Linking Arms with Friends

CALEB LEYKUN MASER

One of the greatest blessings (I feel like a broken record, but it's true) in this journey of adoption has been walking it out with dear friends at the same time. In our church, four families have been somewhere in process for the last 2 years. Three of these children are home. We have one left to go. Caleb.


Yesterday, the Masers found out they had received their MOWCYA letter and their court decree--Caleb is officially a Maser!!!!! They will travel in the next 4-6 weeks to bring him home. Adoption timelines are always uncertain, but we were gearing up for a long wait, particularly because of several issues in Ethiopia as well as the courts annual closure that began last week. It looked like it could be late October and even potentially into the new year before Caleb would be home.

But Jon and Melissa's faith never wavered. She was an inspiration to me to trust that our God could do BIG things, bigger than all the obstacles and hurdles in the way. She said on her blog:

We have peace friends. Peace doesn't mean that you still don't hurt and long. We are standing firm in our Faith. COME WHAT MAY. Jesus is all we ever seek and His will is all we ever ask for. The pains we have in our heart were put there by Him. Making our requests known and believing with out a doubt that If He wanted to get our letter by tomorrow He could. Also believing without a doubt that our hearts are being transformed and prepared for whatever His will is. Thank you Jesus! Being "caught in the closures" has no bearing on my King.

I love that! "Being "caught in the closures" has no bearing on my King."---darn right, sister!!! She wants her boy home!!!--and she knew that even though she had everything going against her, she had God-- a Father to the fatherless-- on her side, and so she prayed. She was ready to accept His timing, either way, but in boldness she asked for Him to move. And He did.

It is hard to put our hope out there. We fear disappointment and know it seems crazy. But faith is trusting when what we're asking does not make sense in light of reality-- unless God is who He says He is and heaven is real. We can ask God in boldness to move when we know we are in His will and asking ultimately for His glory. Sometimes He moves, and we give Him glory. Other times, our timing is not His, and so we continue to wait...and give Him glory. The Masers' faith was never in the outcome. It was in the God who was able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all they could even conceive to ask. And I think He delights in exceeding our expectations.

So we're celebrating here, rejoicing with our friends, and now counting the days until Caleb is home where he belongs!!!!!!!

Congrats Maser fam!!!!!!! We love you all!!!

And speaking of friends, I have a couple who are fundraising and could use some help! These are some really fun opportunities going on this weekend to get some cool stuff AND help raise funds for adoption. You really should go check them out!!

LARA'S

I met Lara (online) early on in our adoption process, and I have watched her own adoption journey unfold in an amazing way. (I have also become a faithful reader of her blog--it's a good one to follow!!) There have been ups and downs in their process, but God has led them to adopt a little boy from Uganda! Her friends hijacked her blog and are doing a virtual shower--go check it out and see how you could win this:

SARAH'S

Also my local friend Sarah is running an auction and give*away on her blog! Be sure and check out the neat things she's offering to help raise funds to bring home her baby girl from China! (Also, she is featured on My crazy adoption today, so go read her story here for fun!!

Auction main page
Gift Certificate Give*away

Have a great weekend!!