How God Provides ... in Advance

I'm a little behind with my blog posts ... by about 3 years! At any rate, when I adopted my Texan Princess, she was born at 32 weeks and was diagnosed with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). Each time I visited the hospital NICU, the nurses would explain that she wasn't feeling very well and that her withdrawal symptoms were bad. Every time I saw her, she was asleep. Sometimes she had hiccups. Apparently that's a withdrawal symptom. She had many of the symptoms listed in the link above.

Because I had absolutely no experience with this, I went to good old Google. I learned that babies born exposed to drugs are often born early and, because they're born early, they do not suffer through their symptoms so much. They sleep through them! So, she had symptoms for 4 months, gradually reduced over time, but she slept through the first 2 months of them.

It is so cool to me that God provided a way to protect innocent children from the most severe consequences of their parents' poor choices.  I realize not all children are born early and do not sleep through their severe symptoms. This is how it worked out for us and I feel so incredibly blessed by it, and so is she. Although she was a little behind in most of her developmental milestones, she is on target and doing well. I know God has a plan for her life and I can't wait to see how He uses her.

I have no words to explain the blessing that she is to me. I was well beyond child-bearing years. I felt I did a horrible job raising my first babies as an unsaved mother. She is my "second chance", my "round two" in parenting as a saved mother. What a difference! I am forever grateful.

If you want to see how God has worked in her siblings' lives, check out the links in Who We Are.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah 1:5
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart..." Jeremiah 29:11-13
Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:16

Looking for Partners in Caring for the Orphans

Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Psalm 82:3

I'm an adoptive mom. That is my calling. My ministry. I've adopted many older children from foster care. Many have traumatic backgrounds or disabilities of various kinds. There are other children I tried to adopt but, for one reason or another, it didn't go through. I was matched with siblings then a relative stepped up to adopt them. I was matched with other siblings and the foster parents ultimately decided to adopt them. Some children I sought out but was never able to connect with their workers before they aged out. There is this one boy ...

Once upon a time, a biological sibling to one of my children was placed with us, but the adoption was never consummated. He returned to a residential treatment facility, as his needs were too great for me at the time. He has grown up in facilities. Not families. Facilities. It breaks my heart.

At any rate, we love him. We've kept in touch. I recently had the opportunity to meet with him. He is doing well. He has grown and matured so much!

Also, his wisdom teeth have grown in and crowded out his already crooked teeth. Mind you, I requested he get assessed for braces 5 or more years ago. I was told it would be done. Medicaid would not pay for his braces, as he didn't meet the criteria. Over time, his teeth have gotten worse and now he is too old for Medicaid to pay for braces anyway. He has one tooth sticking out his right cheek. He has one tooth that sticks up under his tongue! He has other crooked teeth and I don't think his bottom teeth match up to his top teeth in order for him to chew properly. I noticed he's very thin and he eats only small amounts of food at a time. This situation breaks my heart. So, of course I offered to pay for braces for him.

I'm looking for partners in this, if God is willing. Prayer partners can pray for his continued healing, as God has worked in this boy's life, that the money will come my way, and that my family can get through this 2-year commitment. I'm not wealthy by any means. I don't even have the Dave-Ramsey-suggested emergency fund built back up yet. But I do know that God provides. He provides for our every need. I'm humbled by His Goodness and Generosity. He is "a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling." (Psalm 68:5) He also sees the trouble of the afflicted; and considers their grief and takes it in hand. The victims commit themselves to him; he is the helper of the fatherless. (Psalm 10:14)

The down payment is $800 with a $200-per-month commitment for 2 years. If you feel called to become a financial partner in this in any way, any and all help would be greatly appreciated. I have a donate button on my blog. I also have Paypal. If you'd like to deal directly with the orthodontist, I can get you that information, as well. If you'd like to send him an encouraging note, I can surely pass that along, too.

I thank you for your prayers, gifts, and encouragement. May your blessings abound.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27

I love this quote: