Jehovah Jireh: The Lord Will Provide

Psalm 118:15 "Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!"

I have tried to refrain from talking about finances on our blog. One, I didn't want our blog to be a place people felt all we did was ask for money, or that that was the purpose for our blog. It is not. We want our blog to be a place where people can learn about adoption and see how the Lord has called us to adoption. To follow along on our journey as we have stepped out in faith. However, the Lord has blessed us so many times financially, in this adoption, I just had to share. One, to give God the glory. Two, so others can see that when you step out in faith for something God has called you to do, He will provide! Period. It may be last minute, but He will provide.

When we started the adoption of Levi in March we literally had no savings. We had saved up to buy our son a used car. What we thought was a "good buy" turned out to be a nightmare. We didn't even have the car 24 hours before it began having trouble. Three visits to the car shop and one transmission later our savings was depleted. We paid 2x more on the repairs than we did on the car. Anyway, when I brought up adopting Levi to Mark his first reaction was, "What do we have to do to bring him home?" His second reaction, "We can't pay for this. Where is the money going to come from?" Well, as God would have it our first huge fee came the same week as our tax return. The next big fee came only a couple weeks later, but so did Mark's bonus! Now, yes, it would have been nice to chuck all this into savings. But, God's timing is awesome and we know that He will provide for our needs, as well as for this adoption. John 6: 19-20 says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." I really feel adoption is an eternal treasure!

Along the way we had other fees. One was our I800a/federal fingerprints, which again was provided for by a dear family in our church who felt lead to pay for this fee. Other fees paid for by a co worker of Mark's who donated $100.00 to our blog button, and another co worker who walked up to Mark after work and wrote him a check for $570 right on the spot to help. These men helped pay for our home study costs. So here we are amazed that God has provided, just as He promises. Every fee due at this point has been paid for. Yet, we know other fees are coming: travel visas, agency fees, orphanage donations, and travel costs. All approaching quickly due to our expedite, and totaling close to 18K. It appears overwhelming to us, but not to God.

Due to the travel visa requirements changing we applied for our visas early. (See post below). We had been praying that God would provide the funds for this, but the day came to pay and no funds. So, I put $1193 on visa figuring this would be the beginning of our needing a loan. Knowing full well that on the heels of this fee would be a $7150 fee, due upon receiving our LOC, followed by travel costs and the orphanage donation. I came home though, at peace, knowing God was still in control. That $1193 was nothing to Him. And you know what? He provided! That evening I checked my email to discover just hours earlier Mark's parents had donated $1000 to our AdoptTogether site! And another lady we know had donated $24 a few weeks earlier. Jehovah Jireh had provided! But God's provision goes further than our physical need. It is confirmation to us that we are in God's will. That He is with us every step of the way. That what He calls us to, He will see us through. A lady I know calls them "God winks". I like that!

So, where will the next $7150 come from? I don't know, BUT God does and I can't wait to watch Him work!

John 14:18 "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."

Travel Visa Changes

Proverbs 16:9 "We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps."

Tuesday we found out that China was changing their requirements for an travel entry visa. It is to be that after your LOC you could apply for your visa. Pretty simple and you had them well in advanced for travel purposes. Starting August 1st they want you to wait until after your travel approval (TA). When applying you have to submit you TA letter, your round flight information, and your hotel confirmations. Then you have to wait for your visas to be approved and sent out. While this is not an impossible requirement, Mark and I were concerned that it would hold our travel up. We talked with a few families and Caring Hands Services on Wednesday, and we decided to hurry up and get our applications sent out. We knocked it out in one day and I am happy to say the documents are in the mail and due to arrive at Caring Hands tomorrow morning! Colleen is going to get them in process before the 1st so we do not have to do all the new requirements! We will be very glad to get those visas in hand!! Levi, we are one step closer!!

LID!!!

Ps 107:8 Let them praise the Lord for his great love     and for the wonderful things he has done for them.

