Prayer for Liberia

Once again...I have been lost in feeling of impatience, hopelessness and wondering if our journey will ever come to an end. But no worries, when I'm lost I search, when I'm lost I know my God is with me because I know when He says "I will never leave you or forsake you" it stands true today. So I have taken the last week to seek Him. And as always God spoke...

God is not a human being, and he will not lie. He is not a human, and he does not change his mind. What he says he will do, he does. What he promises, he makes come true.

Numbers 23:19

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James 1:2-3

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

This week we have heard a lot of news with what is happening in Liberia that could get us down, and I confess that I was starting that way. But sometimes joy is a choice, and even in our circumstances we are to be thankful. So when we are asked if we have any news yet...we don't, just more obstacles, more trials...but we are thankful and our joy remains in the Lord. This adoption remains in God's hands and so do Elijah and Ruthie.

Last weekend we had the privilege to lay hands on a container that has been bought through the orphanage project that I have spoken about. The container left this last week and is heading to Liberia, and tentatively will be there by the middle of March. I encourage you to continue to watch what God is doing in Liberia, in the midst of corruption, in the midst of oppression and in the midst of our trials...God is moving and doing a mighty thing! http://www.futurefororphans.com/

The filled container...

We wrote our "well wishes" to those on the other side of the world...And we prayed...

And I wondered...do you think we could just find some room so we can go too? :)

May God's will be done in Liberia. And may all nations confess Jesus is Lord!

God has Adopted Us

The Spirit we received...makes us children of God. With that Spirit we cry out, "Father."

Romans 8:15

When we come to Christ, God not only forgives us, he also adopts us. Through a dramatic series of events, we go from condemned orphans with no hope to adopted children with no fear. Here is how it happens. You come before the judgment seat of God full of rebellion and mistakes. Because of his justice he cannot dismiss you. So, in an act which stunned the heavens, he punished himself on the cross for your sins. God's justice and love are equally honored. An you, God's creation, are forgiven. But the story doesn't end with God's forgiveness.....

It would be enough if God just cleansed your name, but he does more. He gives you his name. It would be enough if God just set you free, but he does more. He takes you home. He takes you home to the Great House of God.

Adoptive parents understand this more than anyone. I certainly don't mean to offend any biological parents-I'm one myself. We biological parents know well the earnest longing to have a child. But in many cases our cribs were filled easily. We decided to have a child and a child came. In fact, sometimes the child came with no decision. I've heard of unplanned pregnancies, but I've never heard of an unplanned adoption.

that's why adoptive parents understand God's passion to adopt us. They know what it means to feel and empty space inside. They know what it means to hung, to set out on a mission, and take responsibility for a child with a spotted past and a dubious future. If anybody understands God's ardor for his children, it's someone who has rescued an orphan from despair, for that is what God has done for us.

God has adopted you. God sought you, found you, signed the papers and took you home.

-Max Lucado (from The Great House)

Question: Knowing that God has adopted you, how would that change the way you approach him?

Elijah & Ruthie

Yours, God...Yours, God...Everything is Yours....

including Elijah and Ruthie!

Enjoy this video into the lives of our children - don't forget to turn the music at the bottom of this blog off. You'll want to hear our son! :)

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."

The Christmas decorations are put away. I didn't let my mind drift to the previous year, or to the next year when we pulled them out to put them on display. But it seemed that God wasn't going to let them be put away without me pondering on Him and what is pulling me away.

Last year, we had so much anticipation for the next year. You see we had a new family member coming and bringing his joy, excitement, and awe into our Christmas. We were going to be a new family...a complete family.

We never anticipated we would still be waiting. But we also never anticipated we would be waiting for two family members.

As for next year, I don't allow myself to dream of all our children opening each window of the advent card telling the story of how Jesus came. I don't allow my mind drift on the wonder of the children's ooo's and aww's as they see lights and the welcoming spirit in our home of a Savior who came. I don't allow myself to experience the joy as we sing 'Happy Birthday' to Jesus with joy and much gusto. I don't allow myself because of the 'what if'...'what if we are still waiting'.

Fear. Perhaps.

Doubt. Perhaps.

A form of protectection. Perhaps.

