Putting Our Money Where Our Heart Is

For your consideration, an update on how the Spirit and our Home Study are moving these days.
*warning: I got a little wordy in this one. #longread #muchtoshare*

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, that is, into an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you, who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5

Last night I had small group with my sweet soul sisters, Lesley and Megan. We had committed to read through 1 Peter and share the ideas that impacted us the most. In my haughtiness (which I have confessed previously on this blog) I thought this would be an enjoyable but fairly routine look at a familiar section of scripture - as if there is such a thing when it comes to God's word and his goodness! 

As if I could ever dive to the bottom of the deep calling to deep and understand how a God so holy deems me worthy not only of forgiveness but of adoption! 

To be colloquial and cliché about it: I. CAN'T. EVEN.

As we sat around my table, finishing dinner two hours later than usual at the end of a crazy day of over-committing, running on fumes and chocolate pie, the Holy Spirit graciously gifted some reminders to me. In a nutshell...

1. All of my life and self is at God's mercy and exists or prospers BY God's mercy.

[He is good!]

2. My hope is living and eternal, not based upon A SINGLE THING in this temporal world.

[Hallelujah!]

3. I have an inheritance. A real one. The stock market cannot diminish it. Disease cannot disassemble it. People cannot destroy it. You know why? Because it is heavily guarded by a WARRIOR. It isn't stored in a safe or kept under a mattress. It isn't even tucked into my pocket. It is unreachable by sin or stain because it is kept in heaven...for me. For me!? But who am I (to receive such honor and kindness)? I am His.

[The Lord your God is in your midst;

he is a warrior who can deliver.

He takes great delight in you;

he renews you by his love;

    he shouts for joy over you.” Zephaniah 3:17]

When Chad and I turned in our adoption application, I was all bubbling over with joy and naivety. The next morning at breakfast he started sharing his worries and fears with me. They were reasonable, natural reservations about living in this world day by day while also looking to the future. 

He talked about some WHAT IFs. 

What if the foundation on this house has to be rebuilt? - We got some cracks, y'all. - 

What if one of us loses our job or gets sick? 

What if our 21-year-old car finally refuses to start? Or our other, 12-year old van does the same?

These are the things that keep a protective, providing husband up at night (literally in Chad's case). 

I acknowledge that all of those are responsibilities we need to be mindful of, and I hope what I share now does not sound preachy or disrespectful to my husband. But, as my Bible happened to be conveniently located, I picked it up and flipped to 1 Peter.

I held it firmly and answered Chad, "I don't have to worry about those things. My inheritance is not in those things. It is imperishable and eternal, and it is kept in heaven for me. None of those things can hurt me. They cannot ruin me. I am safe. Forever."

At this point it can be noted I was tearful and my children came in the room to see why I was crying. So we had a little church at the table that morning.

I'm not saying we can flit through life without a care. I believe in intentional, sacrificial stewardship of time, treasures, and talents.

I AM saying that sometimes we forget. We forget who our God is and how Holy He is. We take for granted how precious we are to Him has His priesthood, His people, His children. 

We forget - as we realized aloud in our small group last night - what it means to be God's and what it means to be godly. 

And we forget how easy it is for Him to bless and provide, and how much He enjoys doing so. $40,000 is nothing to God. [Even as I write about believing that WHOLLY, I still gulped when I typed it.]

Now, about that home study...

Over spring break, we had our second (of four) home study visits and interviews. Get ready for some news, friends.

In a previous post I laid out the estimated adoption timeline starting in January of 12 to 18 months.

Then, at the end of that same post, I laid out a shorter timeline in which I made my own estimates based on some convos with the Lord.

Well, both of those have been blown away by our merciful redeemer.

At the end of our recent home study visit, I asked for an update regarding home study completion. Our case worker and I looked over our checklists and discovered that we have moved through at a breakneck pace. We should be able to complete all home study requirements by May.

May.

The fifth month of the year. 

Upon completing home study, we can officially be matched with our kids and apply for immigration. 

