provision

We made it through July...A year ago we were getting ready to move provinces and I specifically remember Riley telling me that next year at this time, things will calmer and we can relax:) I should have known better:)!! This July was full. Full of good things but full. We started off the month with my parents coming down for a week to help us get started on some renovations to our home to get ready for an additional three children. We still have a lot to do but it was a tremendous help and a really good start. We then headed to Saskatoon to coordinate and participate in RUN 143. God is so good and we raised and significant amount of money for orphan care and adoption! It was during this time that we found out about our family court date and started making arrangments to travel. SO the next week I worked, made lists and packed at night. Thanks so some gracious help from my Camrose friends I was able to sneak out at night to do most of my shopping! Riley was already going to be overseas for work so we met up in London and you know the rest of the story about our trip to Ethiopia. So July became just about as full as last year. But God’s hand was in all of it. The timing of things could not have worked out better. We were able to fit everything in that we were committed too. And our court date happened before court closure...Our agency director made a comment that we must have had a lot of people praying for us because the paperwork that needed to come through did (and much faster than first anticipated:) God’s provision. 

A big thing in the international adoption world is finances. It is quite costly to adopt overseas. And it stops many people from even considering it. This is because there are fees for agencies, lawyers, paperwork processing, flights, in country accommodations etc. We went into this adoption eyes wide open to these costs and felt from the very beginning that God would provide. We felt that it was important to steward our money with wisdom and first look at what we had and how we could save differently. During the last year, we have both had opportunities for additional employement (me- more hours for my job and for Riley- some additional weekend preaching). We have seen this not just as more work but as an opportunity to steward more of our money to giving and adoption. And I reminded myself of that a lot when I was at work and not at home with my kiddos:) We have had some very generous surprises and support as well.  And at the end of July, a wonderful friend of ours put her body on the line to run an ultramarathon to raise financial support for our family. As part of this, 4 children in BC (from a family we have never met) also wanted to help out and the kids ran 143 laps each over three days to raise money for us as well. There are really no words to express our gratitude and thankfulness. We are so excited to be a part of something, in which people can come together and support something tangible for His sake. And we pray that our story will somehow give hope and a realness to those considering expanding their family through adoption. 

I write all this not to boast or be prideful, but to encourage and express that God’s provision is there. We were fully ready for the long haul of covering the cost of the adoption. And there is still some of that. BUT, God is full of surprises! The last part of our journey to bring the boys home will happen in about 5-8 weeks. And then it will be the beginning of a likely difficult, but absolutely worth it, journey to blend our family.

So know that, no matter the circumstances- God's provision is very real. It may not necessarily come in the form you would prefer, but I have learned and continue to learn to look for, recognize and be thankful for how He cares for me and our family!

blessings,

Candra