The Fate’s Adoption Journey

Maria & Danielle Fate Update

2009-12-15T19:08:00.000-08:00

Maria & Danielle first day of High School for 2009.

It has been over year and half since we adopted the girls. I thought I would catch you up with what's going on in their lives and ours. Boy has God allowed us all to grow through this journey. If you get a chance review the pictures now and before they came to America. Audrey has been an awesome example in their lives, I don't know how we could have journeyed this without the Lord leading the way and what a grand trip it been.

After we adopted the girls we found everything that we would do in our culture was in complete contrast to how they would do things. We were not prepared for the cultural change for instance; they didn't say "thank you" when we would do something nice for them, or they would never say "I'm sorry..."It's not that they did anything wrong we just did things different.

Maria & Danielle met their friend Ellie Smith that they knew from their orphanage in Lou Yang. We met-up in Bend Oregon this last Labor day weekend. The girls were thrilled!!!

These are the staples of good citizenship here in the U.S.A. so you can only imagine a few of the storm clouds that erupted from time-to-time. "But time shows true motivation of our hearts and we don't live by explanation but by the promises of God." Warren Wiersbe. God was able to grow us through this time. I have a entirely different view of how and why people do things that differ from the way we do them. We all agreed we would not trade in the last year and half for anything, but all agreed between the differences of our language, culture, food and faith that it stretched us all more than we imagined.

Our family is complete with two awesome older sisters 15-months apart and five years older than their two step brothers that are 16 months apart and they are five years older than their two adopted sisters that are 17 months apart. Piece to together by the hands of God.

From right to left: Brittany 24, Evan 19, Donny 20, Tim, Danielle 14, Audrey, Maria 15, Andrea 26, and her husband Jordan.

Maria is a sophomore and just finished up Cross Country, she has been running less than a year and their team won North Coast and placed 13th over all in CIF State of California championship.

High school website: http://www.dvhigh.net/

You can see Maria is 3rd from the left. Her name is in the high school trophy case with the rest of the team. Not bad for never running before. She's pulling outstanding grades and is a big help around the house and is the sweetest person you'd ever meet. A true servant's heart.

Danielle is a freshmen in High School and is first chair for the saxophone and is trying out for track to compete against her sister. (Very competitive) She is also pulling straight A's. (without the help of English language Development) She is one of the most focused hardworking kid's I've ever met with a great sense of humor.

Danielle playing her saxophone at Disneyland last year.

But our favorite times is when the entire family is together. Our hearts are full and overflowing with love and joy.

Maria & Audrey

Audrey, Danielle and Tim
All the girls together for Brittany's Birthday

May you be blessed through this Holiday season.

The Fate's

2008-07-04T09:41:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, it has been over a 45 days since I’ve updated the blog and two months since we met the girls. So much has happened. Audrey and I were talking about this last night, and how awesome this entire experience has been. God has taken us, and continues to take us, through this incredible journey. Everyday is like a new adventure. We are overwhelmed with joy and gratitude that are beyond words! May 5th, first day we met the girls.

Audrey and I reflect back in January and February and the sleepless nights we were having, worried about how the adoption of older girls was going to change our lives; you can only imagine. It drove us to our knees in prayer, which is not a bad thing.

Just the other day I was driven to my knees again, overwhelmed with sheer gratitude of being able to be apart of all of this; the dad of Maria Xiao Wei and Danielle Ya Fate and our four older children. How our family was pieced and blended together 13 years ago when Audrey and I were married with her two boys and my two girls; the seasons we've shared of struggling and brokenness.

Yes, this adoption has changed our lives and the lives of our four children forever. To think, we could have missed this opportunity? To the glory of our God and Father and the redeemer of our souls Jesus Christ!

Enjoy some more pictures and a video (at the bottom of this blog) of us singing happy birthday in Chinese, pretty funny!

Maria, Grandma Fate, Brittany,
Grandpa, and Danielle at Evan's
Graduation.

Enjoying a Hot Fudge Sundae
on our traditional make-your-own-
sundae Sunday.

