Several people have mentioned that they enjoy reading our blog, because they are also interested in adoption. Welcome aboard! Do you have a heart for orphans? Are you being called to adopt? This journey has lots of ups and downs, so you must be ALL in.
On Sunday I spoke with a friend that has two daughters adopted from China. Before beginning their adoption journey, she was told that "adoption is a bad financial decision." Well quite frankly, having kids at all is a bad financial decision. On average, a child costs approximately $250K from birth to eighteen years old. So why do people have kids? Because children are such a blessing! It makes no difference if that little bundle of joy is biological or adopted.
Pastor Allen Holmes' sermon on Sunday was very applicable for deciding to adopt (or really any big life decision). The message was about learning to live by faith. In Luke 5:17-26, the friends of a paralyzed man are trying to bring him to Jesus for healing. When they cannot break through the crowd, they resort to cutting a hole in the roof and lowering him down. Jesus sees their faith and heals their friend. From this story we can see that faith sees opportunity, faith takes action, faith takes risk, and faith leads to miracles. If Noah can build an ark on dry ground, if Abraham can move to a foreign land, and if Moses can make demands of Pharoah, I can certainly travel an ocean to bring my child home. It takes a lot of faith to begin an adoption journey, but I know my God is still in the business of miracles today. Are you ready to take a leap of faith?
Living By Faith, Daystar Church
"I have heard You calling my name
I have heard the song of love that You sing
So I will let You draw me out beyond the shore into Your grace
You make me brave
You call me out beyond the shore into the waves
You make me brave
No fear can hinder now the love that made a way"
You Make Me Brave, Bethel Music
Crank it up. Gain some courage. Take a first step towards your miracle.
The Hanks Family
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Thursday, August 20, 2015
On Waiting...
So on the forefront of my mind last night were many thoughts about waiting. How long will it be before our dossier arrives to China? How long will it take before we are matched with a child? How can we possibly wait several months after being matched before traveling to China?
The last three weeks, Daystar Church has been in a season of prayer and fasting. So I've been fasting sleep (to get up at 5am and be at the downtown campus by 6am). You might think I'm crazy, but these have been the most powerful and amazing mornings of my life.
Today Steve talked about "waiting for God's miracle." It's like he was speaking directly to me! Ok, maybe some of the other hundred people in there needed to hear his message too. But he spoke about Joshua 3. The priests stepped into the Jordan river with faith, not knowing what God was doing upstream, but believing in the miracle God was about to perform. The water stopped flowing from upstream and the Israelites safely crossed. If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it!
This is similar to our story. We took the leap of faith to walk up to the river by signing contracts and creating a dossier. But now with every step we take (writing checks, accepting a child's file, traveling to China!), it seems we're getting deeper in the water, waiting on our miracle. Will this child be our perfect match, accept us as family, be happy in America? Are we in God's will for our lives and for this child's life?
If you want to be in God's will, be in God's presence. Give Him the opportunity to speak during your praise and prayer. Give Him your fears, doubts, worries, concerns and let Him work them all out. Give Him your attention, faith, and patience. Give Him the opportunity to perform a miracle.
So here we are, wading in the water, waiting on our miracle. We can't wait to see what's been going on upstream!
One Year Bible reading today:
Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your hearts desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him and He will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act.
Psalm 37: 3-7
The last three weeks, Daystar Church has been in a season of prayer and fasting. So I've been fasting sleep (to get up at 5am and be at the downtown campus by 6am). You might think I'm crazy, but these have been the most powerful and amazing mornings of my life.
Today Steve talked about "waiting for God's miracle." It's like he was speaking directly to me! Ok, maybe some of the other hundred people in there needed to hear his message too. But he spoke about Joshua 3. The priests stepped into the Jordan river with faith, not knowing what God was doing upstream, but believing in the miracle God was about to perform. The water stopped flowing from upstream and the Israelites safely crossed. If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it!
This is similar to our story. We took the leap of faith to walk up to the river by signing contracts and creating a dossier. But now with every step we take (writing checks, accepting a child's file, traveling to China!), it seems we're getting deeper in the water, waiting on our miracle. Will this child be our perfect match, accept us as family, be happy in America? Are we in God's will for our lives and for this child's life?
If you want to be in God's will, be in God's presence. Give Him the opportunity to speak during your praise and prayer. Give Him your fears, doubts, worries, concerns and let Him work them all out. Give Him your attention, faith, and patience. Give Him the opportunity to perform a miracle.
