Matthew 17:20

“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

The Lord is working.  The Lord is working.

If you have been reading along with us you saw that our last post I asked you to take a look at our finances page quickly because we were actually at a point where the income was greater than the expense.  I also said “me of little faith” never thought that would happen but it did so “me of little faith” told you to look while you could because it probably wouldn’t happen again.  Wrong.

Last week we applied for a grant through Brittany’s Hope called a Seedling Gift.  Our agency had contacted us to apply for it because we qualified with Judah being “special needs” and it is a grant that you can apply for before your home study is completed.  They had told us that we would hear about this grant yesterday but we did not.  We also had our final home study visit yesterday and the final payment of $1700 was due.  We have decided to walk by faith and not by sight through this process so for the first time we wrote a check out of our loan account to cover this expense, taking that step and trusting God that He will help us to pay it back.  Today we received an email stating that we have been approved for this grant!  Our profit, $1500!  we are back in the black again today!!

The way the seedling gift works is that they award you an amount (ours is $3000) but your have to raise $1500 and donate it to Brittany’s Hope to keep this grant program going for another family.  So basically we are at a point where any gift you donate to us will be doubled by Brittany’s Hope up to $1500.  If that doesn’t make sense, click on the link to their website here because they explain it way better than I do :)

I am in awe of how God works.  Jack and I were talking about the way God particularly works in our life.  Steps of faith lead to mounds of blessings.  We were explaining to the kids over dinner how much God has done for us and the amazing way He rewards our faith but almost always we have to take that leap to receive the blessing.  Many people have asked us how we are going to afford to bring Judah home and we have replied that we have no idea but God does.  Some people think that is ignorant and even irresponsible but we have learned that when God tells us to move, we move and then He’ll show us the rest.  He said He would be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.  He didn’t promise to give us a floodlight so we could see up ahead and decide to go only if the grass looked green.  He wants our faith in Him, knowing that no matter what He is going to catch us even if that next step takes us over the edge.  He showed us His plan, He used Darla in a mighty way to confirm His decision for us to go ahead and start our home study right away and then the day after we had to write that check in faith, He provided the way to pay it back.  It sounds too good to be true doesn’t it? This is the point where you go back to the top of this blog and re-read the the Matthew 17:20 passage.

Well these are the exact things that we have prayed for to happen and not because we want to be taken care of (well, partly) but because we have this outlet here to show others what He can do.  How many of you reading this have considered adoption but the finances have held you back?  Never, ever let money hold you back from something God is clearly showing you to do.  Now remember there that I said it needs to be God’s leading, adoption isn’t for everyone but if He’s leading, He’ll provide.

Dear gracious Father, we praise you and thank you for your provision and wisdom.  Thank you for providing for us financially but also for providing another way that your love and your light can be seen through our lives to hopefully be a way to help others see you too.  Forgive us when we don’t trust you and please continue to give Jack and I the courage to take each step in faith to bring our son home.  This can be a terrifying process but we trust you and we love you.  Please be with each person reading this today and help them to trust you too.  In Jesus name, AMEN!