Wake up People

   

Today I yet again watched a video about a boy in Foster Care that just wants a Family.... A Family that's it. Someone to love him and care for him.


Do you ever just want to shout "WAKE UP PEOPLE" or is that just me? By no means is this a judgement post, more like an educational post, because trust me I once needed a wake up call! Have you ever heard " what you don't know won't hurt you"??? Who came up with that stupid saying?
Do you know that there are 147 million orphans in the world? No? Did you know that Jesus tell us to care for orphans? No? Well now you do. See! Not knowing these facts is harmful in so many ways.

So here is my story about my wake up call.
 I was blessed that someone cared enough about me(and Jesus) to wake me up! 

About 4.5 years ago I went to a Falls creek women's conference. There I was little 'ol me just ready to have some me time, a break from the stress of life. Little did I know that the small world I was living in would be Interrupted!

I went into that weekend feeling pretty good about my whole "Christian" status. I loved Jesus, knew he loved me, I was going to church, reading my bible, going to bible studies, tithing 10%, helping with youth at church, doing my monthly rotation in the nursery, listening to K-Love and Air1... You know all the things that "Christians" do. 

Then it happened! I was sitting in my seat at the conference when in walked the next speaker, Jenn Hatmaker. Then Bam! Just like that(well an hour later) I was looking at my life thinking "what the heck? I am I really a Christian?" I mean I thought I was. Like I said,  I loved Jesus, knew he loved me, I was going to church, reading my bible, going to bible studies, tithing 10%, helping with our youth, doing my monthly rotation in the nursery, praying, listening to KLove and Air1... You know all the things that "Christians" do. 

By the way if you have not read her book Interrupted go order it now here!
Interrupted-by Jenn Hatmaker
*WARNING- It's life changing

That same day in a break out session the speakers lesson was over Revelations 3:16 "so since you are Luke warm, neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth"

Let me just let you in on the conversation that was going on inside my head......."What?!? Hold up!! Am I Luke  warm??? Surely I'm not luke warm...... Oh my goodness!!  I'm luke warm! I am about (thanks for the warning) to be spit out of God's mouth? "

Well I don't know about you but when I spit something out of my mouth it's not because I like it. It's because I'm about to get sick because I'm not picky I will eat pretty much anything. I don't believe in being picky, only thankful.

What do I do now? I don't want to be spit out of God's mouth.  Well my mind and heart dove into the word of God and in serious prayer. I asked Jesus to help me NOT be Luke warm! What am I missing? Like I said,  I loved Jesus, knew he loved me, I was going to church, reading my bible, going to bible studies, tithing 10%, helping with our youth, doing my monthly rotation in the nursery, praying, listening to KLove and Air1... You know all the things that "Christians" do.  

But that's just it... I was just going through the motions. 

So I started praying for God to change my heart, to give me his eyes, his ears.......To Break my heart for what breaks his. Start standing up for what really matters. 

  A beautiful transformation , not only for me but for my family went on for several months. 

I recently shared on FB the time hop for October 16th 4 years ago.  

That trip was part of my transformation. I came home from that trip and have never been the same. My view about living in America sifted. I cried for almost two months every time I could use hot water, drink clean water, turn on the lights, put on clean clothes, eat, wear shoes with holes, turned in my heated seats in my car, drove my car, went to Walmart and saw the abundance of thing that no one "needs", I never had actually ever really needed God for my basic needs.  I felt like a complete brat. The whole American Dream became an American Nightmare to me. It scared me that people were chasing the American Dream instead of God Heart. It scared me that I too had been brain washed into chasing it as well.
 While I believe that God gives us thing to bless others with(house,cars) we have to make sure you are not chasing that American Dream and forgetting what's most important. Did you know that if you make $50k a year you are in the top 1% of of the income earners in the world?  See! I told you that was a stupid saying!

I started using the whole "starving children in Africa" on my children, but in a whole new meaning! 

My poor kids.....Well not really I don't feel sorry for them. Yes I want them to have an amazing childhood, but I don't want their child hood to be about all the things of  this world that do not matter. I want them to be happy have joy in their lives and with out Jesus there is no Joy. I want them to feel loved and know how to love. 

