also have Jesus who goes before us, on our behalf, to the almighty throne of God!
Today I was given yet another affirmation of just how much God loves me and knows exactly what I need when I need it.  He knows what I am going to be in prayer about before I can even get it off my tongue!  He even provides for me things that I have yet to be in prayer about!  It doesn't matter if I am at a loss of words sometimes. You know why? God's got this!
The adoption process continues to roll forward.  LyLah had her medical exam on Wednesday, so whenever the report is complete and translated my case will be ready to submit to the US Embassy! Submissions only happen on Wednesdays, so I will be anxiously checking my emails every Wednesday from here on out!  Once submitted, there still is a waiting period that again, I don't know for sure how long will take.  The US Embassy will have to clear my case and then give me the word to come get her!  My initial goal to bring her home was by Christmas so I could have her home by her first birthday, however things seem to be moving quickly therefore I have moved that date up to Halloween! My God is able and I have complete trust in Him to do this!
Praise God for His word! Praise God for using others to help us to grow! Praise God for His anticipated blessings!  Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for God to reveal new understandings as you read through His word - Pray for ears to hear Truth through the people He made cross your path - Pray for trust that God does in fact "have this" whatever "this" may be in your life - Pray for my sweet baby LyLah to remain safe and sound and loved on while she is away from her momma!

"I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers."  Isaiah 65:24

Love,
amy

"47"

I would like to introduce to you, two very special people in my life.  These people I have known now for nearly 36 years.  They have been there with me and for me through the good, the bad, and even the ugly!  These people you see, are my parents! Yes! I would like to take a minute, which is MUCH less than they deserve, to tell you just why I love them.
My parents I believe are pretty much my two biggest fans!  They have been and always are there for me. Every single ball game or band concert or whatever it might have been, they were there.  The support that they continue to provide is key in knowing I can always count on them, no matter what.
The love they have shown to me is neverending. Not only do they show their love through the three simple words ... I love you ... but through their actions as well. They have encouraged me, disciplined me, simply loved me in so many ways and I know this love is true. This love is genuine. They pretty much do ANYthing for me, even if it means sacrificing something of their own. There love for me is constant.  Unfortunately, they get the brunt of my irritabilities and frustrations a good portion of the time, but they continue to love and support me anyway. Not only do they love me, but they forgive me.
You see my mom and dad will be celebrating their 47th wedding anniversary in just a few short days and I just wanted to let them and everyone else know, just how much they mean to me.  I fall way short when it comes to telling them myself so here ya go mom and dad!  I love you more than you could know and I thank God for giving me you both!  You truly are a blessing to me and I'm not really sure what I would do without you. There certainly is no greater love than that of our Lord Jesus Christ, but I get to experience many characteristics of His love through you both. Thank you for that kind of love. Thank you for all that you do, always! I Love You and Happy Anniversary!
As for the adoption process, I received my MOWA letter and passport this week and the medical exam is scheduled for next week! Praise God! So I have 4/5 documents with the 5th one scheduled!  Once my agency gets the report from the medical exam, they then can submit my case to the US Embassy! Things continue to move! Prayers continue to be answered! God's hand continues to be revealed! This entire process continues to have God's hand written ALL over it! Oh yeah!
Praise God for my mom and dad! Praise God for His love that shines through others! Praise God for all the movement in the adoption process! Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for my mom and dad, that there love for God and for each other would continue to grow every day, and that they would enjoy their time together celebrating 47 years of marriage - Pray for God's love to shine through you in ways that give all glory to God - Pray for continued movement in the adoption process and that I would have baby LyLah in my arms very soon - Pray for continued protection, strength and health for LyLah and the nannies taking care of her!


"Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." 1 Corinthians 13:7

Love,
amy

He Did it Again!

I can honestly say I've never been so thankful that it is Friday in quite some time!  Ahhhhh ...today marked the end of a twelve day stretch at work.  Twelve ... Long ... Days ... coupled with jet lag = my co-workers having to hear me remind them daily of just how many days I had been there and how many days I had left! Ha! I'm pretty sure they as well have never been so thankful that it is Friday!  I must say though that I do have the best co-workers a gal could ask for! They listened to me complain all week, or well two weeks, and still offered to help me out today! And of course my last day at work started with a bang! God certainly made this long stretch seem well worth it after today. You see today, I got my paperwork together for an adoption grant that GRMC offers to their employees.  I knew this grant was available, but I was under the impression that I would not be able to receive it until after I brought LyLah home.  Well a couple of weeks ago I ran across the application again, and it said they needed the court decree or the birth certificate.  These actually were the first two documents I would receive so I started getting pretty excited as I did not have a plan for the rest of the fees that I would owe for my next trip. My first mistake (once again) was to think that "I" would be the one to "plan" for the remainder of process. So today, my twelth loooong day at work, a day that I was NOT looking forward to, God started off with me taking my application to human resources. It was less than an hour later that I received word that I would in fact receive some money ... not just some money but the full amount that they offer which is $5,000 and I would be getting it next week!  This of course will cover the remainder of my expenses that I have for the adoption process! Praise God! He has done it again!  And honestly, I can't even say that I'm surprised.  Of course God made this happen.  It has been His plan all along.  He has provided for the entire adoption process. I can't even say that this was overwhelming, either.  In the beginning, yes, He overwhelmed me on many occasions, but now I am to the point where I just know He will make a way.  He has given me a new level of trust through this process and I pray it would only grow stronger!  He has done it for me and I know He will do it for you, too!  Let go and give it to God!  Let Him take your trust in Him to new levels! You will not regret it!
So my twelve day stretch in which I had questioned on occasion, just what God was trying to get through to me, ended in joy and strength and peace.  Oh yeah!  He did it again!
As for the adoption process, I also received LyLah's birth certificate yesterday!  What a feeling it was to see my name as her parent!  I now have 2 out of the 5 documents I need in order for my case to be submitted to the Embassy! I also found out today that they are in the process of working on the next document needed, her passport! Things continue to move along!
Praise God once again for His providence!  Praise God for His faithfulness!  Praise God for His ability to bring out the good in every situation!  Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for God to reveal things or areas in your life that need to be let go - Pray for Him to open up a new level of trust to do just that - Pray for an increase in faith in Him - Pray for His continued hand upon my sweet baby LyLah and my group of friends little ones as well, and for a peace that only comes from Him while we wait to bring them home!

