Shawn David Photography: January 2018

January 21, 2018

Happy New Year!

As we reflect back on 2017, we are just amazed at how our God has blessed us! We have been on a new adventure of growing our family through foster care and adoption. When we stepped out last January, we had no idea what was before us, and to be honest, we were very scared but knew God was leading us to take the leap. They fit us into a class that was full, they licensed us 2 months later, and 3 weeks after that they called us needing shelter for a newborn baby girl. (It's interesting b/c we said we'd take any child 0-2 years, but I felt and told my sister it was going to be a newborn baby girl.) We fell in love the minute we saw her, but our hearts ached for her mother's loss. God led us to do specific things and go places that only could have been orchestrated by him, and through that, he has given us a wonderful friendship with her bio mom. We love her and are so grateful for the joy she has brought into our lives!

Although it hasn't been easy and we have had our hearts on the verge of being broken into a million pieces, I thank the Lord for growing us through it all. He has given us a faith that we'd never have had this been an easy road. He has opened our eyes to the needs of so many people right here in our town that desperately need to be shown God's love. He has blessed our socks off with the sweetest, little bossy-pants. He has brought some amazing friends into our lives who have walked this road and help us out tremendously. He has used our sweet friends to be the hands and feet of Jesus and their love displayed to us is priceless. He has given us such a supportive family who has walked every step of this with us. He has placed the most amazing Guardian ad Litem and great caseworkers over our case. He has brought Shawn and I to a place in our marriage we've never been before and our love has deepened because of what we have been through and seen God do. And for Nathan and Hannah...I am more than amazed at how they love with their whole hearts and have been so awesome through it all. So here I sit, counting my many blessings, and waiting with great expectation for the future and everything else he has marked out for us. Is it easy? No way. Is it worth it? Yes. To Him alone be the glory, great things he has done!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

#FosterCare/Adoption

We have become friends with many of the foster families here in our community and these ones happen to go to church with us! We love them so much and are so grateful for them! Here are a few pics from their adoption ceremonies. God is so good! Love you guys.