Recently I received news that my grandfather has been sick and in the hospital.  He is 94 years old and has had an incredibly full life.  He and my grandmother are heroes.  They have inspired me my whole life - Germans who lived through great difficulty during WWII, finally escaping to the USA.  They’ve had an unwavering faith in Christ their entire lives. 
 
Later that same day, I got an entirely different phone call.  This one brought tidings of NEW life!  Benj and I received our referral – which means we now know who our son is and what he looks like!!  Our little boy is about 6 months old; we plan to name him Immanuel.  He was born in a rural region of Ethiopia this past April, and his mother brought him to an orphanage when he was 1 ½ months old.  We don't know the full situation or why she gave him up, but I have been praying for his mom as much as I have been praying for him – I'm just grateful that she's alive. 
 
Last week, pictures of our future son were brought to the hospital in New Hampshire where my grandfather was staying.  I am so incredibly grateful that Opi got to see Immanuel's adorable face!
 
Don’t underestimate the power of faith, and of faith-filled prayers.  I have been so challenged to pray “scary prayers” backed with scripture.  Two Sundays ago, as I was praying for Immanuel, I asked God that we would get our referral that week.  He said to me, “Don’t just ask. Write it down.”  I was scared to write it down.  I didn’t want a record of a prayer that wouldn’t come to fruition (oh me of little faith).  But I’m more scared of disobedience – so I wrote it down in my Bible, “Lord, please let us get our referral this week” with the date.  And the very next day, it happened!!
 
Now we are believing in prayer that Immanuel will come home in April 2014.  With all of the paperwork and red-tape that still has to be processed, this is impossible.  But with our God, nothing is impossible!!  His desire is to put orphans in families, and so I know and believe He longs to bring Immanuel HOME even more than we do.  Thank you for believing with us.  I’m declaring now, that by the end of April, Immanuel will be sleeping in his own bed in our home.
 
A little more money, a little more paperwork, a LOT more miracles.  We are so excited about what is coming.
 
Here’s to full lives, to heroes of the faith like my grandfather, encouraging and challenging us who continue on to live our lives well, to rescue the perishing, to adopt the orphan, to fight injustice, and to stand for truth.
 
Love you all, happy Thanksgiving!