 I believe that true love and passion for people is how to change the world. There are so many scriptures through out the bible that command us to love one another. 

Romans 12:10 is one of my favorites-
 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10Love each other with genuine affection,^e and take delight in honoring each other.

So here is your Wake up call and remember it's only because I Love you and Jesus loves you more! *push play

Do you care on the level that God cares? Are you willing to take a stand for our king and his glory?

 When I meet Jesus one day I want him to say job well done! Way to run that race! I'm pretty sure he will not be applauding me for the bible studies and church services  I attended. You will never change the world by going to church we must be the church. We are the hands and feet of Jesus.

And trust me You don't have to go to Africa to start being the church , loving on people, or caring for orphans. People are hurting everywhere around us. There are orphans, lost and broken people in your very own city! You  only need to go next door(do you know your neighbors? -Matthew 22:39), the grocery store, your child's classroom, sporting events, even church. 

I pray that the Holy Spirit will ignite a fire in us, allowing God to work in our hearts and start taking a stand for what really matters in this world.  
James 1:27 say: Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

That verse was not just written for me, but everyone. We are all called. 

There should be NO orphans in this world, especially in our very own cities! 

a song to help get us started..

Help support the O'Neal's Adoption~Chance to win an Ipad Mini

Well I have to say that I am so glad that our fundraising days are OVER!  While I think fundraising helps bring adoption awareness, it can be draining on so many levels! The O'Neal's stood in the gap for us on many occasions in our adoption (and still do). One way they did this was by heading up fundraisers to help us bring Aboss home. It was such a blessing! I am beyond excited to return the favor in helping them bring home their daughter(s) from Ethiopia. 

So let the fun and love begin! 

From now until January 31st(11:59pm) when you make a donation toward the O'Neal's adoption you will be entered into a drawing for an IPad Mini!! For every $10 donated your name will go into the drawing..example-$50 donation =your name goes in drawing 5xs.

To make a Tax Deductible donation you can donate through the O'Neals Ordinary Hero page. Just click on the following link

http://grouprev.com/expectingfromethiopia

Or 

you can make non tax deductible donations by:

*pay pal at autumnlj@yahoo.com(please make a note "Oneal adoption-you can use the donate button on the right)

*check by mail to Autumn Deason

1317 Edna St Commerce, Tx 75428

(Make checks out to Joely O'Neal)

*or in person to either Jason and Joely O'Neal or myself. 

 We will use exel and Radom.org to draw for the luck winner!

Winners will be announced on Febuary 1st at 12pm!!

GOAL:

The O'Neal's need $3000 to proceed in the next step of their adoption. We have two weeks!! So let's show them how much we love them! Help Spread the word! 

It's a win win situation! You not only could win an IPad mini, but you will be helping an amazing family bring home their daughter(s).

God is Good all the Time!

PRIZE:

One of the Days My Life was Changed Forever

My friends sent this video to me today.... 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGbRKadBRZE&sns=em

This was the day my life changed forever. You can see me for a brief moment holding a little boys hand trying to get him to play. It was my mission to make him have fun! 

Well my attempts didn't work... I then asked someone to ask him what was wrong. 

He wasn't shy.... He was hungry! He just needed food. He had not eaten in 3 days. The only meals he got were the ones at the care point. 

               I will never forget this face

I cried when they told me this. I I held him tight, gave him my water. He was so weak he could barely hold the bottle. 

The food was being prepared, but not ready yet. Our group was suppose to leave but I told them I could not until I saw him eat. 

               He finally got to eat.

I'm even crying as I write this. 

I will never understand why many kids in this world go hungry. Why so many kids don't know what it is to be loved. 

Aboss' teacher told me yesterday that they were telling things they were thankful for.  He said "eat"-food. My little 4 year old knows that food is a blessing.It's the first thing he thanks God for we when pray at night.  

When I came home from this trip I cried for a month. I have not been the same person I was when I left on that October day in 2011.

Most days It is hard to me to live in America. I often wonder why I have been so blessed to not know what it truly means to be hungry or to not be loved.

