Seeds.

We are trying to catch up after the Thanksgiving holiday. We found ourselves without local family in town this year and decided to serve alongside others at a local outdoor homeless ministry. It was not the typical soup kitchen set up but rather more of a potluck-picnic table set up down by the water. We did not need to dish out green beans onto plates but rather sit beside the people that came and get to know them. Maclain brought his football and there was an ongoing game with young and old alike. We even got to meet and play with a little local girl who is being adopted by another local family. She is 9 and she is precious. Oh...and she made the first touchdown! Afterwards we had dessert with special friends who love us so much. We sat in and among both ends of the socio-economic spectrum and loved and felt loved at every point. We are truly thankful.

Our "wrapped in Hope" fundraiser is being mailed off today. We did not "sell" as many as we had hoped but after reflecting further, we trust and believe that one of the recipients of the Christmas card insert will be compelled to look further into loving the Orphan. I have often heard it said that "Man can count the number of seeds in an apple but only God can count the number of apples in a seed" ...I know...profound, huh? One seed planted by God can multiply more than we can imagine so if we only sent out one Christmas card insert, I can honestly say that one is truely wrapped in Hope.

We also just received another t-shirt shipment in. Below are some people representing!!! Click on their stories and journeys and be inspired and compelled to ask how God will use YOU for HIS Glory.
See that blond cutie in the back row? Well that little ball of energy is Brandi. Love her!! Click here to read her families journey and fall in love. This is part of Team Hope that ran in the Richmond VA 1/2 marathon a couple weeks ago. They raised money to employ a few teachers in Uganda. Love. love. love.

Also in the back row peeking around the shoulder is Megan. One of my new favorite people in the world. She and her hubby are in the process of adopting from Ethiopia and she has been such an encouragement to us. Although I have only "met" her online and email, I have a feeling she is Martha Stewart as a brunette. She is a wiz in the kitchen and has kept a food/cooking blog but her heart has been changed and in her words :

I am no longer a food blogger. It isn't because I am too busy or because I haven't stumbled across recipes worthy of sharing. Neither of those are true. I am no longer able to write about food while the people of Ethiopia are going hungry. I simply can not stomach it. My child is hungry and I can't feed them.

Here is Tracy M (along with Kristi, Lucy Lane and Kelly P) at an African fellowship in the Nashville area. Tracy and her family have two bio children (who super-love the orphan) little Levi (from ET) and are oh-so-close to bringing home Nate, Mercy, Isaiah, and James. Click here to read their story and pray this family forward.

Many are the days you might run into me and think that I have been crying. I have. Most of the time it is a very happy cry. Most recently, it has been a heartfelt awakening of God's glorious work in the lives of people I may never meet this side of heaven. Team Alexander just brought home their new little one to join their family. Be sure to check out their "Gotcha/coming home" video. Oh Praise Him, indeed!

This precious family has an awesome site called EthiopiaKids.com and it is a valuable resouce for those of us navigating the process of adoption from ET. Side note...they attend church in Texas with one of my favorite family members but of course we did not connect those dots until God connected the adoption dots first. I love how that happens!!

And last but not least is Kristi with the so-stinkin-cutie Lucy Lane. Check out her latest post on two waiting sisters in Ethiopia. Kristi keeps me laughing, loving and longing for our little "Hope".

We just got a new shipment of t-shirts in so join in! The lady at the t-shirt shop is wondering what this "Hope" is all about..

Seeds.

Wrapped in Hope

Here in South Florida, it is most difficult to see the holidays approaching. I am always surprised to hear, as I am knocking the beach sand off the flip flops, that Thanksgiving is just a week or so away. How can that be? Although we cannot see it coming, this year in particular, we can "feel" the significance of the holiday season coming. What is so different about this year?

Transformed minds.

Changed priorities.

Worship-filled anticipation.

Humbled hearts.

Can you feel and sense the Spirit moving throughout the Body? By His grace, we at the Jewett house are more and more aware of it each new day.

This Chistmas, and throughout the year, really, we are encouraged and want to encourage others to give a gift that will change a person's life. If you really think about it and peel all the clutter and layers away, that gift, regardless of how large or how small, can have eternal significance. What could be better? What could mean more? How could you love any greater?

The children and I came up with our latest fundraiser for the adoption funds. Over the years, we, on occasion, have received a little note in a Christmas card stating a donation has been made in our family's name to a particular charity. That would always bring a smile to our face as we were thought of by the sender and another group benefited in some monetary way.

So we are offering the same to you as you send out your Christmas cards this year. Our little insert cards are called "Wrapped in Hope" and you can view the front and the back below.

Some people have indicated they just want to make a donation and add the insert to their Christmas card but if you would like to actually send me the name of the family's name you are donating in, I am compiling a list for "Hope's" scrapbook.