Some of their firsts:

ª Flew on an airplane

ª Came to America and met their new family

ª Wore a dress

ª Sang Happy Birthday in English (see video below)

ª Went to English School

ª Felt prejudice for not speaking English from a teacher

ª Ate Pizza, hamburgers, dad’s chips and salsa

ª Made Chocolate chip cookies with mom

ª Saw the ocean and wiggled their toes in the sand

ª Saw the Golden Gate bridge

ª Danielle prayed over dinner last night in Chinese for the first time

So many great stories out of their first but clearly one of the most touching was Danielle’s prayer last night in Chinese. We as a family share turns on praying over the meal each night. When it would come to the girls I would ask if they would like to pray and each time they would politely decline. Last night I asked Danielle and she said; “can I pray in Chinese?” and we said of course… After she was done we asked what she prayed for and she thanked God for the food, giving her a new family, giving them a mom and dad that love’s both her and her sister and the most touching of all was when she thanked God for giving her and her sister hope. Wow, the blessings just keep on coming.

Be blessed,

Tim & Audrey Fate

Enjoy the Video

Reflections of Our Adoption

2008-05-18T21:27:00.000-07:00

As I reflect back on our adoption, I remember Audrey and I talking about a radio program called Family life we’d listen to earlier that day while she and I were both working. We were both moved to tears while a couple shared their story on the spirit of adoption. When we discussed the option we thought it was awesome but most likely not for us because of our situation. We prayed to the Lord to over come the following objections. I’ve since found out that the Lord loves when we have objections.

1. We lived in a very small house with three of our four kids at the time; one was living in a make shift bedroom in the garage. We obviously didn’t have the space for another child.

2. Being a blended family with two boys and two girls and I'd been raising kids since I was 22. I was really looking forward to having some alone time with my wife, since we never really had much since we both had kids when we met.

3. We clearly didn’t have the money to pay the high cost of foreign adoption. Very costly!

4. We weren’t getting any younger. We were in our early forties and we might be able to deal with two little ones but if I had my way this would just be a conversation to make us feel good but the reality is this will most likely never happen.

The one thing that we did do is offer it up to our King and redeemer Jesus Christ in prayer. Have you ever heard the saying; “Be careful what you pray for because it might come true.”

Jesus said if you have faith like a mustered seed you can move mountains. I’ve read some amazing stories on men of faith. I’ve studied the faith chapter in Hebrews. I’m clearly not one of those that fall into that category. I’m more like the doubting Timmy. I’m consistently inconsistent. For those of you, who really know me, know that I talk a great game.

This call has challenged our faith, marriage and a promise that was made to us before the world’s creation. Within the last five years God provided the home we needed. While I was sick with my heart and not working and in the height of the real estate boom while people were waiting days for a chance to buy a home, God provided us a new home below market value for our family. Praise be to God! One down four to go…

While listening to our pastor speak one morning God really had laid on my heart that we have eternity to rest. When did Paul, Peter, or John ever retire? We have eternity to rest in Him. Number two down two to go…

He then provided the resources we needed to pay for the adoption. Before and after considering adoption it is easy to consider so many thing of this world we can spend money on what we were to do with the money we had sitting in the bank?

We heard Geoff Moore’s speak at a compassion concert with Bebo Norman and give his testimony about the adoption of his two daughters and God spoke to us that night to adopt. As a worship pastor Frank Sanza reminded us in China about the last verse in a praise song (while we prayed in the piano bar at the hotel) “Blessed be the name of the Lord” he gives and takes away, it was such a great reminder for us and sooo true!!! Number three down one to go…

Once we made the decision God had put sisters on our heart. So we were thinking twins. Last year while waiting through the process we committed two weeks to prayer and special days of fasting. At the end of two weeks we received an email from our adoption agency that there was a special needs for sisters to be adopted since one would be turning 14 May 8^th.

