Awesome Opportunities!

A lot of exciting things have been happening lately within our county. Our first support group meeting was very successful. We had a great time of sharing concerns and ideas and thinking up ways to do what we do for these children even more excellent. The supervisor provided a wonderful dessert spread and one of our dear friend's did a team building exercise with the group that had a wonderful word picture to go along with it. Nick was able to share a devotional and scripture and prayer. It was a blessing to hear the Word of God read and prayer in the county building. We're looking forward to our next support meeting on Saturday, July 13 at Bethel Baptist Church in Savannah at 6pm.

Our church is hosting a foster/adopt parent appreciation Sunday June 30. The church is dedicating the service to the families and honoring them with a lunch after wards. We want to show our appreciation and also share the love of Christ with them. We're very excited about this opportunity.

Another exciting opportunity is a luncheon Nick and I were invited to tomorrow to share about the FRAME ministry. Another church in our county is wanting to get on board with helping with reaching “the least of these.” We're very excited to hear what they have to share and to be able to share what the Lord has called our family too. Please pray for our time together. Thank you!

Last but certainly not least is a tremendous blessing that came Nick and I's way Sunday at church. A couple at our church, whom we consider as dear, sweet friends, is wanting to support our ministry in being “foster grandparents” to our family to provide Nick and I a date night once a month. They want us to pick a Saturday that will work each month and they will watch the children while we have time for just us. Let me tell you this generous offer is worth more to us than any dollar amount they could've given to us. We're blessed to call them friends and we pray the Lord blesses them abundantly for their ministry to not only our family but our marriage.

I hope you've enjoyed reading about the awesome things God is doing right here in our small county. I love how God uses ordinary people, all through out scripture and even now, to do extraordinary things for Him. To God be the glory!

First support group meeting

Thank you for praying for my meeting with our local county children service's supervisor. The meeting went above and beyond what I was even expecting.

Ephesians 3:20-21 came to mind that day.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

We've been given the awesome opportunity to partner with our local children services to provide a “faith based” support group for our counties foster families. We're very thankful for this partnership and are excited to see what the Lord has in store for our community. Please keep us in your prayers as we lead these meetings and encourage families who care for the “least of these.” We want whatever we say and do to point people towards Christ. He is the reason we're able to do this ministry in the first place. He is the reason we can love others because He first loved us. Below is the information for our first support group meeting.

FRAME support group to Ashland county foster & adoptive families

Thursday June 6^th from 6-8pm at the ACDJFS building.

Childcare will be provided.

Special guests that evening will be ACDJFS director Cassandra Holtzmann and supervisor Traci Foley. Come meet these two ladies and ask questions and share ideas.

Any questions or info on this event please email us at frame@bethelchapel.com.

Opportunities

A lot of exciting opportunities have recently come up in the ministry lately. As you readers know our family has a passion for “the least of these.”

In the past we have had the opportunity to share with employees from our local department of jobs and family services about FRAME and our desire to bring more awareness about the need for more foster and adoptive families. Recently our local county has also been realizing their need for more families. There was an article in our local newspaper recently about the need for more foster families. A lot of our children are being placed outside our county because of the lack of families within our county that are willing to open their homes up to these children. We were thankful for the article and I emailed the director of children services and thanked her for the article and shared our passion with her. During all this God has been using other people in the body of Christ as well to use their talents to glorify Him concerning, “ the least of these.” A dear friend of mine from church has been feeling led to talk with leaders in our community concerning this need and how there are so many local resources availble to help in this endeavor. As she met with these leaders the Lord opened the door for her to share about the FRAME ministry. How exciting for the body of Christ to be using their talents to glorify our Creator.

Last week I received a phone call from our local department of jobs and family services supervisor wanting to meet with me about the FRAME ministry helping in starting a support group for our foster families. The exciting part is we were already in the works of approaching them about this and they called us. I have a meeting this Thursday morning. We're excited to hear what ideas the county has and to Lord willing partner with them to support our local foster and adoptive families. We need to be able to keep the families we have but they also need to know they have the support they need and to feel appreciated for what they do to help these dear children. Please pray specifically for this meeting and the hearts of all involved to be open to the Lord's leading.

There are also some plans in the works to honor our current foster families and to bring more awareness of the need for more families at acouple events at our church this summer. As more details unfold I will keep you updated.

There are around 100 churches in our local county. If only one family per church would open their home up to the “least of these,” these precious children would not need to be placed outside of their county. Which means they could possibly stay in their same school and same culture environment. Less changes for them since they're already having to make so many changes by coming to live in a new home.

It is past time for the body of Christ to wake up and be about our Father's business concerning the “least of these.” Every believer should have some part in reaching these dear children. Some by opening their homes, some by giving of their time to help, some by giving financially, and all by praying and encouraging one another. What part are you willing to do in this ministry to reach these children? A dear friend of mine texted me these verses this morning. With doors opening in our community for the body of Christ to step up to the plate in reaching these children these verses were most encouraging to my heart.

