Stepping Up To the Plate

From my devotional prayer :

"In this spiritual journey, God wants to know whether you'll trust Him when He calls you to do the impossible. It's easy to make trust an easy word to utter, but when your name is called and your assignment is given, what will you do then? What if God called you into something that wasn't glamorous? What if you were called to leave your comfortable salary and position and start an outreach ministry? Whatever God's called you to do, I hope you'll listen to Him and go for it. If you're wrestling with your call, you need to know God will provide. You may have to make some sacrifices and compromises, but I assure you, God will take care of you. Here's a little hint for you. When you show God how faithful and committed you are to Him, that's when He'll open up the windows of heaven and pour you down some blessings."

Here we are Lord. Ready to serve You. Ready to carry out Your plans for us. We accept our assignment and will do our very best for You. While we are not perfect, we were made in Your image so we are good. Please help us along the way - we really need you. Hear our cries for mercy and endurance. We have hearts that are burdened by Your children - especially the orphans of the Ukraine. Help us help them.

A Princess Dancing

I think we are all grieving the loss of "our" Serbian Princess Chrissie. I cannot help but feel distraught because I am only human. I cry for her mother, Lorraine, because I am a mother too. I cry for her short life because she just received her chance of a "real" life with a loving family here in the US. I cry because she fought and fought and suffered - all with that tiny little body. A body not unlike my 4 year old's body - I cry selfishly because it could be my child one day.

Then, I try to hang on for dear life to my faith - my unsteady, faltering, imperfect-but-still-here faith. I know that her life was worth far more than anyone will really ever know. Chrissie touched thousands of families all over the world. The Pattersons are an example of the kind of family that I want to surround my children with. This is it my fellow daughters and sons of God! It doesn't get more real than this, does it?

Deep inside, this is why adoption terrifies me. I am so weak and so human. I am afraid that adopting a special needs child may place our family in the exact position that the Pattersons are in. I may have to let go of my child before I am ready! However, isn't this a possibility every day with every single member of our families? We do not know what the future holds here on earth. We MUST have faith in something more.

The really important things in life, the greatest battles, the greatest victories, the greatest and deepest love is found when we let go and take that chance. So, our family will do just that. Thanks be to our Father for placing families such as the Pattersons in our paths. Hug your children and hold on for dear life! Every moment with our loved ones is pure gold and so precious! Please join with us in praying for the Patterson Family.

Show Your Support NOW!

Dear friends and family:

If we are indeed Christians, we cannot close our eyes. The vast number of homeless children is just too apparent. Wake up everyone! Stand up and make a difference! If you cannot or will not adopt, then support a family that can! It takes all of us - God's Body of Christ - to rescue the innocent and give them homes and love.

My dear friend Tina Kacirek has rekindled a fire inside of me! The Kacirek Family is such a beautiful example of being obedient and following God's plans for His people. I am inspired by their example every day - they amaze me! Thank you Tina for reminding me again (when I needed it most) that what we are doing is saving lives!

So please - I implore you and beg you to search your hearts for God's Spirit. Help an adoptive family TODAY! Do not wait for His children live on borrowed time. They are alone, cold, hungry, and our responsibility. Do not turn away! Support adoption! If you feel inspired to help our family adoption, we will be forever grateful and pray for all of you. If not us, then choose one of the hundreds of families who need your donations.

Pray for all of the families who are being obedient to God's calling to rescue His children. Do not ask "Why?" and do not recommend "Let someone else do it!" Give them your unconditional love and support - step out in faith today!

Handing It Over In Prayer

A friend sent me the following song lyrics:

Don't Pray and Worry

(Recorded by J. Moss)(Written by James Moss)

He knows all that's before you

He will never neglect His child

Nor will ignore tears in your eyes

Lay your cares to rest

Chorus:

The righteous won't be forsaken

Just hold to your faith

And His word will be manifested

Be steadfast and don't fear

Don't pray and worry

Why is it that we will spend time

going to church but don't understand why

Why we must pray

And then believe things we pray for will soon be received

The prayers of the righteous availeth much

Be not weary in well doing

God of Heaven can do anything

Lay your cares to rest

For the righteous

Chorus:

He who holds the future

Also rules this land

And responsible for each breath we take

Just pray and then leave it there

Pray and then leave it there

Maybe you've lost all hope

And can't see past tomorrow

Speak His word into your life

And stand on His promise to you

This is a beautiful song, isn't it? I love the idea of "praying and leaving it there!" Our family is going through a time of waiting - waiting on the adoption process, waiting on our daughter's wedding, waiting on a possible job opportunity. It is the most difficult thing for me personally. I can pray for others - no problem. But trying to pray for God's will for our family and our needs is so difficult for me! I always try to be in control even when I know that I have NO control at all. It is all up to God - He knows what is best for our family and He has a divine plan for us.

Please continue to pray for our family - we appreciate all of your support so much! May God bless you as well especially if you are experiencing the same kind of waiting in your prayers.

Happy Mothers Day

Quoted by Dr William Sears MD (one of my favorites):

"Having dedicated over 40 years of my life to working with and helping moms, I’m still in awe of one special mother, my wife Martha. I personally wish each of you a blessed Mother’s Day and thought I’d share a Mother’s Day story that has stuck with me through the years. One of my favorite Mother’s Day memories involves a situation when a person once challenged my wife Martha about about having so many kids and contributing to the world’s overpopulation, Martha quipped: 'the world needs my children!' The world needs your children too! Love, nourish and cherish them. "

I love this! What will society become if there are no families? No children? The family unit is the core of all existence. Within the heart of the family lives God our Father. I, for one, cherish each and every one of my children and those that God has chosen for me in the future! Give thanks to God Almighty for big families with loving members!

If you visit the blog A Place Called Simplicity - link below - they are having a Crazy Love challenge to help adopting families bring their children home. There are a variety of fundraisers listed there where you can find all kinds of meaningful things to purchase. Better yet, you will be helping an orphaned child find a family!

http://aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com/2010/05/crazy-love-challenge-3.html

We have all of our fundraisers listed on our blog :

Just Love Coffee - Stever Adoption Family Page
Adoption Bug T-shirts - Stever Family Page
Barefoot Books - Kelli-Stever Page

Thank you so much for supporting our family adoption of a special needs child from the Ukraine. We appreciate your prayers, purchases, and donations! May God bless you and your family!