Grout Scrubbing 101

Our friends and family are simply amazing!  Yesterday, we had 5 friends along with our mother and father-in-law here at the house yesterday.  We scrubbed, cleaned, vacuumed, and rearranged our house in preparation for our home study on Monday afternoon.  Want to see what a true friend is?  See if they'll scrub your grout....I mean, try it.  See what look they give ya!  haha.  I cannot believe how amazing our friends and family are.  

Tomorrow at 2:30 p.m., we have our first home study meeting with our social worker.  Honestly, I'm not concerned at all.  I feel at ease about the entire thing.  I know there will be things to improve at our house and that there are many other requirements that will need to be met in order to continue through the next step.  

I'm looking forward to getting to know our social worker.  I won't call her by name, but interestingly enough, we have another connection with her.  She helped another couple through friends at church to adopt their son.  They were absolutely pleased with her and loved having her as their social worker.  This is such an encouragement!

Puzzle Update:

We were privileged to add 28 pieces this week to the Adoption Puzzle.  Check it out!

Fun stuff!  God is so good.  Thank you all that have been able to donate so far.  I know I say this often, but we're so blessed by awesome family and friends.  

God is teaching us so much through this process.  Last week, we received a donation that allowed us to start the home study part of the adoption process.  I took a little time to think about what we should do.  On one hand, I thought it sure would be nice to have the next amount of $ secured before we started the home study.  Then I read the devotion for that day from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. 

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"Be willing to go out on a limb with Me. If that is where I am leading you, it is the safest place to be. Your desire to live a risk-free life is a form of unbelief. Your longing to live close to Me is at odds with your attempts to minimize risk. You are approaching a crossroads in your journey. In order to follow Me wholeheartedly, you must relinquish your tendency 

to play it safe.

Let Me lead you step by step through this day. If your primary focus is on Me, you can walk along perilous paths without being afraid. Eventually, you will learn to relax and enjoy the adventure of our journey together. As long as you stay close to Me, My sovereign Presence protects you wherever you go."

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Psalm 37:4 says "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."

If we are desiring the things that the Lord wants, He will make a way.  My idea about waiting to start the home study would be a lack of faith as I try to "minimize risk."  

So our prayer now is to be focused in on God's desires.  It seems to me that only when I am focused on Him, can I truly be at peace whatever God chooses for our lives.  Only then, can I stand looking at a closed door and praise His name just as I do when the door is flung wide open.  Either way, He is Lord.

Grace and Peace,

Brian