"There is one God and Father of everything. He rules everything and is everywhere and is in everything." Ephesians 4:6

Love,
amy

Our Story

It was probably about April-ish when God started creating something very special.  He knew exactly what He had in mind down to the very last detail.  He started knitting together bones and ligaments and muscles and body parts, everything into one special baby girl.  You see, God was creating my daughter in a place half way across the world.  He was shaping her into the perfect baby girl just .. for .. me.
And then there was the work God was doing in me at the very same time.  I had no idea what was going to be happening or just what exactly God had in mind.  I knew that I was being refined and pruned but just thought well, I guess it was about time! Ha! I soon learned that God had a plan and that plan was for me to be LyLah Lucille Lelisa's momma and there were a few things I needed to change before that could happen! You see, He was shaping me into the perfect momma just .. for .. LyLah.
Every single one of us has a story, a story of who we are, where we've been and how we got there. But you see these stories, they don't mean anything unless we have someone to tell them to.  Someone who knows exactly what you've been through.  When I was on the plane to Ethiopia, I heard a song and am certain it was from God.  The lyrics that caught my attention first were "I was made for you".  Then came the part about climbing the mountaintops and crossing the ocean blue.  I immediately thought of LyLah and as I listened to the rest of the song, I knew God was giving me something very special.  He gave me the song "The Story" by Brandi Carlile and I have decided this will be LyLah and I's song!  Better yet, I can play it on the guitar for her!  We were made for each other and we each have/will have a story to tell and I cannot wait until the day she is in my arms to do just that!
No news this week as far as the adoption process goes. Should be getting word of a birth certificate and passport next!
Praise God for His sovereignty!  Praise God for His wisdom!  Praise God for His holiness!  Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for a relationship with Him that continually is growing stronger - Pray for more wisdom and knowledge of God and His word - Pray for a desire to want more of Him - Pray for my sweet baby LyLah to continue to be strong and healthy and protected while she is away and for the nannies who are taking care of her as well.

"The Story" Brandi Carlile
http://youtu.be/npIbI10tftU

"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a real blessing." Psalm 127:3

Love,
amy

A New Name

Well it's official!  Not only am I a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a cousin ... nope there's one more name to add to that list! Yup that's right, on August 7, 2012 I was officially declared LyLah Lucille Lelisa Noel's momma!  Yet another day that has been written on my heart forever and ever! A day that has changed my life forever! A day that will never be forgotten!
My time spent in Ethiopia this week was also a time that will never be forgotten.  To walk into a world that is completely opposite of what my "norm" is was the best thing that could have ever happened.  I had a picture in my mind of what it might look like but I tell you what, you never will know unless you experience it.
The poverty ... the dirtyness ... the emptyness .... the brokeness and yet they are happy!  They go above and beyond for nothing, yeah nothing.  But it is something to them. That is what they know to do and they have no other worry or care in the world ... at least that is what it seemed. I felt some of the most intense kindness and generosity imaginable.  I felt the hands and feet of Jesus whether or not they know Him personally.  I felt like I was the one being catered to when in fact it should have been just the opposite.
The care center where my sweet baby LyLah lives is extremely small, it's overcrowded but it is a room filled with love.  It may not look like what we would expect it to look like but it doesn't have to.  To give and to be loved takes nothing but a willing heart! Yes! Really! No fancy nurserys or the best and most expensive clothing and food.  A willing heart that is eager to love is what I saw in that small, overcrowded room so I am going to choose to trust God to protect my baby girl until the day I bring her home.
I did receive my court decree yesterday so my paperwork can continue on despite the courts closing, praise God! I now have entered into the next waiting period. The paperwork to be completed can take several months and I have been given an expectation of not less than four BUT I serve a God of miracles and am waiting in expectation for one! My heart quickly went from a new kind of joy that I had never experienced before, to it breaking in two the day I had to leave LyLah.  My God is able and that is what I'm choosing to believe!
Praise God for Ethiopia/Ethiopians!  Praise God for hearts that are willing to love!  Praise God for eyes that were opened! Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for wisdom, health and strength for the nannies as they care for the babies in the care center.  Pray for a heart that is willing to love like Jesus.  Pray for His eyes to become your own.  Pray for my sweet baby LyLah to continue to be cared for and loved on until she is home at last ... with her momma!

