What are you waiting for?

I think this song speaks volumes all by itself...you don't need my thoughts on it...ooohhh, I have so much to say about it, too :) Sit back...close your eyes and listen to the words of this song...let the Lord speak to your heart...WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE??

You look around and staring back at you
Another wave of doubt
Will it pull you under
You wonder
What if i'm overtaken
What if i never make it
What if no one's there
Will you hear my prayer?
When you take that first step
Into the unknown
You know that he won't let you go

So what are you waiting for
What do you have to lose
Your insecurities
They try to hold to you
But you know you're made for more
So don't be afraid to move
Your faith is all it takes
And you can walk on the water too

So get out and let your fear fall to the ground
No time to waste, don't wait
And don't you turn around, and miss out on
Everything you were made for
Gotta be, I know you're not sure, more
So you play it safe, you try to run away
If you take that first step
Into the unknown
He won't let you go

So what are you waiting for
What do you have to lose
Your insecurities
They try to hold to you
But you know you're made for more
So don't be afraid to move
Your faith is all it takes
And you can walk on the water too

Step out, even when it's storming
Step out, even when you're broken
Step out, even when your heart is telling you,
telling you to give up
Step out, when your hope is stolen
Step out, you can't see where you're going
You don't have to be afraid
So what are waiting, what are you waiting for

So what are you waiting for
What do you have to lose
Your insecurities
They try to hold to you
But you know you're made for more
So don't be afraid to move
Your faith is all it takes
And you can walk on the water,
walk on the water too

Walk On The Water by Brit Nicole

The Shirts are ready....

I have been trying to patiently wait but they are ready...our Solomon Shirts are ready to order!! Woohoo!!! I am soooo excited!! Let's get our boy home!!

Buy them here.

We are super exited to be selling Simply Love CHINA, too!!! These are awesome!!

Raffle....

Our Junk Posse & Solomon Bead raffle is still uh happenin'. Don't miss out on these fabulous, unique pieces!! Details of drawing and giveaway are here!!

We ONLY have 78 more tickets to go...

Tickets are ONLY $5 each

(earn a free chance with every 4 tickets bought)
We are talkin' 4...FOUR prizes!!

Prize ONE:

Original Junk Posse James 1:27 piece & Solomon Beads

Prize TWO:

Custom necklace and pendant

Prize THREE:

Custom bracelet

Prize FOUR:

Custom Earrings

GIVEAWAY

Custom bracelet

*See this post for details*

No words...

I have been thinking and praying about this post since everything transpired on Monday. I have struggled with finding the words to share about what has happened. So, instead of waiting...instead of finding the perfect words...I'm just going to SHOUT IT OUT....shout out what our Lord has done!

God has done something that I've seen Him do for other families. I would sit back and marvel at the miracle and be blessed beyond comprehension so imagine my amazement when it happened to us on Monday.

I received an email through my Etsy shop on Monday. You know...the monday after I wrote THIS post. A precious mama, whom I've NEVER met, wanted to donate to our adoption fund. She was going to talk with her hubby and then get back to me.

Later that afternoon I received an email from her and it said. "I talked to my husband and we decided to send a $2000 donation to go towards your adoption."

Okay, now I'm crying again...I honestly could not stop shaking for like an hour after I received that email. I was so flooded with the love of our Lord...it was just the day before that I had a talkin' to from Him about fear and trust. I mean HONESTLY, who gives $2000 to a complete stranger?? Only our Lord!! I have since learned that this beautiful family is also an adoptive family...again, another amazing God thing! My poor hubby..when I called him bawling and he was worried something was wrong! We are both so deeply blessed by this sweet family's example of selfless giving, their open ears to the Lord, their heart for the orphan, and love for God.

So needless to say, our family is in complete awe that God has once again confirmed that this is OUR son and that He IS going to provide and that I don't need to be afraid. Crazy, hun?!?

Fast Food FAST for Solomon!

