Watching God Do Extraordinary Things!

We are amazed that God is using us for extraordinary things!

It is time for Christians to start living in a way that leaves opportunity for God to do amazing, only God-sized tasks. This is true Christianity. While Dustin was at karate Tuesday evening, as God perfectly ordained, I listen to two sermons on this subject. Very appropriate to our situation!!

Many of you have watched our journey of desiring kids. The loss of our first baby, Lil' Bean five years ago. On February 25, 2011 God gave and He took away. As beautiful a gift to know our child rests in the arms of our Father, it is still hard to this day (I had a good cry yesterday) that my baby never rested in MY arms. 

BUT, through the loss of our child God used it to grow us, reach out to others needing encouragement, finish our seminary degrees, write a book to help others suffering, and bring home our precious Jaden. Could He have chosen a different road for us...allowed us to have our baby, still allow us to adopt Jaden, encourage others, write books, etc. Sure. He can do whatever He pleases. But, He didn't. 

And through His direction, He guided our heart to begin a life of passionately pursuing the Lord, no matter the cost. Radical abandonment for His Glory. Our life, our ministry, our family. To others, this may look irrational at times. Truth is each step has been carefully prayed over and cautiously taken. Fighting to trust the Lord in His plans, even when the watching would may criticize our choices is a real struggle. But, if everything was "cookie cutter" it wouldn't look very extraordinary and God-sized would it? Review the characters of the Bible! People thought most were crazy!! Dustin and I haven't lived life conventionally, much to do with how God has directed our path...even at times against our own will.

Dustin and I are big believers in stewardship. That is why we "dubbed" this year: The Year of Rest. Every year on our anniversary (a day before the New Year), we review the year's strengths and weaknesses and prepare for the following year by a "dubbing." We believe stewardship is so important as a Christian it should permeate all of life: our finances, our relationships, our possessions, and certainly our time. Hence...the Year of Rest. Learning to rest and (be dependent on) our Great Lord. 

Well, He has certainly started this new year off with a bang of reliance!!!! We need Him every moment and for every step.

A huge step of faith--expecting God to do the extraordinary--began with the process of adoption in November 2013. 

And God still has us on this journey.

If I told you ALL He has done (and is doing...) you would find your mouth hanging open in amazement. Soon, there will be a day to share all of this. 




 Adoption is our want. Certainly. But, it is a NEED. For those who have joined with us to fight for the life of this child, Thank you!!! Prayer is needed to bring this child home safely. Jaden's adoption did fill our every longing to be parents. And God still used us to save him from his dark situation. 

 
This second adoption, is so very different. God choose us this time. We weren't planning to go with an agency. We weren't even planning to adopt again right now. (Our plan was to start again in the next year or so). 

But, God determined in His (crazy-to-us) plan that we were the best fit for this child...for whatever purpose God has for his/her life. And we are amazed.This is different because though we are so excited to be gifted a second child, we truly feel this situation is God calling us out of our comforts (time, money, people's perceptions, etc.) to care for the life of an orphan! So with our experience of Jaden's adoption, and now the circumstances of this second adoption--God has made it clear to us He has called us to Orphan Care: To be a voice to the lost who desperately need their Father, and to change the cultural understanding of adoption, both in the world and the Church (James 1:27).

This calling has a practical side too. This side is the only reason people seem opposed to adoption. If you wonder about the finances of adoption...our government is ridiculous in many ways. Adoption is one of them. Our government would rather pay over $100,000+ for a child to stay in foster care for their entire life, than help couples adopt a child forever in their own home (costing the government more like $10-20K a child). Makes no sense. 

But, because adoption agencies/attorneys have to comply with our government fees/marketing/legal system, etc. the couple trying to adopt must come up with this money. We wish we had $30,000 sitting free and clear in an account to adopt, but God has never abundantly blessed us with monetary wealth. Yet, He has ALWAYS provided for our NEEDS. We are so thankful for that! Adopting was always going to be an investment for us, and debt would be involved. As good stewards we would pay it off as quickly as possible.