"I love You, Lord; You are my strength" Psalm 18:1

Love-
amy

This is it!

The moment is finally here ... the one I have been waiting on for 10 loooonnnngggg months .... I can't even hardly believe it .... ETHIOPIA BOUND BABY!!!!  Oh yeah!
Not even sure how to describe the feelings I am experiencing right now.  I'm about to go meet my daughter for the very first time.  Just saying those words still seems surreal.  My daughter ... my precious lil' gift from God ... my blessing!  He picked her out just for me! We were made for each other!  This fact as well continues to blow my mind.
I've had many thoughts going through my head about the first time I lay eyes on my sweet baby LyLah.  I wonder how she will react ... will she come to me ... will she cry ... will she cling to her nanny.  Trying to prepare for this moment has not been an easy one by any means, but I will trust in God knowing we were meant to be together as mother and daughter and He will make it perfect.
I have the "new momma" fear going on as well.  Not gonna be able to just call my mom and say "what in the world do I do????"  Thank you, Jesus that Kaylee will be with me!
And then there is the whole leaving scenario.  Will she remember that I left her?  Will she fear that she will be left again once I bring her home for good?
I was reminded tonight of just how very much the Lord's hand has been in this entire adoption process so I actually have absolutely nothing to worry about!  From the very beginning when I was praying and seeking to know if adoption really was His will for me and the answers that were crystal clear, to His providence financially throughout the entire process at just the perfect times that fees were due, to the people that He has brought into my life and the bond that has been created without ever meeting one another, to His perfect timing for a court date that just so happens to be the exact time the mission team from church is going to be there, to all of the refining He has done in me and continues to do to make me just the perfect momma for LyLah!  I am going to do my best to give it all to God and just sit back and relax in His loving and peaceful arms!
Praise God for who He is and what He has done!  Praise God for forgiveness and grace and mercy!  Praise God for the cross!  Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for a desire to know Jesus more - Pray for a refining of yourself with a heart that is willing to change - Pray for a love for others like Jesus has loved us - Pray for my sweet baby LyLah to get ready to meet her momma!

"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you."  James 1:27

Love,
amy

T - 7

One week from tomorrow I will be boarding a plane for a trip of a lifetime.  A trip that will will change my life forever.  A trip that I never will forget. I will be boarding a plane to go and see my baby girl and I cannot hardly stand the wait!!!
I don't really have much to say today but I am asking for some specific prayers this week ....

• There is what's called a "birth parent" interview scheduled for tomorrow, Ethiopia is 8 hours ahead of us so it actually could be in the next few hours.  Since LyLah does not have "birth parents" available as she was abandoned, it will be an interview with a representative from the orphanage where she was first brought in and a representative from my agency.  Pray that this interview goes very well and that all info needed is available.
• Pray that all of my paperwork and MOWA letter is complete and where it needs to be by the time of my court date so my court decree can be issued right away and is not delayed.
• Pray for my heart to be prepared to go from pure joy the day I have my daughter in my arms for the first time, to complete sadness just a few short days afterward when we have to leave.
• Pray that we would see with His eyes, a world full of poverty and brokeness and that we would be His hands and feet.
• Pray that God would be glorified in everything about this trip!

"Don't worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking Him with a thankful heart"  Philippians 4:6

Love,

amy

I Got a Date!!!!

... a court date, that is! Ha! Yes, the time has finally come when I can say, "I WILL BE ON THE PLANE TO ETHIOPIA IN 15 DAYS!!!"
Overwhelmed ... overjoyed .... overwhelmed .... excited .... overwhelmed .... oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness!  Today is definitely another one of those days I will remember forever!
I got the phone call from the program director of my agency while I was at work.  I waved my hand to a girl in the office and was pointing to the phone and she knew without a doubt what that call was for.  By the time I got off the phone my co-workers were lined up in the gym and hooting and hollering as I gave them the date!  Ahhh how absolutely spoiled rotten (still) and blessed that I am! Thank you, Jesus!
My court date has been set for August 7th but my travel arrangements are still in the works.  My niece, Kaylee, will be traveling with me! I am super excited to be able to spend some quality time with her on the plane, as well as for her to get to share in the experience of meeting my daughter, her cousin, for the very first time!
Even though I am filled with such a joy that is unexpainable right now, I have dreaded this trip from day one as I know I am going to have to leave her.  I get to meet my baby girl, the one that was chosen specifically for me, in a country halfway around the world, after I have loved on her and kissed those chubby cheeks and told her I am her momma.  I can't imagine how this is going to feel but I know that I will not be alone!  With His strength I will do it and then I will be that much closer to bringing her home for good!
Praise God that He is an almighty and wonderful God!  Praise God for continued answers to prayer!  Praise God for His perfect timing!  Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for more of Himself to be revealed to you daily - Pray for guidance as you live and move and breathe in Him - Pray for His word to become engraved on your heart, that it would come to mind freely with each circumstance we are faced with - Pray with us daily at 6:30 am for peace and trust in Him and His plan, as well as that He would continue to make things move!