We continued in prayer and asked God have us the peace that we knew that Xiao Wei and Ya would be the sisters. Because of our background with being a blended family and the dynamics that we’d dealt with in the past, our adoption agency felt that we were the most qualified to raise two more teenage children. All four objections overcome through his grace. And little did we know at the time that this would be the first adoption in the Henan province of 98 million of two older sibling being adopted. Before our girls older siblings were adopted to different families.

As we’ve stepped out on the promises of our Lord and Savior we’ve seen our faith increase in Him as he has faithfully taken us to a new assignment. We’ve learned, and are continuing to learn to take God at his word.

George Muller brings up five points that we should follow to be sure that we are in His will and not seeking our own will:

Entire dependence upon the merits and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the only grounds of any claim for blessings.
Separation from all known sin. If we regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us, for it would be sanctioning sin.
Faith in God’s word of promise as confirmed by His oath, not to believe Him is to make Him both a liar and a perjurer.
Asking in accordance with His will. Our motives must be godly: we must not seek any gift of God to consume it upon our own lusts.
Importantly in supplication. There must be waiting on God and waiting for God, as he is patient to wait for the harvest.

Mr. Muller goes on to state that the importance of firmly fixing in mind principles such as these cannot be overstated. The first lays the bass of all prayer, in our ones with the great High Priest. The seconded states a condition of prayer, found in abandonment of sin. The third reminds us of the need of honoring God by faith that He is, and is the diligent seeker. The fourth reveals the sympathy with God that helps us to ask what is for our good and his Glory. This teaches us that, having laid hold of God in prayer, we are to keep hold until His arm is outstretched in blessing.

We were able to experience the faithful walk of our dear brothers and sisters who have listened to the call of our gracious king and redeemer. We have all been orphaned and adopted by our sweet savior. We were dead in our trespasses, at the bottom of the sea of sin with no life until our savior gave us life. Ephesians the 1^st chapter.

So many children are hoping to be loved by a dad and mom. Our greatest joy is being able to touch the lives of our children and now our newly adopted children; Maria XiaoWei and Danielle Ya Fate. Maria’s Chinese names is Xiao Wei which means morning flower, she is precious like a morning flower that brings joy to all that see her. Danielle I call our little butterfly; who flutters here and there and we find such happiness and laugher in her free spirit as we watch her sparky personality light up a room.

When we take God at his word He will provide the answer in His time. Just as we plant the seed, it will take some time for the tree to blossom and produce the fruit of His promise.

God bless,

Tim & Audrey Fate

Heading Home

2008-05-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

We just flew back into Beijing from Guangzuo. It is 1:45 Thursday morning and we will be up around 6:00 AM and heading out to the Beijing Airport. Our flight leaves at 12:00 noon on Thursday and we will be flying into SFO at 8:00 AM Thursday morning. Yes, that's right Thursday. We are 1 day ahead of California time.

Looking forward to getting home... It's been an awesome trip and I will update the blog when I'm back home and a little more rested.

For those who have been leaving comments on the blog I've not been able to read them, my blog won't open up for some reason. If you like, please email comments to Tim.fate1@gmail.com

God bless,

Tim, Audrey and family

Guang Zhou About 800 Miles from Wenchuan County

2008-05-12T14:03:00.000-07:00

Just to let everyone know, we are about 800 miles from where the earthquake hit. Please be in prayer for our brothers & sisters in Christ that are in that province.

God bless,

Tim, Audrey and family

Guang Zhou , China. Final Leg of the Trip

2008-05-12T07:40:00.000-07:00

Friday May 10th, 2008

While in the city of Luoyang we discovered very quickly that the network is different and don’t have the same capability to communicate via the blog as we did back in ZengZhou an hour and half away. So if the pictures and writing fuzzy I apologize. We’re now in Guang Zhou for the last leg of our trip with the other families. We will be getting the medical, visa, and final paperwork finished up.

Some frequently asked questions that we’ve been asked about the girls:

Can they speak English? No! So it has been very interesting trying to communicate while out shopping and having dinner and away from out guide. I think the hard part about not being able to communicate is talking about our feelings openly and assuring them that we will take care of them.