Buying back lives...is costly!

A couple weekends ago...In THREE days, we watched as God provided $11,000 toward our initial $15,951 for our match, birth mother expenses, and home study. Now, I start grant writing with the hopes that God provides in part through them the remaining $15,000 (total adoption is $28,000 + social worker visits and travel).

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Please pray for our hearts in this process to stay steadfast trusting our Good, Good Father. If He called us to this task, which however it appears by the watching world, we know He did...He will provide. We are certain of that. 

• Pray we would trust His provision and preparation. 
• Pray for our hearts to rest in Him as we seek to trust Him to protect our little one yet in the womb. 
• Pray for the health of our baby and birth mom.
• Pray God would give us an opportunity to share the Gospel with our birth mom when we meet her (we already did through a letter). Pray she receives the letter with an open heart.
• Pray for God to answer prayers and do something EXTRAordinary! 

Oh, God that you would continue to do God-sized tasks! 

We are excited and waiting for His power to be displayed to the multitude. 

And...pray we would be faithful to give Him all the glory!!!

If you want to read more or help practically, please visit our adoption page: Bringing Home Baby #2.

Feeling Overwhelmed...We Need a Miracle: Our Concerns

Tonight I'm tired. To be very honest, Dustin and I have journeyed through a lot of suffering in many different ways in our young years. Yet, He has also (and because of suffering) blessed us beyond measure. Desiring children has been an emotional and burdensome venture to say the least. Even tonight I am overwhelmed to the point of tears at the task ahead of us. Because honestly, it would be a LOT easier just to announce we were pregnant...the conventional way. However, as in all of life God is in control, we are not. He chooses the path for us and just because it's hard doesn't mean we complain or fight against Him. It means we trust our Lord every second of our day. It means we rely on His promises to encourage our weary hearts. And it means we believe He will provide all our needs for His glory and our best! So, in my exhaustion tonight I will choose to trust and obey my loving Father! And...as soon as I finish this post I'm getting a bubble bath for some much needed R & R! hah

There are two major concerns we had to work through before saying “YES!!” As my wonderful sister wisely told me, “Adoption is harder than being pregnant. If you’re pregnant, even if the timing is all wrong by your perspective…too bad! You have no choice but to embrace the news. With adoption, you have to analyze if this is the best choice for you as a family to make…and even then people around you may still think you’re crazy!” 

In our case we might just be a little crazy??!!

Even in college we had a heart for adoption one day! Well...it is safe to say it is now One Day. And in a way to redeem the crazy out of our situation, let me share what we had to work through.

1.      Sharing Love. Again I cried as I rocked Jaden to sleep. So in love with my little boy. Jaden has always been enough to satisfy every longing to love a child. God has graciously gifted us another precious child to overwhelm with love. However, the fear that we have to make room to share our love with Jaden is hard to fathom! The truth is, we know we don’t have to share our love, God expands it with each child. Just as He expands His love for each child He adopts into His Forever Family. I am certain--as every parent with more than one child can attest--God will expand our love at first sight! (Actually, God is already growing our love for this little one!) We'll find out around Valentine's Day if we're having a son or daughter!!

2.      Risk. Most times Godly pursuits cost a lot. Jaden’s adoption was filled with emotional cost. This adoption should be an “open/shut” case. Since this adoption is through an adoption agency in Florida, we will have no attorney in North Carolina to deal with! HUGE Praise! It should finalize in 4-6 months because of the parental rights being easily terminated. AND we can even show pictures on his/her BIRTHday! However, we must continue to pray for the safety of this little one still in darkness. Geesh…can you imagine how hard it is to know your baby is being “cared for” in another woman’s womb! Please pray for the protection of our little one. This was the same fear for Jaden—as Jaden's birth mom said when we saw her at Thanksgiving, "I really thought he was going to have problems at birth!" Yes, God amazed us with His provision. Jaden was and is the healthiest and most beautiful child. Our angel baby!

