Gracie's "Gotcha day"

Today is Gracie's gotcha day, meaning it is the day we got her four years ago. I honestly can't believe it was four years ago. She is such a blessing. I can't even imagine my life without her.

For me, Gracie and Titus's "Gotcha days" are like their birthdays. It was the day that they were "Born into" our family. So I want to dedicate this post to Gracie and sharing what a blessing she is to our family and some funny things that happened along the way...
Since we have now had Gracie as a family for four years, I want to share the four funniest stories that happened to Mom and Dad in China. Some of them are slightly unpleasant, but they're amazing to think about anyway. I will start with number four and work up to (what I think is) the funniest.

4. While Mom and Dad were on the plane, Dad gave Mom the money belt. It had ten thousand dollars in it. No, I didn't accidentally type ten instead of one. It really did. They had to bring all that money to finalize the adoption. And they had to bring it all in cash. So once they landed in China, Dad asked Mama to give him a few hundred dollars to exchange for Chinese yen. Mom reached for the money belt (which had been around her waist) and it wasn't there. You can imagine her fright! She said that she grew pale, and when Dad asked her what was wrong, she said quickly, "Nothing!" Praise the Lord, she found the money belt that had fallen past her waist. I was cracking up when Mom told me this story later, but I'm sure it wasn't so funny at the time... This brings us to number two.



3. After one of their first days in China, Mom, Dad, and everyone else in their group went to a Chinese restaurant to eat. Mom said that she has never been so tired in her life. They had gone on just about every tour imaginable, had a time change, and were ready for bed. Everyone was just kind of eating, but not really eating at the same time. Then, all of a sudden, they heard this man vomiting profusely. Mom told me later that it sounded as if he was dieing. It just wouldn't stop. It went on for a few minutes, then a few more. Everyone was so tired and (now!) disgusted that they couldn't eat. So they just started laughing. Finally, after about ten minutes of this ongoing illness, the man just walked out of the restroom like nothing was wrong! By this time, everyone in Mom and Dad's group was laughing hysterically. This poor man was so sick but then acted as if he was perfectly fine. This story rightfully earns the spot of number three in the funniest China stories countdown.

2. This next story I truly wish that I could have witnessed. Mom and Dad were sitting in the lobby of the hotel where they were staying, and a Vietnamese lady noticed that they had adopted Gracie. They started talking, and apparently this lady and her husband were Vietnamese but had moved to Los Angeles, CA. It's funny, because Mom said that these people probably weren't independantly wealthy, but they certainly had enough to go on. So anyway, they were talking to this couple and the lady mentioned that her sister had just had a baby that she couldn't afford to keep. She asked if my parents wanted to adopt the child! Mom was thinking, 'First of all, you don't know us at all, and secondly, why don't you help your own family?!' But she just said, 'Oh, it doesn't really work like that. It would take lots of time.' The lady then looked kind of embarrassed, and I feel a bit bad for her. However, this definitely deserves number two! It is so funny that a whole five minutes after she meets my parents she wants us to adopt her neice of nephew!

1. The funniest thing that happened to my parents in China. Specifically, my mom. Well, she had to use the bathroom soooooooooo badly one day when they were visiting Summer Palace. So she went to a public restroom and nearly passed out. She told me that she has never, ever, ever in her life smelt something so incredibly and pungently AWFUL. Imagine the worst smell ever. This bathroom was probably about ten times worse then that. Not only this, but there was one poor woman who had to sweep everything into the holes that are used like toilets. There is no sewyer system, just a deep, dark hole that is used in place of a normal restroom. At least what we think of as normal. Mom couldn't work up the strength that would be required to go in there without passing out. So she left, but she decided to try one more time. So she went back in, and a girl was eating her lunch in the restroom, right outside the bathroom door!!!!!!! I cannot imagine. This is about as funny as it gets, folks.

Anyway, that summarizes the funny happenings of D & M (Daddy and Mama) in China. Do you agree with my order?? Which do you think is the funniest??

Anyway, back to Gracie baby. I can't even begin to tell you, Gracie, how special you are. You have brightened my life. I pray that as you grow older, you will grow into a young lady who fears the Lord and earnestly seeks His kingdom in faith and love. You are a gem. Next only to Jesus, you are my best friend, my most loyal companion, and my most loving little sweet heart. You are so athletic, talented, beautiful, and special. I love you! We are so blessed that Gracie is in our family, not just because of her talents, but because of her heart. God bless you, Grace Hannah.

Besides being a Christian

Yesterday we had a very fun birthday party for my Grandma Liv. We had it at her new house and we invited lots of her friends. My Grandma had told lots of her friends about our mission trip to Haiti, and while we were talking about it, one genuinely sweet, kind lady turned to me and asked if I was "the one" of my Grandma's grandchildren that was involved in different missions projects and if I was interested in Mission's work. I told her that I was, and after a few minutes of talking, she asked why I wanted to be a missionary. I could have seen this question coming. Seeing this as a good witnessing opportunity, I told her that we were Christians and that I had wanted to be a missionary since I was little. I think she thought this was a somewhat strange response. She replied, "But besides being a Christian, there must have been something else that made you want to do this; some light or something that went off at a certain point. What was it?" This question caught me off guard. I tried to think. Besides being a Christian, what else had brought me to the conclusion that I wanted to be a missionary? The answer: besides being a Christian, nothing. What else could make you want to share the good news other than being commanded by your Savior? We are not requested, but demanded to "Go and make disciples of ALL nations"! We have been commissioned by the King of Kings to spread the good news!

