Friday, February 23, 2007

Testimony - Missions and Adoption

Before I get to my last bit of testimony sharing, I wanted to write up a quick update about the adoption. We (Wife and I) are now waiting for the governments to do their piece. The Liberian and US governments have or will be receiving our applications and paperwork, woohoo! The finances piece of this adoption are falling into place, Thank You Lord. An unexpected grant (THANK YOU!!!!!) as well as other things here and there are making this adoption possible. God is so awesome when He tells you something, He means it. Amazing and Humbling.
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Wife has wanted a large family forever. I knew this getting into the relationship. What I also knew was: I was going to change that desire in her. I didn't want kids at all. We had Uno and I instantly had a love for someone that isn't even human, so at that point, I only wanted 1 child. 2 and 1/2 years later we had Dos and again I had that indescribable love for him. At this point I was content having maybe a half child more and a dog so we could the All-American family. With Wife having life threatening pregnancies, we followed the doctors advice and made it 97% probable that we wouldn't have anymore children naturally.

After Dos was born, Wife started the serious talk about adoption. I was seriously not listening :). I wanted nothing to do with it, I liked our life, I liked having stuff and I liked serving me. I wasn't living for God yet and I wasn't putting my all into my marriage. Life for us was going as good as it could considering 1 of us was dedicating her life to Jesus and another was dedicating His life to his own selfishness.

Years would go by before adoption became a reality. Wife and I would talk about it, attempt to bargain things for adoption ("Hey...when I get my truck we can adopt"...."When I have a big screen tv....you can adopt"), but in the end I still wouldn't budge on my desire to keep us a family of 4. It boiled down to I wasn't appreciating her amazing ability at being a mom, I wasn't being man enough to see God talking to us through her and I wasn't loving her enough to stop being so selfish.

As the years passed and I finally said to God YES I am living for you alone, my heart changed as well. I can't explain it except that God was at full work inside me. Wife and I worked through some amazing junk and finally, after all of our "negotiations", "discussions" and her deep prayers, I gave in. I didn't give in to her and her wants...I gave in to God pushing me to listen to him and understand: It's not all about you.

Having that talk with Wife, saying yes...lets adopt, felt like I was saying Yes to God and listening to His direction for our life. It hurts my man pride to say Wife heard God years before I even tried to listen, but that's not the point (I guess :) ). So we adopted. It wasn't an easy process. It took a failed placement of 2 little ones and numerous situations that seemed to be "the child for us" to only have them fall through. God made sure I understood that just because I heard His direction, it was still all in His hands and He was going to mold us and shape us both into the parents He wanted.

February of 2006, we finally brought home our 2 youngest daughters. And the love I have for the biological kids is there for them as well. It took time and adjustment but it's there and I can't imagine life without them. I didn't think a family of 6 was going to be as much fun as a family of 4...but as usual I was wrong :)

One Sunday in December of 2005, I went to church for the first time alone. Wife and the kids were sick, but I felt a need to go, which was a first for me. I was saved but still trying to find my way. At the beginning of the service, our pastor got up and starting talking about the unreached of the world. He talked about the millions who haven't had a chance to understand who Jesus is and what He has done for us. He talked for about 10 minutes or so about this, and I could feel God stirring in me. This was the first time since surrendering my life, that God really grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me to the core. I was sweating, shaking and confused for that whole service. Afterwards I went to talk to the pastor about how I could help or what I could do. He wrote down the name of the Missions director, who happened to work 4 offices down from me at the same company!!!!

This started a life changing journey. I ended up on the European Mission team at our church. In October God afforded me the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Romania. While gearing up for that trip, a team to go to Liberia was being formed. I felt that pull from God to put my name on the sign up sheet. I knew I wouldn't get chosen since I was getting ready for a trip to Romania. Again...I was wrong. I interviewed and God showed his sense of humor by putting me on that team as well. In a 3 month period I'd spend 10 days in Romania and 10 days in Liberia.