      Our greatest risk, and honestly what almost kept us from saying “yes” is the financial burden. Because of some incredible people in our life, the financial burden of Jaden’s adoption was made light. Since our second adoption providently is coming through an agency, we have to trust that God will provide the $28- $30,000 it will cost us. We're praying for a miracle!
  
Why are we going with an agency you ask?? Well, because this is how God choose to knit us together with this (our) child. We don’t understand God’s sovereignty, we just listen and obey. And this wasn't something we were seeking out. God sought us out and asked us to be faithful! 

      So, whether the money comes through grants, fundraisers, loving donations, or years of paying it off…we have to trust our Great God will provide. And as Dustin says, “Our God owns a thousand cattle on a hill!” haha The saying really goes... “God owns the cattle on a thousand hills!” We don’t have it, but God assured us He does! 

Every Christian may not be called to adopt a child, but we are all commanded to pray for orphans and pray for God to reveal our part in the adoption process. What is your part?

 33% of Christians say they would adopt. The reason most don't is because of financial concerns! ONLY 2% of Christians actually adopt!!!

Did you know...If ONE family in every three churches adopted one child...

The Needs

Adoption is a calling, and for us The Nallycats…it’s our calling. Yes, God is blessings us as parents through the sacrifice of other women needing an alternative parenting plan for an unplanned pregnancy.  In no way are we seeking for handouts...we are trying to do everything we can to work hard to see our child rest peacefully in our arms this June. We are being obedient to God's call to actively care for the orphans. And hope that we inspire you to find your part in caring for the orphan too...and it might be helping us bring this little one home! Here are ways you can help us invest in this child’s LIFE!

• Please pray for the safety of our baby and God's provision in bring him or her home in June! Our birth mom is due July 15th, but since this is baby #9 and all her babies have come at least two weeks early, we need to be ready mid-June!

• BUY BOOKS!!!!! This may be the most encouraging way to support us...because we know God will encourage others through it! Please buy my books to encourage others. I may only get a few dollars from each book that sells, but this is a great way to spread the word about our adoption through social media, while allowing the Truth of God’s Word saturated throughout these books to encourage people! If you really want to help: Please put a link to my books on your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and that every dollar is going to our adoption fund. Here are the three books:

  The Thread: Adoption Stories Knit Together by Love. Please buy it, read it, and pass it on to encourage others to see the sovereignty of God in adoptions!

Absorbed: Becoming Physically, Emotionally, and Spiritually Intimate as God Designed. If you or someone you know has questions about dating, marriage, or how a lifetime of singleness can bring God glory, this book is for you! This book is a wonderful resource to battle the lies this generation has believed about singleness, dating, and marriage.

The Storms of Life: Trusting God through Emotional Pains, Hurting Marriages, and Addictions. An encouraging book for anyone needing strength  while suffering.

• We have a donation page set up at www.YouCaring.com where you can give monetarily to our agency to fight with us for our child! This makes raising funds simple and fun...knowing that your money goes directly to this precious child's life!

• Grants and other fundraisers! We’ll keep you posted about fundraisers! 

Yes, the monetary burden is our reality. And no one enjoys asking for help. Quite honestly, it is downright difficult sharing this burden! We know that is our pride. Because God calls us as the Church to work together to see His work fulfilled. This child is His Work! And…buying back lives is costly! Strange as it may seem to all "pitch in" for buying back the life of this child into our home, it is the world we live in. Adoption is very expensive. It isn't like our insurance covers most of the bill. Joining together financially gives you an opportunity to be a part of God's command to care for orphans.

 What we need most is prayer for all the above mentioned fears. Our Loving Father has entrusted to Dustin and I precious children that HE CHOSE to redeem from the darkness of their situation to the beauty and light of a Christ-centered home, our home. Was this the plan we had for ourselves many years ago...no, our plan was FAR easier! As we faithfully follow the Lord, we know this plan however difficult is much more rewarding! We hope you join us in being a part of God's grand adoption plan for this child!

