Foster Parenting and Foster Adoption Orientation - Sunday, 10/17
In the gym at 9:45am, the Adoption Ministry will be hosting an orientation for anyone interested in learning about foster parenting (including emergency and respite care) or adoption through the foster care. A representative from the San Joaquin County HSA will be informing us about how we, as families of FBC, can play a role in the lives of orphans in our county. These children in the foster care system, who have often experienced great hurt and loss, need adults who can love them with the love that only Jesus can offer. Please come, learn more, and show the county that we are passionate about helping orphans in our area. Invite friends or anyone you know that might be interested. For more information, please email the adoption ministry at adoption@fbclodi.org or call Leah at 277-4543.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Prayer!
One of the reasons we decided to set aside a specific day of prayer and fasting last week, was because we learned through A Place Called Simplicity (a blog written by an wonderful adoptive mom) that many believers were joining together that day to pray for orphans. The most awesome part of praying and fasting is that it gives us direct access to see God’s goodness. When I join with other believers in this way, I REMEMBER to pray for the things God has placed on my heart and, better yet, I REMEMBER to check up on those things to give HIM the glory for the answer. During this time, we did see God move in some amazing ways. Feel free to hop on over to Linny’s Blog and read all about it. It is so worth your time. It is my privilege to continue to pray for the people in our church and in the adoption group. Here are some prayer requests and praises for those of you who want to join with us!
Prayer update:
Please pray for the Paige Family. The court is due to terminate the parental rights of John’s biological mother on Wednesday, September 22 in the morning. Once that is completed, John will no longer have to have visits with her. The visits are very traumatic for John and his parents.
Praise for the Power family! Baby Mathew is adorable and was the highlight of this month’s adoption meeting!
Praise for Kevin and Leslie Crosby as they have finished their homestudy and are waiting for a referral for an emergency placement.
Pray for the Russu family as they are seeking the agency that would be the best fit for their family.
Pray for Rebecca Stark as she is in process of getting licensed.
Pray for the Huck family as they search for the best place to care for their daughter Janice.
Pray for the Morefields, for their discernment about how they should proceed.
Pray for the Goehring’s possible move so that they can begin the adoption process again.
Pray for all of those who have adopted children with “special needs” and for them to have the help and patience they need.
Pray for everyone who is in process of getting their homestudies done (please add your name if you are willing to share. I didn’t permission to share from everyone…yet!)
Pray for all of those who are considering the process that they will wait patiently on God’s timing.
Pray for the kids who will be coming into our families – for their safety, for their security, for their piece of mind, for them to have hope.
Pray that through the adoption process that all of us would see God’s work.
Prayer update:
Please pray for the Paige Family. The court is due to terminate the parental rights of John’s biological mother on Wednesday, September 22 in the morning. Once that is completed, John will no longer have to have visits with her. The visits are very traumatic for John and his parents.
Praise for the Power family! Baby Mathew is adorable and was the highlight of this month’s adoption meeting!
Praise for Kevin and Leslie Crosby as they have finished their homestudy and are waiting for a referral for an emergency placement.
Pray for the Russu family as they are seeking the agency that would be the best fit for their family.
Pray for Rebecca Stark as she is in process of getting licensed.
Pray for the Huck family as they search for the best place to care for their daughter Janice.
Pray for the Morefields, for their discernment about how they should proceed.
Pray for the Goehring’s possible move so that they can begin the adoption process again.
Pray for all of those who have adopted children with “special needs” and for them to have the help and patience they need.
Pray for everyone who is in process of getting their homestudies done (please add your name if you are willing to share. I didn’t permission to share from everyone…yet!)
Pray for all of those who are considering the process that they will wait patiently on God’s timing.
Pray for the kids who will be coming into our families – for their safety, for their security, for their piece of mind, for them to have hope.
Pray that through the adoption process that all of us would see God’s work.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Pray for Beth (12 year old orphan in China)
I just read this post about a sweet, healthy 12 year old girl in China that needs a home. She is getting close to the age where children can no longer be adopted. Please pray for Beth to find a home. Here is the post.
http://strandfam.blogspot.com/2010/08/this-precious-girl-needs-family.html
Also, this family has an amazing adoption story if you scroll down on the blog. Another miracle only God could do!
http://strandfam.blogspot.com/2010/08/this-precious-girl-needs-family.html
Also, this family has an amazing adoption story if you scroll down on the blog. Another miracle only God could do!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Day of Prayer and Fasting for Adoptions - Sept. 8th
This coming Wednesday, a group of people from all over the United States are joining together to pray for families whose children are waiting to come home. Many have waited months and years and are still experiencing much opposition. Please join us in praying for these families along with families in our ministry in Lodi.