Romania was a life changing adventure. It opened my eyes to the ways of life in other parts of the world. It was my first trip out of the country and God showed me what he wanted me to do for life. I've been called by God to share Him with all I meet, be it in Romania or my home town. He showed me that God is God everywhere and it doesn't matter what language you speak or what you pray about, He is God.

Liberia was a trip that brought us to see the realities of civil war and economical hardships. God again showed himself through these people. The love He has for them is so clear by their desire to give Him all the glory for all they do have. Being there also opened my eyes to the needs they have and how much we do have in this country.

So when Wife started talking adoption again...it didn't take 5 years for me to understand what needed to be done. God brought me to Liberia for a reason. He opened my eyes and heart to those in need. It made perfect sense when we prayed about adoption again, that we were drawn to Liberia. As most of you know, we'll be adopting 3 kids this year from Liberia. I can't wait to get them home and start the process of being a family of 9!

God is so amazing and good. I've said it before and I'll say it again, if he can change me....ANYONE can be saved and enjoy the life of a relationship with Him. It isn't always easy...especially with those you know from your past life, who question and doubt who you are. But it doesn't matter...All that matters is serving our King and Lord, Jesus Christ.

God is Good!

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Testimony - A New Life

Wife and I move alot. We are currently in our 4th house in 6 years. In November of 2003 we moved to Oxford Massachusetts and started going to CrossPoint church. I was so uncomfortable looking for a new church. And when I say I was uncomfortable looking for a new church, I mean I was uncomfortable with Wife looking for a new church. I took no interest in finding one. As much as god was starting to stir in me, I was ready to drop this whole "church" thing and not go anymore. BUT, low and behold she found a church similar to CrossWay in our last town. So we went, some of us more begrudgingly then others.

This was the first taste of God showing is humor and power. He moved us from a place I was comfortable being one of the faces in the crowd, to Touchy/Feely Central. The pastor there, Jeff...he freaked me out to no end. He's a hyper, huggy, jumping up and down, outwardly a Jesus Freak. Here I am, just barely getting comfortable with the idea of church, and now this guy would tell me he loves me, hug me, ask about my family and work. In a word - "Nut Job". (ok that's 2 words, but you get the point). I was ready to quit but once again, Uno and now Dos kept me going. I never want to disappoint my kids and wife. I have many times, probably will a few more times, but I knew I wouldn't have been a disappointment to them if I kept going, even if my heart wasn't fully in it.

Jeff turned out to be one of the key reasons I accepted Jesus. All that freaked out nonsense turned into a real deep respect. I still never showed I was into all the stuff the church was doing, but every Sunday we would be there and I would be soaking it all in. We stayed at that church for just about 2 years until we moved (again). I had accepted a job in Mayberry and we were moving out of New England for the first time.

About that job in Marberry: A Divine Move by God. Wife and I couldn't afford the bills and cost of living where we were. In September or October of 2004, I started to look for a new job. I wanted to work with one software so that's all I did my job searches on. Fast forward to March of 05, with no real leads on a job. I gave in and did 1 search for the software I did not want to work with anymore, applied to 2 of the jobs I found. A week later Wife and I are on the plane to Mayberry to interview for the job I eventually took.

As we prepared to move to Mayberry, we were cleaning out our house for the move. I brought a bunch of donation items over to the church and I had a short, but life changing talk with Jeff. I apologized to him for never being the religious type and for always being so quiet and non responsive to him and the church. He talked to me for a little while and told me, and these words will stay with me forever, “It’s not how religious you are, it’s how your relationship with Him is”. (to many, this may be the most "whatever" statement, or full of so much common sense, but for me then and even now, it was like someone took the blindfold off.

Those words stuck with me as I drove by myself to Mayberry, to start my new job. Wife and the kids would meet me down there a few weeks later. That 4 day drive down from Massachusetts to Texas ended up being me and God having a 4 day conversation. I gave my life to Jesus on that trip. Each night in whatever hotel I was staying in, I would be reading something from the bible, trying to figure out what I just accepted. I'd end up thinking about how real Ron was. I'd think about the passion Jeff portrayed. I'd think about how Andy and Wife changed, but didn't change (if that makes sense). I'd pray about Jesus up on that cross. It was an amazing 4 days. I want to say it was totally quiet and solemn, but I had Metallica and Korn playing in the background. :) It's was and still is a life long process!