God is honestly doing some amazing, crazy, AWESOME stuff to bring our boy home!!! I can't wait to share about what happened yesterday. I honestly don't have words to articulate it quite, yet, but once I do...I will be ah sharin'!!!!!!

Hey...don't forget that our fabulous JUNK POSSE & SOLOMON BEAD raffle is still happening. Tickets are ONLY $5 each with a chance to earn some freebie entries. Go HERE to check it out!!

Anyone interested in doing a

fast food FAST for Solomon??

How much does a typical fast food meal cost you? I know for our family it's about $25

(which is why we haven't eaten out in who knows how long)!

Would you be willing to give up just ONE fast food meal

this week and help us bring our son home?

Think about it...

would you sacrifice just

ONE meal of convenience

to help a precious boy come home to his FOREVER family

and earn tickets for our raffle???

We would be honored & blessed if you would do this for us!

~If feel led to fast food FAST for Solomon & donate what you would have normally spent on that meal, we'd love to know...please leave us a comment here or when you make your donation through the chip-in and let us know that you are boldly making a stand to help us bring our son home~

Scared....

I have been wrestling this week...wrestling with my heart, my mind....with my Lord. The realization that we still need to raise $16,000 to get our sweet son home has caused me fear...a fear I kept telling my heart to let go off. It seems I like I try to talk myself out of fear first, then I collapse at God's feet and ask for peace. WHY don't I do this in the first place? I'd save myself a lot of anguish!

You see...when I say that God will have to provide every penny, I mean...EVERY penny!! Our ONLY option is for the Lord to move mightily to bring our son home!!!!!!

We were driving home from my sister's tonight and I heard the Lord speaking to me so clearly. I was thinking about the fact that we could travel in August/September and I got so excited but then that nasty fear thing crept in and said you still have a lloonngg way to go...where is the money going to come from...it's soooo much money...there is no way it will happen.

Me: Lord, I'm so scared...

God: What are you afraid of?

Me: That we won't raise the money...that we will lose our baby boy

God: You aren't the one raising the money...I am!

Me: But I'm so afraid it won't come in time...I love this sweet boy sooo much...I can't imagine my life without him!

God: I have called this little one to be your son...I will provide!!!!

Then an amazing peace filled my heart...a soothing, gentle peace on my heart and mind. Then I kept hearing over and over in my thoughts..."I love him more than you ever have or ever will!"

I just love how God will allow you to wrestle but will be right there to pick you up when you are exhausted. Thank you, Father, for loving me more than I could ever imagine and for guiding my life! I pray for your perfect peace and guidance as we wait to bring our son home!!

There are 2 main reasons I posted this...1. I know I am weak and I need the Lord's constant reminder so this will serve as a reminder to me when I become scared...2. I know of several families in the same wrestling match and I pray this little post will speak to their hearts and that they will relent and receive the peace that the Lord is waiting to flood them with.

Raffle Time with Junk Posse & Solomon Beads

YES...you heard me right...we are talkin' a raffle with JUNK POSSE and SOLOMON BEADS! We are also talkin' FOUR different prizes! And since we are all talkin'...how about ONLY $5 per ticket!!

There honestly aren't sufficient words to describe my appreciation and complete adoration for Tracy at Junk Posse. I've known this precious mama since way back in the day when she was first making jewelry to help her daughter fundraise for their Ethiopia adoption. I contacted her to make my amazing piece (pictures on my side bar) and the rest is history. God has blessed her business and in return blessed all of us with AMAZING jewelry that screams adoption.

She has, yet again, amazed me with her unbelievable generosity and skills! She has designed this beautiful piece for our family to fundraise with....just LOOK AT IT!!! It reads "Pure and lasting religion in sight of God our Father means that we must care for the ORPHANS and widows in their distress James 1:27" Can you believe it...she stamped that verse 2x's on this gorgeous sterling silver pendant!!!

I've added some Solomon Beads and viola...