Here are the 2 posts that explain the Crazy Love Challenge:
Part one is Why does it have to be so hard?
Part two is Why does it have to be so hard? - Part 2
There is a place at the end of part 2 for families in the process who need prayer to get their child(ren) home can post their story. She is asking that we (as those who are passionate about orphans and adoption) join with MANY others around the U.S. in praying for God to bring these children home.
On Wednesday night from 7 - 7:45pm a couple of us are planning to pray in the prayer room during Pioneer clubs. Please feel free to come and join us in prayer. While we lift up the families on the blog, here are some prayer requests from our group:
1. Praise for baby Martin's arrival to the Power family. Pray for the adjustment and bonding to go well! Pray for strength as they begin the process to make him their own!
2. Tony and Dee Morefield go for their San Joaquin County Orientation this week. Pray for wisdom and guidance.
3. Pray for the Goehrings and the house that they have an offer in on. Pray for bank approval of their loan and that they also would be patient and trust God's timing in providing them a new house (so they can begin the adoption process again!)
4. Pray for Rebecca Stark as she continues in the process of adopting through the foster care system.
5. Pray for guidance and wisdom for the Huck Family as they help their daughter Janice plan for her future.
6. Pray for the Crosby Family as they have finished their classes and are ready for emergency placements of foster children. Pray for courage and strength as they seek to be light in an area of darkness in our county.
I know there are some more requests, so feel free to post them in the comments or email them to me and I will add them. I can't wait to see God move!!!!
Here are the 2 posts that explain the Crazy Love Challenge:
Part one is Why does it have to be so hard?
Part two is Why does it have to be so hard? - Part 2
There is a place at the end of part 2 for families in the process who need prayer to get their child(ren) home can post their story. She is asking that we (as those who are passionate about orphans and adoption) join with MANY others around the U.S. in praying for God to bring these children home.
On Wednesday night from 7 - 7:45pm a couple of us are planning to pray in the prayer room during Pioneer clubs. Please feel free to come and join us in prayer. While we lift up the families on the blog, here are some prayer requests from our group:
1. Praise for baby Martin's arrival to the Power family. Pray for the adjustment and bonding to go well! Pray for strength as they begin the process to make him their own!
2. Tony and Dee Morefield go for their San Joaquin County Orientation this week. Pray for wisdom and guidance.
3. Pray for the Goehrings and the house that they have an offer in on. Pray for bank approval of their loan and that they also would be patient and trust God's timing in providing them a new house (so they can begin the adoption process again!)
4. Pray for Rebecca Stark as she continues in the process of adopting through the foster care system.
5. Pray for guidance and wisdom for the Huck Family as they help their daughter Janice plan for her future.
6. Pray for the Crosby Family as they have finished their classes and are ready for emergency placements of foster children. Pray for courage and strength as they seek to be light in an area of darkness in our county.
I know there are some more requests, so feel free to post them in the comments or email them to me and I will add them. I can't wait to see God move!!!!
Power Family has a Baby!!!!
Update!!!!
This past Friday (9/3), Vern, Diane, and Jordyn Power brought home baby Martin. He is about 2 months old and is adorable! It was so fun to see him at church today! We are putting together a meal list and throwing a shower for Diane in the next couple weeks, so let us know if you would like to be a part of the celebration.
Vern and Diane are working with Sacramento County and hoping to adopt baby Martin:-) Pray for them as they begin the process and for their attachment and adjustment!
This past Friday (9/3), Vern, Diane, and Jordyn Power brought home baby Martin. He is about 2 months old and is adorable! It was so fun to see him at church today! We are putting together a meal list and throwing a shower for Diane in the next couple weeks, so let us know if you would like to be a part of the celebration.
Vern and Diane are working with Sacramento County and hoping to adopt baby Martin:-) Pray for them as they begin the process and for their attachment and adjustment!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
What do You Say When...? Wednesday
I had a really great time at the adoption panel the other day. It was fun to see all the faces of everyone who is even a little bit curious about adoption. There are so many choices and different ways to pursue growing your family through adoption that it seems like we could ask and answer questions all day.