Life didn’t change too dramatically for me right away. I was more comfortable going to church. I actually looked forward to finding a church with Wife , instead of her finding it and I just tag along. In the 2 years or so that I've been focusing on Jesus, Wife and my lives have changes so much. We've adopted 2 little girls. I've cleaned out my closet with my wife and God saved a marriage. I've been on a few mission trips. We are adopting again :).

Those are all nice and fine...but the most important thing I see that has happened is Wife and I are trying to make decisions for God and not for us. We focus on God and our family. Wife pretty much always has focused on the family...I was so focused on me. God has really moved me to clean up my act. And while I'm still a sinner (aren't we all)...my eyes are focused up and not around.

--GOD'S AWESOMENESS DURING THESE TIMES--

Did you read that I spent 4 days talking to him :) How amazing is that? God picked me and my family up from Massachusetts and all the distractions that were pulling us away from Him (or in my case, the distractions keeping me from Him) and He plopped us down in the middle of nowhere. Literally...We are about 5 hours away from any major cities. But He knew, and we understand that this is what was needed.

I pray that this story will inspire someone who isn't in a relationship with Jesus to see: If God can save a sorry, selfish, self serving person like me, He more than wants to have that intimate 1 on 1 relationship with you. And for those who have fallen away...No matter what you may have done, not done, how quiet it may be or how noisy it seems...He's still there and he's waiting for you to come back home.

My last post about my testimony will be directly related to missions and adoption.

God is Good!

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Testimony - Transformation Begins

Wife and I were married on June 26th, 1999, but not before enduring a lot of past issues I brought into the relationship. Anger and depression were the focus of my life, until Wife got pregnant in 1998. During that pregnancy, she almost died (as did the 26 week fetus, later known as Uno!) due to complications. It’s at this time that the reality of something else was at play in this world. I want to say I hit my knees and prayed, but I didn't. But it was the first time I remember thinking, IF there is a God, I hope he's working up there to fix this.

After being married for 2 years or so, we moved out of our first apartment together into our first house. It was about this time that Wife started to go to church with her brother and fully gave her life over to Jesus. As she started to grow in her relationship with God, she made sure to go every Sunday taking Uno with her. I used staying home with our young son as my excuse for not going. But in reality, I was just totally uninterested in the whole church scene. I wasn't religious...and those words would come back to slap me in the face a few short years later.

In January 2002, my father called me and told me my mother was dead. She was living with my sister and her mother in a double wide up in Maine and she was found face first on the floor. What an enormous kick in the stomach. Even though she said she wasn't drinking, I knew she was an alcoholic. I just had no idea she was close to dying because of it. We are told she had an ammonia burst in her brain, due to cirrhosis of the liver. Cleaning out her home, we found empty bottles under her bed. That totally broke my heart. She and I had so much unresolved conflict and situations. Mostly around her drinking and me needing to be away from that and not putting my young family into situations to be around it. She thought I didn't love her anymore and didn't want her to know my children. How so far from the truth. I was so mad at her for just up and dying on us without working with me to fix it all. It's my prayer now that she did know Jesus and she is worshipping our king. I know our "issues" are resolved now and I just pray I can have time to worship with her someday.

I hated church. I hated the awkwardness of it, I hated the staleness of it. I hated the hugging and touching. I hated the singing. I would sweat and feel sick and uncomfortable. It didn't help that for the most part, the only churches I ever set foot in were Catholic. (sweet depression!) I stayed home while Wife went to church every week. She didn't push me, but she made sure I knew she didn't approve.

As time went on, the onslaught from these "Bible Thumpers" (by bible thumpers I mean my wife and her brother) happened more often. Wife and I would "discuss" the bible and I'd have every reason in the world why it was fake. One time in particular that stands out to me, was a night at the dining room table. It was me, Wife and Andy (her brother) and we would just go back and forth...it was an amazing debate. I'd get so upset inside, but still push forward with my thoughts and views. I remember saying so many bad things about the stories, the realness of the bible and about Mary and Joseph (I still apologize Lord for those thoughts.).