"I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me ..." Psalm 34:4

Love,
amy

'Cause I gotta have faith-a-faith-a-faith!

So I pretty much had a terrible week.  I was struggling BIG time with the adoption process.  I had sent an email to the program director first thing Monday morning and was expecting to hear back from him by Tuesday at the latest.  I asked him for any information he might have on my paperwork.  The day went on and I had yet to hear anything .... nothing at all except for an email back from my coordinator, not the program director, saying he had no news.  There was lots of information given that day, however.  Four out of the six of us from our prayer group heard "something" about their case.  Praise God!
Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed that I was one of the remaining two that heard nothing.  I feel like I have done fairly well really as far as being emotional throughout the process.  Give or take a few rough times, for the most part I feel like I've held it together ... until this week.  And I do believe that this week it all let loose! I'm pretty sure I made up for lost times in merely two days this week.  I even sent an email to my prayer girls about how down I was and of course that followed with a flood of encouraging emails giving me hope!
Last night I was on the phone with a friend, telling her about how upset I was and told her about the email I sent to the prayer gals. I told her that I pretty much have acted like a big baby all week long. I proceeded to tell her that I could just imagine God moving my paperwork and being submitted early next week and then how dumb I would feel after all the whining I did and just plain being down this week.  We even talked about how submissions usually happen in the beginning of the week.
This morning I had just sent another email to the prayer girls, again about being down all week but still holding strong to my faith that God would make things move.  And then I received an email from Jim, the program director.....I WAS SUBMITTED TO COURT TODAY!!!  Praise Jesus! Hallelujah! God heard yet another one of our prayers and answered it!  Just minutes after that I received an email from the girl who was submitted on Monday saying she received her court date TODAY and would be traveling in less than 3 weeks!!!  Yet, another prayer answered!
God showed me that He is in complete control today .... still!  He did not wait until Monday, like I had "assumed" He might do. No, He did it TODAY and you don't have to be submitted in the beginning of the week either, Friday's work too!! Praise God!
The next step is to await a court date from the judge and then travel to Ethiopia to meet my daughter!
Praise God that it only takes a moment for Him to move!  Praise God that He's got everything under control even when it might not "look" that way!  Praise God that He loves us despite our whining and complaining!  Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for a peace of mind knowing God's in control of everything - Pray for eyes to see more of those "moments" in which He does in fact move - Pray for an overwhelming sense of joy knowing He is our Lord and Savior - Pray with us daily at 6:30 am as we have 3 more gals we need to get submitted with 4 court dates before they close!

"You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it." Matthew 21:22

Love,
amy

Focus!

I have been struggling quite a bit lately with keeping my focus.  Not only at work and at home, but also during prayer as well.  There was a day this week when God gave me two scriptures, one right after the other, and you can probably take a pretty good guess on what they might have been related to. Ha! The first one being Psalm 131:2 and the second Matthew 11:28-30.  One speaks of stilling and quieting your soul ... just what I have NOT been doing.  The other says 'come to me all who are weary and I will give you rest'.
I can very easily get caught up in trying to be faithful in prayer and reading the Word so much that I can't keep up with myself in what I am trying to keep up with! Wow! Did ya follow that?!  See what I mean!
My mind has been wandering and I can't keep focus and Satan knows that and is using it to the best of his ability right now.  BUT thankfully I have a God who reminded me this week of just what I need to do.
I need to first go to God ( come to me ) and ask Him to help me in this period of distraction, knowing He will give me rest.  Next I need to just "be" instead of shuffling around for just the right words to pray at just the right times during the day (be still and quiet yourself).  I need to come to Him and be still, wait quietly and see just what He might have to tell me!
I am in desperate need of a good refreshing and that is exactly what I'm gonna attempt to do!  It is so important to stay focused as Satan can creep in pretty fast when you're not ready for his attacks.  Then it becomes that much easier to fall into temptation or to become fearful, worried and weary.  You can prepare yourself for battle against him by putting on your armor, but unless you are completely focused, he's gonna keep creepin.
As far as my adoption process goes, I have no news to share this week.  As far as my prayer group goes, we have a gal who is going to be submitted this week! Praise God!  Another answer to prayer!  Knowing that things usually happen in groups, the rest of us our praying to get submitted as well and then of course for court dates and decrees to come before they close! We also are praying for the gal who has already been to court to get her embassy submission as well! Submissions, court dates, embassy dates ... He can do it all and I know that He will!
Praise God for His Word!  Praise God for watching out for us!  Praise God for His rule and authority over everything!  Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for a better understanding of who God really is - Pray that God would help us to quiet ourselves when we become distracted - Pray for awareness of Satan's presence and to be fully focused and armed for battle - Pray for my sweet baby LyLah and for the rest of my prayer group daily at 6:30 am!