That takes three months for approval - usually. 

So, here's some fun math for you: 5 + 3 = August. Add 1 for miscellaneous delays and you get September.

If all continues as expected, we could possibly travel to Colombia in September to bring our kids home!

[Yes, take a moment to gasp and then rejoice with us.]

The only outlying factor in that equation is money. When I told Chad about the new estimated "Gotcha Day," he just about hyperventilated. He is a man of faith, yet he is a person of realistic perspective. And acquiring $35,000 in six months does seem impossible. 

Even from up here on my faith soapbox, it seems daunting.

But nothing is impossible with God. [Para Dios todo es posible.]

There are so many things I want to say at this very moment, I'm sure they will come out as an incoherent jumble. My apologies.

A. God hasn't just been preparing us for this journey. He has been preparing you - friend, family member, stranger who stumbled upon this blog post. He doesn't equip his kingdom in order that we might be passive. He equips us to proclaim, carry, and live out the gospel. He uses believers and nonbelievers to complete his sovereign will. Thank you for journeying with us and for your support. 

B. I am a terrible salesman. I stink at accepting charity. I feel bad accepting money for my art no matter how complimentary people are of it. I praise God for our friends who have blessed us so far, especially Kelly with Usborne Books & More and Allison and Jenny with Restored Vintage Creations. And for all of you (Pam of Buttnaked Candles and Ashley N's t-shirt business, Ashley S at Ashley Lauren photography; the list is beyond what I can remember of people who have offered to donate gifts and services!)

That said, I will be asking for this community and others to help us in those ways and more over the next few months as we dash to a finish line that has moved hundreds of yards closer to us. 

If you or someone you know has 10 (20? 30?) dollars to spare and wants a tax write-off, here is the link to our online donation campaign. The money collected here goes directly to our adoption agency; we never touch it. Thanks to those of you who have given already. I am constantly trying to think of ways to thank you. I wish you could feel the swell of gratitude that I carry around in my chest as I think of your kindness. 

It won't bother me one bit if you email this link to all your friends or post it on Facebook.  :)

https://www.gofundme.com/brogan-adoption

C. Our current fundraiser - aided MAJORLY by Pete's Print (on Hwy 31) - is a poster I created called Alabama Alphabet. There is a link to order below if you are interested. Or email me: cheecha@gmail.com. Forward that link to anyone you think might want one! Tennessee and Vestavia versions are coming soon!

Link to order: https://goo.gl/forms/Dzw5DuqRn17Xwc952

Other planned fundraisers include a bake sale at my school, t-shirts, a silent Facebook auction, and a couple's swing dance night open to my colleagues and/or Heritage Builders Sunday school class.

D. To anyone reading in distant lands (read: not in my Sunday school class b/c I plan to ask the S.O.S. to consider this at some point), please let me know by email if you would be willing to organize a fundraiser through Both Hands. It's a great service project as it pairs a group of able-bodied volunteers to do manual labor for a widow in need and have people pledge support for your work. The raised support goes directly to adoption fees and orphan care. You can do the work in one day (like on a warm spring Saturday). Widows and orphans at once? James would be so proud!

And finally, a confession of temptation, which I am fleeing as fast as I can.

Lately, the devil has been whispering to me about how much easier it would be to live as a family of four in our current jobs, house, church family, etc. Before adoption expenses became part of our monthly budget, we had a comfortable cushion. WE ARE NOT RICH in money. But there was enough to do what we needed to do, do some things we wanted to do, and save some. 

It would be easy to stay there, in that gentle life, in our quiet, beautiful neighborhood. There would be leisure and more dinners out. There would be new cars and more vacations. There would be lazy Saturday strolls through the mall.

But for us, there would be no rest, no peace. Because there would be no obedience. He has called us to adopt, and though I embrace that calling joyfully, it didn't come from within. It came from our sweet savior who, in His mercy, has offered us the opportunity to bless and be blessed in this way.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. - 1 Peter 2:9