As Dos (our son) got to an age where I couldn't use him as my "reason" for staying home, as well as Uno being older and questioning why I wasn't going with them, I finally had to go to church. Uno is the most amazing little girl and is the biggest reason I am the slave to Christ I am. If she wasn't so in touch with God at such a young age and wasn't so concerned over me not going, I don't know if I would have gone at all.

CrossWay church in Nashua New Hampshire is where I first heard about Jesus in a church setting. I had heard about Him all the time from my wife and her brother, but when I would be in a church, I never paid any attention. This church though, is where my curiosity was peeked. I wasn’t looking to become “religious” (that word again), so I just listened and in doing so I started to become interested. The pastor (Ron) at that church was the first “religious”(that word just keeps following me) person I had seen that was what I would have considered normal. This guy would talk about sports and his kids and the normal parts of life. It was all about Jesus, but he was so open with his human qualities. I didn’t think much of it then, but I think about that a lot when I look back on my journey to find Christ. I give so much credit to certain people (and 1 God), but this one pastor up in Nashua NH has no idea how much he influenced me and my thoughts/impressions of Christianity.
I'd like to say it was here I gave it all to God...but I was and still am a stubborn little boy. I'd still hang out at church quietly, arms folded and not very personable. BUT, the seed was planted....

--GOD'S AWESOMENESS DURING THESE TIMES--
Wife didn't die. How understated is that. She was given her last rights by the priest in that hospital when she was in preterm labor with Uno. She didn't die and neither did Uno. Wife and I sinned by having premarital sex, yet Our God blessed us with an amazing daughter who was instrumental in bringing Wife and I to Him. Words can't even begin to describe the awe I feel when I think about this.

When my mother passed away, I was so absolutely angry with her. What a dark time. It was a perfect opportunity for Satan to take control of me. I wasn't ready to hear Jesus...but He was there to guide me through those issues. Through my amazing wife and children, God more than gave me a reason to continue trying to be the "good person" I always thought I was. But He knew...He knew I would come to Him a broken man and turn all I have in this world over to Him.

God also knew what it was going to take to get me open my eyes to Him. He put Wife and I into a church that showed the truths about Him. Had He not put us in CrossWay Church but rather some dry church or another catholic church, I know I would have quit. But instead we were sitting in a seat (not a pew) and listened to this Pastor talk about football and his children and wife. God uses all things of this world, to remove us from this world. (if that makes sense)
Final part tomorrow.

God is Good!

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Testimony - Meeting Wife

After my parents divorced, my mother, brother, sister and I lived in that same house for a few years. My mother had started to date other guys and at various times they lived with us. Pretty awkward, having to answer to some guy who didn't know me from any other kid. It was at this time that my mother started to drink. She never really got into the drinking business, at least that I knew of, when my parents were married.

He boyfriends were awful influences on her. And who knows what kind of influence she had on them. After a year or so of dating and drinking and not working, our house was being foreclosed on. She and her boyfriend had started to renovate the house, and the logical place to start was the bathroom, naturally pulling up the floors. I was about a 1/2 year away from graduating high school. So being the mature mom she was, she allowed me to stay living in the house, while she and my siblings moved in with her boyfriend. For about 6 months or so, I lived in an abandoned house with no electricity, no hot water and a dirt floor in the bathroom.

After I graduated high school, I moved in with my grandmother for a few months and then with a friend. I eventually got a job working security and got an apartment with 2 of my best friends. This is the time that I met the most beautiful girl in the world, who would one day become my wife.

God changed my life forever on June 17th, 1995. My buddy and I were out "cruising for chicks" and we were following this car with 2 girls in it. They wouldn't stop to talk to us. This went on for a good 15 minutes or so. We didn't realize that there was a car with 2 girls following US around. Once we noticed that, we aborted our mission and pulled over. It was GO time...time put on some sweet moves on these 2 lovely ladies.

