first up, holla at me if you are a lovely winner
takeheartblog (at) hotmail (dot) com
*if i don’t hear from the winnas new ones will be chosen*
next up… i have adoption on my heart and on my mind. it has blessed me to bless others who are adopting right now. the Lord has truly laid on my heart to give (and i mean give MONEY. that’s a hard one for many people. for me, too) when it’s not the easiest to give. He is faithful and He is my provider. today, i am so excited to share with you some adoption stories and journeys that have blessed me so much. would you join me in supporting them and praying for them?
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Who are we?
Well, I’m a Take Heart blog reader, for one! And I’m about to become a mama! My husband and I are a seemingly typical young married couple. We live in a two-bedroom house, we have a dog, and our yard holds a grill that is known to make our neighbors mouths’ water when we fire it up. Now, we are having our first baby! But I’m not pregnant. We are adopting from Taiwan.
Why are we adopting?
Many people discover adoption after the heartbreak of infertility, but this is not our story. We feel called to adopt. Currently, statistics state that there are over 147 million orphans in the world. Originally, our plan was to adopt later in life with a larger bank account and bigger house. But there are over 147 million children who want mommies and daddies right now. They don’t care that we drive older cars or that our yard is small. So we are adopting to love a child without parents. To make him or her eat their veggies and clean their room. To teach them about love and Jesus. We are so excited! We can’t save them all, but we hope to make a difference in the life of just one.
Why am I telling you all of this?
Because we would like YOU, fellow Take Heart readers, to join our journey! It probably comes as no surprise to you that international adoption is expensive. There are fees associated with our application, country, home study, legal documents, notarization, translating, background checks, fingerprinting, travel, visas, and more. Is your head spinning? Because mine sure is! We’ll certainly be writing checks to our agency, but our money will also be flowing into our local and state governments and various institutions in Taiwan (like the orphanage, courts, etc.). Airlines won’t fly us around the world for free, doctors need paychecks to buy their kids dinner, and social workers like money to buy a cute top from time to time.
How can you help?
By participating in The Twenty for Taiwan Campaign. Basically, the idea began as this: if 1,250 people each donated $20.00, our fundraising would be over. Finished! Kaput! Exciting, right?! If you are reading this, we are talking to YOU! Right now! For the cost of one dinner out, you can help give an orphan a home. For the cost of one shirt at the mall, you can help a husband and wife become a mommy and a daddy. So, please consider donating just $20.00! And after you do that, WRITE ABOUT US on your blog and SHARE OUR STORY via facebook status or e-mail! It would mean so much to us.
How much more do we need to raise?
We can’t wait to have a toddler in our kitchen on Saturday mornings, eating pancakes and getting sticky fingers. We want to see how high we can swing on the playground. We are looking forward to snuggling on the couch after bath time, before bedtime, reading a book. Many of you already enjoy these moments with your child (or children). Will you help our child get home? As of now, WE ONLY NEED 1,200 MORE PEOPLE TO JOIN THE CAMPAIGN! Danielle already donated! Will you join her? Will you make this number 1,199 by donating just $20.00?
TO DONATE, USE THE SECURE PAYPAL BUTTON HERE
We would love for you to follow our journey via our blog.
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my friend andrea shared daniel and lyndsie’s story with me. i love andrea’s heart for this family. she had committed to praying for them for months, but felt a tugging to do more. today is hosting an awesome giveaway including a jo totes bag (be still my heart), a wreath from sugar money and so, so many more items. her goal is to raise $1,000 for daniel and lyndsie and i believe she can do just that. for every $10 you give you get another entry into this giveaway.
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my sweet friend hannah is sharing her precious son’s adoption story on her blog. it has been such a blessing for me to read. i see God answering her and her husband’s specific prayers and my heart is full. i am reminded that God’s grace is abundant and i am watching His plan unfold as hannah goes back and tells elijah’s story. you will be blessed by reading it.
i can’t wait to read the rest.
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rachel and her husband landon are on the adoption journey as well. read more of their story here.
love is rising is her sweet shop and all proceeds go to their adoption fund.
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happy weekend, my friends!
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i, too, share your heart for adoption. i see so clearly the heartbeat of God when i see an orphan welcomed into a home where he/she is cared for by loving parents. i'd love to do a little GNO (maybe a chocolate fondue party?) and invite friends to come and bring $20 each to donate to help this family bring their child home. it's just a small thing, but i hope it'll bless. i'll paypal by mid-june and blog about it when i party it up with some friends for the cause. LOVE this idea, thanks for sharing <3
thank you so much, laurie!
yayyyyyyy for giveaways…and being a winner! thank you!! 🙂
wonderful post on adoption…i read mary beth chapmans' "choosing to SEE" and it opened my eyes to a whole other world…realizing that there are so MANY people who are willing to adopt, but unable to afford it…thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for sharing our story and so many other wonderful stories. I am literally grinning ear to ear. Have a wonderful weekend!!
Much love,
Future Mama
http://expectingablessing.blogspot.com/
dear darling danielle,
thanks for the heads up on these sweet families! since we're on hold for our next adoption, we love helping others!!
bless your heart.
Galatians 6:9-10
"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."
ps. i love you
pps. tonight my house will smell like butter rum muffins.
thank you so much for sharing this w/ your readers, for donating your awesome wreath and for having a heart for this as well!
xoxo
love your heart, keep spreading the truth of who He is through his call to Father the Fatherless. love you! XO
this is so very lovely.
doing what you can do for little children in need.
that is Jesus' love.