"But I have stilled and quieted my soul ... " Psalm 131:2

"Be Still"  The Fray

http://youtu.be/5nUuBjz4Vhc

Love-
amy

Chosen

What an awesome feeling it is to be picked by someone over everyone else - to be preferred - to be the top choice. We all have experienced this in some way or another.  It's not always easy to spot, but I guarantee ya you have!  Now there is the other end as well.  You are the last one standing when picking teams for dodge ball in gym class - the other person got the job - that one gal gets to go on the misssion trip and she doesn't even know God.  This particular side of it is no fun at all but I'm here to tell you that there is good reason for it! 
As I continue on in the adoption process God has brought yet another thought to mind.  People tell me all the time how lucky "that little girl" is going to be but ya know what?  "I" am the lucky one! How blessed I have been to be "chosen" by God to be her momma ... LyLah's momma ... that is me!  How blessed I have been to get to go through this process and gain wisdom and knowledge and grow closer to God!  How blessed I am going to be when she is officially mine and I get the chance to raise her up to know and love my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!  I my friends, am the lucky one!
God chooses us for many different things in life.  Some things we may not like particularly and other things we can't thank Him enough!  God has chosen me to be 35 and single - do I like it? Heck no! But I know that if I might have went down another path I probably would not be in the middle of adopting my daughter right now so I can be okay with it in that regard. 
God did not only choose us, He adopted us as well!  He has adopted those who have received Him and given their life to Him!  If God had it in His heart to choose Saul/Paul, a sinner, a persecutor of Christians, to spread the gospel throughout the entire Roman empire than I guarantee you He is just waiting to choose you and me to do something for Him as well if He hasn't already!  
If you have never received Jesus I pray that you would consider it today and just see what He might choose YOU to do!
Still waiting on word of my submission to court.  Once I get submitted, I should be traveling within 4-5 weeks.  I have received updated measurements and some info about her.  She is now 18 lbs and 26 inches long! Yes! She is quite the bundle of joy!  She responds to her name - rolls over onto her belly and then pushes up and looks around!  She turned 6 months on Thursday!  She has been prayed over by the gal from my prayer group that went a couple of weeks ago which makes me very happy and more at peace.  So thankful for her.
Praise God for choosing us!  Praise God for adopting us as His own! Praise God for His wisdom and plans for our lives! Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for God to come into your heart if you haven't already - Pray for ears to hear just what He might have for you to do - Pray for open minds and hearts when God's plan doesn't fall exactly in line with what "ours" looks like - Join us in prayer at 6:30 daily for court dates and decrees before they close!


"But the Lord said, "Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel." Acts 9:15


Love-
amy

He > I

Time is getting shorter and God is still working on me! Ha! Oh how I love to be pruned! It's funny how you think you're doing pretty good really and then WHAP!  You get that smack upside the head with a big "duh" to go with it.  Over the last few weeks I have had my eyes opened big time to this thing called being critical.  You see I would never have thought of myself that way, because if I have a strong opinion about something it is only because it is not done my way, you know, the right way! Lol! I'm just trying to make people understand what it truly means to have a relationship with Jesus ... my way, you know, the right way. So come to find out I have been pretty critical in the process, and I have learned that everybody has a chance to succeed.  Everybody has potential.  Everybody has been handcrafted and uniquely designed by this awesome creator we have called God, our Father.  We may have differing opinions about "stuff" but what really matters is Christ Himself.  A relationship with Christ is key, but that will look different in each and every one of us.
 I have learned that I need to make sure I have studied and read the whole Truth before I open my mouth sometimes.  I have learned that I need to focus on God alone and giving Him glory.  I have learned that He needs to be greater and I need to be less because it's not about me and what I think is true.  It's about Christ living in me and through me, the way He would live, full of compassion and mercy and forgiveness and grace.  It's all about Him ... to God be the glory!
As far as the adoption process goes, no new news ... yet!  I do however have lots of new pictures! Oh how I love that little girl and am so very anxious to get my hands on her!  Our prayer group is still going strong.  There definitely has been a bond created even though we've never met.  God continues to bring us closer each day through our daily prayer time together!
Praise God for conviction!  Praise God for teachable hearts! Praise God for His wisdom! Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for God to continue to convict in whatever area we may be struggling with - Pray for an open and teachable heart, ready to learn and grow in Him - Pray for spiritual wisdom with ears that would hear God alone - Pray for my sweet baby LyLah and for all six of us to go to court and pass before the courts close!

"He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less." John 3:30

Love-
amy

We Have a Choice to Make!