So here we are, wading in the water, waiting on our miracle. We can't wait to see what's been going on upstream!
One Year Bible reading today:
Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your hearts desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him and He will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act.
Psalm 37: 3-7
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Completed Dossier!
Our documents arrived back home for the last time yesterday. Our adoption dossier is finally complete! We started this large pile of paperwork in 2014, not realizing all the deadlines, headache, and anxiety that would come with it. Yet every step has been filled with excitement as we move closer to our sweet little one.
Today we added family photos, passport photos, and passport copies to the stack. Next stop for the dossier is our "local" branch of CCAI in Georgia. Our documents will be under critical review for missing or incorrect information. Please pray that our documents pass every inspection!
As I handed off the thick envelope at UPS, I realized it's now out of my hands. It is literally out of my hands. It is officially out of my hands. Everything is completely out of our hands.
It seems our part is finished, yet it is only beginning.
"Trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5
We trust that God is going to the care of all that is to follow!
Today we added family photos, passport photos, and passport copies to the stack. Next stop for the dossier is our "local" branch of CCAI in Georgia. Our documents will be under critical review for missing or incorrect information. Please pray that our documents pass every inspection!
As I handed off the thick envelope at UPS, I realized it's now out of my hands. It is literally out of my hands. It is officially out of my hands. Everything is completely out of our hands.
It seems our part is finished, yet it is only beginning.
"Trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5
We trust that God is going to the care of all that is to follow!
And these are our notarized, certified, authenticated, and sealed documents!
Monday, August 3, 2015
Signed, Sealed, Delivered...
Documents made it home again. Today I mailed them to the Chinese Consulate in Washinton D.C. for final sealing!
In other news, Phillip and I are now applying for grants to help fund the remainder of the adoption process. Please pray that we qualify! We still have the majority of fees left to pay, plus travel expenses. We know this little one will require medical intervention and we want to be prepared to meet all of our child's needs.
In other news, Phillip and I are now applying for grants to help fund the remainder of the adoption process. Please pray that we qualify! We still have the majority of fees left to pay, plus travel expenses. We know this little one will require medical intervention and we want to be prepared to meet all of our child's needs.
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Lean On Me
The other day I was thinking about how wonderful it is to have community. It started with a song on the radio, "Brother" by Need to Breathe. First I thought about my younger brother. How he helped us move into our first house and pull out overgrown shrubs with his truck, when Phillip was sick. I thought about my sister that cleaned my house top to bottom after my c-section and transfusion. I thought about Phillip's sister that cared for Ethan when I was working and Phillip was sick. I thought about my older brothers' helpful knowledge and words of encouragement. But it doesn't end with siblings. I thought about my parents and the infinite number of meals they have prepared for us. I thought about Phillip's parents and the endless miles they have driven to see us. I thought about my friends and church family, and all the times they've been helpers, comforters, and prayer warriors. We are so incredibly blessed to be surrounded by this amazing community!
And then I thought about a little baby, alone in a crib, on the other side of the world. No siblings, no parents, no grandparents. A bleak future if this child were to stay an orphan. (Tears rolled down my cheeks at a stoplight.)
But instead, this child will be brought home and loved. This child will be welcomed into a small family, an extended family, and a community of people that care about this child's well being. This child, just like our first, will have so many people to call on when the going gets tough. A sincere thank you, to all of you.
"Brother let me be your shelter
I’ll never leave you all alone
I can be the one you call
When you’re low
Brother let me be your fortress
When the night winds are driving on
Be the one to light the way
Bring you home"
Brother - Need To Breathe
Let's bring this baby home.
And then I thought about a little baby, alone in a crib, on the other side of the world. No siblings, no parents, no grandparents. A bleak future if this child were to stay an orphan. (Tears rolled down my cheeks at a stoplight.)
But instead, this child will be brought home and loved. This child will be welcomed into a small family, an extended family, and a community of people that care about this child's well being. This child, just like our first, will have so many people to call on when the going gets tough. A sincere thank you, to all of you.
"Brother let me be your shelter
I’ll never leave you all alone
I can be the one you call
When you’re low
Brother let me be your fortress
When the night winds are driving on
Be the one to light the way
Bring you home"
Brother - Need To Breathe
Let's bring this baby home.
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