Another question we’ve been asked is will we eat their food and what if we don’t know what it is? Evan and I go by the, don’t ask just eat policy… So far we’ve done pretty well; some of the food has been a little slimy yet satisfying ( Lion King) and some not so satisfying (Tim & Evan) We did find a Pizza Hut yesterday and had some pizza we really enjoyed the change.

The funny thing was; Danielle told us that she did not like pizza. After we ordered a pizza she really enjoyed her pizza. So we believe pizza must be kind of a code word for some awful vegetable in Chinese. Audrey has been a little more cautious about the don’t ask just eat policy, she has done remarkably well.

What have been some of the highlights of the trip?

How God is in the details. When we’ve run into road blocks or potential road blocks we just pray and see God at work. Since we’ve all met back at Guangzhou with the 30 other families on the 9^th I’m truly overwhelmed at God’s love through his fellow believers. To see all these families that have gladly adopted children with special needs has left me speechless. To not only see their faith but watch these mothers sharing tender moments with their children.

These are children that have been rejected by their own families because of a physical blemish that has stained their health or their appearance. They’ve been adopted by dads & moms that see beyond their physical impairment and see the beautiful children that they are, and can provide a haven of protection a long life’s way.

This comes from the heart of our God we serve. We’ve been stained by sin that has impaired our walk with God. He adopted us to his promise presence with a future far beyond us from his saving grace.

A few other moments I will treasure was on mother’s day while in a bus heading to a store, I noticed Maria and Danielle talking and whispering to each other. They looked my way and signaled me over. I asked what they wanted and Maria quickly held her finger to her lip to hush my questions.

She waved her hand for me to come closer and both the girls were smiling and then Maria asked if they could get mama a present for mothers day? It was all I could do not to start balling like a baby… I just shook my head yes and after I regained my composure asked what they would like to get? They paused for a few seconds and in broken English Maria whispered; “flowers”.

I asked Evan if he would take his sisters out and help them find flowers for their mom on mother’s day. Audrey was over the top after she received the flowers and I shared the experience. There’s a lot experiences I could write about but I will finish up by saying again, thank you for your emails and comments, you have no idea how much them mean to us!!!

Check out the pictures of Maria’s birthday party with some of her teachers and friends from the orphanage. I have never seen anyone eat birthday cake with chopsticks… Soooo cool isn’t it!

Love you all,

Tim & Audrey, Evan, Maria and Danille

Maira and Danielle with friends from the orphanage
that came over to celebrate her birthday.

Danielle eating birthday cake.

Maria's teacher eating birthday cake with
chopsticks,

Maria making a wish.

Maria's Birthday Party

Pictures from China trip.

2008-05-08T07:17:00.000-07:00

I've attached several pictures for your review. There not in order but really wanted to get something out. Time and internet has been limited.

I told Audrey today as we were heading back to Zhengzhou it feels like we've been gone a month. Up early and to bed late, a lot of activities in Luoyang City with meetings finishing up paperwork and dinners with the orphanage staff.

This has been an incredible experience that I'm still processing. Please be in prayer for the girls with all the adjustments they will be going through. Thank you all so much for your continued prayers and support!

This is when we first met the girls. They had
just found out that morning they were going to
be with us that day. We also found out that we were
the first family in the Henan province to adopt
sisters.

Great Wall Audrey & Evan.

Audrey and I in Beijing airport.

Outside the orphanage where Maria Xiao wei and
Danielle Ya lived. The director told me that Steven
Curtis Chapman had been at the orphanage the
day before. He is currently touring in China.

Audrey's friend Jennifer from work grew up in the same
town as our girls and she just happened to be
here on vacation visting her mom when we were
getting our girls, what are the chances?
There is 1.3 billon people in China, do the math?

We all re-dedicated our lives to Jesus after taking
a cab ride back to the hotel. Evan had to get a picture
taken because we lived to tell about it. :^)

Two little girls that shared the dorm with the
Maria and Danielle in wait of a mommy and daddy.
Any takers?