I have shared how I have heard everyone's opinions as to how to bring our children home. The loudest being - "I'm not praying enough". I have allowed this guilt and shame into my life. I have allowed this opinion to come and claim me. I have allowed this judgement to condemn me into silence. You see I have prayed and continued to do so. Because I have reached peace and have even experienced joy. I have cried in the hands of my gentle Savior and received comfort. I have been able to continue down the path because of the strength He has given me and with patience. Only God has heard my prayers and been with me each step of the way. But I have still received judgement and condemnation that I haven't prayed - and enough. And because of it, I stopped praying. I claimed that "God knows my heart, he knows my desire - He is even the one that started this whole thing...it's all in His hands". I mean He is the God of the Universe, what He says goes. Does my prayer really affect His will? I still don't know the answer, but what I do know is this...

We have to be careful how we "encourage" others. I have been judged by a world that doesn't see me worship each time I drive my car, or how I pray over my family as I do the household chores, or how I receive a closeness and joy as I serve God in the school and the elderly in the communtiy, or even as I write in my journal or on this blog and let each word go out to my Friend first and receive His affirmation and comfort.

Once condemnation is received, Satan has a field day. I stopped praying because of condemnation. Satan celebrated. I have felt so far away from the one who comforts me and encourages me and lifts me up when I struggle. Satan celebrated. I have allowed this to interfere with my celebration of Christmas. Satan celebrated. I believed the lie that praying doesn't do a bit of good. Satan celebrated. And then I remembered why I prayed...I receive peace everytime I share my thoughts and desires with Him. I recieve patience when I'm struggling to wait. And the best of it all...I receive the presense of my God, my Friend, my Comforter and my Savior. Satan is pouting!

One lie leads to another. Once I believed that my prayers weren't going to make a difference, I received condemnation, and once I received condemnation I believed 'I'm just not good enough'. Perhaps I don't discipline enough, I don't love my children enough, or I don't give them a four-course meal everynight, the house isn't clean enough, I don't pray with them enough, I don't teach them to serve or receive God enough...perhaps is is because of all this is why my other children aren't here yet...I'm just not a good enough parent. But it even goes beyond that. I have a heart for missions, specifically Africa. Our family has a heart for it. We have a natural heart for Liberia, and we have a huge heart for the orphanage project and the bigger project that is incorporating over there. But when I look through the world's eyes...I'm not good enough. I am uneducated, unexperienced, uncapable, un-Spirtual, and don't have enough Bible verses memorized. Loving the people of Liberia, wanting to develop a relationship with them, sharing what little we know...is just not enough.

Or is it?

I started praying again last night. I sat in church and wrote my letter to God. God spoke. I heard in the message how God is creator, God created and wills growth and how it will flourish at the time He speaks it. He plants the dreams and desires in our hearts, because He wants them there. The dreams that come and go are our human desires that aren't of him, but the ones that grow, the ones that become passions and the ones that we just can't drop are from Him. He created it. He willed it. He will do something with it in His timing. He is able, and everything is possible through Him...even using someone like me.

Today I wait. I wait for my children. I wait for my God to use me the way He sees fit. I wait for His to will to use me. Today I need patience. So today I will pray.

And as for the lie of the enemy that says "I'm just not good enough". I took some pictures of my favorite decorations as I put them away. Katie's manger scene - her handmade doll, wrapped in a cloth, with Jesus' face drawn on. Courtney's wreath that says 'Happy Birthday', and Lindsay's manger scene she made with popsicle sticks and hay. And then I see the gifts my girls gave on Christmas morning. A manger scene made from clay from Courtney as well as a prayer rock, cross book mark and an angel ornament. Katie gave a sign that speaks of how our heart is the home because she says she sees my heart hear all the time, and Lindsay made a sign of how she sees my heart for Africa grow each day, and from my husband - a love-note, books about Liberia, and a camera to capture it all when we go. Sometimes the world is very loud with it's opinions. But today I choose to ignore the world, be encouraged by God through my family and I will pray. I will hold onto His promises, and draw close to Him again. And I do receive the pat on the back, that I'm OK, and rest assured that when I'm not good enough...my God is!

Happy Birthday Jesus!!!

Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere,

Go tell it on the mountain

That Jesus Christ is Born!!!

