20 Months & Headed Back To Ethiopia!!

Today is our 20 month anniversary on the wait list.  Wow, I never thought I would be writing this post.   I'm so thankful that we started the adoption process when we did.  I felt crazy for filling out the paperwork when our youngest was 3 months old, but now I'm so thankful for that timing.  I never imagined that it would take this long.  We've been told to expect continued slowing of referral times.  So, just purely guessing, it will most likely be 2013 before our kids will be in our arms.

Some days I handle the waiting really well, and some days aren't so great.  Yesterday was one of them.  I think it's because I knew today would be our 20 month mark.  This verse picked me up today -

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33


One of my favorites.  "take heart!  I have overcome the world."  I'm so thankful for our awesome Creator that is in control of all things.  He knows the number of hairs on our children's heads and every detail about them.  He knows the day they will be in our arms and His timing is perfect.  I'm so thankful that I believe this, because I can't imagine how awful this would be if I didn't trust that there was a greater purpose and plan than my own.


Okay, for some happy and exciting news!!  I'm leaving for Ethiopia again 2 weeks from tomorrow!  I'm going with a group of women to work on a 20 bedroom guest home that the James Initiative just signed a 3-year lease on.  It is beautiful!  We have our first group of visitors coming to stay at the guest home in a few weeks, so we're going to get things set up.  It's going to be used as a sustainability project to help fund the Onesimus center, church plants in Ethiopia, and other J.I. projects.  Remember the faces of the cutie pies from Onesimus???  

So excited - you can read more about it and see pictures as we post them on the J.I. website and face book page.  If you are interested, there are so many ways that you can help get this project off the ground.  Right now, we are in the process of purchasing linens, towels, quilts, flatware, etc.  (Large items will be purchased in Ethiopia).  If you would like to donate, we have a list of the items we're still needing.  Please feel free to send us a message on face book or through the website -- www.thejamesinitiative.org