Orphan Sunday~

There is no doubt God chose these children to be in our family. The moment I saw their face I knew.

Now when I look on these faces, my heart cries. Once all alone, sad, cold, hungry, afraid, and abandoned. They were orphans with no love, joy, or hope.

Today there are 153 million orphaned children waiting for forever love. Let you heart settle on that for a little while.

Don't you have love to give? Isn't there room around your table? Can't you squeeze one more bed into your house? Doesn't Jesus ask you to take care of the orphans?

Quote from David Platt
“We learned that orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they’re not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes.” – Radical by David Platt.

This is certainly true for our children. Everything changed! Once we knew them, we could barely wait to have them in our arms. These are the faces of real little souls that were lost and now found. The ones that have broken our hearts for every other Orphan in the world!

Would you spend this one day and pray how God would use you in the plight of the orphan~ a child is most definitely needing you to!!! James 1:27

Orphan Sunday~

“We learned that orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they’re not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes.” – Radical by David Platt.

Today is Orphan Sunday... a day set aside for people to hear the call to orphan care all over the world. We are all called to defend the fatherless, care for child with no family, and visit the orphans in their distress. - Orphan Sunday

Our family has experienced this first hand as we have waited for our child to be revealed... easier in the wait until we know their face, their story, and their circumstance. Once you see them, there is nothing you won't do to get them in your arms.

These are the faces of our precious children before we knew them and them us~

Do you see anything at all in common?
No hope, no family, no future.
I can't say they weren't loved because I think the people caring for them in orphanages were doing the best they could but the need for a family's love was evident.
They lacked a light in their eyes because their hearts were empty.

Coming home to family and love can make all the difference in the world for that one... can't save them all but we can save that one, then another, and another as long as God gives us the lead and way. I think this photo from the summer shows just what love can do~

{Click photo and just look at those smiles knowing they have another sister}

We are praying for all people to join in choosing today what James 1:27 means in your family.

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. James 1:27

We would love for you to watch and share with everyone you know in faith believing orphans will come home if we say YES!

And back to CallaAnne~

Snuggled into a foster family right now having no idea what is in her future but she has been chosen and her forever is coming. What will you do for the least of these?

"And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!' Matthew 25:40

National Adoption Month/Orphan Sunday~

November is National Adoption Month 

and today is Orphan Sunday.

I have to share SIX beautiful reasons to plead for the orphan~

Please go to No Hands But Ours 

and read a beautiful post written by a precious friend, Kelli Bloomquist...

she writes~

"There are many things that you can do to be the hands and the feet on the ground for these children. You can step forward and adopt. You can support those who are adopting. There are so many things that a person can do. The problem, however, lies in the fact that there just aren’t enough people. There are never enough people to be those hands and feet on the ground fighting for each and every child.

Adoption is scary. It’s hard; it’s expensive, and it’s messy. It’s for all of these reasons that adoption scares many potential families away. But as many of us are aware, adoption is also redemption. It’s beautiful and it’s worth every scary moment and every bead of sweat and every single penny spent on the process."

I couldn't have written it better!

Today as I considered what I might share 

God spoke through my quiet time...

Is there a more fitting scripture to describe the orphan?

~hungry, thirsty, and strangers.

There are millions of children around the world that need us to care...

~to adopt

~to foster

~to give

~to advocate

~to pray!

I wonder a lot why I keep my blog open 

and write about the 'good' stuff in our family...

Today is one such reason.

Orphans sit lonely, cold, and scared waiting.

Our children were once orphans and now chosen sons and daughters.

Our family is forever changed because of adoption.

Adoption is gospel and I want to share the gospel here.

Yes, adoption is costly both financially and emotionally.

That's pretty much true for most anything worthy in life.

We have our share of problems and difficulties with HARD adoption stuff.

I choose to keep much of that private because it is not the point.

The point is six children needed us 

and God chose our family to be their forever!

{The good and the bad!}

One of the best quotes I have ever read says~

"Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names...

but once you do, Everything Changes."

~ David Platt

As you consider the plight of the orphan,

what is your next step?

There is nothing Scott and I love more than sharing our story

and helping families pursue their calling.

We are always willing to help, talk, pray, share.

Praying many more orphans come home to their families

because we are willing to share of story to anyone who will listen.

Psalm 82:3

Defend the weak and the fatherless.

Thankful Day 3 {Orphan Sunday}~

Today I am SO thankful for my beautiful children~

Bigs and Littles alike!

They are my heart walking around outside my body...

the VERY soul of why I was created to be on this earth!!

I ADORE each one and live to show them!!!

Today is Orphan Sunday...

On Orphan Sunday, Christians stand for the orphan. We are a people called to defend the fatherless…to care for the child that has no family…to visit orphans in their distress.

As I pondered how to share my heart concerning the orphan I thought of David Platt's quote...

“We learned that orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they’re not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes.” – Radical by David Platt.

 I want to share our little faces before we knew each other and how everything changes~

Shuang Jiang~ EllaKate

Jing Jing~ ShayleeJoy

Minzhong~ Will Perry

Qingying~ Payne Curtis

Wen Fan~ EvieClaire

Qiuhan~ HollyMei

{Still waiting for her forever}

Maybe you have prayed or thought about adoption in the past...

 more than anything we want to encourage you to reach and pursue your calling.

We would LOVE to be an encouragement to you and support your journey along the way.

It is not an easy road or even a popular one but I promise it is blessed beyond measure.

Over and over we have experienced God's provision to bring home our children.

Maybe you aren't called to bring ONE home but we are all called to take care of orphans.

There are lots of ways you can bless ONE...

~ finacial support for a family waiting to travel

~ Sponsor ONE waiting for a family

~ Help with a surgery needed by ONE

~  Sponsor ONE that may never have a family

~ Pray for the ONE47 millon orphans in the world

Nothing speaks louder to the plight of the orphan than scripture~

 Isaiah 1:17

Learn to do right; seek justice.
    Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
    plead the case of the widow. 

James 1:27

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

In the past months as we have felt God calling us back to China once more for HollyMei,

He has given me another scripture as encouragement for our journey...

Matthew 18:5

And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

ONE...

Love ONE, Adopt ONE= Support ONE

Today seems like the perfect day to reveal ONE way you can support our family in bringing home sweet HollyMei.

 Love Adopt ONE tshirts~

 I think my Favorite thing about these shirts is they reflect every single place on Earth that is home to an orphan.

No matter if a child is from North or South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, or Austrailia...

This shirt represents their plight.

Each ONE is loved desperately by the ONE that loved us first.

Wouldn't you love to share your love for adoption by wearing this shirt?~

 We have several colors and come in every adult size~
{Kid sizes too!!! S, M, L, XL}

 You can order with a comment here, an email, a FB message, or going to our Paypal button in the sidebar.

We are asking for a donation of $20 per shirt with a shipping cost of $2.

Please know we will do our best to get your order filled as soon as possible.

We are Thankful to share this ONE shirt on Orphan Sunday and pray God's richest blessings for each and every ONE of you!!!