Open Arms

Open Arms
...caring for orphans and adoptive families...

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Unexpected Blessings!



We've become friends with a couple who are in Ukraine now to adopt their two beautiful daughters. They surprised us last night with this amazing photo of our kids! The children asked them if they could get a letter to us. They pulled out paper and pen for the children and the kids sent us a note. God is so amazing!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Current Status

"Lord, when doubts fill my mind, when my heart is in turmoil, quiet me and give me renewed hope and cheer" (Psalm 94:19 LB).

We finally have all the documents for our dossier! EXCEPT, we found out yesterday that some of our documents will expire before six months so we need to redo about 11 items before we can send things off. It's so easy to become discouraged, to feel like it's two steps forward and three steps back. So we choose to sit quietly before the Lord and be renewed.

We will be trying to take care of a lot of these items tonight and Friday. Pray we have favor with the different offices we will need to contact. OKAY! Well it's time to press in harder! Let's roll up our sleeves and get busy! We want our children home!

We are tired....but more determined than ever before.

Please continue to pray for the children as their school year is over. Pray that they will have a safe summer.

Last night we met with another woman from our church who is in the process of adopting their 4th child. We are working to start a ministry in our local body to help fellow believers find their role in helping orphans find families. We will let you know more as God reveals the details.

We have a passage of scripture we believe is personally for us. Monday night, I (Steve) had a time of prayer with a close friend. It was great, refreshing and encouraging. He called me early Tuesday morning and told me the Lord directed him to the following passage:

The Lord says: "Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east (Ukraine), and gather you from the west (South Carolina). I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth."
(Isaiah 43: 5 & 6, NASV)

Waiting for them to come,
Steve and Carol