Maria Xaio Wei and Danielle Ya's teacher.
She told us they were the joy of her heart and
will be greatly missed.
Friend from the Orphanage

Saying goodbye to friends was bitter sweet for
the girls.

Dinner with the orphanage staff

Family out on our first venture without an
interpreter. We've laughed a lot!!! Danielle is
not shy at all, and really loves to get us to laugh.
Maria is so sweet and responsible, we found out
she know the song Amazing Grace and has a great
voice!

Mary Kay rep in Luoyang City, he must have
had a good year and won the pink scooter

Dinner time for the Fate family in Luoyang City

Hot Pot dinner that the girls ordered. Great food!

Audrey looking hip on the way to dinner in Luoyang City

Evan keeping the girls entertained.

We Visted the Orphanage Today

2008-05-07T14:36:00.000-07:00

We were able to visit the orphanage today and what a moving experience. We went to Maria and Danielle’s dorm that they shared with other girls. Their friends were still at school when we were there but a few of the younger girls were in the dorm. Audrey, Evan, and I wanted to scoop them up as well.

These children are so sweet! As we were leaving the orphanage that houses over 600 children, we saw several of Maria and Danielle’s friend coming home from school. They were so happy to see their friend and unfortunately the visit was short and it was sad for them to say goodbye, as it was for us just to watch.

We were invited to have dinner with Director Pei that handles adoption agency for the entire province of Henan. Seems we missed Steven Curtis Chapman by a day. They are talking about working on a project together. Director Pei said that Mr. Chapman will be performing in Shanghi this week.

This culture is extremely beautiful inside and out. Audrey, Evan and I are overwhelmed with gratitude and emotion. While heading to the dinner our translator asked how we came to adopt two girls. I shared the experience and have been extremely cautious about sharing my faith two openly. But I felt it important to give God the glory while talking in this case and she is a new Christian and was so happy to hear that we are as well.

There is so much to write about and share, so many things we have seen, people we have met. Our focus is building our relationship and trust with the girls, so far it is going very well. I know the challenges that lay ahead back in the states will be very challenging for them. Please be in prayer for the upcoming adjustment when we come back to America.

I’ve added a few more pictures to the blog.

Blessings from China,

Tim, Audrey, and Evan.

Two New Daughters Added Too The Fate House.

2008-05-05T05:34:00.001-07:00

It is Monday evening in China and we flew into Zengzhou in the Henan Province. There are over 98 million people live in this province. Zengzhou is the capital and this is where we met Xiao Wei and Ya for the first time today; Who are now going by the name of Maria Xiao Wei Fate and Danielle Ya Fate We are so excited. They are already a blessing to us.

When we met them today, we had no idea that they had just been told that morning that they were going to be adopted by us today. They had been told a few weeks ago that they might be adopted and were given no date.

Can you imagine being 12 & 13 and told that you will be moving away from the friends that you’ve come to know and love, your school that you're attending and suddenly told that morning you will be moving to a new country halfway across the world in a different culture that speaks a different language without saying goodbye? Wow, pretty heavy huh? That's exactly what happened.

They were so scared when we first met them this late morning my heart broke for them. Their teacher drove them up from their city of Luoyang about 2-hours away. We were told that they are the joy of the orphanage. When I talked with the teacher she today me in limited conversation that her heart was breaking that the Xiao Wei and Ya leaving today.

It did get better and we finished the paperwork with the blessing of the teachers and the girls beganning to warm-up to us. It has been awesome to see Audrey and Evan relating to the girls. Evan is a definite blessing to have on this trip. The girls seem to light up when he communicates with them. I watch Audrey give them a stroke on the arm or put her arms around them and they seem to melt with the affection. I’m truly moved to tears when I hear them laugh and giggle while playing cards with Audrey and Evan .

