Behind This Door...

Somewhere, behind this door, is the child of our hearts, our Micah David. We miss him fiercely lately, a hole in our family that remains, grows, despite time and distance.

Borderline Blasphemy Becomes Blessing

[How do you like that for alliteration?? Yes, we're PCA and yes the stereotype fits.]


Sherry and I had an amazingly blessed time in New York City. God planned every moment and detail in such a wonderful way. He was with us and we felt His presence in so many situations from the GORGEOUS weather to the moments of unexpected joy. We were able to take a break from adoption land and talk about marriage, friendships, children, grace, mercy, love, and so much more. We didn't turn on the television or radio once as our chatter was all the noise and distraction we needed!

One "God" moment in particular is worth sharing as it is funny and surprising! On Saturday evening Sherry and I stood in line for 20$ tickets to the off Broadway show "Altar Boys." We (perhaps quite naively) believed it would be appropriate after reading its reviews and synopsis. Boy were we off! The play was pretty blasphemous in SO many ways. Nervous laughter mingled with warranted laughter in many places. Luke was in love with Matthew, God spoke His "word" as a DJ and said things like "peace out," and a machine, the "soul saver 5000"measured the darkness of our hearts.

Yeah, pretty much blasphemy.

But GOD chose this play, this night, this time to speak TRUTH and LOVE into our hearts. There were songs that told the story of God's chosen people, God's grace and love, and our need for a Savior. In each song, God used phrases that Sherry and I have repeated over and over to one another for weeks during our darkest days. One song spoke of 3 parables that were ALL recent sermon topics at our church, sermons that had ministered in amazing ways to our souls.

And then came the last song, God's ultimate word to His sad and broken daughters in row K. It's simple in its lyrics, perhaps even a bit kitschy. But it was rain in the desert of our souls.

I Believe

One beam of light, is enough to see where you're going
One wrong turn, is enough to loose your way
One choice, is all you have to make
One ounce of faith could save the day
I believe, that I came to know you for a reason
I believe, that the things that you say will come true
I believe that with you in my life I'll make it
I believe in you .

We DO LORD, WE BELIEVE.

Nothing New Under The Sun

Nothing has happened, nothing has changed. We are still stuck without the proper paperwork, without a court date, without an end in sight, without Micah David.

They "anticipate" that we'll hear something next week. BAH!

Please pray for our spirits; for endurance and peace and joy and all the other stuff we should have but feel completely void of right now. This is maddening...

Our Prayer from Psalm 12:

5"Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan,
I will now arise," says the LORD;
"I will place him in the safety for which he longs."

ARISE LORD, ARISE AND BRING MICAH, ISAIAH, JOSIAH, AND LYDIA TO THE SAFETY FOR WHICH WE ALL LONG. BRING THEM HOME.

What We're Clinging To...

I try to hold on to this world with everything I have
But I feel the weight of what it brings, and the hurt that tries to grab
The many trials that seem to never end, His word declares this truth,
that we will enter in this rest with wonders anew

There will be a day...

But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings
That there will be a place with no more suffering

(Chorus)
There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face
But until that day, we'll hold on to you always

I know the journey seems so long
You feel you’re walking on your own
But there has never been a step
Where you’ve walked out all alone


Troubled soul don’t lose your heart
Cause joy and peace he brings
And the beauty that’s in store
Outweighs the hurt of life’s sting

There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face
But until that day, we'll hold on to you always

I can’t wait until that day where the very one I’ve lived for always will wipe away the sorrow that I’ve faced,
To touch the scars that rescued me from a life of shame and misery

this is why, this is why I sing

We're holding on to the promise that there is beauty yet in store for this family...

How we FEEL about Court...Be Warned!

This is how we feel about our court appearances lately. Let's hope we're wrong this time.

CALLING YOU (YEAH YOU) TO ACTION

YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED UPON TO PRAY. YUP, YOU'RE A SAINT, WE'RE SAINTS, SO YOU'VE BEEN CALLED!!!

We are approaching the date when our agency will petition for a new court date. We could be fearful but KNOW that God gives peace to those who trust in Him. He is our Rock in the middle of this tempest.

Please keep praying for the following:

-That God would work in the hearts of the MOW@ officials to give favorable recognition to ours/Semlow's cases.

-That MOW@ would write our letter of recommendation BEFORE the judge is petitioned so that we are completely paperwork ready.

-That God would give Duni, our representative, the right words to speak to the government.

-That the Judge would seek to do justice and righteousness for these 4 orphans. That he would be so BURDENED that he would do all that he can to bring them home as quickly as possible.

-That Micah, Isaiah, Josiah, and Lydia would be filled with love enough to cover their longing for their parents for this time and that our hearts would be knit together even before we are forever families.

1 John 5:14-15
14This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he HEARS us. 15And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

You Know It's Bad When You're A Sermon Illustration

For weeks, actually. ;0)

When you're a sermon illustration for 10 straight weeks (and cried at EVERY one) you know that...

-You're going through something really hard and uncommon and EVERYONE knows it.

-People are praying for you. 

-There's no where to hide from the people who are praying for you.

-Your pastor needs new, better, less fragile material. 

-Your preacher loves you and knows you well.

-It might be time for a new preacher who doesn't know you so well. (Sorry Fodale ;0)

-God is trying to get your attention.

-You can't hide from God, even in church when you sit in the back row and try to hide from everyone who knows you and is praying for you.

-Hiding from people is impossible when you're sobbing in the back row. 

-Someone always has kleenex.

-People have begun to bring kleenex just for you.

-There's not enough kleenex in the world.

-That God is moving others through your journey and pain.

-That God is working IN your journey and pain.

-That you are not ALONE in your journey and pain.

-That God HIMSELF IS IN your journey and pain.

-That the God who passed by His prophets and HIS OWN SON will never pass you by because of that son.

-That THAT'S all you really need to know and remember.

So, Fodale, keep 'em comin'. We can take it and will be the better for it (but we'll need to buy stock in Kleenex and might not talk to you for a while ;0)