Love The Nally Quartet

Baby #2: THE STORY!

As I cried to Dustin about our journey with kids, I spurted out, “Why is this so hard!” His response, “Because adoption was never meant to be easy.” The Enemy doesn’t want these children adopted into our loving home. He wants them to stay in darkness. And since God has for some reason blessed us with adoptions (the unconventional way of being pregnant), the hard road of buying back lives is where we find ourselves again. 

Let me make something very clear, adopting—no matter the cost or hardship—is the MOST rewarding and joyful gift anyone could ever receive on Earth. At times I daydream that soon there will be a baby resting peacefully in our loving arms, and my heart fills with joy. Because, this baby—our Child—would have lived a life of darkness or have been thrown away as not worthy, but God CHOSE to give him/her hope by placing him/her in our arms to rest in peace. That is a perfect picture of who we were before God CHOSE Dustin and I, born in darkness and not worthy, to rest peacefully in His loving arms for eternity! He gave us Everlasting Hope!

The Story

Many of you know Jaden’s story, at least in part. Please order The Thread, my newest book, to hear his birth mom’s story, our story, and many other encouraging adoption stories. The situations of the birth parents are normally rough, or they wouldn’t be choosing an alternate parenting option for their child. Jaden’s biological parents gave him the best life possible by choosing a loving, Christ-centered couple to be his parents! We are forever grateful for our angel baby. 

The circumstances that made Jaden’s case difficult were basically careless legal issues that caused us many emotional burdens! Like the failure to get the biological father to sign consent or be given the notice of adoption at the time of Jaden’s birth (before he disappeared because of crime for the next 9 months!), or the fact that Jaden is part Native American and we had to petition the tribe to let us adopt him into our white family! And when Jaden was 11 months old we found out the court denied our paralegal’s attempt to get biological father’s rights terminated based on insufficient documentation! Which meant, we had to start over…thankfully, a private investigator found him in jail and he graciously signed the consent forms immediately giving over his rights. All those months the adoption wasn’t finalized, and although our fears were unrealistic I had nightmares that he could be taken from me. Yes! Serious emotional burdens. Could you imagine the weight of fearing someone would take your child from you!!! From a mommy’s heart, I can say there has never been a mommy that loved her child any greater. Since the day we were “pregnant” with Jaden, I was overwhelmed with love for him. 

 

As God burdened our hearts for adoption, Dustin and I gave over (again) our plans for our family. We said, “Okay, God…you expand our family in the timing and way you choose, with the children you choose for us.” About four months after Jaden was born, we found out about a need for adoptive parents for three babies being born that Spring/Summer. We sent our profile into this Florida Agency, but fasted and prayed for God’s discernment if we should adopt so, so soon! God clearly said, “no.” We know every situation is not our calling to respond. God told us He would provide these children with Godly homes. We felt the need to share this with our best friends, Zach and Melody Brackett. 

Within six weeks they brought Baby Dawson home from the hospital! Whoa! They love adoption and believed it would be something they were going to pursue, but at the time we told them they weren’t even beginning an adoption plan! Hah! 

Zach Brackett, Jaden, Me, and Baby Dawson

After God’s clear answer for us of “no,” we told the attorney (Deborah) with the Florida agency that we did not want our profile active, but to call us if she thought we were the absolute best choice as parents for this particular child. Months went by and Deborah called with news that Dawson’s biological parents were pregnant again. This baby would be born this coming March. We agreed to allow her to show this couple our profile, but in God’s sovereignty she choose a family in Florida. Truly, we were relieved she did not choose us because this was days before finding out we had to “start over” with Jaden’s bio dad’s rights being terminated! We didn’t have the emotional energy to start a new adoption yet. At this point, Dustin and I had a long talk about when we would be ready. We decided after Jaden’s adoption finalized and as early as this summer. Truthfully, we let our home study expire…adopting again wasn’t on our radar yet.

