God hears prayers

We are so thankful here for the many ways God is providing, sustaining and encouraging us.

First, and foremost, my precious father underwent an emergency surgery for a dissecting aorta a little over a week ago. This was totally unexpected as he is generally healthy and very active. He was having some chest discomfort and thankfully my mom took him in just to make sure....and they discovered this very serious problem, which is fatal if not treated (sometimes people die immediately and he had it all weekend) and even so, only 50% of people survive surgery We praise God for protecting him and sustaining him through the surgery.
He has to get a procedure done this morning due an atrial flutter that is causing him to have a very high heart rate...they will have to first make sure he doesn't have a clot, and then they have to do a cardioversion where they shock his heart to get him out of the flutter rhythm. My dad (and mom) have been through so very much...please pray for them and thank you to all who are praying for them. God hears your prayers!

Secondly, we have been closing up on our adoption and praying much for His provision of the funds we need to bring Lacie home. Since the newspaper article, we have been receiving donations and bracelet orders--it has been so very encouraging how God is touching people's hearts and working to rescue precious Lacie. So many wonderful people have made contact with us and are seeking to help and spread the word. Thank you! I want our daughters to make a running list of donations amounts and where they come from--we'll add that hopefully soon. I'm not sure the total either but it is almost at $2,000. Praise God!

The family fundrasing and putting on a benefit concert for us in Iowa sent us this email yesterday....we could hardly believe our eyes, except that we know God can do anything:

Traci, John and Family,

We are so excited to tell you that we have already raised $10,250 to bring Lacie home!!!!!!!

I’ve also received RSVPs for 70 people for the concert. If everyone donates $50/person, that would provide another $3,500!!!

Please let the kids know God has heard their prayers...

Lots of love to all of you from Iowa!

This is a family we didn't even know before they contacted us. See our post below of how it came to be, but God put this on her heart to do and He is blessing it amazingly. We were thinking about how this isn't about us at all...yes, we are fundraisiing however we can but we could never make that much money quickly on our own power...neither could this precious family.... this is all about God and His love for the orphans-- the Father to the fatherless and the deliverer of orphans--and His power and glory. We are just blessed to be a part of it. Even the adopting part... sometimes we wonder "why" He would bless us with more children, how it will be with more special needs in the family...then we remember that He has brought this to pass and will enable us by His love and power. Its all about Him!

So, if you are considering adopting, but lack the means.... be encouraged! God is able to provide abundantly more than we ask or imagine to accomplish His wonderful plans and His ways are not our ways--they are unbelievably greater!

"Now to HIm who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through out all generations, forever and ever! Amen." --Ephesians 3:20

Please keep praying and spreading the word for us, and give God thanks!