(Our Birthday Song to Jesus, written by the Donut Man (Rob Evans))
Happy Birthday, Jesus

Happy Birthday to the Lord

Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to the Lord

Let the earth cry out, "Hallelujah"

Let the people shout for joy

Let the star burn like the brightest candle

And celebrate the birthday of God's baby boy

Let the angels sing "Glory in the highest"

Let the shepherds shout for joy

Let the wise men bring out the presents

And celebrate the birthday of God's baby boy

Happy Birthday to the Lord!!!

The Kindness & Goodness of God...

Our Bible Study is now done. But today I ponder the fruit of kindness and goodness. Today I'm also struggling.

Have you ever felt forgotten by God? I have. I remember when we moved here to Colorado, how everything seemed so easy for Duane, he had everything - job, new acquaintances and lighter baggage. I on the other hand had what I saw as nothing - no friendships, no connection at our church, no peace with our first choice of schools, and a heavier load that I could ever carry. I remember asking God one day..."hey, do you remember me?" I felt so alone, abandoned.

Isaiah 49:14-16 says "but Jerusalem said, "the Lord has left me; the Lord has forgotten me." The Lord answers, "can a woman forget the baby she nurses? Can she feel no kindness for the child to which she gave birth? Even if she could forget her children, I will not forget you. See, I have written your name on my hand." In the NIV version the word of written is engraved and in Hebrew that means "to hack". This verse offers us the heart of our God...the engraving of our names are carved into our Gods hands and written by the precious blood of His son, Jesus. How can he forget us? We are not only in, but "tattooed" in his hand for him to see. My daughter has a precious note on her facebook: "If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it."

But today I struggle. You see, many of you don't quite understand where Duane and I are at. We feel called here in Colorado to raise and care for the family God has blessed us to be. We have our roles, and know God has called us to it. Then we have two children on the other side of the world that we feel called to too. Children that aren't understanding the coming and going of many people, aren't understanding and questioning in their young minds how a mother can forget about them. How they cry, and are cared for but deep down wonder how long that person will be in their life. We see our son who is ready to attach to anyone. We want to book a flight and be with our young children and wait out the turmoil that is in Liberia together. We want to love our children. We want to comfort them. We want to hold them. We want to love... and so does God. God wants to love them, and love us, He wants to comfort them and comfort us, He want to hold them and hold us...He wants to love.

God created my mommy's heart. God created the mother's heart. God is the ultimate mother and father. So today I leave my precious little lambs in Jesus' hands once again and I put my fingertips in his palm and rub the markings of Elijah and Ruth's carved names. I surrender once again, I do love and I will continue to trust.

I noticed something about my prayer life. I have pleaded, begged, surrendered, held onto peace, held onto confusion and bitterness, cried, laughed, sought other prayer warriors, remained quiet, I have prayed once about things, and prayed a zillion times about others. Satan has been trying to show me how my prayers aren't working. How I need to give it up, God isn't listening. God doesn't care.

Ha!

My God has me engraved in the palm of His hand with the blood of Jesus. He cares and no matter how tired I become, no matter how long I have to wait, no matter how I feel today or tomorrow I choose to worship and love the one true and living God, the Father of heaven and earth, my Redeemer, my friend, the lover of my soul and the King of Kings. I may not be able to see the result of my prayers yet, but I hold onto the promise my God hears my prayers. My God is good and my God is kind.

Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

Jeremiah 33:3

So today I will pray. Today I will worship. Today I will praise. Today I will continue to love my God, trust and hope in Him. Today I will wait.

Merry Christmas Elijah & Ruthie!

It's always such a treat to go through pictures of families who have gone before us to pick up their children. This time the director of our agency and a friend of ours went over to 1. get the adoptions moving again and 2. purchase and break land to build a new orphanage, clinic, chapel, school and so much more. It is always exciting to hear and now finally see the dreams come into reality. The children in the orphanage had a Christmas party when they were there and we had the privilege to send over a little something for our children. Today we were given a gift of seeing them receive their presents. Oh, how we would love to just come and put our arms around you ourselves, Elijah & Ruth, but until then...

Do not be afraid, for behold,

I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior,

who is Christ the Lord.

And this will be the sign to you:

You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.

Merry Christmas!