I didn't say a word when I got out of the car to talk :) My buddy did all the talking and as much as I love him to pieces, they weren't impressed. The girls took our numbers down and wrote "dorks" next to them. But, for whatever reason, Wife called me (actually paged me...love the 90's). Lets remember I was the fat smelly kid in high school...just coming into my own as a young man. I hadn't had too many girlfriends in my life. And holy smokes, this amazingly beautiful girl, who I didn't say a word too, called me. If that doesn't show God is watching out for us all, I don't know what will!!!!

We went on our first date on June 22nd and were officially dating on June 25th. We spent everyday together and really have ever since. And I mean that literally, everyday. People thought it wasn't right that an almost 17 year old and almost 19 year old should spend so much time together, but it just felt right and natural. She was the first person who just loved me for me. It was an amazing feeling (and still is.)

She helped me through so much emotional baggage, pushing me and guiding me through counselling. She persevered through my anger issues, control issues, my hatred towards anyone not named Wife and many other things that I brought to the table. She'll tell you it wasn't easy. It didn't help that neither of us were really seeking the Lord at those times.

--GOD'S AWESOMENESS DURING THESE TIMES--
While my mother was dating and drinking, she'd "let" me take her car out on the weekends, when I didn't even have my license. Crazy! I think about how many times I should have been pulled over or maybe gotten into accidents, yet none of that happened. God watched over me and made sure I didn't get into too much trouble.

God is so amazing and good. The 1 blessing I thank God for more than any other (besides His dying on the cross) is the blessing of Wife. He brought to me the absolute PERFECT person for me for that time in my life. I'd like to think that for that time in Wife's life, I brought something to the table as well, but in reality it was mostly about my issues. Most girls would have had said thanks, but no thanks. Most girls would have dated me for a summer and moved on when school started back up. But not Wife, she had the right temperament, heart, dreams, desires, loving tenderness to put up with and, in Christian terms, "walk with me". I think about where I'd be had I met anyone else...and I always think I'd be drinking, smoking, drugging...doing who knows what for work.

(and for the record...I have tears in my eyes writing this...Thank you so much Lord!!!!....and if you are reading this: Thank You Wife...you will never know how you saved my life and help mold me into the person I am now. No words can ever express how lost I'd be without you.)

More later....

God is Good!

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Testimony - The Early Years


I came to accept Jesus in April of 2005. Coming to terms with my role as a slave to God took some time for me to believe and embrace. This is my story of Gods incredible love, and how He watched over me, even when I wasn’t anywhere near ready to believe that I wasn’t in control.

Growing up, my family and I never went to church on a regular basis. We would go on an occasional Christmas or Baptism or Wedding, but religion and God were not a focus in our house. Having a relationship with God was never talked about or encouraged. That being said, it wasn’t ever discouraged either. Living life for or against God just wasn’t anything that was ever discussed, thought about or attempted.

I grew up in the small town of Bellingham Massachusetts. The oldest of 3 children, I have one brother and one sister. My mother was a stay at home mom and my step-father worked in various warehouses. Growing up I knew my step-father as my only dad, as my mother had me out of wedlock and I had never known who my biological father was. Actually I still don't know to this day. I was always told one man was my father, but when my mother passed away, I was told by my grandmother that he probably wasn't. They had told me for 25 years that he was, because he was white and the other guy who could be my dad, he was a dark Italian or Portuguese or something like that. Beee-zare.

When I was younger, under 10 years old, I had a baby sitter (her name was Angel ironically), who would touch me inappropriately. I was her play toy for a few years. I didn't understand what it was all about, I enjoyed the attention I got from her, but hated the feelings. I don't know if I ever told my parents about that, but those are some interesting memories.

The man I grew up calling Dad, but in reality was my step-father, married my mom when I was 18 months old. My mom was a stay at home mom and my dad worked in various warehouses growing up. We didn't have a lot of money or space. By the time I was 11 or 12 we were living in a 1 bedroom house. There was 7 of us in that house and anywhere from 15-30 cats at any given time. When I was 16, the police came to my house and took my dad away. It was then I found out he was addicted to cocaine and alcohol. The police were taking him away to 30 day rehab center.

