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Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Guest Posting Today On NO HANDS BUT OURS ...

http://nohandscurrentinfo.blogspot.com/2010/02/how-can-i-adopt-precious-maggie-josie.html

This post has been in my heart and mind for year ... It was just time ... It is honest and true, not really an easy read though ... blessings !!!

12 kind words.:

Chris said...

Realized I haven't caught up w/ your family in a while...love your post on fundraising...it is REALLY hard for me to ask for help, but we are realizing that we will need to with this adoption.

I do have a question about Maggie...I tried to figure it out before...why the expanders? I know they do them for skin grafts (something we will probably be very familiar with soon) If it is personal that is OK.

Maggie does look cute bald, but I'm sure she will be glad to have the hair back again.

Chris
www.shallrunandnotbeweary.blogspot.com

The Ferrill's said...

Incredible!
Love you!

Rachelle said...

So, so powerful, thanks for sharing sweet one. Wearing one of your shirts as I type ;)

Over-Caffeinated said...

Thank you, sweet sister.... and I love the song too!

I'm proud of you!

Amy @ Literacy Launchpad said...

Beautiful thoughts!

emily said...

Love you sister, more than you know.

Unknown said...

Just read the post and OH MY WORD how beautifully you put your heart into words. Sweet Maggie stole my heart the day she let me love on her at PCA. She IS an angel and so blessed to have you for a mama.
Jeanine

Heather said...

Gwen,
Been meaning to let you know....I have one extra hearing aid (pink). If your son's audiologist will give you some type of credit if you turn in a hearing aid, let me know and the extra one is yours! Insurance coverage for hearing aids is sooooo hit and miss. I would be honored to sit down and send you a list of sites I have found....real life savers! If interested, email me at thelukefam@gmail.com

God Bless,
Heather (Maddie's Mama, adopted from China at 4 yrs, profoundly deaf)

Anonymous said...

Truly a beautiful post sraight from your heart. Thanks for sharing such encouragement. Love u! Lisa

Terri said...

WOW, you are truly an inspiration & you have such a gift to speak to someone through your words. I sure needed that post to read right now.

We have not posted it yet on our blog but we are now paperchasing for our SN & cannot wait. She is an 8 yr old in China with Hep B & I have sooo many fears but after reading yours & Suzanne's post I know my fears will be lifted & can handle what ever challenges that come our way!!!

I am so glad I have been able to meet you through blogging!!! There was a reason!!!

Jewels of My Heart said...

So glad you shared these words of love, wisdom and truth...
oh, if only we saw each and every man, woman and child through the eyes of our Jesus......
praying for you sweet friend.

Cindy said...

Hi Gwen,

I loved this post. I can sooooo relate to it. Our adoption journey started 14 years ago...and we still don't have any children. Some bad choices on our part, and a handful of times that God firmly closed the door and said NO.

I believe now, it's because we were pursuing the "beauty-contest" children (at least I was), and God needed to do some serious work on my heart.

Two things were said to me that I'll never forget.

One was by the director of our adoption agency. In a personal conversation, I was asking him about his grown adopted children and how things had turned out (yep, I didn't want any trouble :)). He said, "Did we meet their needs?, I believe we did. Did they meet our needs? Well, that's not why God gives us children."

And actually, maybe God does give us children to meet our needs...it's just not the needs I might have had in mind! Need for character reshaping, need to be dependent on Him, need for mercy and grace...

That conversation was maybe 3 or 4 years ago.

Then a couple of years ago, I had coffee with a friend of mine. She had already adopted from China and Russia. I was explaining to her why I didn't want to adopt a child who wasn't Caucasian. (it's embarrassing to write this now.) It all seemed so logical at the time, and SO selfish in retrospect. This dear friend was so kind and gently said to me, "What if your ideals aren't God's ideals?" I let that start sinking in. I had an inkling she might be on to something there. As I left the coffee shop, I asked God if that were the case, would He please change my heart. And you know what happened, right? He did. It was somewhere between instantaneous and a week. After a week, I knew for sure my children would not look like me.

And maybe they won't be healthy either. What you said is so good. I can't handle anything, but with the Lord's strength, grace and love, I CAN DO ALL THINGS!!!

Keep on keeping on. It is all these conversations and thoughts that spur us on to love and good deeds. Your labor is not in vain :)

Cindy

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