I find it very interesting that two of the top songs played on Air 1 and K-Love this week have been about forgiveness.  I pay attention to lyrics as music is something that I love and can get pretty connected with God through.  I feel like God is trying to tell us something through these new tunes!  One of them is by Tenth Avenue North called "Feels Like I've Been Losing" and the other one is by Matthew West called "Forgiveness".
Both song lyrics consist of similar themes:  forgiveness is hard and the last thing on our minds, it feels as if it goes to those who don't deserve it, its the very opposite of how we feel, and it actually feels like "we're" the ones losing when we forgive.  Both song lyrics mention the freedom it gives "us" when we forgive, how "we" are actually the prisoners when we hold the grudge.
These lyrics are true and I'll be the first to admit it! It's hard to forgive. It does feel like others are getting away with things that aren't right but you know what?  We ALL fall short and are in desperate need of the grace, mercy and forgiveness that our Father has already given to us. The next time you're finding it hard to forgive someone, think about the cross. We have a God who gave His one and only Son to be the perfect sacrifice because we could not do it, we are not and will never be good enough to obtain eternal life on our own but the good news is He did it for us! That price has been paid!  And through the cross, Christ forgave us our sins ... in advance! Our circumstances can never be compared to the cross so I guess it's time to start giving forgiveness a closer look. We have a choice to make! We can either hold onto the grudge or circumstance that is eating at us, making us bitter and angry and pretty much miserable, OR we can attempt to let it go and look through the eyes of grace and mercy and set it free! Seventy times seven! Not an easy choice, but certainly the right one!
As for the adoption process, I still am awaiting a submission to court.  I did hear from the program director that there is in fact a great chance of getting to court before they close, though! Praise God! Thank You, Jesus!  He can not be sure of course but that's okay, this is good news to me!  One of the gals from our prayer group is actually in Ethiopia right now getting to meet her baby girl and love on some of the others!  She has court on Monday so prayers for her family would be appreciated!  We also had another prayer answered and was what we were praying for in the group!  Praise God!
Praise God for the forgiveness He gives - Praise God for the freedom He gives through forgiveness - Praise God for song lyrics and using them to speak to us - Praise God for Jesus!
Pray that we would be able to see not only others but circumstances through eyes of mercy and grace ... through His eyes - Pray for relationships to strengthen and grow through forgiveness - Pray for a better understanding of God and how He loves and works - Pray for my sweet baby LyLah and the rest of the babies and families in our group at 6:30 daily, for court dates and decrees before they close!

"Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32

Love-
amy

Strip down, start running, and never quit!

... and I ain't talkin' about gettin' naked and goin' for a run, Forrest! Ha! There actually is some pretty good meaning to these words!
Strip down:  get rid of all the crud in your life - you know, the stuff that makes you think twice before doing it but then you go ahead and do it anyway - the stuff that makes you feel "good" about yourself - the stuff that in reality has merely temporary effects.
Start running:  begin to "do" life with eternity in mind - be ready for anything that might come across your path - wherever God is leading you by golly GO!
Never quit:  be filled with that strength that only God can give, strength that endures - build yourself up in order to stay spiritually fit and not lose ground -
never give up even when it feels like you've got nothing left because you know what? God does!
Yes! Another race down today! More points for this middle aged momma! Troubling to hear let alone write, but the truth of the matter is it is in fact, truth! I am getting older and definitlely am beginning to notice it. God being humorous OR Satan trying to bring me down?  Either way, I've got some work left to do so I'm gonna do my best to strip down, start running, and never quit!
Nothing new on the adoption process.  Still waiting ... patiently nevertheless!
Praise God for His Truth - Praise God for His strength - Praise God for His timing - Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for more of His Truth to be revealed in new ways - Pray for His strength to take over when you are feeling weak - Pray for trust in His timing in everything in life - Continue to pray with us daily at 6:30 am for court dates and decrees before they close!

"let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us." Heb 12:1

Love-
amy

Three Times a Day!

It's pretty easy to be in prayer when things are a bit shaky ... waiting for test results from a medical test - when things aren't going so well at the job and your position may be on the line - a child may be hurting - a death has occurred.  It's actually pretty easy to be in prayer when things are going really great, too ... that medical test came back with good results - your job was saved and included  a raise - your child is happy and healthy and full of life.  So, what about everything else that goes on during the day?  The "little" things ...  waking up each day - having a roof over your head - getting a green light when you're late for work - getting a red light when your're late for work and realizing God may just have prevented you from something worse - having internet/phone access - having clean water to drink.  This particular list could go on and on and on and on!  The bottom line being we need to be in prayer daily.  And not only under the circumstances that are looked upon as "normal" times to be in prayer, but under any cirumstance about anything at any time! Pray for God to refine you, for God to prune you in order to strengthen your relationship with Him.  Praise God for that circumstance that didn't end up the way you were hoping, because He is God and He is good and knows exactly what we need when we need it!  Get out of the norm and on your knees whether it be three times a day like Daniel did or several times throughout  the day.  Keep the line of communication with God open and wait and see just what He can do!
No news as far as the adoption goes BUT our prayer group did receive an answered prayer this week!  We have a few things we are praying specifically for and God not only answered the prayer, but He provided exactly what we were praying for!  As we continue on in our daily 6:30 prayer time, I know that more prayers will be answered and whatever the outcome may be God is good, He has a plan and He will be praised!
Praise God for examples like Daniel, that NOthing stopped him from being in prayer - Praise God for having a plan for our lives - Praise God for the grace and mercy He gives that goes unseen - Praise God for Jesus!
Pray that we would let NOthing get in the way of daily prayer - Pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit when in prayer - Pray for trust in knowing that God is good no matter the outcome - Join us in prayer at 6:30 am daily for court dates and court decrees before they close down in August!

