It's the Last day of the Miracle of Adoption Christmas Campaign!!!

Hello all!

I just wanted to share with you an update on the Reece's Rainbow adoption agency's Miracle of Christmas Campaign that I have been sharing throughout the month! The goal for this campaign was to raise $1,000 for each of the little ones on the angel tree, to help their future families in the adoption process, and to raise awareness for their need for a home. You can learn more on Reece's Rainbow's site, but I wanted to share a special little boy with you one last time; Scott.

Scott is the little boy that I have been advocating for this year, and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the help that you have been to this little one. We have raised over 600 dollars for his account, and that is truly amazing. THANK YOU for all the money, prayers, and shares that you have given for this little man!

Scott is about five years old now, and has many special needs... But the most important special need? He needs a family. 

And for a family to adopt him is going to mean adoption fees and for them to see his page, and we have the ability to help that happen! Scott is still under goal, as are many of the children this year, and he needs just over $360 more to get to goal, by midnight tonight. Would you consider helping one more time? A donation of a dollar, five, fifteen, twenty-seven... Whatever you could spare, it has the potential to change this little boy's life forever. And that is amazing! And every time you share Scott's page, it has the potential to change his life forever. So today, would you please consider doing that? Donate to his account, or tell someone about this campaign, or pray for Scott to get the funds and family he needs. We have less than 13 hours left to make a difference for Scott during this campaign! His account can be found here: https://reecesrainbow.org/104445/scott-2 . And thank you, so much, for your help! I appreciate each and every one of you!

And a happy New Year's Eve to everyone <3! 

Rejoicing in Hope,
Bri

Miracle of Adoption Christmas Campaign ✽ Meet Scott

Lookie who's back already ;). You knew you couldn't get rid of me, didn't you?! Haha :). I wanted to share some news with you today, so I hope you don't mind very much ;).

Welcome to November! I always love the start of a new month, but today is extra special, because the Miracle of Adoption Christmas Campaign is open as of today!!! This means that from now to the 31st of December, Reece's Rainbow Adoption Agency is trying to raise 1,000 dollars for each of the sweet babies on the "Angel Tree"! This is something I look forward to each year, seeing all the awareness raised for each of the children and watching their accounts move up the tree, from 0 to 100 to 500 to 1,000... and knowing that it's helping each of those children have a better chance at being placed in a forever family to love them and protect them <3. In the past, I have donated to an account or two (usually the one furthest down on the tree, because it makes my choice easiest, because, in the words of Abbi, how do you choose how to help?!). But this year, I really wanted to do something a little more involved, and so, I am little Scott's advocate this year! You've already seen Scott on my blog last week, but please be introduced to him a little more formally...

You can visit Scott's page for more information HERE.

How do you choose who to help? It's so hard, truly, and I would love to see all of these children climb the 1,000 dollar wall this year, so please, help wherever you want! But, I chose to sponsor Scott specifically for a couple of different reasons. I started out looking through the files of 0-5 year old boys with "other" special needs on purpose because I knew that 1. Reece's Rainbow is known for their down syndrome focus, so many people would be choosing from the down syndrome pages, and 2. it's a known fact in adoption that boys are harder to place than girls, and so I wanted to up one of these little guys accounts, so that when a family came along for him, they had as much help as possible :). Then I combed through the pages, opened several accounts, narrowed down to the three who touched my heart with the least amount in their grants, and asked to be assigned one of the three, haha :). Scott's story definitely touched me - he's a little fighter, that's for sure! He'll be about 4 years old now, and I would love to hear that this little one who has been through so much was placed in a home!

I would be thrilled if any of you would like to donate to Scott's account - or to pray that he would find a loving, godly family to call his own! When you donate to a child's account, 10% of the money is dispersed in other children's accounts, as well, so you will really be helping multiple children :)! The goal is for Scott's MACC account to be at $1,000 by December 31st, and I can't wait to see what God will do with this year's campaign, not just for Scott, but for all of these little ones on the tree this year! And I want to thank each of you right now for every bit of help that you give <3!

Rejoicing in Christ,
Bri <3

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." James 1:27

A Penny Parcel ✽ Miracle of Adoption Christmas Campaign

A friend wrote me a few months ago and told me about a book she had just read that she thought I would love, which I put on my "to get sometime list"... and then received for my birthday, after Mama begged this list off of me, haha ;).

I hadn't picked it up yet, just because I don't start a book without the perfect atmosphere (#perfectinistprocrastinatorproblems), but last Monday I woke up a little earlier, and I knew that the rest of my week was going to be rather busy, so after catching up in my bible reading I decided to read the first chapter... and ended up reading a few ;). 