Operation Christmas Child

Each year it is a tradition in the Archibald home to make a shoebox for a "needy" child. Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the Good News of God’s love. Since 1993, more than 61 million shoe boxes have been packed, shipped, and delivered across the globe. People of all ages can be involved in this simple, hands-on missions project while focusing on the true meaning of Christmas—Jesus Christ. It has also helped keep our girls minds that it is truly better to give than to receive.

This year we were extremly blessed. Not only did we make our six shoeboxes but the 5th graders were able to deliver part of the 1006 shoeboxes they were encharge of bringing in and see where they were going, and what would happen from there. There they heard a story from a young woman, 18 years of age, who was adopted from Russia at the age of 10. She received one of these shoeboxes at the age of 8. Her story reminded us of how orphans are so looked down upon in their culture, and the dispair they are in. She told us specifically how candy was something that only "rich kids" had, and how she hated brushing her teeth for the toothpaste tasted horrible. What she remembers most in her shoebox she received, was not the toys and gadgets but some candy and her very own toothpaste. I was reminded once again what we take for granted.

The end of the week, I joined the freshman class and journeyed back to Operation Christian Child's distribution center (who also took the rest of the 1006+ boxes). There we searched each shoebox that was packed so carefully with love and made sure there wasn't things that aren't allowed to be in the boxes. We also were able to add a few things to the boxes. We opened, searched and gave, and prayed over the boxes that were sent once again.

Those of you who want to be involved in this ministry, it isn't too late. Please check out their website at http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/ Get involved, touch a life of a child!

Courtney's journal....

My favorite thing that we did this year was raising boxes for Operation Christmas Child. I like it because a lot of people said we were not going to make our goal. They thought that because our goal was 1,000 boxes. When they kept saying that, I just kept repeating in my head that anything with God was possible. But I was so glad that we reached our goal of 1,000 boxes. Now all the people that were saying we were not going to make it can believe that we can do anything with God and if we put our mind to it. That is why I am glad we have reached our goal.

Each of us, took something away this year. We are thankful that God calls us to give, for it is through giving that we experience the joy and wonder of God's heart. Thank you, Courtney for sharing with us what you have learned and yes. ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...

As the tradition began, on Duane and my first Christmas together, it as been the trend to go and hike, have turkey sandwiches, and hunt for our Christmas tree. Unfortunately we haven't had that same experience since we moved to Colorado - simply put, it is just different here because of a variety of reasons. We still went out, and found out that one of Lindsay's teachers has his own tree lot - so that is what we did.

We reminisced about last year how we were completing our home study and dossier and wanting so badly to have Elijah with us and how we anticipated what this Christmas would be like with him. We never thought it would be another Christmas without him. We are full of peace that God will bring him and Ruth home, but as we celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas and all the events these two holidays bring it is so hard to not wish he was here. So I do ask as you pray, could you pray that God will continue to comfort us and that the waiting will come to an end, and our new family of seven can begin.

The girls looking at Christmas lights in 3D!

Courtney's Christmas craft.

Finally! Our first snow! Yeah!!! It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

We Do Give Thanks...

It has been so long since I have written. Between throwing together paperwork for our home study update, appointments, girl's activities and simply just keeping up with life sitting down to write was just impossible. But here I am...

Our Thanksgiving week was shared with Grandpa. We all look forward to his visits and having our family with us. The highlight I believe for Grandpa and Courtney was to have him at school with her for her class' Thanksgiving feast. Grandpa was adopted by the class and read them a story, encouraging them each to be the person God has made them to be. Why do we do that? Why do we try to be the other person we see that is more prettier, more skinnier, more wiser, more...? This Thanksgiving I say "Thank you God for making me the person you want me to be, and nothing else. I praise you and your creation!" I pray that same seed of thanksgiving was planted in the 5th grade class, and that they appreciate the person they are.

One of our highlights for Thanksgiving is making our Thanksgiving chain. We sat around the table and shared each link and offered each link to God. We thanked God for water - not having to worry where it was to come from, or if it is contaminated. We thanked God for Elijah and Ruth, even the waiting, for it is the waiting that we are becoming more aware of God's heart. Thanks went up for each of us, for the home we live in, teachers we have, and each of you - how we are thankful that God has allowed each of our paths to cross so we can pray, encourage and love each of you.