I know we have long way to go and a lot of mountains to climb together, but it’s all about the journey isn’t it. One of the amazing things we found out today that this is the first adoption in all of Henan province (98 million) to adopt sisters together. They are usually broken up. To the glory of God who put sister in our hearts over two years ago; amazing! isn't it! I continue to be astonished. My heart melted when I said goodnight to them and they both gave me a hug and one said good night dad... Does not get any better than that.

Please be in prayer that we have journey mercies while we drive up to Luoyang 2 ½ hour drive tomorrow so we can visit the orphanage the came from and continued progress together over the next 10 days until we come home.

God Bless,

Tim & Audrey Fate

IN BEIJING

2008-05-03T06:39:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, we made it to Beijing on Friday afternoon around 2:30. It is 9:45 on Saturday night or 6:45 AM on Saturday Morning. I wanted to send you a few pictures of some of the touring. We will meet the girls on Monday.

We have a great group of brothers and sister in Christ that will be picking their children on Monday as well. Most of the families are picking up kids with special needs.

Their was a unexpected storm today that soaked all of us. It’s been rainy and cold. We hope it will be a bit warmer Sunday morning.

Enjoy the pictures below and we will keep you posted on our progress.

God bless,

Tim & Audrey Fate

Audrey & Evan at the forbidden City in Beijing.

Tim & Audrey at the Beijing Airport on Friday. Evan & Audrey at the new Beijing Airport.

A few challenges before we head out

2008-04-29T22:32:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Well, we’re getting down to the wire. Audrey’s been busy running here and there. She’s put the final touch on the girls’ room and tried to make sure we haven’t missed a detail. She is truly the Proverbs 31 wife.

These last weeks been full of challenges:

Evan’s girlfriend found out she has strep throat and mono last week. We took Evan to see the doctor and he’s OK. Then, Sunday night around 11:30 pm, Evan cut his thumb and it looked like he would need a few stitches until Brittany had an idea of super-gluing his cut closed and it worked!

While I was home on Monday night, Donny was coming home from work in the Jeep and a big Chevy Silverado ran a red light and they collided. Everybody was ok, but it shook us all up. So we’re continuing to ask for prayer for safety with the family while we get ready to head out.

Audrey had a great experience a few weeks ago with a friend at work who was born and raised in China. She found out that she is from Henan, the same province that the girls were raised in. After they talked a little more, we discovered that she was raised in Luoyang, the same city the girls were raised in.

Can you imagine that in a country with over 1.6 billion people that Audrey would work with a girl that is from not only the same province but the same city? This is what really blew us away: she will be on vacation visiting her mom when we’re there meeting the girls for the first time. Wow!!! Is God in the details, or what? We now have a link for the girls from their home town.

We ask that you please pray for journey mercies, health, and protection while we’re in China and that the meeting with the girls will be a bonding moment for all of us.

Look for continued pictures and updates while we’re on our trip.

Striving to serve Him,

Tim, Audrey, and Family

We Leave May 1st.

2008-04-19T13:27:00.000-07:00

We are leaving on May 1^st at 11: 00 a.m. I have so much I want to write about but very little bandwidth. So much to do.. Audrey has been really carrying the load on the detail of this adoption.

We’ve both been really touched at the prayers and support from our friends and family. It means so much to us. While we were getting the bedroom ready, Dave & Trish Marell took time out of their busy schedule to help us paint the room, and Gail Gilpin came over to help Audrey peel wall paper off a bedroom wall. Thank you so much!!!

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Salt & Pepper Shakers

How does someone suddenly have the desire to adopt a child from a foreign land? It is something I never thought I would do. Our journey does not start on May 1^st; it actually started back around 5 years ago in 2003 when Family Life had a special on the orphan girls in China. Let me take you back…

Through this journey of life I’ve learned that God reveals himself in the inconspicuous, not in the spectacular, on things that don’t seem obvious, like the stillness of a moment, the quiet contemplation of His magnificent, creativity, power, sovereignty, love and so many of His overlooked attributes.