I'm not even half way through the book yet, but I am already admiring the unusually open style of this book in dealing with hard things. While a book about a little girl finding a family, it is NOT all sunshine and roses - especially when she finds her family. I'm eager to see where this book goes as I continue reading (and hopeful that one of my favorite characters so far might show up again, ha...). 

While I have been reading through this book, in little snatches of time (after I start the book, I don't have to wait for the perfect time, as long as the chapters are short ;) ), I have been finding myself thinking of the Miracle Of Adoption Christmas Campaign, held annually by Reece's Rainbow.

The truth is, a lot of the components of this story remind me of the blog posts that I read every year by families who have adopted through Reece's Rainbow's agency. Fear. Trauma. The inability to emotionally except love after how these children have felt hurt for so long. How hard it is for the parents to know what is right in their plans to enable their children to move on from the past's hurts of all kinds. Not all of the families have found it as difficult as others. Some families find the physical disabilities of their children more daunting than the emotional. Sometimes they bring their children home and are amazed by how much less they are dealing with then they were told they would be required to when committing to their child.

Yes, in many ways, these adoptions are different than the one described in "A Penny Parcel". Many times, it's nothing like what Ashley and her adopted family go through. But in other cases, in other ways, it's very similar. Emotional and hard.

But you know something else? Every year, as I read these blogs, I notice something else. All these blogging families who take part in the MACC after their own adoptions all agree on two things.

Yes, it's hard.

But it's worth it.

THEY are worth it. 

And no matter how hard it is, they encourage all those they can to get involved in helping these little ones to find their forever family, and to help grow their adoption funds, as fast as they can. So that no more pain and hurt and neglect/inability to get proper care causes them to suffer any more. 

The MACC runs from November through December every year, and there are several ways we can help, no matter how "little" we feel we have to gives. Prayers, time, advocacy, and yes, money if possible. As we are about to head into November, can I ask that you would pray about whether you should help this ministry in some way this Christmas season? If you could help even one child this year? Could possibly help one precious little one like Scott this Christmas?

We never know how our little may be used by God to change the course of one of these lives <3!

Rejoicing in Hope,
Bri <3

Fall Party

Look at that precious little baby <3!

And look at that sky <3! 

We had a respite tonight at the church that I volunteer with, helping out with some of their special needs programs. I've been working with these programs for about two years now, and I absolutely love it! It's definitely something that is dear to my heart. I absolutely love investing in the families that the church reaches out to, and even more so I love investing in the individuals that we serve - it's been such a privilege to be a part of their lives! And the ladies who head up the program are just so sweet, as well, it is a joy to work alongside them.

Tonight we loaded up the church buses and drove over to one of the family's homes - they have a farm, and so it's the perfect setting for outdoor activities! I had actually never been to the farm before (although I hear raving reviews about it all the time ;)!), because I missed the October respite last year, but I am told that the fall party is an annual occurrence, and always a big hit. It was such a neat setting for the evening, with a huge yard big enough for our 50+ group, tables set up outside, and we did a hot dog dinner with sides. And hayrides for everybody in weather that was deliciously fallish, for a SC evening! Then there was a surprise waiting for everybody - one of the ladies has been trying to set up a K-9 unit demonstration for some of our members who are obsessed with K-9s/sheriffs/police cars all summer, and it worked out that she was able to bring them out tonight. That was such a fun addition to the evening!

Several of the group members brought treats to share with their friends. Let me just tell you, if you want to see generousity, this place is the place to go - all the participants share everything they have, and all of the workers share so much of their time and their effort, it's just so inspiring to be around them! There were horses and puppies, bubbles and fall decor and activities set out - and a gorgeous sunset thrown in as well <3! It was a perfect evening for our outing, we were having so much fun that we barely made it back to the church in time for pick ups!

This ministry has been wonderful to be involved with. I started out, hoping to be able to bless others... but I truly get at least as many blessings from getting involved as I could ever give, and it's such a fulfilling way to invest in this passion of mine! While it confirms to me that I do want to pursue doing this further in my life, it's also something that, even if I didn't want to take it further, I would be happy to invest in. And I think that that is important, to find some way to reach out in the community around you and do something that will make an impact in the Lord's kingdom! Isn't it amazing to think that He has given us a part to play in getting His love out to other people? Obviously, He is God... He is all-powerful, and so He doesn't NEED us to help... but He chose to ALLOW us to be able to work along side Him (through Him!). And He made it so meaningful to us to be able to do, not a burden to check off our list... I just find it amazing, and I love it so much :)!

