Hovering Hope, Hand in Hand, and Hahaha!!!

One of my favorite pictures from scripture is in the very beginning.  “….In the beginning the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the waters.”   This word moved -rachaph, means to be moved and effected with the feeling of tender love; to brood on eggs (as a hen); to sooth a child (as a mother). 

The word “move” has been a theme for us throughout this adoption process. We have felt so moved by the heart of God towards adoption, and recognize in a new way how deeply and fiercely the Father’s heart is moved towards His children. We have prayed for, and seen papers and processes miraculously move.  We are seeing huge financial mountains move.  And we see many friends moved and effected with a feeling of tender love towards our family.  Many of you are brooding over our “eggs” with us! This is the most cherished gift we could receive.  We knew from the very start that we needed family and friends around us to help walk this journey out.  And because of so many of you we have felt the strength to run! 

The past few weeks have been quite emotional for us. The twins had their 8th birthday on October 3rd, and that was very hard for me.  The longing for them grows more everyday.  But the days surrounding their birthday were filled with some very happy encouraging news. Things are moving! Here are some of the miracles that God is doing on our behalf....

1. Our previous debt for the first payment for the twins IS GONE!!!!  $15,000.00 DONE.  (I really want to write that again)  Our previous debt for the first payment for the twins IS GONE!!!!  $15,000.00 DONE. Such an incredible miracle!

2. We received our first grant!!! It is a matching grant from Hand in Hand Adoption, Inc. and it is a matching grant for $5,000.00!!!!  So, we raise 5 and they add 5! All this money will be able to go towards our next payment due when our referral comes. If you have ever thought about giving towards our adoption, now would be a great time to do so!  (*Details for giving are at the bottom of this post)

3. Much to our agency coordinators surprise, she received news from Haiti that we were much further along in the process than she had thought.  Although I can't share details, if you want to pray for something specific, please pray for the children's judge in Haiti to sign the papers we need for our referral!!!  Once we receive our referral we fly out to meet them for our bonding trip,  we are free to visit them as often as possible from this point until they are home with us, and we will finally get to show you their beautiful faces and share more information about their stories. 

Aaaaaaannd 4.  The twins just turned 7, NOT 8! Hahaha!!! :D The papers had all communicated that the twins were already seven and that their birthdays are Oct 3rd, but I never bothered to do the math.  They were born Oct 3, 2007.  This is so sweet to know we have another year of life with them.  I thought seven was gone. 

Just like the Holy Spirit moved over the watery void in preparation for light and life to spring forth, we have experienced many moments where there has been nothing in sight and we've mostly just felt the empty void, but can deeply sense the presence of the Holy Spirit moving and preparing us for what God has.  It is in these miraculous moments of provision, and progress that we get glimpses of what is to come and hope is stirred!  We can hardly wait for the day that we see these little lives spring forth and their adoption is complete.  We know that one day the Lord will speak the word and they will be completely released to us as sons and daughters!

I want to thank you so much for reading and taking interest in our journey.  If you have prayed at all for us, please know that we are immensely grateful.  I absolutely know these miracles are happening because of prayer.  If you have given at all, whether it was a check in the mail or a trunk load of yard sale donations, thank you thank you thank you!  God has moved huge mountains through your generosity, and our hearts are racing with excitement as we move closer to the day we will meet our son and daughter and bring them into our family!!!


*If you would like to give towards the matching grant fund all donations are due by November 14, they are tax deductible, and will go towards our next fee of $15,000 which is due as soon we receive our referral.  Please make checks  payable to “Hand in Hand Christian Adoption” (for tax purposes please include our name on the outside of the envelope only. Do not put our name on the check itself) postmarked by November 14, 2014 to:

Hand in Hand Christian Adoption, Inc.
Brent and Monica Stahl
18318 Mimosa Court
Gardner, KS 66030

Look! Five little eggs. In time, we shall see....For now, we believe.

I Found Treasure!

I am so grateful for the seed that was planted long ago in my hubby's heart for adoption.  He has a papa's heart and deeply loves and values family.  I am thankful for the anchor he is for our household, and for the wisdom and perspective he brings.  Although I almost always complain about it, because it is different from mine, I truly treasure it and am grateful for the richness that it brings to my life.

This morning was one such treasured morning.  I dreamt last night that we were in Haiti for our bonding trip.  A woman showed me into a room with two kids, a boy and a girl.  They were clearly not the twins. We played with them and read books to them.   I finally pulled the woman aside and asked, "Where are the twins?"  She brought me out of the room and explained that there was another family that came and got them earlier.  I was trying not to make a scene but I could not stop crying and was so distraught.  Even after I woke it took me a while to realize it was just a dream.  I shared it with Brent, and in true Brent fashion he was quiet for bit, held my hand, and then prayed for me.

The truth is, I have been fighting fear ever since we were matched with the twins.  I see their faces, pray for them everyday....we love them, and they are part of our everyday as a family. The thought of this somehow not coming to be (for whatever imagined reason) really scares me.  As Brent prayed, a greater truth came and permeated peace.  He prayed, ".....Lord these kids are yours.  They always have been and they always will be.  Our biological children, they are not ours.  They are Yours.  The twins, they are not ours. They are Yours.  Thank you for the gift of being able to love them and raise them...."

The great peace and assurance of God came, not because He assured me that they were mine, but because He assured me that they belong to Him.  They are in the safest hands.  Their future and their hope is secure in Him, and because of Him.   He is, and always will be, the author and perfecter of our faith.  I am reminded today of the great treasure we have in Christ, and in each other!!!  Today I choose to rest in His great truth, and appreciate the people in my life who so lovingly remind me of them every day.

 "Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him.  For he shields them all day long and he rests between his shoulders." Deut. 33:12