One question that was asked was: The kids I have now seem to have unique needs that I don’t always feel I can adequately meet. How do I justify bringing in another child? And how does adoption affect the biological or adopted children already in your home? I am (of course) paraphrasing since it has been a while since we met. I think these two questions compliment each other so I am going to give my best shot at answering them.
First – the easier of the two: I think that children greatly benefit from having siblings. Not everyone agrees with this, that is why I said, “I think.” It is only my opinion. If you are still reading, I think that siblings give us someone to lean on as parents grow older. Your children may sacrifice small things now (like having their own room or more expensive vacations) but reap the rewards later (like having a babysitter for their kids and someone with whom to split the cost of Mom and Dad’s Christmas gift.) Also, I think adoption teaches God’s plan of salvation in a very real and very hands-on way. As we are adopted into God’s family, we can adopt someone into ours. There are so many more reasons why adoption can be a great character building exercise for your kids.
Second – the tougher question of how to meet everyone’s individual needs. My best response is that meeting the needs of your kids is God’s job, but that answer can sound like I am just dismissing the question. I will only be able to answer from personal experience. I wanted to adopt long before we actually started the process. I believe God intervened to give our family HIS perfect timing. Because we were diligently seeking His will through the whole thing, I believe He rewarded us in this way. Waiting didn’t feel like a reward at the time, but God always sees the big picture. I believe that the only way to truly meet the needs of our kids is through prayer. Also, you may find that your kids become less needy as new kids come into the home. The kids, themselves, find less reason to want your constant attention because they are distracted by their siblings. Don’t forget to encourage the older kids to help too! Even my 5 year old helps tie his 3 year old sister’s shoes. He is so proud when he helps. I know people who make “dates” for one-on-one time with their kids. Focus on the Family is a great resource for family ideas. Also, talk to parents of “big” families and see how they do it! All kids and families are unique so it is ultimately up to you to find what works, but prayer works universally!
Even though the panel time is over, many people who have adopted are eager to share their adoption experiences and are happy to answer questions if you have them!
One question that was asked was: The kids I have now seem to have unique needs that I don’t always feel I can adequately meet. How do I justify bringing in another child? And how does adoption affect the biological or adopted children already in your home? I am (of course) paraphrasing since it has been a while since we met. I think these two questions compliment each other so I am going to give my best shot at answering them.
First – the easier of the two: I think that children greatly benefit from having siblings. Not everyone agrees with this, that is why I said, “I think.” It is only my opinion. If you are still reading, I think that siblings give us someone to lean on as parents grow older. Your children may sacrifice small things now (like having their own room or more expensive vacations) but reap the rewards later (like having a babysitter for their kids and someone with whom to split the cost of Mom and Dad’s Christmas gift.) Also, I think adoption teaches God’s plan of salvation in a very real and very hands-on way. As we are adopted into God’s family, we can adopt someone into ours. There are so many more reasons why adoption can be a great character building exercise for your kids.
Second – the tougher question of how to meet everyone’s individual needs. My best response is that meeting the needs of your kids is God’s job, but that answer can sound like I am just dismissing the question. I will only be able to answer from personal experience. I wanted to adopt long before we actually started the process. I believe God intervened to give our family HIS perfect timing. Because we were diligently seeking His will through the whole thing, I believe He rewarded us in this way. Waiting didn’t feel like a reward at the time, but God always sees the big picture. I believe that the only way to truly meet the needs of our kids is through prayer. Also, you may find that your kids become less needy as new kids come into the home. The kids, themselves, find less reason to want your constant attention because they are distracted by their siblings. Don’t forget to encourage the older kids to help too! Even my 5 year old helps tie his 3 year old sister’s shoes. He is so proud when he helps. I know people who make “dates” for one-on-one time with their kids. Focus on the Family is a great resource for family ideas. Also, talk to parents of “big” families and see how they do it! All kids and families are unique so it is ultimately up to you to find what works, but prayer works universally!
Even though the panel time is over, many people who have adopted are eager to share their adoption experiences and are happy to answer questions if you have them!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Being prepared for adoption - marathon style
Hebrews 12:1b-3
Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so you will not grow weary and lose heart.
When you decide to run a marathon, you don't just go out and run it. You choose a training plan and start off with very short runs that are fairly easy for you. To reach the goal of running 26.2 miles, you have to begin to increase your mileage. You start out by pushing your body just a little bit more than you you have been used to previously - about 1 mile longer. On that slightly longer run, you feel good until you hit the point where you are running farther than you have ever run before, then you begin to hurt a little. Your knees ache (at least mine do) and your muscles begin to get tired, but amazingly, after doing the same distance a couple of times, it doesn't hurt anymore and even starts to seem easy. At that point, you up the mileage again until you can run 20+ miles without too much pain and injury.