Raffle Item #1

(value $110)

Our newest addition to our Solomon Beads...CUSTOM PENDANTS. Our second raffle item can be customized by you with a picture, a verse...whatever your little heart desires!

RAFFLE ITEM #2

Our next item is a Solomon Beads bracelet of your choice.

You pick the colors and charm.

RAFFLE ITEM #3

Our last items in Solomon Bead earrings of your choice.

RAFFLE ITEM #4

Here's how the tickets work:

1. Buy a raffle ticket for $5 and you get 1 chance to win

2. Buy 4 raffle tickets and get 5...FIVE chances to win

3. Buy 8 raffle tickets and get 10...TEN chances to win (and so on.....)

4. Our goal is to sell 100 tickets...once we reach our goal we will then do the drawing.

Oh ya...how about a GIVEAWAY??

How to win a CUSTOM Solomon Bead Bracelet:

1. Post a link on your blog about our raffle and get 1 entry towards a bracelet

2. Post a link on facebook and get 1 entry towards a bracelet

3. If you post a link on both places, you get 2 entries ;)

~you must let me know you've done this though~

You can donate by clicking on the chip-in button on the right hand side.

Honestly...

Could he be ANY cuter?? Just look at this beautiful boy...we just received this update with pictures...

Solomon is a happy and bright, active, lively, and intelligent little boy. He is quite shy, full of energy, with lively active appearance, and behaves well. He likes outdoor activities, like taking a walk, or playing on the slide. He likes to eat. When he is not happy or cries, just give him food (fruit, bread, snack and so on), he will stop weeping, and become happy and eat all the food.

HEHEHE....he's gonna fit in beautifully...my boy loves food just like his mama :) I can not even express how happy it makes me feel to see new pictures of him. It gives me a glimpse into who he is...it also brings me much peace to see he is doing well. Thank you, Lord, for this amazing gift!

Look what I just made :)

Hehehe...wait till I show ya what else I'm makin'....

My Girl & God's calling...Part 1

Well...one of my girls :p I just love this peanut so much! Have you ever met someone you instantly love and you just don't know why...have you ever been around someone who just makes you a better person because they are filled with the joy of the Lord...this is her!!

Our sweet "Tr" introduced us to a world of hope and joy we never knew existed. After the birth of our son, we were eager to become pregnant with our next child. We just knew God had a large family in store for us. We never dreamed that our lives would be devastated with the reality of infertility. Month after month...year 1 then year 2, then year 3...frustrated, confused, discouraged, despaired, and completely devastated can't come close to describing how we were feeling as each month would pass and still no pregnancy.

I struggled with the thoughts of "Maybe I am a terrible mother and God doesn't think I should have anymore kiddos....why can't I be thankful for the one treasure God had given us....why has God given us this desire for more children but isn't fulfilling that desire...." Then I struggled with guilt for not trusting God's plan...not being content in His will for us at the time...for being jealous of all of my friends that were becoming pregnant.... It was a very dark time for this mama.

BUT little did I know that God was molding and shaping my heart...my hubby's heart....He was preparing us for a journey that I had never imagined we would embark on. After 3 years of not understanding, God clearly showed us during our quiet times that He ALONE was in control of our womb. He showed us verse after verse where HE opened and CLOSED wombs. I have to be honest...when I read all of the verses where He closed wombs, I was crushed. I was crushed at the thought that He was telling me that He was closing my womb and that we would not have anymore children. After I scooped myself up and fully grasped that God's plans for me are PERFECT and beautiful, I had peace.

Once I had that peace, I could see that God had another plan for dh and I. It took 3 years of despair and terrible sadness to realize that God's calling for our family was going to be the most AMAZING, UNIMAGINABLE, BEAUTIFUL journey. The journey of adoption but not just any type of adoption...He was calling us to the scary, unknown world of open-domestic adoption :)

I'll leave ya with a current picture of my girl...Part 2 to follow :)