The Richest Man I've Ever Met

http://voightsinmalawi.blogspot.com/2011/08/richest-man-ive-ever-met.html

Deuteronomy 15:11

Today we sent away all our papers to immigration and Lifesong. This is definately a huge step forward: to have these completed, in the mail and literally on their way-- to bring us one step closer to our little guy.

My parents were in Zambia for a couple weeks and returned friday night. They were building homes for orphans for “My Father’s House” with "Every Orphan's Hope" and also helped in their summer bible school ministry. To adopt a child in that country you must live there for a couple years and get through a lot of red tape (as in any international adoption). So most orphans in Zambia remain orphans and in poverty for their entire life.

My mom is not a dramatic person and is not rattled easily, but on three different occasions this week, she has said with so much emotion, “...there were just so many. I could have very easily brought home a dozen kids with me.”

I love it that Mom and Dad are walking their talk and their kids, son-in-laws and grandkids are watching this. Last year Michael and I recieved a great blessing, to which my mom added, “Pray that we would hold all God’s gifts with an open hand.” which I keep posted in our home in plain sight.

Please keep praying that God will move swiftly as we are anxious to watch miracles unfold!

http://www.everyorphan.org/orphanhomes.aspx

10

Ten years ago today, God saw fit to bless me with an amazing man as my husband.

Thankful doesn’t even come close to describing my feelings as I remember the past decade with Michael.

God is good.

Psalm 145

I will extol you, my God and King,

and bless your name forever and ever.

Every day I will bless you

and praise your name forever and ever.

Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised,

and his greatness is unsearchable.

One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
and I will declare your greatness.
They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
The LORD is good to all,
and his mercy is over all that he has made.

All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
and all your saints shall bless you!
They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
and tell of your power,
to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

[he LORD is faithful in all his words
and kind in all his works.
The LORD upholds all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
You open your hand;
you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and kind in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.
The LORD preserves all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD,
and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

We are waiting for a call.

Or an email. Or both.

Which is the first of many calls and emails we will be waiting for. Yesterday we met with our case worker, Heather-- for one of the last times --and hopefully our home study will be declared complete. Next week Michael and I hope to put in our application to have Lifesong for Orphans partner with us in our efforts to bring a little guy into our family, but we will keep you up to date as information is given. Anyone who has gone through this process with an “amazing” (for lack of a better word) case worker will agree with us when we say that it is hard to allow this person to drift to the rear lines of battle when they have lead you and coached you so far through this. But even though we feel a bit abandoned it’s where the rubber meets the road.

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust."

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.

Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place―
the Most High, who is my refuge―
no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

"Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation."

This week our family has found ourselves surrounded by our christian brothers and sisters and so much encouragement from them. The Lord has been faithful to us as we prayerfully seek godly wisdom. He has opened our eyes to answers and knowledge that we have waited so long for. Even as I write this my heart feels like it is overflowing.

To all of those who prayed for mom and our friends from church, thank you for interceding on their behalf and on behalf of their efforts! They returned home last week with amazing stories of how God turned their circumstances into blessings. They were able to help so many children (and adults) who were in need. If you look up in the dictionary, of what it means to be in need, you will find this adjective described as:

“in a condition of need or want; poverty-stricken;

impoverished; extremely poor; destitute.”

For all of you who have been to a country such as Ethiopia, you will recall that this definition rings true, but lacks the emotion and all five of the human senses, as detailed images of the landscape, children, worn workers, feeble beggars, lame elderly, dirty animals, garbage, flies, mud... dance through your memory. And you left behind those who thirst but have no clean water; hunger but cannot find enough food; wounds that are open and infected but are without ointment and bandages; tiny fingers, ears, toes and eyes that only need a little nutrition but are supplied with nothing.

Michael reminded me a couple days ago that God doesn’t need us. He doesn’t need our money, our food or any of our donations or time. He could address all of these needs instantaneously. So when we anxiously ask a sovereign God why He hasn’t, we get an answer. And the answer is found in your obedience to Him.

headed south, sporadically passing small villiages

alongside a dirt road towards "Hope Ethiopia"

Children at Wolisso

girls at "Hope Ethiopia"

Elevator Music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oonEhvwJtic&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Well while we are slowly getting more confused about notaries, referral letters, I-600A timelines and medical letters, here is some waiting music for ya! You can either click on "elevator music" above, or cut and paste the above youtube address! Mandi Mapes is my (well...one of my) favorite artist and is a worship leader at Brook Hills in Alabama, where David Platt is the pastor...anyway, look her up! Her actual website (and blog) is really neat and you can listen to her sweet voice!

www.mandimapes.com

SO WE'VE GOT IT. our information & acceptance letter from Children's Hope came while we were in VA visiting Matthew & Angel, Michael's fam out east. THANK YOU to all those who prayed about this with us. Despite some changes in the agency, and as of this week, even changes in the ET government, we are completely positive that this is the direction God is leading. What can we do but follow!?! Today we learned that some Ethiopian orphanages were being closed down by the government but our agency is picking up another orphanage as well, PTL! Today we had our last training day with our homestudy and things keep moving right along. I think we are about to have a huge wake up call when we hit what I like to call "an opportunity to learn patience." I have never done this before, but know that it is right around the corner. I know this is a short update...I'll try to get on here in a couple days when we get more info.

WE WANT TO ASK FOR PRAYER today for my family. Mom left today with some friends with Ordinary Hero to Ethiopia to advocate for orphans and do missions work...a GREAT team of people and with God's help will move mountains, of this we are sure. Also my baby sis and her family arrived safely a few days ago in Malawi Africa and are trying to settle into their missions organization, home and new life there. ALSO my sis Laura and her family moved last weekend to Milwakee for three years and with two little guys, you can imagine the transitions they will be going through. Thanks again for praying along side us guys...God is so good.

Prayer request

Waiting to be accepted by Children's Hope International. Our letter went out thursday and we have already been contacted by them. As of yesterday there were a few things we went over with them in a phone conversation. Please pray for right decisions to be made concerning the age of the little guy we are bringing home. This organization prefers to stay within birth order and this might change a few details in our home study as well as waiting time and even what was initially on our hearts. A friend :) gave me good advice yesterday, just to earnestly seek out what God laid on our hearts to begin with. Thanks for praying.