Our cup overflows…

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

I’m writing this post today to update everyone about our Matching Grant. I don’t have the final total at this time, but I can tell you this – our goal of $2,500 was met and SURPASSED!! The last total we received was $2,681!! Wow! Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who gave to help us meet this matching grant! From precious family members and dear friends, to people we’ve never met and other families who are also adopting – your generosity has touched us deeply, and we will forever remember and tell Lily how God’s people gave and prayed to help bring her to our family.

Our desire has been to take Corinne with us when we travel so she will be able to experience her sister’s country, culture, language, people, and food.  For the past two weeks I have been crunching the numbers, looking at flight and hotel prices, trying to decide if we had the funds available to make this a reality. To be honest, it was not looking good. We might have had enough, but it would take every penny. I even delayed applying for our visas until the last possible moment so we could be sure.

On Tuesday afternoon, I received a phone call from our agency with amazing news – we’ve received another grant!! This is more than enough to cover Corinne’s travel expenses! So now we can say YES, Corinne, you are going to China with us!

Join with us in praising the Lord for His amazing provision. We are just blown away with it all and look forward to sharing our entire story with you at a later date.

We are still waiting for our Article 5, but we think travel is in about four to five weeks! Yay!!

A Double Blessing

When we first started discussing growing our family through adoption, the biggest hurdle to overcome was the cost. We had no idea how the Lord would do this; we only knew that He had called us and we would obey. This was a huge step of faith for us.

I will admit, my faith has not always been strong in this journey; I have worried and fretted and tried on my own to make it happen.

But the Lord has amazed us in the ways He has provided. Through grants that have been awarded. Through people who have stepped forward to support us, often unexpectedly. Through blessing our fundraising efforts.

I look back on my worry and lack of faith and I repent because I see now what I should have known before, that God has been in control all along. He has brought it about in His timing, in His ways, in His perfect ability.

The further we go in this adoption journey, the more we realize that this is not just about us, nor just about Lily. Yes, we are blessed to be a part of it and blessed to bring Lily into our family, and yes, she will be blessed to find her forever family. But this is His story, and He is using it in other ways as well, and we are excited to see what He has in store as the journey progresses and Lily comes home.

Today we want to invite you to join us in this adoption journey and watch God work. Would you please pray and consider helping us in one or both of the following ways?

1.  Please pray: that God would prepare our hearts and Lily’s heart as we prepare to bring her home. That God would bless our efforts to learn ASL, which will allow us to communicate with Lily and connect with her. That God would prepare Brady and Corinne for the upcoming changes to our family. That God would tenderly care for Lily as she waits for us.

2. Lifesong for Orphans has committed an Adoption Matching Grant in the amount of $2,500 to help pay our adoption expenses! This means every dollar our family and friends donate through Lifesong, up to $2,500, will be DOUBLED! Will you please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us meet this matching grant and cover the remaining adoption expenses to bring Lily home? Our goal date is August 5, 2013, but funds will be accepted towards our adoption until Lily is home and/or our adoption is complete. Nothing is taken out for administrative costs; 100% of all funds received go directly to the adoption!

Please make checks payable to “Lifesong for Orphans.” In the memo, please note our last name and account number – “Johnson #3639 adoption” so that it goes to the correct account. Please mail your check to: Lifesong for Orphans, P.O. Box 40, Gridley, IL 61744.

Another option is to click here to give online. Also, there is a link on the sidebar menu of our blog, “Donate to our Matching Grant through Lifesong for Orphans”. Click that and it will take you to Lifesong’s website. Select “Give to an Adoptive Family.” Complete the online form and fill in “Family Account Number” with 3639 and “Family Name” with Johnson. Note: Paypal will charge a service fee for giving online, so the amount actually received by Lifesong for Orphans will be decreased by that amount.

Note: In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to the named non-profit organization; this organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use.

If you are reading this blog, you are already a part of God’s story for this adoption as our friends and family. Thank you so much for investing in the Kingdom through prayer and finances – it will be an investment with an eternal return! We will continue to update our blog as our journey continues, and we look forward to posting pictures of Lily when she arrives home! Above all, please pray with us that this journey will glorify God and fulfill His purposes.

Love and prayers,

Stephen, Stacy, Corinne, and Brady

P.S. We received new pictures of Lily this week! Isn’t she beautiful!?