God's Blessings Along the Way

Well, it's been a very long time since Bridgette has posted anything. So, I figured I would post an update. A lot has happened since we switched agencies.We have done a few fundraisers since we switched. Let me tell you about the fundraisers. Since Bridgette is a teacher, we decided to do another fundraiser at the primary school where her mom is a teacher. I was not as excited as Bridgette was because I knew who would be doing the fundraiser....ME. It was as awkward as I imagined it would be. I did a BBQ luncheon at the primary school with ONLY woman. I was the only man sitting in the teacher's lounge as the teachers came in and shared their morning stories. I felt a little out of place at times. However, it did get easier. I even came back the next day to do another fundraiser. It was just as awkward the second time. If you know me, you know that I am not a very social person. Throwing this fundraiser was really big for me and I know that God was by my side the entire time. I am very grateful for the teachers who donated and tried to make me feel as comfortable as possible. Bridgette, however, thoroughly enjoyed that I felt uncomfortable throwing this fundraiser alone.  We raised about $450 at the primary school.

Our 2nd and 3rd fundraiser- We had a wonderful couple help plan our 'Bounce n BBQ' fundraiser. We passed out flyers everywhere we could think of: 3 different schools, VBS at a church, and I even passed them out to every car in the Food City parking lot( that was fun :/ ) We had four inflatables, BBQ, hotdogs, etc. We were very grateful for everyone who came out and supported our adoption. I even returned the next day and did a fundraiser lunch at the church. We raised about  $1,800 altogether. We were a little disappointed with the turn out considering how much we advertised it to our community. Later that night we held a "pity party" at our house that nobody came to either. :) We were hoping for more people and donations, but we then realized that this is all God's plan and His plan is perfect.

Last week, we sold a boat that was donated to us. Even though the boat's motor was busted, we still sold it for $1,200. God is good!

During this time we have also made great progress with our dossier. We had our biometrics appointment and got our 171H approval letter, had our papers county and state sealed, and we are currently waiting on two grant decisions. We are very close to the end of this process. Today, we are sending our dossier to our agency. Even though we do not have all the funds, we are still sending our papers so they can be processed while we raise the remainder of the money. As humans, it's very easy to stress and worry. Bridgette and I both catch ourselves worrying about the money at times. We still need $3,700 for our dossier. With Bridgette not working during the summer it has been a challenge to keep up with the bills and get the money for the adoption at the same time. We know that God will provide every last cent in some form or another and that we need to have more faith and just trust in Him. We will, of course, still need to raise money as we get closer to traveling to Ethiopia. It is a long and tiresome journey, but we believe nothing worthwhile is gained without struggle.

What can you do?....... PRAY.
1. Pray that we receive a grant
2. Pray that our next fundraiser is a success
3.Pray that we will have faith to finish the race.