Overwhelmed

I remember one time asking my dad when I would stop being surprised at God's blessings.   When I would just expect Him to bless, know that He will, and not be surprised when He does.  His answer was "Never. God's blessings are designed to surprise us." Surprise and amaze us, that's exactly what God's blessings have done in our lives yet again.

Remember when I told you we applied for three adoption grants?  Well friends, as of today, we have heard back from all three of them and we got all three of them!  You read that right, we have received three adoption grants!!  The first one we heard from was Lifesong for Orphans, they are giving us a matching grant of $2,500. Lifesong will match dollar for dollar what friends and family give us or we raise up to $2,500!  That would be a total of $5,000! If you feel led of the Lord to give and want to be a part of helping us reach this $2,500 goal with Lifesong for Orphans, please read my next post where I will share details of how you can give.

Last week we heard from the JSC Foundation and were told we received a grant from them! Today, we got a letter from Show Hope (this is the organization that Steven Curtis Chapman, one of my favorite all time Christian artists, started) telling us that they are giving us a grant!!

As an adoption caseworker, I tell people about these grants all the time.  I tell people all the time, "don't let finances or the lack thereof keep you from adopting.  God can provide.  If He wants you to adopt, He will provide the money".  It is a very different thing to talk about grants and tell people that God will provide but then I had to take my own advice and apply for grants, step out in faith, and trust that God would provide.  He is so so faithful.  We are so overwhelmed at his provision and His love for our kids.  "He sets the lonely in families." (Psalm 68:6) HE sets the lonely in families.  This is His plan, His doing.  He wants to give our kids a forever family.

He is using organizations like Lifesong, the JSC Foundation, and Show Hope to accomplish His plan, just like he used those 300 Israelites to defeat the 135,000 Midianites (see my last post) and it is Him alone that receives the glory!!

Where He guides, He will provide!  This is true in my life and in yours too! Could He be guiding you down a path toward adoption?  Please don't let the money stop you! If He wants you to adopt, He will provide every dollar you need to bring your child(ren) home!  It may not be in the way you think He will or the way you think He should, but He WILL provide.