Yard Sale

This past weekend we hosted a yard sale as our first fund raising event to work towards paying for the adoption.  We've felt a little overwhelmed with this part, because of the great amount that we need to raise ($35,000).  When planning this yard sale we both expected very little from it.  We kept making comments like "hopefully we'll get $50 after it's all over."  We spent time praying that we could raise money, but it was with a heart of negativity.  Well, God remained faithful to us as we ended up raising about $1,000!  He sure did prove us wrong.  Lots of friends and family helped by contributing valuable items to sell, and stopping by to donate or purchase some items.  Before you celebrate this victory for us lets get one thing straight.  Our doubt was sin.  God has placed this desire in our hearts to achieve, and we didn't trust Him to bring this desire to fulfillment.  We say that we serve a great God, and that He will provide us with everything we need, yet we don't come to Him with great expectations.  Not to say that God will grant us anything that we want.  The whole adoption process is going to show much about God to us, and part of the point of this blog is to share that with you.  Throughout life we are all going to meet great challenges and hardships.  The Bible is very plain and clear about that.  As our great friend Kendall Keeler shared in his sermon today, God does not desire to save us from our hardships, but through them.  We will have trouble in this life, but we are always being lead by the mighty and loving hand of a great Saviour.  The task of adoption is a great task with many challenges ahead for us.  This next year will stretch us more than we have before, but we will not fail.  We will follow the path God has laid out for us, and at the end we will be holding our children in our arms.  Nothing will stop us from achieving this.  From this day forward we expect great things from our Great God.  We hope you do as well.