Chocolate Crock Pot Cake, Corn Hole, and Glimpses of Hope...


Last week I was determined to think of something I am thankful for every day. Reality has sunk in this week. While I have tons of things I am thankful for, the chance of me blogging daily is slim to none, so here is my catch up list for the past few days...

1. Friday...I am thankful for Chocolate Crock Pot Lava Cake. Need I say more with that name? Nate came home the other day from work with this recipe a teacher had made. You basically dump a chocolate cake mix, a pudding mixx, and a bag of chocolate chips into a crock pot for 3 hours...amazingness!

2. Saturday...I am thankful for one of my greatest friends in the world, Jenny Shafer. Nate and I had the opportunity to go to lunch with Jenny and her husband Brian on Saturday, and we began talking about our adoption fundraiser dinner we are having. Jenny got so excited to support us, she already told us of 5 couples from her church coming, and offered to buy all of the garlic bread we need for it! It's amazing that God has placed friends along our path who are amazingly supportive and encouraging and would do anything for us...so thankful.

3. Saturday Night...I am thankful for my volleyball girls and corn hole! Nate and I attended a volleyball end of the season party, and my girls surprised us with corn hole! I had been waiting forever to get that game. More importantly, they wrote the sweetest notes to us. I know I have said it before, but I will say it again. I am so thankful that God has placed teenagers, like our volleyball girls, in our life that we have the privilege of playing a small role in their life. It's like having a family while we wait for a family!

4. Sunday...I am incredibly thankful for Orphan Sunday. Last year at this time, we traveled to our first Orphan Sunday event and were blown away by the need to care for orphans. We were in process in the adoption paper work at the time, but this year was different. We have been waiting 9 months, which seems crazy, and the reality of what is happening around the world, and the need around the world to care for orphans, just hits home in a different way. Nate and I were asked to share our story on Sunday night and we were incredibly humbled. The fact that God would want to use our story to reach people and create an awareness for orphans...wow...just blown away. I have no words for that other than I am extremely greatful.

5. Today...I am thankful for glimpses of hope in youth ministry. Today I met with one of my former teens who I have blogged about before. She is now a college student, and has become one of our biggest cheerleaders in this adoption process. I sat across from her as she shared her heart, what she felt like God was calling her to, and finally came to grips with her purpose. WOW again...totally blown away and humbled that I get to be a part of those conversations. God is using that girl and will continue to use her to reach the hurting, the oppressed, and those who don't have a voice. I can't wait to watch that.

My heart has been so full lately. I don't know what it is, but these day I find myself incredibly grateful for the story God is writing. I have a feeling some incredible chapters are yet to come.

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