promises and pennies

our home study is finally in the authorization process and should get its final stamp of approval from our agency within the next two weeks.  PRAISE GOD! this also means that our next payment of $2500 is due...now.  we currently have $680 in our adoption account and expect to bring in $500 more next week with ashley's photography jobs and fundraisers (more info here: www.cainphotography.blogspot.com or www.cainphotography.showitsite.com).  so we still have a ways to go and yet we can't move on to the next step or even begin to apply for grants until we have that home study in hand.

these are the times where its easy to get overwhelmed.  these are the times where its easy to throw your hands up and think, "there is no way...and this isn't even a quarter of what we still to gather to bring our child home!"

BUT

these are also the times where GOD'S GLORY SHINES.
there are also the times where GOD MAKES A WAY and all we can do is diligently seek His Heart and trust.

so we strive with hearts eager to see God's name glorified despite our feeble attempts and shaky faith.  Joshua 1:9 is so very comforting at times like these: "have I not commanded you?  be strong and courageous!  do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."  think of joshua when he heard God Almighty remind him of this promise: he was taking over from an amazing man of God who had just died (Moses) and leading a ragtag bunch of people into battle....they were desert nomads, not warriors.  and yet, joshua believed, had faith, remembered who God was (and IS!) and ACTED.

our heart's desire is to complete this adoption without incurring debt.  we have already been overwhelmed by the gracious giving and participation of so many brothers and sisters.  what a joy to see God's family come together to accomplish something so much bigger than them!

another news and updates:  while we gather our pennies and planning fundraisers, we are also working on our next stack of papers: the dossier.  a HUGE ANSWER TO PRAYER: a very dear friend of ours is a notary and has graciously agreed to notarized our TON of paper free of charge.  you cannot believe how huge of a gift this is and the amount of money this allows us to put towards other expenses.  the first section of the dossier requires $3500 plus our home study, medical forms, and formal ghanian adoption application.  we have the medical forms and ghanaian application notarized and ready to go.  we are simply waiting for the home study to be approved and then work/wait/trust/strive to gather the next set of funds!