Christian Alliance for Orphans will soon meet in NASHVILLE

The Christian Alliance for Orphans’ annual Summit has become the national hub for what Christianity Today recently called, “the burgeoning Christian orphan care movement.” Summit IX on May 2-3, 2013, at Brentwood Baptist Church in Nashville, TN is expected to draw 1,800 to 2,000 pastors, grassroots advocates, organizational leaders and church ministry heads. Alongside more than eighty workshops, the unforgettable plenary sessions will include David Platt, Randy Alcorn, Michele Bachmann, Bishop & Donna Martin, and other global leaders. Summit inspires, equips and connects for adoption, foster care and global orphan ministry. (taken from the Summit 9 website)

I am writing this post as part of the Summit 9 Blogger Giveaway. Check out all the details at www.summit9.org. We have been challenged to share with others why we see value in attending this important meeting, so I couldn't resist the chance to do so below...

(Two little dudes who are excited to soon hug their new little brother)

I totally have orphans on the brain these days. As of this month, we have been in the process of adoption for one year and are waiting impatiently for the call to tell us we have been matched.  In retrospect, we can see so clearly that God prepared us for this journey much further back than a year. We have been surrounded by the beauty of growing family through adoption both through our extended family and numerous close friends. When we finally decided to fill out that adoption application, we quickly realized we were not on a rescue mission but on a journey to be united with the little one God made for us. Our first two children arrived via C-section at a local hospital, and our next child will come to us via plane from across the Atlantic Ocean.

God didn't stop when He pierced ours hearts for our waiting little one. He opened our eyes to much more. The books Adopted for Life and The Strength of Mercy gave a new perspective on our calling as Christians. Despite the torment that comes with learning more than your heart wants to bear, we have found ourselves unable to pull ourselves from everything we can find about the unmet needs out there. It is overwhelmingly to actually stop and acknowledge the painful circumstances of so many in the world.  Then came Radical, Fields of the Fatherless and The Hole in our Gospel.  Our pursuit of one little person led to an eagerness to know how God could use us in a way we had not previously been available to Him.  We are hungry to know what He wants to do with us.

We are left with many questions. Do we simply focus on preparing ourselves for the child who will soon be in our arms? Are we to be advocates for filling all American guest rooms with a new family member they just didn't know they had yet? How can we encourage our church to push beyond its current outreach ministries to actually actively spur our congregation to adopt, foster children, or help others who do as part of an ongoing ministry? How do we challenge others in our community to view the need of orphans up close rather than from a distance? How can we help to stir hearts in some way, whether small scale or large? 

I don't currently know what God is calling me to do. Perhaps He just wants me to "be still" for once (He knows I have an ongoing challenge with this!) I just know I want to do what He wants me to do, and I am praying for clarity as to exactly what that is...no matter how scary the answer I find. What better way to find some of these answers (or even just the first of many answers), than to throw myself into a world of people focused on these precious children?  For this reason, I am headed to the Christian Alliance for Orphans' Summit 9 in Nashville this May. I encourage others to do the same to see how God wants to use their special gifts.

"For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose."

Philippians 2:13

Ugh. International Women's Day--March 8

Ugh.  Come on, really?  Another public holiday for Moldova while we wait to be matched with our little one(s). "What holiday?" you may ask...International Women's Day.  Wanna know more?

In some regions, the day lost its political flavor, and became simply an occasion for men to express their love for women in a way somewhat similar to a mixture of Mother's Day and Valentine's Day. In other regions, however, the original political and human rights theme designated by the United Nations runs strong, and political and social awareness of the struggles of women worldwide are brought out and examined in a hopeful manner. (taken from Wikipedia)

Moldova recognizes International Women's Day as a "day of rest" or a public holiday. Yes, I know this is a good thing for the world, but it is a bad thing for me and my ever-increasing need for others throughout the world to share my sense of urgency about matching us with our little one(s). Instead of being frustrated that there is one less day for someone to seek out the babe who needs big hugs from the Hamptons, my plan is to also take a day of "mental rest" from waiting on this process. My "Women's Day" will be about stillness.  I am going to make an appointment with myself to just be still in prayer and open to God's direction.

Next public holidays to anticipate...May 1 is Labor Day.  Orthodox Easter is May 5, which means they have a public holiday on May 6 for Orthodox Easter Monday.

One kind of positive note...they don't "spring forward" this weekend in Moldova like we do, so that is a whole other hour that isn't being lost until March 31...follow me?

A glimpse of my boys being "still." I often go to tuck little ones in and find that Gavin has climbed into bed with Elliot. I don't think Elliot even knows about it.  Too sweet.

He says, "Be still and know that I am God."

Psalm 46:10

Watching the Cocoon

Our friends Gray and Cal introduced us to a new world when they told us you could order your own caterpillars on the internet. With a simple visit to Insect Lore, our five live caterpillars arrived in the mail in a small plastic cup.

For days we watched them diligently as they moved around the small container with the food included, and we resisted the temptation to open the lid out of fear that the bacteria would be introduced to the fragile creatures.  After about a week, they climbed to the top to transform into chrysalides!

When they had all latched on to the top and safely curled up into chrysalides, we gently transferred them on the paper liner of the lid to their butterfly garden.

We watched and waited to see a butterfly emerge.  Two of our butterflies popped out of their cocoons when we weren't watching, but the third one was born before our very eyes!  All four of us had a chance to witness a butterfly making its way into the world!!  I have to tell you it was a super cool thing for all of us! 

The butterfly information told us that of the five caterpillars, we should expect that at least three would emerge.  All five of ours are now flitting around in their garden!

Now we are waiting for the temperature to consistently be above 55 degrees before we can release them (right now we have a dusting of snow floating to the earth...) 

Well, for those of you wondering how this ties into our monthly adoption update, it is to share that we are still watching the cocoon.  That precious little beautiful babe is just waiting for the right time to fly into our lives! We know God's timing is absolutely perfect, so we are celebrating the fact that everything is right on schedule! (Yes, I am still a bit impatient with this perfect schedule, but I am aware of my need for personal development in this area!) 

Please continue to be in prayer for this whole process in that I am hopeful that somewhere in Moldova our file is right at the top of someone's pile of papers waiting to be reviewed, bringing us one day closer to hugs in Moldova!

Elliot and Gavin pause for a hug during a hike at the Ag Center

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

2 Corinthians 5:17