Savannah doing her circus act. We went to a circus exhibit in Charlotte and got to do a few things like this. I won't post the picture of me walking the high wire. When the man said "do a plie or flourishes" I said speak English brother and decided to blow his mind and walk backwards. Besides, John Wayne would not approve.

Isaiah 61:1 NIV "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion; to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair, They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor."
These verses speak to our hearts (Melissa and I) and cry out for us to make a difference and follow a calling to help orphans and families who are considering adoption. We are still praying about what that looks like and how he would have us fulfill that calling. Please be praying with us for that and that we would be still and know that he is God as it says in Psalm 46:10.

Finally warm enough to have a picnic in the woods.

Sorry I have not posted in about 2 1/2 weeks. The flu hit our family like a forest fire. Everybody but Melissa, got it. And I thought I was the strong one.

Romans 8:14 "For as many as are led by the spirit of God, these are sons of God." Are you saved into the family of God. When you hear the word adoption, do you think of yourself as adopted, or do you know someone that has a brother that works with someone that has adopted. I'm not being facetious, I am simply wondering what comes to your mind when you think of adoption. The next verse say's "For you have not recieved a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have recieved a spirit of adoptions as sons, for which we cry out Abba Father." So not only is adoption a wonderful way to grow your family, it is how God grows His. To take this a step further read James 1:27 NLT "Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us." If you feel a pull towards adoption, seek God's direction and ask him to go before you and prepare the way. He will. If you don't know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, pray to recieve Him (see upper right hand corner of this blog) and start your adoption journey by being adopted into His family right now.

When I cook supper, we usually Blast the Christian music and praise the Lord. I think it was Chris Tomlin (excellent praise music). Hallelujah

Read Luke 23:32-43 and see the thief hanging beside Jesus make a death bed conversion. Why don't you go to church? Because I don't want to be a hypocrite like everybody else in church. I have had many people tell me that over the years. I like what I heard a Pastor say one time. "If you find the perfect church don't join it because you'll ruin it". Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44 NIV) and he wants you to think that you have no business being in God's house when you are so bad. The truth is we are all bad ,Romans 3:23 NIV For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 6:23 NIV The wages of Sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The thief was most likely bad his whole life, but was moved by Jesus in the last few minutes before his death. Vs 42 "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom". How did Jesus respond? Vs 43 Jesus answered him "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." This proves that it is never too late to come to Jesus. Do it now, so that you can hear the same words when you die. Today you will be with me in paradise. Hallelujah!

Happy Birthday sweet D'Jounela who turns 3 today. We miss you. We and especially my 5 yr old Ella, pray for her and Vanessa everyday.

Please read the book of Nehemiah on your own, but to follow up on my last post where Nehemiah out of passion for his people fasted, prayed, mourned, and wept, here is the rest of the story as Paul Harvey says. As you read to chapter 7 you will find that Nehemiah put his faith in the Lord time and time again even in the face of much opposition. He stood firm in what he knew God had called him to do. We pick up at the end of Chapter 6:15 NLT "So on October 2 the wall was finished-just fifty two days after we had begun. 16 When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God." God has a timed (perfectly I might add) result to everything he calls us to, Nehemiah's was 52 days. With Haiti adoptions it feels like 52 years, but to God a day is a thousand years a thousand years a day. Continue to pray about what you are passionate about and see God move in a huge way. One day you will say like Nehemiah, On such and such a date the wall (your passion) was finished in so many days (or years) after we began.