Craft SNOW...Oops..Show.

Well, today was the day!  I stepped out into the world of craft show mamas.  It was my first REAL craft show.  I don't know if that made me an old lady but it was definitely an adventure in faith....using what God has put in my hands and using it to Glorify Him no matter how small it seems.  I enjoyed sharing our story with LOTS and LOTS of people that God brought to my booth, and giving out candy to little kids.

It was, however, REALLY cold.  At one point in the morning, it was rainy, windy, and only about 45 degrees and I saw SNOW...well thick hard pieces of rain that to me seemed like snow.  Brrrr!!!!!!  It felt like Late-November instead of early October.  Such is MICHIGAN at it's finest! I had 2 jackets, underarmour and a double blanket on.  But inside, I was quite happy.  As each person came into my tent, and asked how are you?....I could say with sincere gladness in my heart....wonderful.  I was thanking God for this day the whole time.  The events of this week in our personal lives have woken me up a little more to the significance to of walking WITH God every day, and every moment.  He wants to speak to me and has something to say!

Just as significant, we were made aware of a set of THREE girls in Africa who are available for adoption on the waiting list.  I can't give you any details unless you PM me, but this has also made all the difference too.  As I stand in the cold with blankets and coats shivering to sell pillowcases, I realize the significance of this moment.  God cares so deeply about these 3 girls, and others like them, that He will do anything He can to show His love to them.  This includes moving in my heart and speaking to me, halfway around the world, to stand in a literal corn field, in the freezing cold, to sell pillowcases to raise enough money, $10 at at time, to get them to safety and shower them with His love.  The Father will stop at nothing to rescue his sons and daughters....and I GET to be a part of it.  Selah.

I am not sure what God would have US, Jeremy and I, do with these 3 girls, as there are many complications to this situation.  But for now, we are praying...for us and for them.  We appreciate your prayers as well.  The craft show total profit was $89.50.  Not a ton, but I was thankful for the opportunity, thankful for every penny that people invest into us, I learned a lot, and am looking forward to the next craft show that I am planning on doing on November 10 in Mt. Pleasant (indoors this time!).   Until then, I will just keep putting one foot in front of the other, and doing what I know how, to do what He has called me to do.  May God get get all the Glory.

Want to help in prayer?  Here's a few things we are believing God for:

• Our paperwork to speed up!  We are waiting for a redone birth certificate.  Then approval from the State of Michigan, then to the Congolese Embassy, then to Congo.  In July, we thought we would have been completely done with this by now.  Not back at step one.
• A QUICK Referral.  We want what God wants.  Whether it is these 3 girls or not, we need God's direction.  Our original request was 2 kids under 7.  The quicker the better.  The waiting is getting hard!  
• Finances.  While God has blessed us with almost $20,000 last year towards our adoption, the switch to Congo costed us around $2500 more and the overall cost to adopt from Congo is more than Uganda as well.  So, there is a little set back there.  We have about $30,000 to go.  Craft shows like today are great, and I believe in every penny counts, but $30,000 still seems overwhelming to me.  We paid a LARGE payment to our agency 2 weeks ago.  It took a lot of faith to do that.  Now, I would really like to see some results.
• Emotional health.  Adoption is hard.  period.  If you know anyone adopting besides us, love them extra.  Bless them and write them cards and encourage them.  It is a HUGE step of faith.  Pray for Jeremy and I grow stronger in our walk with Christ.  

Thank you everyone for being so supportive and for being our village that brings home our kids from Africa. It WILL happen!  I believe!!!!!!!

“Patience is not passive waiting. Patience is active acceptance of the process required to attain your goals and dreams.” 
― Ray Davis