The back of the insert reads:

As we celebrate the birth of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, we also embrace the spirit of this season by giving gifts that will change a person's life.

Joyfully, a donation has been made in your name to

The Jewett Family Adoption Fund

as they follow the Lord in His call to care for the "least of these" by adopting "Hope" a 2-4yr old from Ethiopia, Africa.

To follow their journey and to pray for this family go to http://www.embracingtheleastofthese.blogspot.com/

We request a donation of $20.00 for 10 inserts. That is only $2.00 per insert which is not much of a donation per the recipient, but in consideration of the current economy and in light of the overall significance of giving a gift to change a life, the donation per recipient is HUGE!! You can the donate button on the sidebar or email me directly at kim (dot) jewett (at)comcast (dot) net.

I would be remiss if I did not direct you to a couple other places where your gift giving can have eternal significance. Check these out:

Walser Family Adoption : check out their fun Vendor Blender !!

This precious family with HopeMongers is going to Ethiopia. To raise funds they are selling the recycled paper necklaces I am so in love with. Necklaces made by Ugandan women and being sold to help Ethiopian Orphans. James 1:27 !!

147 Million Orphans : God is using these sisters and their families to light the way for so, so many.

From the heart of God, give a gift this year that will change a life. It doesn't have to be from me or the list above. But there are so many opportunities. She is your neighbor. He is your co-worker. They are hungry.

Blessings in the Growth!!

Because we wouldn't get this...

The process and paperwork involved in our adoption is often daunting, scary, lonely and full of questions. Add fundraising every penny on top of that and it is easy to get overwhelmed and discouraged. Quite honestly, I only live about 7 miles from the beach. I could easily escape. "Toes in the water" is starting to play in my head. How I envy (yep...strong word) those who are able to just stroke a check. That would make a HUGE part of our journey so.much.easier. I like easy. But...

then we wouldn't get this. Or others like it.

As we sent out fundraising letters sharing our journey, hearts, and current fundraising efforts, we included a reply card as I am starting a scrapbook for "Hope". I want to be able to journal and document God's plan in her life. She won't have the typical baby book the other Jewett kiddos had and I am trying to think ahead. The following card I received today reads:

...because we believe in your life, your family and the incredible love of Jesus we are sending this message of faith before you ever arrive! May the God who we follow protect you, provide for you and embrace you until your forever family embraces you in their arms.

Ah.

That's why.

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you for your plan in all this. Thank you for your timing, not only for little "Hope" to join our family, but for the arrival of this special gift and message today. You knew I really needed it today.

And by the way...this special family also sent a donation to the Aids Care and Treatment Ministry in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The donation in our family's name included "Hope".

That, my friends, is special.

Hurdles

So I took an unintentional hiatus for a couple weeks from blogging. The main reason is we have been completely covered over with busyiness. Fund raising for the adoption has become a bit of a part time job in itself. Wish it were not that way but it is what it is. I have promised myself I will not get caught up in the dollars and rest on the fact that this process is about God's heart and a child in need of a forever family. I break that promise to myself and my family at times.

Hurdles. I was never a good hurdler during track in school. I could never navigate my way over them. If I did manage to get over the hurdle, it certainly was not very pretty...but I did get over. I would clear the top of it and that wooden structure was none the wiser. Most of the time I just knocked the stupid thing over. Both the hurdle and I were affected. I would stumble and the hurdle felt my presence. I hated hurdles.

I still hate hurdles and with this adoption, the enemy is pulling out all sorts of tricks. Some of them I have come to anticipate, expect and recognize. Although it should not surprise me, some still catch me completely off guard. Am I a slow learner or what? My husband is so good at bringing it all into perspective while I wrestle and get stuck in anger for days. I want to jump right over those "hurdles" that have names, lives I share, and beliefs I profess. But sadly, I allow myself to dwell, linger, and get stuck in angry places. Consequently, much to the delight of the adversary, I take my eyes off the One who is calling me to live deeper in His heart. God must have incredible plans for the enemy to work so hard.

So why do I care so much about these hurdles with names? Is it my pride? Probably. My background is in sales and I want people to buy what I am selling. Check. I had someone remind me that if we were facing opposition, we were on the right track. Check again. I just hate that the opposition comes from some of the loves of my life. But why shouldn't it come from them? Satan already went through plan A and plan B...he has to pull out more from his arsenol, especially as he sees the hearts and minds of people come together for this wonderful process called adoption.

Message to "Hope". Mommy is sorry. I'm sorry I care so much about getting others to understand. I'm sorry I hear their whispers and focus on that instead of focusing on the day I will hold you in my arms. I'm sorry I dwell more on their not understanding than I dwell on the heart of our Lord who has called you a child of the covenant. You are so very loved already.