"He (Daniel) prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God." Daniel 6:10

Love-
amy

Prayer + Trust = Peace

Yes! This is exactly what I am feeling right now! At peace! I almost hate to admit it as it kinda makes me sound a bit cold hearted perhaps? I should be on pins and needles, right? Waiting for an email saying I have been submitted to court.  Well don't get me wrong, you see I do actually check my email pretty regularly ... just in case ;)  BUT,  I can do it all with a really good feeling knowing that either way it is okay! Why? Because it will come when it comes, and it will be at just the right time .... God's time!
This 6:30 prayer time has been a pretty amazing experience to say the least. There has been a bond created ... through prayer.  A trust in each other has been formed, knowing there will be 5 other people praying for one another. Is God pretty amazing or what?! I think yes!  These women have helped me to come to the throne boldly, with confidence, knowing He is hearing our prayers and I can now wait expectantly!  I can wait expectantly NOT with expectations as this is God's plan not mine!  I can wait expectantly, knowing He will answer and His answer will be good!
So through my morning prayer time plus being able to trust in His plan in this more and more every day, I am feeling a peace within me that is oh so good and I pray will continue on through the process!
Praise God for being available to us 24/7 - Praise God for proving to us over and over again that He is in fact trustworthy - Praise God for furthering our knowledge of Him which in turn can lead to an overwhelming sense of peace - Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for court dates and decrees before they close - Pray for trust in whatever circumstance you might be facing - Pray for peace knowing that God is good - Pray for my sweet baby LyLah and the other 5 precious babies who have been brought together by God Almighty!


"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7

Love-
amy

Eyes fixed on Jesus!

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength ... I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength ... I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.  Yes! These were the words going through my head this morning as I was coming upon the 1 mile marker ... and then there was 2 miles down.  I really didn't think the 3 mile marker was gonna EVER come into sight!  By the time we got to the 4 mile mark it was actually the 5 mile mark. Thank You, Jesus!!!  And then it was the dreaded uphill climb across the Burlington bridge with the end in sight and legs feeling near jello-like ... BUT because I CAN do all things through Christ who gives me strength I did it! I finished the 10 K! Wasn't exactly pretty but I crossed the finish line standing! Ha! All for my sweet baby LyLah which is in fact the ONLY reason I did this! You see I earned 100 points towards the Well Excel program at work by doing the 10 K race to get 10% off my health insurance! Lol! The price skyrockets when ya add one on to the plan, but it certainly is going to be worth it! So, despite all of the complaining and worrying I did, the jello-like legs and stomach pains I endured, and even the fact that I might actually NOT be able to get up off this couch when I'm done writing this blog because my hips are cramping up ... praise Jesus for getting us through what seems to be impossible, when we keep our eyes fixed on Him!
No more news on the adoption process yet but I am excited to be able to tell you that God brought two more families into our morning prayer group!  Jana, Jessica, Devin, Wendy, Ashley and myself continue to be in prayer at 6:30 our time.  We are not only praying but coming with confidence, knowing that God hears our prayers when they are in alignment with His will.  God has called the six of us to care for the orphans through the wonderful world of adoption and I am just confident that He is hearing us!
Praise God for His strength - Praise God for endurance - Praise God that we CAN have confidence - Praise God for Jesus!
Pray Phil 4:13 when you face a circumstance that just might seem impossible - Pray with confidence knowing God does hear our prayers when we are attune to His will - Pray for court dates and court decrees issued before the court in Ethiopia closes down - Pray for those precious babies hand picked by God not only to be loved on and cared for but to hear the words of Jesus being spoken to them!

" ... let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus ... " Hebrews 12:1-2

Love-
amy

cRaZy in love

Twelve days later and I am still in awe!  I am in awe of a God who never ceases to amaze me.  So many things keep coming up that I am without a doubt, confident it is His hand.  I am in awe of the fact that I have a new name - a new role - a whole new lifestyle that will one day begin and except for my relationship with Jesus, I have never wanted anything so much. So much that it hurts. It hurts but I know that it will come and "though it tarry" I will wait because "it will not be delayed!"  My God is in control of this and He will bring my baby girl to me at just the right time!
I would like to share with you just one instance this week where I saw God's hand in several different ways, really.  A book that I had read about a year ago was brought to my attention again.  It's called "Sun Stand Still" by Steven Furtick. The book talks about asking God for the impossible - acting in audacious faith and then watching God move.  The verse that goes along with the book comes from Joshua 10:12-14 where Joshua asked God to make the sun stand still so the Israelites could take victory over the Amorites and would ya guess what God did?! You know it! He did in fact make the sun stand still and victory was awarded! God moved in a way that was unimaginable! With this thought fresh in my mind, I receive a random email from one of the moms from my agency, Jessica, that just received a referral this week. When she posted her referral announcement to the group she mentioned that she was praying for a court date before the courts close down in Ethiopia.  For those of you who may not be aware, the court closes down in Ethiopia every year during the rainy season to allow them vacation time. Well, this happens mid August to the beginning of October usually.  As court dates usually come 3-4 months after your referral acceptance, and then another 2 weeks later you might be cleared with an official decree by the judge, you can see this makes it pretty unrealistic that either of us would receive a court date and pass before the courts close.  Anyway, Jessica emails me to let me know that she and another mom, Devin, had made a pact to pray daily at 7:30 for their cases to clear court before they close. She talked about how much she believed in the power of prayer and that anything is possible with God.  She invited me to join them, not knowing what time zone I was in, but to pray daily at 7:30.  So I immediately emailed her back to let her know I was all in! I then shared with her about the book Sun Stand Still and the verse from Joshua and of course she had just read it a couple of months ago!  The next day at 6:30 our time (they live in Florida!) I prayed for the 3 of us, but I also included Jana and her family as they too received their referral date just a few weeks ahead of us. Jana is the one I have mentioned before. They are the family that got their referral before me. So the day after that, I get yet another email from Jessica asking if I happen to know a "Jana" from our group because we both responded at the SAME time saying we wanted to join them in daily prayer! Have ya seen God's hand in this at all people??!!
Not only did I know her, but I had already added her to our prayer! God has brought the 4 of us together to pray ... to pray our "Sun Stand Still" prayer ... I can not wait to see Him move ... He is able!
So if you are up at 6:30 and think about it, I would invite you to pray with us!  Pray that we would all get to court and pass before they close down in the rainy season!
Praise God for His hand in our everyday lives - Praise God for ALL the people He has placed in our lives - Praise God for His sovereignty and rule over all - Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for our eyes to be opened to all things big or small that God's hand has fell upon - Pray for opportunities to share His truth with the people placed in our lives - Pray for continual submission to His authority - Pray for my sweet baby LyLah Lucille, that she would continue to be cared for and loved on during this waiting period!