This explained alot of the fighting my parents did and the intense beatings my brother and I would receive with a large metal spoon. It used to be with the wooden spoons, but as my dad said, he was tired of breaking them on us. As I got older (teen years) the spoon beatings stopped, but my dad and I would get into large screaming and physical confrontations. My dads addiction also brought clarity to the bag I found in linen closets with mirrors and straws. It also made sense why he'd spend so much time in the shed we had. He'd stash his liquor and beer out there.

At the same time, my mother was always the one in the house to give in to us kids. She was my best friend for years. But at the same time, she had a crazy fascination with cats and as I mentioned before, we had anywhere from 15 to 30 in our house at a time. So many animals, and not the greatest work ethic in the house led to years of teasing and low self esteem from 7th to 11th grade. I was, simply put, the fat smelly kid who was teased by nearly everyone in school. Those 5 years were the hardest days of my entire life.

My parents got divorced when I was 16 or so. My dad cleaned up his act and realized that the living situation we were in wasn't right. He attempted to remove the cats and clean the house and bring some order to things. And for a small amount of time we actually had what some would consider the normal house situation. We were all cramped in there, but it was clean, organized and half way decent. My mother couldn't stand the living without her cats. There were so many other things between my parents that I'll never know, nor care to know, but in the end: They divorced.

I'm going to stop there for now. By no means is this either 1. fabricated or embellished or more importantly 2. being told for anything other than to bring glory to Our Father. See, as tough as those times were, they were there for a reason. Jesus came and died for us. Who am I to complain about some hardships? I'm alive, I have an amazing wife and family, I'm happy. God has blessed me a thousand times over.

As I continue my life story, I'm going to pick out the times I realized God was watching out for me and what I thank Him for in my life. I grew up with an alcoholic, and while there was physical hurts there, I wasn't killed like some families. I didn't fall into the traps of some alcoholic families, where I turn to booze. God granted me the strength and wisdom to turn my back from drinking, smoking and drugs my entire life...even though I wasn't hearing Him direct me.

One of the nights my babysitter was watching us, and I had had enough of the touching and games, I decided to get away from her. At the time we were living on the 3rd floor of 3 story house. I couldn't get to the door, so I climbed out the window, onto the ledge which was no more than 12 inches wide. I walked around 2 or 3 sides of the house to get to the porch so I could leave. God was with me then...making sure I didn't misstep or hit a weak section. He saved me from falling 3 stories.

God also pushed me through each day of high school. I didn't drop out or not try my hardest. I had a desire to go each day, and that desire was not of my own doing. God prodded me along. What a life lesson I have now, looking back on those days.
Sorry, this is so much longer than I anticipated!

God is so Good!

Thursday, February 15, 2007

If I Had Only Know Then...

*Adoption Update - We are closer to having Maggy, JD and Isaac home. The social worker met up with their parents in Liberia and verified that they understand what adoption means and that they wanted to go through with having their children adoption. That is a huge relief. We are paper or 2 away from having all the paperwork complete. After that we need to wait for clearance from both governments. It's getting closer though! I'll keep you all up to date as things happen.
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So I am in total awe. I'm in Dallas for some work related training and I am out here with a coworker who is a great guy. I've been getting to know him more as we begin to work together (I'm switching job roles at work, same work, different software). He and I got to talking at dinner last night, and my whole life story/testimony came out. It wasn't an intentional "time to preach" conversation. It just was a part of the conversation...a natural thing for me to talk about with him as we shared parts of our growing up lives with each other.

I'm in awe because, when I was growing up, if I had known then what I know now, it would have made it more bearable to live back then. God has been so AMAZING to me, even when I wasn't thinking about Him, living for Him, caring about Him. I'm humbled to tears when I think about it. He has watched over me, picked me up, moved me out of harms way, allowed me to make mistakes and He has loved me for my entire life, even when I wasn't loving Him.