Note to self...copy and paste this as you will undoubtedly need to read it again tomorrow. And the day after that. Thank you God your mercies are new every morning...

Grateful. I am so grateful for God placing people in my life who totally have my back. Although I wish I were closer to them geographically, we are so close in our hearts and minds. Below is a picture of the African Fellowship that met last week in the Nashville area. Check out Tracy's shirt! Love these sista's...

These are some of my new favorite people here locally. These kids "get it!" Peyton and

Jared...you are my heroes. They raised $20.00 by selling lemonade and cookies. Kingdom education!

The T-shirts are in !!!

We've had several people inquiring as to when the shirts would be available to purchase. We just got them in today. We are really pleased with them and trust you will be as well. If you have spent any time on this blog and heard our hearts, you know God has this ongoing thread of "hope" woven through this story. The simple fact that He is entrusting us to be a forever family to one of these precious ones in Africa, and offer them the "everlasting hope" really leaves us speechless.

The shirts come in Mens Sm-XL, Ladies SM-XL, and I have a couple kids LG and XL. The kids shirts are a softer blue. You can purchase via paypal. If you would rather, you can email me directly at Kim.Jewett@comcast.net and I can get mailing instructions for you. The cost is a flat $20.00 which includes shipping.

That cutie modeling the shirt is my eleven year old, Maclain. And for whatever it is worth...I'm thinking his Dad and I do believe in pre-arranged marriages...and doweries.

Crazy for God

Have you read Crazy Love by Francis Chan? If not, stop reading this blog right now and run out and get it! Seriously...it is a must read!

Check out this quick video but first disable my lovely playlist on the sidebar so the audio's do not overlap.

"I also hope... very, very, very, very, very much."

So I thought it was time to start journaling for "little girl". I have kept a journal for our three bio kiddos and it is only natural to start writing our thoughts and dreams for her as well. This time around, the journal will have many contributors! I found this journal the other day and could not pass it up. You will completely understand why when you see out fundraising t-shirts which should become available in about a week.

So our 8 year old daughter, Isabelle, wrote her first entry. I hope you can read her heart. By the way, she racked up another 4 medals and a trophy at her gymnastics meet today in Orlando. She mades her Dad and I proud. But when we read her journal entry to her sister, she made us praise our Heavenly Father. We do not have the 30K to fund this adoption. We do not have the 7K right now to send off our agency contracts. But friends...we. are. rich.

Here is her entry posted with her permission:

Dear Sister,

I hope God can provide the money so we can adopt you. I already have our room planned out. I also hope you will like to have a sister. I also hope you like to have two brothers and a mom and a dad. I also hope you like to color and play games and play hide and seek with a sister. I hope you will come to church and believe in God because He made you and died on the cross for his own glory. And He made a mom and a dad for you in the future. And He made everything that you see right now. And He made friends, food, a house, a church, the Ten Commandments and He did all of that for His own Glory. And I know He loves you very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very much!

I love you. Your sister, Isabelle Camille Jewett

So. First on their agenda after church tomorrow is the much anticipated Lemonade stand. Locals, stop on by for the refreshment. As I mentioned in an earlier post, they are completely convinced God will provide the full funds to pay for their sister. I won't burst their bubble but will teach them along the way. Oh, the faith of a child.

So we had a fabulous idea. Since so much of the readership of this blog is not local, the Jewett kids will bring the Lemonade stand to you! We are calling it the "virtual Lemonade stand". It's easy, really. All you have to do is donate to our adoption fund. The amount is completely up to you. If you were to drive by and purchase some lemonade from them, just donate that amount. You can do so by hitting the paypal button on the sidebar of this page. Please list your address on the payment page. You do not have to have a paypal account to donate. If you would rather send it to the kids directly, email me at kim dot jewett at comcast dot net and I can forward our home address. But please address the envelope to the children. They are SO excited. With your donation you will receive a pack of Lemonade. You can have your kids put on their own Lemonade stand and donate the money to a great ministry like Amazima, or sit together as a family, enjoy each other's company, and talk about how God can use you as part of the solution to the orphan crisis in our world. It's easy. It will be fun. And we can all be part of the solution.

Lemonade Stand UPDATE

The kids had a fantasitc time at their lemonade stand today and some of the sweet neighbors even joined in. In about 2.5 hours they made $ 114.36. And then...I had a sweet friend contact me through Facebook and they are MATCHING what the kids brought in!! I have a few more coming in from the Virtual Lemonade stand as well. We are going to keep that one running for a few days! So. much. fun!!! Join in! It doesn't take much. 10+10+10 adds up but 0+0+0 does not. Email me if you have any questions.