Last night, God brought this comparison to my mind and reminded me that even though I want Him to bring me my next child(ren) right now, he knows I am not ready yet. Lately, life (kids, schedules, relationships, business, house, etc.) has been pushing me to the point that I often feel overwhelmed. At these moments, I don't think I can handle even one more thing - much less another child! It is very tempting to see this as a "sign" that I should just stick with the status quo and not pursue adoption again. And believe me, this thought has crossed my mind many times. But that is not the case, God is preparing me for the time when he will bring another child into our family. Just like the training runs, I need to be pushed a little further beyond what is comfortable and what I think I can handle. Is it painful? Absolutely! But when I fix my eyes on the goal(marathon/adopting again), it is not only worth it, it is necessary.
Could we bring home another child tomorrow? Yes, and we would survive. Could I get up in the morning and run a marathon tomorrow? Yes, but I would be setting myself up for serious injury and pain that would last for quite a while. Why? Because I am not ready.
So now I am asking God to overwhelm me (A very dangerous prayer - I know). I want to grow. I want to be able to handle more chaos in my house and still hold it together with Christ's help. The funny thing is that now that I am asking to be "prepared" in this way, I am not surprised when I start to feel overwhelmed.
When God has decided that we are prepared adequately and decides to reveal who our next child will be, that is when the actual marathon will begin. Even when well trained, a marathon is not easy. It is harder and longer than any of the training runs. But through the training, we will have learned that we are strong enough (with Christ) to endure even when our body feels like it is going to fail us. Adopting will push you to your limits (and beyond) in so many ways. It is hard and painful, but in the end (when we meet Jesus face to face), obeying God's call on our lives will be so worth every bit of it!
So if you feel pushed beyond what you think you can handle, be encouraged! God is just taking you on a training run for something big he is wanting to do in your life.
Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so you will not grow weary and lose heart.
When you decide to run a marathon, you don't just go out and run it. You choose a training plan and start off with very short runs that are fairly easy for you. To reach the goal of running 26.2 miles, you have to begin to increase your mileage. You start out by pushing your body just a little bit more than you you have been used to previously - about 1 mile longer. On that slightly longer run, you feel good until you hit the point where you are running farther than you have ever run before, then you begin to hurt a little. Your knees ache (at least mine do) and your muscles begin to get tired, but amazingly, after doing the same distance a couple of times, it doesn't hurt anymore and even starts to seem easy. At that point, you up the mileage again until you can run 20+ miles without too much pain and injury.
Last night, God brought this comparison to my mind and reminded me that even though I want Him to bring me my next child(ren) right now, he knows I am not ready yet. Lately, life (kids, schedules, relationships, business, house, etc.) has been pushing me to the point that I often feel overwhelmed. At these moments, I don't think I can handle even one more thing - much less another child! It is very tempting to see this as a "sign" that I should just stick with the status quo and not pursue adoption again. And believe me, this thought has crossed my mind many times. But that is not the case, God is preparing me for the time when he will bring another child into our family. Just like the training runs, I need to be pushed a little further beyond what is comfortable and what I think I can handle. Is it painful? Absolutely! But when I fix my eyes on the goal(marathon/adopting again), it is not only worth it, it is necessary.
Could we bring home another child tomorrow? Yes, and we would survive. Could I get up in the morning and run a marathon tomorrow? Yes, but I would be setting myself up for serious injury and pain that would last for quite a while. Why? Because I am not ready.
So now I am asking God to overwhelm me (A very dangerous prayer - I know). I want to grow. I want to be able to handle more chaos in my house and still hold it together with Christ's help. The funny thing is that now that I am asking to be "prepared" in this way, I am not surprised when I start to feel overwhelmed.
When God has decided that we are prepared adequately and decides to reveal who our next child will be, that is when the actual marathon will begin. Even when well trained, a marathon is not easy. It is harder and longer than any of the training runs. But through the training, we will have learned that we are strong enough (with Christ) to endure even when our body feels like it is going to fail us. Adopting will push you to your limits (and beyond) in so many ways. It is hard and painful, but in the end (when we meet Jesus face to face), obeying God's call on our lives will be so worth every bit of it!
So if you feel pushed beyond what you think you can handle, be encouraged! God is just taking you on a training run for something big he is wanting to do in your life.
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