Sunday, December 5, 2010

A Big Announcement

Have you ever had a moment that changed your life? We have. It actually started with a moment that broke our hearts.

To understand our journey, you have to understand where it started.

2010 was an amazing year for our family.

Makayla excelled on the Varsity Middle School Volleyball team and made first chair flute in the concert band. Trace’s All-Star baseball team finished 5th place in the Ohio Valley Region of Cal Ripken baseball. Both Makayla and Trace excelled in school. Lilly Grace developed her gift of conversation and had the opportunity to visit Cinderella in her castle at Walt Disney World for her 3rd birthday.

With little to no running experience, April ran nearly 1000 miles and completed multiple races with competitive times, including two half-marathons within a month of each other. She also continued with her substitute teaching. Most importantly, she invested in the development of our children every single day.

Tim had his first book, Miles Past Normal, published (www.milespastnormal.com). He also wrote his second book due for release at Easter of 2011.

We both traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, in September to be assessed for a new direction in our lives and were affirmed to a calling God laid on our hearts to plant a new church in Lexington, KY (www.lexmomentum.com).

Amidst all of these wonderful things, God was doing something else in our hearts. We were challenged midway through the summer at a conference we attended to “allow God to disturb us and break our hearts.” Tim was traveling and speaking about his book which encouraged readers to take miles past normal steps of faith and began to wonder what God had in store in that way for our family.

At the same time, April ran across the blog of one of her sorority sisters from college (www.weloveourlucylane.blogspot.com). What she saw moved her more than she even realized at that point. April’s friend’s family adopted a child from Ethiopia. She began to share the story with our entire family.

As our family learned of the poverty, disease, and hopeless life faced by 150 million orphans worldwide, we were also confronted with the calls of scripture for followers of Jesus to make a difference in the lives of those orphans.

After nearly six months of prayer, research, soul-searching, more research, and more prayer, we have been approved to adopt a child from Ethiopia in order to provide hope for the hopeless. This is our story. This is our blog. Travel with us on our journey over the months to come!

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