 It makes me sad to see people obsess over worldly things.  I know God says " For I know the plan I have for you declares The Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you,plans to give you hope and a future" -Jeremiah 29:11

I'm pretty sure this does not mean plans to "live in a big house, drive a nice car, go to Disney Land, get that boat you always wanted... Etc..." 

I use to be that person... I use to want bigger and better "things". I'm not saying I have mastered this, but for sure have a different mind set than 2 years ago. 

I want my kids to be blessed and feel loved, but not from giving them all their "wants". I want my kids to have amazing life experiences and not the kind Disney World can bring. The kind that only come from Jesus! We pray every night that God use us for HIS glory. I love to listen to my kids prayers and hear their heart.. 

Following God is NOT easy! When God called us to adopt we thought of every excuse as to why we shouldn't. All selfish reasons ...how it would disrupt our little world, the $ it would cost( at the time we were thinking about buying a new car which would cost the same amount as adopting. As you can see I didn't buy the new car... I actually even drove it for a month), what would people think, the time it would take away for ourselves, would it mess up "our" dreams for our family....

But we knew we had to obey. God's disruptions in our lives are divine interventions. 

There is nothing better than looking  back at a situation you thought was horrible and seeing God's work through it all. 

The last 3 months have been hard for my family. Hard in a good way. I have learned a lot about myself. Our family is stronger than it ever has been. We rely on God to get us through each day. I thought I knew how to love. I shamefully say I didn't. Adoption makes you think truly about the love our Heavenly Father has for us.  (Another blog to come about this)

One of the moments that God revealed to me that this is all for HIS glory was when Jaxon had to answer some questions for an interview that another student would use to write a story at school. 

Two of the questions were "do you want to get married" an "Do you want to have Kids"

He answered that he did want to get married and that he wants to have two kids then adopt from Africa:)

I honestly was shocked and taken back. I could believe that he would still want to adopt after the hardest 3 months of our lives. Yet again another lesson learned... God is so much bigger than the hard times in your life. 

The last three months have been an amazing beautiful messy journey. I wouldn't change it for the world.. Yet again I am a different person than I was 3 months ago. I pray I keep growing and changing all for the Glory of God! 

I have a feeling God's about to call us to "do something"... 

Everytime I have had this "feeling" God had plans for a Divine Interruption  in my life.. 

Justin is going to be thrilled when I tell him! He sometimes thinks God is crazy!! 

Yet I didn't sit down to write this... It just happened. 

What is God calling you to do?

So Humbled

Update: had someone that knew raffle was over but still wanted to donate.

$5600 raised! 

We need $6,000 in a week..$5500 was raised! Wow!!!  

Justin and I are so humbled. When we started this journey money was one of our big concerns.. I mean $30k sounded like a lot of money.. That is more than I make in a year. How in the world were we going to come up with that kind of money right?!?! Well we thought.... who are we to put God in a box... we knew that God had called us to adopt and called us to adopt from Africa. So who were we to tell him no becasue of the fear of money. So we stepped out of our comfort zone and put  all our Faith and trust in him..

God has carried is the whole way... It's been a long journey. I had adopting moms tell me that this will be a journey where my Faith would be tested! At that time,in the beginning, I thought I knew what  they were talking about.... I had NO CLUE..

I'm telling you the devil was out to Kill,steal, and destroy our family. He put so many obstacles  in our way. We had friendships vanish, my health decline for a long period of time, we moved, lots of unexpected Financial burdens and the list goes on and on. 

My brothers and sisters, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure. Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. But if any of you lack wisdom, you should pray to God, who will give it to you; because God gives generously and graciously to all. But when you pray, you must believe and not doubt at all. Whoever doubts is like a wave in the sea that is driven and blown about by the wind. People like that, unable to make up their minds and undecided in all they do, must not think that they will receive anything from the Lord. (James 1:2-8 GNB)

Man did We pray for wisdom! 

"for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure. (James 1:3)

Our endurance has gotten much stronger.. We feel/know that with God all things are possible.....

