I started writing this blog with two main goals in mind…
#1 – to give my children the gift of memories
My children have no baby pictures. They have no stories about their first words or their first steps. But I want them to have the story about their first days as a part of our family. One day I want them to read these words and know how much we loved them and prayed for them and fought for them. I want them to know it was the desire of my heart to make them mine.
#2 – to direct attention towards Jesus Christ
God is alive and working, my friends. He is powerful and mighty. He is in the business of healing and restoring. He creates families. “Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families.” Psalms 68:5-6
I want the story of what God has been doing in our family to cause people to stop and think. I want our lives to demonstrate a passion for something that is not of this world. I want the miracles that God has performed in my life to be like stones dropped in a pond, the ripples of which spread out and touch many others.
God has used our adoption story as a vehicle for His message. We have had the opportunity to talk to so many people that we otherwise might never have met. We have been asked to share our story with our church family, at a local Rotary club meeting, and on our local news channel.
When KRCR first contacted us about doing a short segment about our family, Scott and I talked about whether or not we should say yes. Would this be too much attention/stimulation for our children? Would they be overwhelmed by the camera in the middle of their school time/play time? Would they behave themselves and not embarrass us on television 🙂 ? But we realized that this was one more opportunity to spread God’s story just a little bit further. The chance to say to anyone who is watching, “Look at what God did! Isn’t He awesome?”
So yesterday morning, Mike Mangas showed up with his camera.
The biggest challenge was keeping our children from loving his camera a little too much!
Mike interviewed both Scott and I and he asked many questions about why we decided to adopt. We used this opportunity to say the name of God as many times as we could!
I was so happy with the way our little segment turned out. We were allowed the opportunity to talk about God and all that He is doing in our family on public television! Here is a link to our story….
Blessings!
Natalie
so proud of your proclaiming GODS name in the amazing-ness of your adoption. i love that you continue to blog. it brings such encouragement to me. ah! you have no idea. still waiting for our judge to sign some papers for us. but i often think of your process & see GODS goodness in all of it! way to show others JESUS!!!!!
What a lovely news piece. Thank you for sharing how God had blessed you and supported you through all the ups, downs and in between through your blog. Your faith is such a wonderful example to all of us.
I have been following your blog and story for awhile, and it is such an inspiration. I work for a non-profit that takes wheelchairs to children in developing countries, and Ethiopia is on our list for the summer. We are praying for the support to make it happen. I shared your story on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Feel free to check it out at facebook.com/yewths-roc. Thank you for all you have done, and you all are in my prayers.
The ripples are definately spreading… Thank you for being open in sharing your story. It is a blessing!