Stepping Out in Faith

Every year as the new year rings in, people decide on a New Year's Resolution. It usually involves losing weight, excising more,  eating healthier, or things like that. At first, I was going to make that kind of resolution. But then I started talking to a friend of mine who is also adopting. Their family is also short on their funds for their adoption. We found out that another family is as well. So instead of making a New Year's Resolution that was about me and my life, I wanted to make one that would help others. 

This year my New Year's Resolution is to set up a fundraiser for not only our family but for other families that have more than $10,000 to raise and are facing a travel date in the very near future!

I am praying that this fundraiser will work, and if it does, I will continue this fundraiser once EVERY YEAR as long as Reece's Rainbow is running, to benefit three families who are struggling to get their funding. I want to be the stone that creates a ripple effect that can continue from person to person. I want to make a difference not just in the life of one family, but in the life of as many children and families as I can. I want to help these families bring their children home! There are also some other families that while they do not have as much to raise, still need all the help they can get. I will become an advocate for these families as well. You will see their beautiful children on the side of my blog. Please, take a moment and look at their children, look at their name, look into their eyes, and do not turn away. Learn more about these families who have also stepped out in faith and offer them your prayers and support.

Why is this important to me?

When we committed to Sydney and Lucien they did not have any grant money, no angel tree money, no warrior money. However, we did receive a blessing that before we had become "official" in our commitment, Lucien did get a little bit of angel tree money, and people can still donate to him, even though he is not able to get any of the angel tree benefits such as matching donor money. 

The whole purpose of the angel tree is to help children FIND their families and since we have found him, that extra help is gone. Some children have been listed a long time, they need the extra boost to help encourage a family to reach out and open their hearts to a child. 

It is very scary stepping out in faith, and wondering if you will be able to raise the money in time. When stepped out, we stepped out knowing that we would have to put all our trust in God for this one. $30,000 is NOT easy to raise. We have raised (counting our money we have saved) $5000. We still need to raise $25,000. We have until around April to raise this. 

We hope to encourage other families and be an inspiration to families who see children who have little or no grant money or warrior/angel tree money. We want these families to know that they can step out in faith and others will be willing to step up and help them. 

YES, it is scary! This is the scariest thing I have ever done. Each day I have to force myself to NOT compare our fsp to others. I have to tell myself to NOT get discouraged. I have to tell myself that God works on HIS time NOT mine. And I have to believe that we WILL be ok, we WILL be able to make it to Sydney and Lucien, and we WILL be holding our babies and bringing them back home sometime in April/May.
One of the hardest things for me is that I feel like I am having to step out of my comfort zone. I am normally a somewhat quiet person who just really loves to spend time with my family. I would rather sit down and play Scrabble or Sorry Sliders with my family than go out shopping or to parties. I find myself putting myself out there now, trying to tell everyone about the wonderful work that Reece's Rainbow is doing and how children with special needs ARE worth it. They are so very worth it! 

I want others to find their special little love too. I want to see other families bring their little ones home. I have to give everything to God, put it all in his hands, because this is one of those times when there is only ONE set of footprints in the sand. God is carrying me today, I am leaning on him. And I know, he will see us through.
I am so blessed to have him to lean on, and I know that it will all work out, I am certainly having to learn patience and taking an extra helping of faith. Please keep us in your prayers. Please pray that we will be able to get our little ones home and in doing so, we will inspire others to set out in faith as well, and be willing to commit to children who have little to no funds to start with. Let's show that it CAN be done!
Please pray! 




I want to tell you about a little girl. Shannon is only five years old and has already been transferred to an adult mental institution. Her family is VERY close to their goal and just needs to raise $3000. Stay tuned to hear more about Shannon!! I will be featuring her in our blog tomorrow along with an amazingly adorable picture of her!! I can hardly wait to share her story!!