Our agency emailed this evening to let us know we have LID, as of July 19th! That was only 16 days folks! We are so excited! We also received news that the CCCWA has agreed to expedite our Letter of Seeking Confirmation (LOC). The LID stands for log in date. This is given when our dossier is logged into their system and it begins the translation process. After translation it is reviewed by the government in order for them to approve the adoption of Levi into our family. This normally takes 2-3 months, however, ours should be sooner due to it being expedited. :)

After LOC the following occurs: Apply for I800 approval (2-3 weeks) NVC cable and approval letter (1-2 weeks) Article 5 approval (2 weeks) Travel approval (TA) (2-5 weeks) Go get Levi! (2-3 weeks after TA)

Again, this timeline is based off a normal adoption and ours is being expedited. So hopefully, we will be at the short end of these waits! Please pray with us that the CCCWA finds everything in order and approves us quickly!! Continue to pray for Levi's heart and for his oxygen levels to stay up. And pray that God would be preparing Levi for our arrival and this huge transition in his life. If all goes well we hope to travel in mid October!!

Please Join us in Prayer

Psalm 61:3-4  "For you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings!"

Right now as I type, a blogging buddy is hugging on Levi; giving him a gift from us.  I am so grateful for this, yet, I am sadden that it is she and not us. I can't wait to hear from her and see pictures of our little guy.  

We Skype with Levi every Monday night. While so grateful for this blessing, it is bittersweet.  Sometimes it creates more worry because you can see he is not well. You can hear him trying to catch his breath, breathing like Darth Vader.  You can see his blue lips. You can see in his eyes the weariness. Other times, even through raspy breathes, he is lively and very animated.  Wanting us to make paper planes, sing songs, and read books.  Melting your heart as he blows you kisses saying, "wo ai ni" (I love you). Then there are times when he says he does not want to say goodbye.  That he wants to come to us. Those times are hard. How do you explain to a 2 year old we can't come, yet?   One would not think a 2 year old would comprehend what has happened. What adoption is.  What a family is. But Levi seems to get it.  Maybe he has watched enough kids come and go, that even at 2, he understands it hasn't been him. That somehow he is missing out. Maybe it is that New Day does an awesome job in preparing their little ones for their families that are coming.  I don't know. What I do know is we are ready to go. We want our little guy home.  Even with all the unknowns, we are ready.

 Today, a little girl named lily had heart surgery.  It is the same surgery that Levi will most likely be having. She is a brave little girl. Her surgery went well, but they are having trouble getting her heart to stabilize.  Even with a temporary pace maker it is not stabilizing.  They are asking for prayers.  Then, on Tuesday, a dear family we know has a daughter that has to go through this same surgery. So please pray for Brooke. Brooke and Levi were foster home buddies and have the same heart condition.  In a few months this will be us.  I can't even imagine what it will be like, but I do know that God goes before us. That He shelters us in His wings.  I know He has a plan for Lily, Brooke, and Levi.  We will walk this path with great expectations, knowing that our Lord has got this and blessings will abound. Please pray for Lily's heart to stabilize, for Brooke's upcoming surgery, and for our LID and LOA to come swiftly so we can go hug Levi.

Dossier to China!!

Psalm 139: 5-6. "You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!"

Our agency just emailed that our dossier was sent to China today!!! We are over the moon excited! With our adoption being expedited this means we could be traveling within 3 months from now! Our agency has been wonderful in helping us expedite things and our coordinator has arranged for our dossier to be walked in by their in country coordinator so he can explain the urgency of our adoption. Next we wait for our LID (log in date). Please join with us in prayer for it to come quickly as well!

Can You Help?

We are working with AdoptTogether.org to raise money for our adoption. Adopt Together in a family run, nonprofit organization, based in Ohio, that assists families adopting by helping them raise money. All donations are tax deductible and 100% of the money donated goes to us to cover adoption expenses. Even if you can't contribute financially you can help by sharing the following link with your family and friends, or on your Facebook or Twitter pages. http://adopttogether.org/thewarners

Please help us bring Levi home by sharing this link! We also would love your prayers for Levi. Last night when we skyped with him he was sad, saying he wanted to "come to us" that he wanted to "ride in a plane." He did not want to say goodbye after the normal 20 minutes and sweet Jeremey let him go 30 minutes. He also was not feeling well so that could have been part of his sadness. We just can't wait to get this little home!