Friends in the Gospel

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." -Proverbs 17:17

Friendships are something to be cherished - whether between family members or those outside of your immediate family, each person that you have a friendly relationship with has the potential to be one of the ways that the Lord enriches your life and prepares you for the work that He has for you. I don't know about you, but I find simple acts of friendship, not only from friends, but from family, and, even, at times, strangers, to be the moments that I most appreciate in life.

But what makes a friend? 

Friends usually have common ground between them. The more similarities that you have with someone, the more likely you are to get to know them more and have a mutual sympathy that builds up that relationship. Maybe it's your love of an underrated book or errily similar life goals, but you probably first talked about something that made you think, "wow, this is neat, I'd like to get to know them more!" before you actually became friends with this person. Sometimes the common ground may simply be your age, and that you feel like you can relate to the stage of life that the other is in. There are also many similarities, in tastes or situations, that can be shared between different age groups as well, and there is a lot to be gained in that difference in perspective that you each will be able to bring! But as a Christian, we have a common ground that "glues" us to other believers that others do not have. 

One of my favorite parts of the letters of Paul is the wonderful greetings he includes in each letter... greetings like, "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now." -Philippians 1:3-5

"Because of your partnership in the gospel". I love the story of how God used Paul. I love the personality we get from his writings, inspired by God, but also very much a part of who he was himself. Paul was eager for the truth, was not afraid of holding unpopular opinions, was firm to hold all believers to the path of righteousness... but Paul had an abiding love for people. He preached to the unsaved because he cared for them; he shepherded the church because he loved them. He literally wrote letters to people he had never met before that demonstrated a deep love and concern for them. And in the age before the ability to converse together freely and get to know each other through texts and emails, what was it that made Paul love these people deeply? They were partners in the gospel. They were heirs to the kingdom together. They were all bonded with a common thread, a life changed by God through no work of their own. That was who they were - and it bonded them together whether they had met or not, because it bonded them together for eternity. 

And because they were living in, but not of, this world together, it gave them a unique sympathy and love for each other. It was the driving force behind their friendship, and it created a desire to "bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). By prayer. By exhortation. By example, rejoicing, weeping. By working together, serving together, serving each other, serving Christ. 

As Christians, we are not just privileged to uphold one another; we are commanded by scripture - "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25) God did not make mankind to be alone; He planned from the very beginning that we would work together and serve together, love each other and sympathize with each other. And even though, in our sinful nature, we may have friendships that are not in that perfect order of using our gifts to serve God together, we have never stopped needing each other to exceed in many areas of our lives. But when God brings our heart back to it's intended state of friendship with Him, it also brings to our earthly friendships a greater purpose and meaning, one unique and joyful, by our partnership in this gospel.

So, as we look forward to our day of worship on the morrow, let's also look forward to our ability to edify other members of the body of Christ who join us in this worship. We are partners, friends, in the gospel, and we can serve Christ far better together than we can apart. 

Rejoicing in Hope,

Bri ❤

Ever Singing, March We Onward

"Joyful, joyful, we adore thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
hearts unfold like flowers before thee,
opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
drive the dark of doubt away.
Giver of immortal gladness,
fill us with the light of day!"

Today, in VA, a memorial service is being held for a dear friend, who invested so much into so many, a man with a passion for Christ and a passion for music - our former choir director.

Mr. Walter Pendleton was gentle and kind to everyone he spoke to, but he had a firmness that won respect, as well. Even now, 4 years later, I find myself hearing my head repeat, almost every Sunday, "Remember - we WILL be observing the commas. I know it doesn't sound like much, but if you will listen, you will see what a difference that makes in our singing." This is usually followed in my mind by a fellow choir member's question - "How are we going to pronounce this word so that we are all on the same page?" There are just certain things that you have to think about a little harder when you have varying degrees of southerners all singing the same song. (My favorite answer to that question was the time that we were told, "we will pronounce THIS 'the' as 'the', and THIS 'the' as 'thuh'" - in the same song).

When Tori and I joined the choir at Friendship, we were "bribed" by a couple of the members of our church - one of our friends even told us that she would join choir, at least when she could (she was also the fill-in pianist and frequently the page-turner), if it would get us there - which she did, helping us settle in, that first time. We were welcomed with open arms and hearts, and our first introduction to public singing could not have been more pleasant. We were about 30 years younger than the next youngest singer, and so we quickly became known to the choir members as "our two little girls", and it was truly a second home to me, with lots of adopted grandparents to look after us while we were so far from our family.