Jesus looked straight at them and said, “There are some things that people cannot do, but God can do anything.” (Matthew 19:26)

            

Now that  I talked about all the trails.... I do not want to leave out the blessings.... Our faith is stronger than it has ever been, we love the challenge of getting out of our comfort zone and seeking God... We sometimes tell him he is crazy.. But we follow him anyways.. 

We have been blessed with amazing friends and family(you know who you are)that have been by our sides this whole journey encouraging us and never discouraging us . 

We have meet so many people that share our hearts and passions. 

There are people that we have never meet that have showed us amazing 

Support and love.. It's surprising to find out that sometimes the people you thought would be by your side aren't and   That people you never meet come to the rescue. 

Our children have got to see God in action.. Now talk about a child like faith... I pray my faith be as strong as theirs.... I love that God is in their everyday language. If a problem arises they know to pray about it. Their prayers and trust in Jesus blow me away! 

We want to thank each and everyone of you for all that you have blessed us with! Thank you for your prayers(keep them coming), emotional support, financial support, and the love you have poured out for us. 

Love,

Justin, Autumn, 

Jaxon, Aubrey, and Aboss

It's Time!! We need your help!!

Update:07/24/2013

$1000 left to raise! God is so good!! 2 hours left!! 

Update: 07/22/2013

$3780 left to raise!! Ends tomorrow at midnight!! Nothing like having to rely on FAITH and FAITH alone, because HE is the only one that can make this happen! 

  We are still waiting for a visa interview. We are still requesting July 29th but not sure they will grant us that. It could be August 4th. Depending on when they set our Visa appoint will determine if we will be in attendance. Booking last minute flights is way out of our budget. We have faith the God will work out all these details. 

Right now we need prayer for a visa interview! Please pray that one is set ASAP. 

Then once it is set... Pray for an approval!!!! I am claiming in Jesus' name that it is already done. He WILL get approved! 

Here is a new pic I got yesterday! 

Ready for his cuteness to come enjoy the summer with us before school starts. 

Hey guys! Well I have some awesome news and some overwhelming news!
Awesome  news first!!
Its time to pick up Aboss! 

overwhelming news... we still need $5954 in order to do that! 

We are picking up his visa Packet today! Asking for Visa interview for July 29th.

Normally you wait until visa interview is given an approval and visa is printed to go pick them up.. So this  would mean if all goes well we would be picking him up around August 4th.

Well right now there has been a lot of cases go into "review" at the visa stage... Which then in turn is taking about another 60-90 days to complete. 

Our agency called me yesterday and said that it seems that the reason these cases are going into review is because the families are not there at the Visa interview! No one knows for sure. We have to make a decision  wether or not to go to the Visa interview which would mean that we will need to fly out July 27th. Only a week and half away!!

The only risk is that there is a chance it could still go into "review".. Things have been so shaking there lately. 

We are talking to our agency today about what to do!

Please pray for guidance and peace about what Justin and I should do. The risk being we could get there. Get denied or put into review and having to take Aboss back to the orphanage and leave Africa with out him. I'm not sure my heart can take that.

Also please pray for the Financial burden we need to come up with in less than a week if God is telling us we need to be there. 

I am going to throw together yet another fundraiser. Like I mention we still need $5459 to make this all happen. Flights are crazy expensive and with is moving to Texas fees have gone up:( 

We will have a raffle for your choice or either a mini IPad or electric scooter..
Your choice.. We will ship it to your house. 

Details below. 

Fundraising has been the biggest downer for me. It's something that I struggle with.. I hate asking for $. With that said I have to trust that God will provide. 

I'll keep you updated! Thanks you guys for your support! I'm beyond ready for this all to be over and Aboss to be here!! With out you guys and The Lord there is NO way we could get through this. This journey has been so hard... Yet such a blessing!! 

God bless each and every one of you,
Love, The Deason's 
Miss this little guy!

 

                    Raffle Details

Raffle will be for your choice of a Mini IPad or electric scooter. 

Entries:

1--$10

3-$25

6-$50

9-$75

12-$100

15-$125

We only have a week.. I will keep everyone updated!