For me, I love the stillness of the early morning while I’m sipping on a hot cup of tea, while the drizzle is still fresh on the back patio, and the fragrances from the roses and jasmine seem to be at their peak. It’s a time where I can have the needed quiet time with my God that refreshes my soul and while He can still be found, before the craziness of the day takes over for me, and I’m spinning at mock 10 from one thing to the next.

One of those inconspicuous moments happened while Audrey and I were celebrating our 5^th anniversary back in 2000. We had gone up to this great little town called Nevada City to spend the day. While we were eating lunch Audrey reminded me that she wanted to go check out a few more of those boutiques and look for some pewter salt & pepper shakers.

In the last five years of our marriage I had been in more of these boutiques than I can count and would like to admit. So while we were at lunch, I prayed that Jesus would bless us both with the gift of the salt & pepper shakers. Then she would be blessed since it was something she desired and I would be blessed and not be dragged into these boutiques anymore. (kidding) Since it is our five years we’ve been together would it be too much to ask? As we were sitting there about ready to leave I heard in the still small voice of our Omnipotent, Omni present, Omniscient God say; “I will bless you with the salt & pepper shakers.”

As we began to walk down the street Audrey had already scoped out the little boutique before lunch. I told her the oracle that God had revealed on my heart at lunch. Remember we’ve been looking for these particular pewter salt & pepper shakers for about five years.

Audrey looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. She said and I quote: “God does not care about these salt & pepper shakers!” I reminded her that with God small things do count, He cares about the flowers in the field and the small sparrow that lives in the tree. How much more precious you are to Him and He wants to show you today in a very simple way by blessing you with your salt & pepper shakers, so you will increase in your faith and trust in Him. God is the great multi-tasker.

Audrey was in denial… When we reached the boutique, I walked up to a little cubby hole and less than 30 seconds in the boutique picked up two pewter salt & pepper shakers that she’d been looking for.

When I looked up and saw the disbelief and questions on her face; how did you do that?

I reminded her that we serve a God who loves her and loves to reveal Himself through things unimaginable like pewter salt & pepper shakers. The lesson is to increases our faith in Him, the Almighty who cares enough to be involved in the details of our life. It was an incredible moment…

Here we are today… WHAT THE HECK DOES SALT & PEPPER SHAKERS HAVE TO DO WITH ADOPTING TWO LITTLE GIRLS FROM CHINA? You see, in God’s word He tells us in 1 John the 4 chapter that God loved us first before we loved Him. He also tells in James 1:27 that we need to take care of the orphans & the widows. Our faith back in 2000 was excited about pewter salt & pepper shakers. When we exercise our faith it is increased, we are not gifted with faith, it is something that will increase in time if we continue to exercise it.

What God was really getting us ready for, as His word reminds us, is that we are to be salt of the earth we are to be the light for our world. When I see Xiao and her sister Ya, I think of the salt & pepper shakers 8 years ago, and where God has taken us with our faith since then. I’m also reminded of 1 John the 4 chapter where Jesus said that He first loved us before we loved Him. We get to love Xiao and Ya before they know us or even love us, if they ever do. You never know.

On the next blog I will share with you how God overcame our objections about adoption. It’s pretty cool.

God Bless,

Tim & Audrey.

2008-04-12T15:42:00.001-07:00

Choices

2008-04-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

I was recently reading an article about Jack La Lanne who was know by millions to be the exercise guru in the fifties, sixties, and seventies. At the age of 42 (back in 1956) he set a new world record of 1,033 push-ups within 23 minutes. In 1959 at the age of 45 he does 1,000 push-ups and 1,000 chin-ups in 1 hour and 22 minutes.

I don't know about you but I'm good for about 10 chin-ups and 100 push-ups and pretty darn proud of myself after I complete that task before I head out to start my day.

Then there is George Muller of Bristol who impacted the lives of thousands of orphans by housing, feeding, and providing for all of their needs. The amazing thing about his story is that George Muller had no money when he started. The one thing he had was faith in God who promised to take care of all his needs.