Revelation 3:7-8

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this: “ I know your deeds. Behold I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

Wow! God's Word is so powerful. Please continue to pray for the FRAME ministry, our family and our local church that we would continue to be about our Father's business. Please also pray for protection from the evil one. Thankfully though Greater is He that is in me than he that is in this world. We're overcomers because of Christ! :0)

Rest, Reflect and Renew

The R in F.R.A.M.E. stands for respite. This is something we've done for other foster and adoptive families but until recently never asked for a respite for our family. Not only in foster care but in life in general many of us seem to think we can keep going and going without taking time to rest, reflect and be renewed. Even Jesus took time from His ministry and stopped and prayed to His Father in heaven. If Jesus needed to do this what makes us think we don't? Another reason I believe we struggle in today's society with taking a “respite” is because we feel guilty or others make us feel guilty. Actually people who take “respites” usually are able to cope with life better and have much to offer to their marriage, children, family, friends, work, ministries, etc... Obviously taking a respite is in no means promoting laziness but a time to rest, reflect and walk away feeling renewed. Recently I requested a respite for a young child that has been living in our home. We had been experiencing quite a few struggles with this child in her behavior and I felt like I was at a point where I was parenting out of frustration instead of being an effective parent in her life. My husband and I talked and agreed we would try a respite and see if it would help her and our family. So during her spring break she spent four nights at another foster home that we're friends with. We knew she would be safe and parented similar to how we parent. We trusted this family completely. During that week I took time to relax, read, pray and just continue to enjoy life with those the Lord has placed around me. She also had a good week at their home. Since she has returned her behaviors have been more back to normal and I feel less frusterated. We share these stories with you in these blog entries not to bring any glory to ourselves but to encourage you. We're all on life's journey together. We may be at different places in our journey but we all still feel emotions along the way. We encourage you to take time to rest. It's ok to say no to things. Our days are not made to be so full that we're so spent we don't have enough time for time for our Lord and family. Enjoy life, do fun things together but also stop and smell the flowers, let the breeze blow against your face and praise the One who created you.

Community Involvement

In our community each year a group of people put on a farmers institute play at our local township hall building. People come from all over to watch this funny, wholesome play. There's 6 nights of entertainment with different businesses and ministries that donate gifts to be given away to people in the audience. FRAME had the privilege of donating gifts this year. FRAME gave out picture frames with info about the ministry and frosty coupons for the children. Would love to hear from anyone who received them and their thoughts on this ministry.
FRAME also had the privilege to sponsor a local softball team. We are excited to bring awareness of fostering and adoption to a new group of people. Please pray for our family as doors are opened to share this ministry with others. We're excited about the opportunities to share FRAME with our community.

Live on the victory side!

I love when I talk to people and they're open and vulnerable about what is going on in their lives. When they don't just say what they think you want to hear. Now mind you, you need to stick around to hear their response. There's no pretenses, just being who we are and not worrying about measuring up to man's standards but knowing that what defines us is who we are in Christ. Recently, actually today, the Lord has helped me understand about something I've been struggling with. I feel led to be open and share this with you all.

Without a doubt God is faithful and forever on His throne and I know that He loves me unconditionally. With all that said I also know we live in a sinful world and we will go through trials and struggles while we're here. More recently I have been stuggling with parts of our foster and adoptive ministry and feeling division in some relationships, particularly with one child. I didn't like the way I was feeling. I would pray about it and talk to others but really felt like I wasn't getting it and feeling delivered from this struggle. I had a dear friend pray with me at church on Sunday. Another dear friend texted me scripture today and a song to listen to by Chris Tomlin called, ”O Lord I need you.” After all the kids had left for school I poured out my heart to God. Before I share more let me remind you I am not sharing this to bring any praise to myself but to praise the One who has strengthened me and to encourage others to seek His face. I knew I needed to settle this with the Lord and as I cried out to Him I let everything else go around me; time, phone, chores, etc... This was top priority. During my time of seeking the Lord I tried with everything that was in me to lay it all at His feet. I knew nothing would change in my struggle unless God changed it. During our time together He revealed Himself, Truth, to me.

Recently I had also surrendered to God the control of pursuing about this little boy we were asked about adopting. I knew God was telling me not to call, text, nothing about this boy and if He wanted him here He would bring him and we would know this was from God. My husband felt the same way. God showed me today that my struggle had intensified after my surrender to Him about the adoption. He also reminded me this was a spiritual battle and even though it may be costly to obey Him, it is even more costly to disobey Him.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10

Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, ”My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

I know this battle isn't over but I also know that greater is HE that is in me than he that is in this world. Obeying the Lord is costly but not obeying Him is even more costly. My heart chooses to obey even though it means I will have struggles. Through the powerful name of Jesus I will choose to honor Him through my struggle.

James 1:2-4

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

I pray you are encouraged by my vulnerability and that you choose to seek the face of God with whatever you're going through. Life isn't always easy but we can live as victors because of Jesus Christ. Live on the victory side!

Adoption journey update!

Update on our adoption journey...

Wanted to update everyone on our adoption journey and where we are in that process currently. Recently we found out that it was not going to work out to be a match for the three girls we inquired about. We're ok with that decision because we only want the child or children that God wants in our home to come. We're happy though that the girls may be getting their forever home soon. During the process of waiting to hear about the girls we were asked about adopting a young boy. We've had this boy in our home in the past for respite and enjoyed our time with him. We were praying and leaning towards a sibling group but maybe the Lord has something else in store for our family.

Isaiah 55:9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

So thankful God knows best.

Also with the little girl we currently have living with us we don't know how things will turn out for her and maybe she will need a forever home someday too. Right now we're continuing to talk together as a family about this and also as a couple and praying about it. We really want whatever happens to be God's plans and not our own. Would appreciate your continued prayers. Thank you!