"The joy of God is your strength!" Nehemiah 8:10

Love-
amy

10,001 reasons

... and today I have 10,001 reasons to praise God! Yes! Today was the day! Happy May Day to me! I got the call! Finally! I now have a beautiful face to put with the thought of the child, hand picked by God, just for me!  This morning I received an email from my coordinator Leigh Ann that said to give her a call on her cell phone.  So, with my heart pounding probably around 150 beats per minute, I dialed the number ...  only to get on the other end "the number you have dialed is unavailable". Seriously??!! I continued to dial the number from my cell phone and it still did not work.  I then got a second set of eyes to make sure I was dialing the correct number and sure enough, I was. What in the world? Finally I emailed Leigh Ann back to tell her this number was not working.  Of course it was not working, right? Just one more attempt to perfect my patience ... ha! Yeah right! Anyway, what seemed like 24 hours, which most likely was probably around 30 minutes, I waited to hear back from Leigh Ann. Yes indeedy! She had given me the wrong number! God is quite humorous, yeah?! Those were not my exact thoughts at that particular time but as I look back on the moment, it was pretty funny.
Eventually, the call took place and I was asked if I was ready to receive the email with my referral ... DUHHHHH! Of course I was ready! I got off the phone with Leigh Ann so she could make the call to another guy who then in turn sent me the email with my beautiful baby girl, who was in fact the one I had been following for the last couple of weeks! She is about 4 months old and absolutely beautiful! Praise God! I cannot write her name in this blog, but I can tell you that it starts with an "L" which will be quite the tongue twister when added to LyLah Lucille! God had that planned all out, too! I also am unable to post any pictures on the internet, but I will have some with me at all times I am sure !
I immediately called my mom when I received the email while I was at work this morning and would you guess what played overhead while on the phone with her? The lullaby tune play when a baby is born! My mom actually heard it being played over the phone and until tonight when I corrected her, she was certain they played that just for me! Well mom, GRMC did not play the lullaby on my behalf today, but I'm pretty sure that God did!
Today May 1, 2012 will definitely be a day remembered. Today I have a picture to go with a name I have been holding onto for quite some time.  Today for me the word "mom" has a new meaning.  Today is the day God blessed me with a beautiful baby girl, LyLah Lucille, whom He chose just for me!
Praise God for today! Praise God for His timing! Praise God for IAG (my agency) and their entire staff! Praise God for Jesus!
Pray for an increase in faith because of the hope that we have in Jesus - Pray that we would be filled with wisdom and understanding to be able to grow in our knowledge of Him - Pray that we would be a light shining for Jesus in all that we say and do always - Pray for my sweet baby LyLah to be covered in God's love!

"I asked Him for this child, and He gave me what I asked for." 1 Samuel 1:27

"10,000 Reasons"  Matt Redman

http://youtu.be/DXDGE_lRI0E

Love,
amy

Psalm 62:5

"Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him."

 Notice it doesn't say "let this part of me" or "let that part of me" or "let just a little bit of me" it says let ALL OF ME!  So, as I read this verse over again and attempt to relate it to my own personal circumstance it might read something like this ... Let my impatient, weak, quiet, emotional, weary, irritable, sinner self wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him!  My hope IS in Him so the question then would be why would I do anything BUT wait quietly before Him? Well, I have yet to figure this one out so if any of you do have an answer then please let me know, will ya?!
There are more precious pictures of that sweet baby girl that may or may not be mine that I continue to follow. She definitely has a special place in my heart and will continue to be in my prayers but if it is in fact not who God has picked out for me then that will be okay.  God has the perfect match for me and I will continue to wait, to the best of my ability, with ALL that I am in quiet and complete trust in the One who saved me!

Praise God for Truth - Praise God for His wisdom - Praise God for His authority - Praise God for Jesus!

Pray for all ears to hear Truth and to filter out Satan's lies - Pray for guidance in wisdom - Pray for submission to His authority and complete trust - Pray for growth in relationships with Jesus - Pray for the Kohout family as they continue on in the adoption process - Pray for my sweet baby girl ...  right where she is!

Love-
amy