I've been praying about this, and I feel like it's the right thing to do. Over the next few days, I'm going to write out my testimony on here. I don't know why I feel like I need to, but I feel like it's the right thing to do. Many of you know the story of how God has worked in my life, some don't. It's my prayer that, as you read it, you will think about all God has done in your life and give Him all the thanks, praise and glory.
I pray God's blessing on all who stop by and keep up with the the happenings in my and my families life.

God is Good!

Thursday, February 1, 2007

Lucky Number 7


7...what a number. 1 more than 6, 1 less than 8. So good a number that Boston Bruins great Ray Bourque wore 2 of them on his hockey jersey (77). Seven...so good that it's the "luckiest" number of them all. There are 7 days in a week and 7 dwarfs who help snow white. Charles Dickens was born on Feb 7th (1812). Matches were first sold on April 7th (1827 in England). Billy Graham was born on Nov 7 (1918). 7...what a great number.

I got to thinking about all the books in the Bible that have a 7th chapter. (thank you Jon for the idea) In each of them a command or vital life teaching is taught. I've listed some of them below. God commands, We listen. That's what life is right? I'm sure you wondering why I am going on and on about the number 7? Well it is 2007. And what a better way to celebrate the "lucky" number 7...then by having 7 children :) God willing we will indeed have that many. 2 Biological, 2 domestically adopted and 3 adopted from Liberia. Augustus' parents were tracked down and they relinquished their rights to him...as well as his 5 year old brother and 8 year old sister. Guess who will probably be coming to live with us? Yep, Augustus (2 or 3 yrs old) and his 5 year old brother and 8 year old sister.

Taking a step in obedience of the Lord is sometimes easy (Mathew 7 - don't judge others), sometimes it's hard (Judges 7 - Hey Gideon, go slay an army with only 300 men) and sometimes it so over your head and out of the realms of understanding (Genesis 7 - Yea Noah, God here and I'm thinking about drowning out everything I created, so how about you go build a boat, put your family on it and every animal, bird and crawly thing. Oh why don't you stay on there until I tell you it's clear to get off of it. Super, thanks!).

If God provides these 3 new children to us, I will categorize this blessing/command as totally over my head. That being said, if you were feeling the need to pray for something, feel free to pass up a prayer of peace and sanity over our house. I don't like asking for prayers, but this adventure we are about to embark on, it's larger than any one we have ever been on. God has put us at ease about this decision, but that doesn't mean it'll be easy or doubt won't creep in. I pray that he will continuously prepare our hearts and minds for the naysayers, the adversity, the stress, the good times, the bad times, the funny looks of strangers, the gossip, the financial obligations, the nights of tears, the nights of giggles, the dances, the games, the unity of our family.

I'll be writing more about this as the process goes along.

Psalm 7:17 (of course it's 7:7teen) - I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

God is Good!

---Some of the Chapter 7's from the Bible------

Genesis 7 - God commands Noah to build the ark
Exodus 7 - God commands Moses and Aaron to say everything He commands them. God commands Aaron to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites out of Egypt
Numbers 7 - God commands Moses to accept offerings at the Tent of Meeting and give them to the Levites as required
Deuteronomy 7 - God gives His command to Israel for driving out the nations
Joshua 7 - God commands Joshua to remove from Israel that which is devoted to destruction
Judges 7 - God commands Gideon to defeat the midianites with 300 men
2 Samuel 7 - God promises David that his name will be made great, and God will establish a house for him.
2 Chronicles 7 - God commands Solomon to observe His commands and decrees. In return God promises to establish Solomon’s royal throne
Nehemiah 7 - God commands Nehemiah to assemble those who will return
Ecclesiastes 7 - God teaches us about wisdom
Zechariah 7 - god commands Zechariah to love, show mercy and do not think evil of each other
Matthew 7 - Jesus teaches on judging others and if you ask you shall receive, knock and the door will be opened
Luke 7 - Jesus teaches that through faith He will heal, raise the dead and bless us
John 7 - Jesus teaches that all who believe in Him, the streams of living water will flow from within him
Acts 7 - The prophet is quoted "The earth in my footstool, Has not my hand made all these things?"