It wasn't long after we joined that Mr. Walter started facing terrible health issues, often being hospitalized for weeks at a time - but he always supervised us from his hospital bed, picking the songs to go with Pastor Todd's notes, asking how everyone was doing, coming right back to choir as soon as he would be discharged, always eager to lead worship to the Lord he loved. His dedication was astounding, and when he finally truly could not physically make it anymore, we were all saddened over the very big hole it left in our choir. But even at that point, he still took an interest in the church, encouraged us by making an effort to show up to any special service or music ministry, no matter how much help he needed. And frequently he would send word to Tori and I via Miss Mary Lou, our pianist - "Mr Walter asked me if our two little girls were still coming to choir, and I told him, yes. He wanted you to know he was thinking of you, he loves that some young people joined our choir."

He was compassionate, he was gentle, he was firm, he knew what he was doing, and knew how to impress on us that our work was not about our talent, but about serving our heavenly Father in one of the areas he had directly commanded in scripture. But he also knew how to remind us that we needed to do the best we could with our talents, because the One we were using them for was worthy of our best. He never did tell me whether I was alto or soprano... but it didn't matter. He taught me that music could be an act of service and an act of love, and that was enough.

We left VA about a year after he had to leave his position, and we haven't had much contact since then, but this last week, I got the news that Mr. Walter had moved on to a better choir - directly at the feet of our Savior, to worship Him forever. It wasn't unexpected, but it did take me aback a bit. I shed a few tears, because no matter the fact that, given the distance, we aren't directly touching each others lives now, the truth is, he will always touch mine, because of who he was and the example he set for all of us in his choir. He did not ask us to do anything that he was not willing to do himself, and he showed that over and over and over again. And while his time in my life was comparatively short in light of the many full years he lived, he made a wonderful impact on my life, one for which I am grateful. 

"Mortals, join the mighty chorus
which the morning stars began;
love divine is reigning o'er us,
binding all within its span.
Ever singing, march we onward,
victors in the midst of strife;
joyful music leads us sunward,
in the triumph song of life." 

P.S.... read this, too. Written by our Pastor in VA, this perfectly sums up Mr. Walter. Both of these men worked together so well to bring God's truth to our church, and it has blessed so many <3. 

Whereas it was in Your Heart ✽ 1 Chronicles 6

(Quick note before I dive into this blog post... that picture of the metal heart? That's a picture of the metal workings on a canon at Jamestown. It always makes me laugh a little bit that we found that there!)

I have been continuing to read through the bible once again, and am currently in 2 Corinthians. I don't usually go through this slowly, but I have changed up how I go about my devotions once again, gong through the bible and doing bible studies at the same time, and so it's working out well for me to go at slower pace for my read-through. I like to try to read through the whole bible at least once every year :). I'm also doing chronological right now, which is neat :).

Solomon just dedicated the temple in my reading, and says these words, which, coupled with some of the things that are shared in the passages leading up, really stood out to me this time, despite having read them many times before:

"But the Lord said to David my Father, 'Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. Nevertheless, it is not you who shall build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name." -2 Chronicles 6:8&9

David had a desire that he would be able to provide the ark of the covenant a permanent resting place in Israel, and that they would have a house dedicated to the worship of their God, a way to show their respect and reverence for the one true God. This was a wonderful desire, and a thing that anyone would assume he was called to do, as it was on his heart; but God told him no.

David's reign had been to bring peace to the land of Israel, but because that endeavor had cost much in the way of war, God told David he was not to build the temple; he was to leave this to his son, who would come into a kingdom already secured in peace. But God does't tell David that he needs to forget that desire, in fact, He tells David, "you did well that it was in your heart". Just because it didn't fall to David to bring about this work, didn't mean it was a bad thing that he longed for it.

And so David didn't give up that longing to see the temple of the Lord build. He didn't disobey and build it anyway, and he knew he would never actually see the finished project. But he didn't huff and sit back because he couldn't be the one privileged to carry out the job. Instead, he still wanted to see to it that he did all he could do to make sure that his son was able to carry out this desire. He couldn't build the temple himself, but he could provide for his son all that he would need to build it after David was gone.

We read in 1 Chronicles 28 that David had put extensive work into drawing up the plans for the temple. David divided up the work between the Levites, David drew the plans for the building, David gathered up the materials needed, and David encouraged the people in the coming work. David may not have built the temple, but he enabled the Israelites to do so as far as he was able.

And that was just really beautiful to me, and it made me think, what desires are on our hearts? They may be noble, godly desires, but our circumstances may hold us back from accomplishing the work. Do we give up in despair? Do we try to pretend that the desire is not there? Do we maybe think that it's not fair that we can't do something that fills us with so much passion?

