Adoption

A Different Look

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Week 2 of leading worship on crutches.  If that poor stool can make it through today, it can make it through anything!  This cast has made me realize I’m a bit more of a dancer than I realize I actually was 😉

Today, we continued on through Ephesians as we studied:

A Different Look (Eph. 4:17-32) – As a Christian, we are called to lay aside the old self and have a completely different look.  We are no longer to live in our former ignorance, but we are to shine differently than before.

Today’s message was great.  Amazing how God’s Word, written years ago, still has so much power for us today!  The point Jeff ended on was so powerful.  He taught how Paul taught in Ephesians that we are to get together before we try to get holy.  You would think you should get holy before coming to church, but this progression teaches us to get around each other in order to make us holy.

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1 Year Since THE Pictures

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Today, we are celebrating the 1 year anniversary of THE day we saw the two pictures that would forever change our lives.  I was finishing up work at the church house, in a meeting, and noticed Amanda had called.  She then texted and said call me and that it was urgent.  I left the meeting, called my wife and listened

You’re Not An Orphan Anymore

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8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him, 9 because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, no longer dies. Death no longer rules over Him. 10 For in that He died, He died to sin once for all; but in that He lives, He lives to God. 11 So, you too consider

The Difference 6 Months Can Make

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Today is a day to celebrate.  It is exactly 6 months since the day Eli and myself landing back at GSP airport.  6 months.  6 pictures (because a pictures says 1,000 words, right?).  Watch the difference 6 months can make: Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think,

On Behalf of All Black Men…

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A few weeks ago, I was riding Obie and Eli in the Walmart buggy while Amanda was grocery shopping.  As I attempted to keep them occupied, we ran into some friends.  The boys started to hand out the high-fives to our friends when an older black man that I did not know came up and insisted on getting high-fives himself and then walked off.

One minute later, he came back and interrupted the conversation by pointing to Eli and asking, “Sir, excuse me, but are you mentoring this young boy?”

Before I got to respond to this funny question as this stranger pointed at my tiny 2-year-old, Eli looked up at me and tried to get my attention by saying, “Daddy?”

This man stated, “I’m sorry, is this boy your son?!”

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Eli’s Abbreviated Story

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I’ve had some new friends ask me recently about our adoption experience. Where do we begin? So I am posting this as a summary but cannot get near how faithful God has been! Nonetheless, here is Eli’s ABBREVIATED story about coming home: Amanda and I were blessed to have our first son, Obadiah, born May 6, 2008. Little did we

I Forget My Son Is Black Until We Are in Public

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I don’t how to say this in a politically correct way, so I’ll just say it how I see it: I forget my son is black until we are in public. I’m not exaggerating.  I’m not trying to be spiritual.  It’s just the way it is.  When I go home at 5:00 today, I will have two boys run to

When is Adoption “Successful?”

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With all the advancements Eli has made in the last few weeks, we have heard so many encouraging messages from people.  Watching the boy begin to eat, walk, run, play, talk, and so much more has been a shock to so many people.  For a child that wasn’t supposed to do most of that to catch up within 9 weeks

Eli’s Love for Air Conditioning

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Eli has been home for 5 weeks last Saturday, and yet pictures like the one above keeps our family grounded. Whenever I see my son crawl over to a vent and stick his face or his feet over the air and squeal in delight, I remember.  I remember how stuffy it was in his cramped room in the orphanage.  Eli

Back from Ethiopia

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I’m not going to lie.  The trip back from Ethiopia was the most physically and emotionally grueling experience I have ever had in my life.  I knew a 16 1/2 hour plane ride from Addis Ababa to Washington, D.C. with a 2-year-old (who was learning to trust his father) in my lap would be difficult.  What I didn’t expect were

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