He never had a campaign to raise money, nor did he ever ask anybody for financial help, the one thing he was committed too was prayer. For many years and thousands of orphan's all of the needs were provided for. The one thing George had was faith in the Almighty and he took God at His word that he promised to take care of all of his needs and the needs of the children.

I again reflect on his walk with God and compare it to my own life and wonder if I can ever increase my lack of faith and trust for the Lord. How can I learn to trust the Almighty who created the Heavens and the earth. Who has given us life within His creation. I trust and believe that the sun will come up tomorrow, can I trust he will take care of all of my needs?

The one thing I walk away from the two stories is that Jack La Lanne and George Muller had made a choice and committed themselves to certain disciplines. One was a life filled with a life full of exercise, the other filled with a life of prayer and exercising his faith in the Almighty God.

In either case, they had to make a choice to get out of their comfort zone. Not that Audrey and I come close to either Jack La Lanne or George Muller but it is all about making a choice to take steps towards exercising our faith and getting our of our comfort zone.

Our hope through this process that we will become more reliant upon our King and Savior Jesus Christ. I keep wanting to do this in my strength and not rely on Him to carry us through the journey we've embarked upon. My hope is that we will choose to exercise faith in our God and trust that he will take care of all of our needs.

We appreciate your emails back and are thrilled by all of your prayers and support!

With love,

Tim & Audrey

2008-03-29T21:31:00.001-07:00

Chasing The Shadows From Our Hearts.

2008-03-29T17:46:00.000-07:00

Why? Why is this world so full of pain, so full of hurt and anguish? Why are some so blessed with so much and others with so little? These questions I’ve sought out to try and understand. As God’s word states in Isaiah 55 vs 8 His ways are not our ways.

Audrey and I were so blessed as children to live our early years within an intact family with more than we ever needed. We've been blessed with four healthy children and now you’ve called Audrey and I to reach out and touch the lives of two young sisters that live on the other side of the world that have had such tragic beginning.

The story we've been told is that the father was killed in an automobile accident and their mother took her life over 11 years ago. They went to live with their grand parents until last year when they could no longer take care of them. Off to the orphanage they were sent. I can’t imagine the pain and sorrow they’ve felt in their tender youthful years.

I’m still amazed that God put sisters on our heart over two years ago and here we are adopting sisters. That's not really common when adopting from China. We have three children still left at home Brittany, Donny and Evan. Brittany and Donny are in college while Even is a senior in high school. Our daughter Andrea was married off to Jordan Wise back on December 31^st. They now live in Sacramento.

A few months ago I went through some sleepless nights over this adoption:

How are they going to disrupt my routine?

How will this adoption affect the relationship with our children?

The total cost of this adoption?

How will we communicate with them?

Will they cause marital strife?

This is completely out of my comfort zone Lord!

The Lord reminded me that it’s not about me! When I look at their pictures I ask myself; what about their fears? They didn’t have a choice when they lost their parents. When I study their pictures I ask questions to myself:

Who does Xiao Way look like? Here father or mother?

Does Dan Ya’s have her Dad's smile?

I look at their pictures and wonder how they will feel when they are told they will be moving to United States of America with a new family?

Will they be excited or terrified?

Will they cry and plead not to leave?

Have they ever been on a plane? Will they be afraid to fly? If so how will I comfort them if we can’t communicate?

Will they like their new brothers and sisters? Will they feel welcome?

How they will miss their friends at the orphanage? How can we keep engaged to their past?

Are their Grand Parents still alive? If so, how will they feel about their moving away?

Will I be able to bring them comfort from their fears?

Lord, please be in the details of this adoption. Comfort them as you have Audrey and I.

Please look at Xiao Way (chowway) and LuoYa’s picture. Pray for them and that the adoption will go smooth. I pray that God will be glorified through this process and that he chase the shadows from our hearts as we seek Him each step of the way.

We invite you to be apart of our adoption of Xiao Way 13 (soon to be 14 ) and Ya 12 through this blog. I will continue to update with pictures and share other pieces of the puzzle that led us to the adoption.

God bless for now.

Tim, Audrey & Family.