Tonight is June 30th. One week from today we will have met Levi and Jesse in person! I cannot put together words to express my feelings. Overjoyed to say the least. Most of the time, I feel like I am in a big bubble.
I wanted to take just a moment before bed to express how the Lord has provided for this international adoption. We didn't begin this process with much money saved. (approx $5,ooo) We knew our costs could be at the least, 20,000 or more. ( we are at the MORE because of God blessing us with 2 instead of 1) We were trusting by faith and grace, that He would provide what we needed, if this was the plan He had for us. We assumed we would probably need to take out a second mortgage on our home. What is money anyway, huh?! You don't take it with you when you die, and what an honor to spend it the way the Lord guides you!
To be very honest, there were many times I really struggled with being anxious about our financial need., and then God would provide just what we needed for that moment. For example, at one point we needed 700$ to pay off our home study fees. We were rear-ended in our van. (very very minimal damage that we could live with) Because there was such difficulty getting a police report to the insurance company of the man who hit us, he offered to just pay us cash for the damage done. His delivery of 650 dollars came just in time to pay off this bill.
God has been so very creative in providing the funds. We stand in amazement and awe as we will be traveling in 5 days with absolutely NO DEPT! Here are just some of the ways God has provided: donations from our local church body, gifts from family and friends, a grant fund, a garage sale at our church where families donated stuff to sell, tax refunds, our new job of cleaning our church, eating in instead of out, doing things that cost little for entertainment.
As the costs added up, so did the blessings, and it is just an amazing testimony of God's grace at every step.
It occured to us that one of the reasons we are posting this is that there may possibly be someone or some family who is thinking about adopting, but thinks that the dollars is too big an obstacle. If He is calling you to go forward, He will make a way, even if you have to mortgage your house :)
going to bed now, need our rest...
1 comment:
Henn Family,
Please know that all of us here at Lutheran Family Service will be praying for you. Also know that our monthly prayer letter (sent to over 300 LFS ministry supporters here in Iowa) will be mailed out on July 5, with a request for prayers for you, too. I am thankful to God for you, for the vision that He has given to you for Jesse and Levi, and for the faith which He has created in you to carry out this vision. Thank you also for the witness your story is to all who hear it, and for the inspiration you might provide for others to prayerfully consider following your example! Wanda Pritzel, LISW
Director of Operations
Lutheran Family Service of Iowa
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