In truth, there is no reason besides being a Christian that I would want to be a missionary. Besides being a Christian, do you need any other motivation?!? This lady told me that sometimes it would be discouraging and disheartening to do service work. But I am reminded of Paul's words to the Philippians...
"For to you it is given on behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake,"
It is a priviledge to be able to serve the King of Kings, even if it is disheartening or even scary sometimes. And we should need no other reason to serve Him then knowing that it is His command.


Besides being a Christian, what other motivation do you need?

Speech Tourny morning!

Here are a couple of pictures from the morning of the last day at speech camp.

How Much Greater is God's Power Then the Power of Sin!

There was once a horribly sinful girl. She was selfish, fallen, and proud. So one day, God said to His angels, "We must break her." God molded her heart and led her to Himself. But she continued to sin. Time, after time, after time she would sin. So she ran away. Far, far away would she flee from Father's all-perfect, all-consuming, steadfast love. Then she would sin more. But the LORD brought her back. Each time she would sin, He would tenderly forgive her and bring her back to Himself. Finally, this spoiled little girl realized not only that she had been forgiven, but that she kept on being forgiven every single day. Not only that, but she also realized the enormity of her Father's love. So she tried to be better. She tried not to sin; she tried to do her best. But she still made mistakes. Seemingly she made the same mistakes, over and over. Whenever she would make these mistakes, she would once again turn away from her Father's perfect love. However, He would always come to her again and whisper ever-kindly, "My grace is sufficient for you." Never once did He abandon her. Never once did He forsake her. Whenever she would stumble, fall, or turn away, He would support her, pick her up, or pursue her. Then one day she said to Him, "I will serve you forever and ever." He replied, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."



I know this story, because I am that girl.

Jesus Christ will never leave you nor forsake you. There is no storm that He cannot calm. There is no trouble that is too big for Him. There is no situation that is too great for Him. There is no problem that intimidates Him! Never will He leave you. Although we will stumble and fall, He will pick us up. Joshua 1:9, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage. DO NOT BE AFRAID, NEITHER BE DISMAYED. For the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." If you have sinned, do not lose heart. God is still waiting for you with open arms. Time and time again I sin. Oft just moments later I'll make the same horrible mistake. But I know that whatever happens, God still loves me. What a glorious feeling! What an amazing God!

In an attempt to express the inexpressible, a Christian business man kept on his desk the quote, "How great must be the God we need! How much greater is our God then our greatest need!"
Isaac Newton put it another way when he said, "I have made two great discoveries. The first, that I am a very great sinner. The second, Jesus Christ is an even greater Savior."

Jesus Christ's power is soo much greater then any power of sin!

Speech Camp is Over :(

Well, yesterday was the mini speech tournament and end of speech camp and today Mrs. Kovach, Curtis, Reid, Jams, and Jack came to pick up Haley. Speech camp was soo fun!
Here are a few highlights:
~ Haley had her first speech tournament!! (It was a practice one, but great experience all the same :)
~ Getting to spend some time with friends that I haven't seen all summer.
~ Staying up late Wednesday night with Haley, practicing our speeches and trying to cut them down to the given time limit.
~ Seeing how many novices there were. It was so exciting to see how many new people the Lord brought.
~ God being glorified through the speeches. It was fun to see everyone praying together and encouraging one another before they gave their speeches on Thursday.
~ Watching Haley learn more about speech. Now she wants to join NCFCA (National Christian Forensics and Communications Associations) this year!
~ A lot of other things I'm sure too, but those were a few that were exciting.

I am so excited today and I keep jumping around. Talk about hyper!!!!!!!!
If you would like to hear about the first day of speech camp from Haley's perspective, here's the link to her blog: http://bigsisteroffour.blogspot.com/2009/08/speech-camp.html

Please VOTE!!!!!!

As you can observe by looking at my sidebar, I am trying to take a poll to see how many people think I should write a speech on a certain missionary. Please voice your opinion! Thank you very much for your participation! :)

I have the cutest brother!

This is Titus being really cute. And by the way, I did not tell him OR Gracie what to say!! They came up with it "all by themselves" as Gracie would say.

I have the cutest sister!

This is Gracie. She was so sweet!!! See if you can understand what she says, it really is precious.

