Ever since we began this process we have truly felt like God was going to provide. How, we didn't really know, but we know He KNOWS. We have not really talked about finances or asked anyone for help or applied for any grants etc. God has been so faithful to provide funds through Dexter's job and creative budgeting at home. Up to this point we have invested about $16,000. We have $11,000 due to the agency by the end of October, and then we must begin to save for travel which could be $6-7,000 because we have to stay in country for 3 weeks. All of this we are fully aware of; however, we are not worried or anxious about it because we see all that God has done for us, and He will not bail out on us. For the past week I have felt the Holy Spirit nudge me to pray more fervently about finances. My prayer has been something like this, "God how do you want this to be done, what do you want me to do?" Also during this week my friend Jenni Bass encouraged me to look into the Shaohannah's Hope ministry for financial grants, having heard about it through an interview with the Steven Curtis Chapman family. This Sunday at church my friend Tammy Griffin felt the Lord leading her to pray for me and the adoption, and she really didn't know why. The things she prayed for specifically were to guide us through the process, hear some news to help us through the waiting, and for finances. There it is again. At this point I really don't know what God is up to, and He hasn't really told me to do anything, so I am just sitting and waiting on Him. We have payment due to the agency at the end of August for $5,500.
Where God has us as a family and in our church is learning to respond to HIM, just say "Yes, Lord". Yesterday when I got home from work, I received an email from one of the attorneys that oversee our adoption agency. I have been waiting to hear from him for over 2 months about traveling to El Salvador to see the orphanages and meet the liaIson in country. The timing of his response was a true answer to prayer. He emailed us to extend a $5,000 scholarship and possibly some additional help with the remaining $6,000. WOW!!! Tammy's prayer on Sunday was miraculously answered within 24 hours. Thank You Jesus!!! I cannot express in words the depth of intimacy I have been feeling with the Lord lately. When things like this occur, it drives me to seek Him more! He hears our prayers. He knows our needs. He is faithful to complete the work He began in us. Our family is praising Jesus for this miracle, and our prayer is that as you seek HIM, you will acknowledge Him in everything from the smallest miracle to the greatest because ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD!!!