Raffle will end July 24th at midnight! Winner will be drawn July 25th at 10am I will use random.org to pick winner. 

You may purchase tickets by using PayPal

At autumnLj@yahoo.com 

*There is a link on our blog where you can purchase tickets... Click on donate button..  You will have to click web version at the bottom of your screen to see it if you are on your phone.*

Or send check to 

1317 Edna Street

Commerce, Tx 75428

I will post daily the amount still needed! 

Love you All! 

Electric scooter 

      Or 

Your choice! Item will be mailed to your house. 

New item added:

Custom made Rag rug by LeAnne Penny

Jaxon's Child like Faith

My son Jaxon has been wanting to go to Africa ever since we started our adoption process. Justin and I chose not to take our kids with us on the first trip to meet Aboss for a couple of different reasons. One being that flights are so expensive we just could not afford it.. Second being  we wanted to give Aboss extra love while we were there and him be our main focus at this time.

We skyped with the kids several times while there and they got to "meet" their new brother. They were always all smiles!! Not really sure what to say to each other :) but you could see the excitement. Before our trip I let the kids record A video for Aboss to watch! They practiced saying "I love you " in Twi( his language). Aboss watched those videos over and over and over! His eyes would get so big and a smile from ear to ear when they said "mendo".."I love you"

They can Not wait to meet their brother.. Jaxon has been begging me to go back with me to get him... Aubrey not so much just because she can barely make it on a 30 min car ride.. She would never make it.. Plus she told me if Jaxon goes she will get to have lots of Daddy time all to her self :)

Justin and I kept telling Jaxon that we can't afford for him to go.. I am just going because we can't afford for Justin and I to go...

Well Jaxon came to me the other day and said that he wanted to earn money to go to Africa and he would put all his savings toward it. He has started chores and does them happily... I told him I would give him $10 a week.. Which will not come anywhere close to what he needs to go. So he told me he wanted  ask our neighbors if he could mow their lawn. He has been think of every way to earn money. 

He said mom I have been praying that I can go! He really believes that God will provide a way. 

Well buddy mommy is going to pray for that too! So we are stepping out of Faith that God will provide. Tomorrow we have an appointment in Dallas to gets his passport. 

We are stepping out on faith that not only will God provide financially HE will also allow all the "paperwork"....passport...visa..and a yellow fever )which is another story in its self as when he found out he had to get shot he didn't think he could go ... He spent a day struggling with that fact butthen  came to me and said that he could do it!!) to be completed before we have to leave.  We are looking at going probably in 3-5 weeks. So not much time to raise $2000

If you feel it in your heart to give to "Jaxon's Africa Fund" let me know. He will be so thankful! 

Believing 

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (James 1:6 NIV)

He can receive donations by my pay pal at autumnlj@yahoo.com   ...  comment Jaxon's Africa Fund

Or by check to 

1317 Edna Street

Commerce, Tx 75428

Answered prayers

Since my last update prayers have been answered... We closed on our house in Ada today!!!! Man I'm not sure if I could go through that again.... We sold it the first week we put the sign out, but it took 100 days to close!! It is over now Praise GOD!

We can now close on our Texas house on Thursday!! We are sooo beyond ready to be a family again. 5 months is way to long to be apart.... We will still not be 100% a family until Aboss is home.

We are having movement with the Adoption... We have our updated home-study  scheduled for July 14th. Since moving states we have to do MORE paperwork and send more money!

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel though. Our Case worker thinks that we will have our I-600 approval within the next week... If this happens we have to have our updated home-study done by the time we file for his visa which would be about a week after approval... So we are cutting it close. I do not want this to cause a delay in bringing him home. 

I want to thank everyone who has been praying for us! I can feel it! Please keep it up and help us get our little boy home with out delay.:) 

We did get pictures our little guy today!! Pictures help a little but until he is I'm our arms my heart will be longing for him. 

Check out the cuteness❤

Here's that thumbs up!

What a cutie 

Wonder if that tooth will ever come in?!? Him and Aubrey look a lot alike right now:)

Praying my next update is the news of him coming home!!