Our circumstances might be temporary, or the Lord might never change them. Are we holding onto the fact that someday it will be different and just gritting our teeth until things change? If they never change, will we have wasted our entire life waiting?

I know a wonderful woman who loves children, would love to bring up a family someday, and would love to foster. But her circumstances don't allow that right now. But she hasn't left that stop her; she works with children all the time, giving their families help in bringing them up, and frequently babysits for fostering and adoptive families for free as a ministry, enabling them to continue on with their good work refreshed and supported. Just like David, she may not be allowed to fulfill that desire directly, but she hasn't ignored it; instead, she expresses it through another channel, enabling others to do what she herself feels called to. Which in turn means she is also doing what she was called to do, it just looked differently than she expected at this time! I think it's something we all could learn from. Because sometimes, yes, we just aren't working hard enough (that's a whole other side to this, that I won't get into; if you know that you could do what you are called to do and won't, that's totally different!), but what do we do when it's truly impossible to do what we thought we were called to do? Might we be trying to accomplish the work in ways we weren't meant to?

So what about us? What are our heart desires that don't seem to be able to tangibly work out? How could we re-direct those good things into something useful? Who has the right circumstances for that work, but needs enabled or mentored or encouraged or supported in actually accomplishing it? Can we offer that to them, and follow the ministries the Lord has laid on our heart in a way that may feel less direct, but is just as needed? Because who knows, maybe that is just why it has been laid on our hearts!

Rejoicing in Hope,
Bri

PJ Party for Pleven!

We've been working on Thanksgiving cooking this afternoon, and the cranberry sauce, which I will absolutely not be eating ;), is making the kitchen smell wonderfully delicious and Christmas-y. Too bad it's taste does not appeal to me...

But, while I am waiting for the maple twist to finish rising, I wanted to share this with you :).

In a few weeks, one of the ladies who has adopted from Pleven (for those of you who remember me talking about Penny, this is her Mama) is getting a chance to go back to Pleven. There is a need for 90 pairs of pajamas in the orphanage, and her family is raising the money to provide those. They need it quickly, though, if she is going to be able to take them with her, which would be best. You can read more about what is going on here. Prayers and donations would be so helpful to them! You can also join their FB group to keep an eye on their progress.

While she is there, she will be getting to interact with several of the little ones there... several sweet little ones, 3 and under, who have recently been listed, and others among the older ones, including adorable Owen and precious Tiya. These two have been on Reece's Rainbow for several years now. I can not wait for their families to see them! During this holiday season, they have no family to celebrate with. How thankful we can be that we are blessed with people we love being around us!

I need to be finishing up my maple twist now :). I hope you each have a blessed Thanksgiving!!!

Hidden Treasures, April 2015

The Hidden Treasures auction is up in full swing, and there are just three days left to go and gain some fun items while helping out a family bringing home a treasure! You might want to take a look around, maybe bid, or just pray... every little bit helps! If you could pray for the auction coordinator, as well, her family could really use it right now.

I am so thrilled that these auctions are back in swing... I've really missed them! The little boy this auction is for, Brandon, was in the process of being adopted a while ago, but then the paperwork ran into a wall and the family had to back down. But Brandon is now super close to being funded to go home to his forever family... the same one who had to step down, but were able to step back up for him recently, so he already has a neat story :)!

An afternoon...

Spent with these smiling faces, iced coffee, "Piano Guys" music, ribbon, sparkles, and glue! We're getting some last items ready for the Hidden Treasures auction that starts in five days :)!!!! Abbi and Emmi made their own little hair things this time :)! They have wanted to send in donations for a while now, and it finally worked out :)... I love their eagerness to do whatever they can to bless others :)!

Knit Together in Love Ministry

For those of you who love to crochet or knit and may want to use your talents to bless others this winter season, here is a fun opportunity! You can make a scarf, in any pattern or color, that measures 4" by 30" or bigger, and send it in to Ashley of "A Stay at Home Daughter". She will then get them to missionaries who will take them out to needy orphans and elderly people who need them :). I "joined" last year, but didn't realize that there was a deadline until too close to the deadline, and didn't actually get them mailed :P. Just to let you know that there IS a deadline, and it is January 10th of 2015 :). I'll definitely be sending in last year's scarves and making a couple more this year, and if any of you would like to join, I know that it would be a great blessing to those who receive them :)! There is also a new opening in the same project this year. As the ministry has grown,  the need for local coordinators has come up, if that is something you are interested in! For more information and the mailing address, visit http://stayathomedaughter.com/ :).

In Christ,

Bri :)