On December 21^st, we received the most incredible Christmas present that Jaden’s adoption was FINALIZED! (I sobbed on the phone while receiving the news from the court clerk!) We left for Hilton Head Island with stars in our eyes to spend a refreshing Christmas with my family. Exactly one week after Jaden’s finalization, on December 28^th we received a call. Yup, it was Deborah from the agency! We should know by now our radar is much weaker than God’s. He knows what we do not!

 

Even with an inactive profile, Deborah called to tell us of a situation that she felt (she is a Christian) we were the best choice for this child, and she only wanted to show this birth mom our profile. She felt so certain, she wasn’t going to bring any other profiles with her when she met with the birth mom that weekend. Remember our best friends adopting Baby Dawson about 9 months ago? Well, Dawson’s biological father’s sister was pregnant with her NINTH baby. She is 28 years old and in a very, very dark situation. There is no biological father involved legally. And she does not have custody of any of her eight children, so if we do not adopt this child DCFS will take the child into the foster care system at birth! This adoption situation is truly an orphan needing rescued from darkness to the light of a Christ-centered home! 

 Dustin and I were shocked to say the least. Stunned, since we just celebrated Jaden’s finalization and weren’t even thinking about starting the process over again right now. Actually, being that two new books just released, I was beginning a speaking tour for 2016 all over the East Coast! That was where my focus was! Hah! We didn’t have much time to make a decision because this birth mom really needed the encouragement to know this child would have a hope and future.

As we prayed, sought the Lord in His Word, and processed (my processor is a much faster model than Dustin’s!! haha), God clearly gave us our answer. First, I want to share where He lead me in Scripture. 

God lead me to Psalm 17 that night. It reads, “Lord, hear a just cause; pay attention to my cry; listen to my prayer—from lips free of deceit. I call on You, God, because You will answer me; listen closely to me; hear what I say. Display the wonders of Your faithful love, Savior of all who seek refuge from those who rebel against Your right hand. Protect me as the pupil of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings from the wicked who treat me violently, my deadly enemies who surround me. But I will see Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied with Your presence.”

I will spend more time in the future sharing all God taught me while reading this Psalm. But, all I could hear was this baby crying out to God to answer him/her, save her from the darkness of her situation and bring her refuge in the presence of a Christ-centered home that will teach her to KNOW the One who redeemed her life. God has answered this little one’s pleas for mercy. On January 3^rd, Dustin and I were chosen to be this precious child’s parents!!!! God is bringing him/her to the light for His Kingdom purposes!! Let His Hope and Grace be known!

So, Baby Dawson Brackett's cousin will be our child! Our best friends and us will have COUSINS!

Our children’s futures were set for wickedness/darkness but God graciously saved them out to give them a hope and a future. As we pray daily for Jaden, we also pray for this child to grow strong in the Lord to bring others from darkness to light (the Gospel). 

Meeting with Jaden's birth mother over Thanksgiving!

Sure the timing may seem too soon from our humanly perspective, but from God’s perspective this is exactly the perfect timing for the protection and salvation of this child—so all men may know Him (Acts 17:24-27). Jaden will be about 20 months when our son or daughter is born at the end of June. Yup, things might get a little crazy in the Nally house with two babies to care for. But, we are humbled and thrilled God would honor us to be parents of not just one angel baby, but two!! Every time we look at each other and then at our baby boy, we again proclaim ‘God’s plans are much better than ours’!

An amazing conformation came a couple weeks after our “pregnancy” news. I was sharing our news with Erica, our worship pastor’s wife, and told her that on December 28^th we got the call that we were “pregnant again by adoption!” She responded, “December 28^th?” Yup… And then she said she woke up the morning of December 28^th after having a dream I was pregnant! 

Our Loving Father has entrusted to Dustin and I TWO precious children the HE CHOSE to redeem from the darkness of their situation to the beauty and light of a Christ-centered home, our home! These children have a Hope and Future! And He has great plans for these children to show His glory. We are excited to be a part of this adventure! We hope you join us...visit our website: Bringing Home Baby to learn more!