ADOPTED for Life (by Russell D. Moore)

My dear mama and I are right now reading an absolutely wonderful book written by Russell D. Moore. As you've probably guessed by the title of this post, it is called "Adopted for Life." Mr. Moore is dean of the School of Theology and senior vice president for academic administration at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. (Okay, I just got that from the back of this book ;) Anyway, This book is basically about his and his wife's journey to adopt their two sons from Russia. But it's also about the Christian life. It's about how we, as Christians, are all adopted by the King of Kings. He illustrates many of the parallels between physical adoption and spiritual adoption. C.J. Mahaney, who wrote the foreword for Adopted for Life, put it well when he said in the first sentence, "I was adopted when I was eighteen years old. I wasn't an orphan, the way most people think of that term. I wasn't an abandoned child. But I was in a condition far more serious: I was a stranger to the family of God, a slave to sin, and an object of the justified wrath of God." He continues on by saying, "It would have been extraordinary enough for God simply to redeem us, to forgive our sins, to declare us righteous. But He does not stop here-- He makes us His children. Galatians 4:4-7 'But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, coming into being out of a woman, having come under Law, that He might redeem those under Law, so that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. So that you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, also an heir of God through Christ.' Christian, if you have ever wondered whether God loves you, wonder no longer. God the Father has adopted you as His son or daughter through the person and work of Christ. Here you will find the richest proof of God's personal, particular, and passionate love for you." But one of the last things he says in his forward really compels me to write this, so here it is: "I am so grateful that my friend Russell has written the book you hold in your hands. I want many more people to read this story, to be amazed at God's love displayed in the doctrine of adoption, and to consider the possibility of adopting children themselves. You may not agree with all of Russell's conclusions, but his book will challenge you to carefully consider both the doctrine of adoption and its implications for your life."

So I challenge you, as a friend and brother or sister in Christ to read this book! I haven't finished it, but I am excited to read more! Whether you have adopted, have not, or think you might some day, this book will change your perspective on adoption... both in the physical sense (i.e. orphans in China and Russia and Ethiopia) and in the spiritual sense (i.e. sinners reconciled to a holy God.)
The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy!!!

For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal

God has blessed me with the best friend ever. Okay, we were being kind of silly in the picture. (I was being particularly nuts!) But really and honestly, Haley is such a wonderful friend. You may be wondering right now why I'm talking about Haley when the title for this post is "What is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." Well, it's because this year on my birthday card Haley wrote a verse that really sums up the Christian life. I was very touched by what she wrote on the card, but for the purpose of this post I won't put what she wrote but rather my own musings on this verse. The passage that she quoted is found in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed dayd by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." I think that this verse is so meaningful for a Christian, especially one who is going through a rough time.
If you are feeling discouraged right now, please do not lose heart.
If you are feeling abandoned, please do not lose hope.
The Lord never promised that the Christian life would be easy, but He DOES promise that the troubles that we endure in this life will lead to glory that far outweighs them all. The verses preceding this passage, chapter 4:7-9 say, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but no crushed; perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." Although we may feel hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, or struck down, God will sustain us. And He is the only One Who sustains.

I remember a time I went through, a couple of years ago, when I felt very perplexed. I wasn't reading my Bible every day. I felt sad and discouraged. And discouragment often leads to desperation. And desperation- Jesus = more discouragment. You see my problem was not really what I thought it was, but rather that I did not depend more on Jesus during this time. He is the true Protector!
So I would encourage you if you are going through a hard time, don't do what I did. Instead of reading your Bible less, read it more. Instead of feeling discouraged and fearful, remember that we serve an awesome GOD who is far more powerful than discouragment and fear! And remember His promise in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness."

Now I know beyond a doubt that some of you reading this are going through a far worse time than I ever have. But all I can say is that the temporary struggle you may be enduring now is leading to an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

To God be the glory!!
With much love,
Rachel

Nothing but Christ Jesus and Him crucified

Hello friends! Today, I would really appreciate your prayers. I will be speaking at the WATCH homeschool conference and I need prayer in a few specific areas. Please pray that I would...
1. Have a right heart. Please pray that I would remember the words in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 "But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.'" Please pray that I would remember that God works more clearly through my weaknesses.
2. Do it all for Jesus. Please be in prayer that the only thing that I would desire to know is "Christ Jesus and Him crucified." I've been trying to dwell over 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 recently, and they are wonderful verses. The Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians about how he first came. 2:2 "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crufied. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power."
3. Do well! Pray that God would use this speech and use me even though I am weak.
Thank you for your prayers.

VBS pictures

Me during Evangelistic time. If you can see the picture, you'll notice the the children Dee, Cy, and Paul are stuck on one side of a huge cliff without any hope of reaching the other side. This picture represents black, our sin.

Myself, Samantha, and Alyssa ready to count for four corners.

Joe and Miss Awissa :)

Lots of the group during snack and movie!!

Brandon :)

Annie and Samantha

Brandon, Haley, and Annie during crafts

Sam with his "trust in the Lord magnet"

Annie with hers...

And Samantha with hers

Oh look! Jamie, Annie, and Anne playing four corners! And they were all wearing pink!

Keely, Sam, Jennine (taking a picture, naturally ;) and Danielle all ready for the lesson!

Everyone's running during four corners

The cupcakes we had on Thursday

Jamie and I. She was counting for four corners, of course!!

Anne and Annie :)

Me, teaching the lesson

Sweet Reid

(From left to right) Alyssa, Alex, Annie, Keely, Sam, Laura, Samantha, Danielle, and Jennine with the camera

Me and Jam getting ready for the day!!

Here are some more pictures of VBS at my Grandma Bonnies. Love, Rachel