Approved!

Once again we find ourselves humbly amazed with God's confirmation and presence in our lives. Today we found out that we were approved as ISSJ's prospective adoptive parents! WOW! Praise the Lord! Now, we wait...
I can not explain the heaviness I have for our child(ren).  I feel their need for me so powerfully.  I am sure it is my motherly instinct. I think about them all day.   I am reminded today of God's love for us.  How delighted he must be when we come home to him.  We may be born fatherless but God is here to adopt us.  To give us life, love and a family.  Recently I read "Choosing to See" by Mary Beth Chapman and she describes how God spoke to her about his love for orphans as she was struggling to understand how she could love a child that wasn't hers. Here is what God revealed to her,
"Mary Beth, you thickheaded woman, do you not understand now that this is the very way I see you? You are this orphan! I adopted you and you are MINE!  I bought you for a price! Do you see how you love this baby? That's just a faint reflection of how much I love you! You didn't have a name, and I gave you a name.  You did nothing to deserve my love, and I love you anyway.  You had no hope, no future, and now you are the daughter of a King! "
We are delighted that we are one step closer.  Continue to pray for us as we wait and that a child will be placed soon!

Allison

Another step closer

Tomorrow at 1:00 pm (Japan time)we will pick up Miyu, our caseworker for ISSJ (International Social Service Japan). We will bring her to our home and start our 2 day home study. Another step closer to bringing another member into our family. I ask that you pray for us. Pray that God's presence will reign and the Peace of God will dwell in Travis, myself and Adelynn. I have been preparing Addy for this weekend and through this whole process we have talked to her about adoption and giving a life to a child who doesn't have a mommy and daddy. I have a peace that Addy will bond with this child(ren) immediately. She is such a loving child and was given to us when there was no hope. I truly believe that God will use her even at this young age. Once again, we find ourselves on our knees asking God to have His way. We are humbled at this opportunity. I pray for our future child(ren) and I think of where they may be, and that He would guard their hearts, encourage them and protect them.

After the home study Miyu will put our entire file together (references, biographies, home study results etc) and make one last evaluation. She will take all of our information and bring it before the ISSJ board one last time. They will then decide if they want us to be prospective adoptive parents on their waiting list. This result could take another month. We are praying for the board and they will have clarity to make this decision. We know and fully trust that God is present and moving in our situation. We feel Him so powerfully.

Lastly, I want to thank everyone who prayed for Travis while he was deployed. He returned last Friday Feb. 24th from Thailand. God is working mightily through him and this ministry of the Naval chaplaincy. What a ministry and opportunity!

"Do not be afraid for I am with you, I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west"

Isaiah 43:5

Allison