American Girl Doll Giveaway

We hope you will share this opportunity to help our family with friends and family.

 After you have entered you can earn a BONUS ENTRY when you share on facebook.

You will need to put a copy of your post in the comments in the blog or email the post to me at lang4@hometownu.com to qualify.  

For Sale

We just wanted to let people know we updated our 4 sale page on our blog at www.provinceoflove.blogspot.com . We have American Girl items (new), furniture, games and more!! Just click on the tab below Cargans picture to check out all the things we have for sale. We will be adding more soon so stop back again to take a look.

The Power of Prayer Part 5

Annie’s Amazing Story

Sometimes we just can’t understand what is happening in our lives but then God gives a glimpse and we are blown away by the incredible God we serve. I have never met Annie face to face but hope to someday (maybe on our way to China). God led me to this compassionate woman who advocates for children waiting to be adopted, especially special needs and older children. She was the one God used in so many ways to bring the pieces together in finding our son. I will forever be grateful to the Lord for connecting us. She is a dear sister in Christ. When I met Annie they had just begun the process of adopting their 2^nd little girl from China. (Her picture is down the middle on the left on my blog) but her husband lost his job which put the entire process on hold. There are no words to describe this awful feeling knowing your child is waiting on the other side of the world and you can’t continue to go get them. We prayed and prayed and prayed as so many others were for this family and for her husband to get a job. Months went by and then just recently he got a job!! His job is in another state and they will have to move. Adoption papers began flying full steam ahead.  Annie’s family will be moving away from her extended family and the only home their kids have known which will be a difficult transition but they have been blessed to be moving closer to her hubbies’ extended family but that is not the best of it. Annie just got new pictures of her sweet girl in China and in the picture is a little 2 year old who is very attached to her daughter and her daughter watches over this sweet little one. The two of them are very close. The little two year old has a forever family and guess what? Out off all the places in the US this little girl will be living close to Annie and her family. Yes, God is so AMAZING! These two girls on the other side of the world will be living within a few hours of each other. Our incredible God knows exactly what we need before we even know. He cares for the details of our lives, details of two precious little girls that He loves so dearly on the other side of the world waiting in China. (Read the story and see pictures at Annie’s blog http://cornbreadandchopsticks.blogspot.com/)

The Power of Prayer Part 4

What do Compassion and Coffee have in common?

This past Sunday our pastor spoke about Compassion. He described compassion as love in dynamic action on the behalf of another. It is something that you are so passionate about that it keeps you up at night.  I sat and cried (as I do most times in church) but I wanted to jump out of my seat and say “Yes!” Finally, someone understood. I had been up that night before as I am most nights praying and crying out to the Lord on behalf of all those beautiful waiting faces, precious children waiting for a family. I pray and pray for these children and pray for my son as he waits. I pray others will have compassion and take action to change the world one at a time. So what does compassion have to do with coffee? A dear sweet Sister in Christ had compassion and took action and organized a coffee fundraiser. Over 20 people joined us stepping out and selling coffee and over 200 bags were sold. $650 dollars was raised!!!  Thank You Melissa!!!! Thank you friends and family who helped!!! Thank you Twin valley Coffee!! This has pushed us over our $10,000 mark on our way to the $30,000 we need in the next 5 months. We are blown away that others would care to help but that is compassion- love in dynamic action on the behalf of another ( a family in need – a precious little 6 year old boy longing to get home.) Please continue to pray for us so much needs to happen in such a short time but prayer is powerful!

PS Hold onto your seats for part 5 it blew me away!

The Power of Prayer Part 3

One Step Closer!

We have been praying and praying for our paperwork to keep moving. We had to submit an application to CIS (Citizenship and Immigration Services) with Homeland Security at the end of September. This process can take 60-90 days!!  We prayed and prayed and we got our appointment notice quickly to go for fingerprinting in Philly but not until Oct 22^nd.  I was heart broken. If you are an adoptive mama you know the one thing you don’t want to do is sit on paperwork for a moment longer than necessary and this was 4 weeks away! The crazy mama in me started coming out and I had heard that you can walk in. So I began planning an impromptu trip and emailed around to find out if this was possible. Well I quickly found out that it was not permitted at our location and I was crushed! How could I sit and wait for a month. That morning I talked with a dear sister in Christ who has adopted and she prayed over me and soothed my broken heart that day. There is such power in prayer. I had such a peace and can’t wait to see how God is going to use those 4 weeks for His perfect timing.

Peter and I went on October 22^nd. Our appointment was at 9 am in Philly. The GPS took us a crazy way and was eating up all our extra time we had budgeted. Three miles away we saw a sign for road closed ahead and the construction was starting yesterday!! I kept driving and praying! I had no idea where we were. Another sign road closed 500 feet ahead. It is now 8:50. I kept driving and praying and there over in the left side of the road in the trees was a Road Closed Sign. I’m telling you God blew that sign out of the way and we kept driving and made it there at 8:58! God is amazing. We then entered the empty lobby (I still wonder if we could have did a walked in). We were taken promptly and completed our fingerprints. Peter always has trouble printing and the woman said we may have to come back again if they don’t go through. What would they do differently I don’t know but we started praying.

We were told it would be at least 30 days until the approval would come. 17 days later we got the approval!!! We are onto the next step. We quickly scanned the approval to our agency and she quickly sent off our papers to be authenticated. Originally I was going to do the authentication where I would take our papers to Harrisburg and then to New York City to the Chinese Consulate but our terrific agency has the ability in their state to do all the authentications there. We chose to have them do it and the other night I was laying in bed thanking the Lord. Right now after Sandy I would be trying to get to New York City to do our paper work. God knew and provided another way. He is so amazing! We just got an email today that our papers are at the Consulate in Houston and it will be about 1 week. Then our papers will be ready to travel to CHINA!!!!! This is huge. We then have an approximate time of 6 months until travel!!!!  We are on our knees praying as so much more has to come together in the next 5 months.  Thank you to all who have been praying for us your prayers mean such a great deal because the Power of Prayer is Incredible!

The Power of Prayer Part 2

Honduras Missions Trip

I definitely experienced the power of prayer on this trip. Many of you were praying very specifically for Sarah and I not to have any travel sickness. THANK YOU for ALL your PRAYERS!! God is amazing!!! We did not have any travel sickness. (Sarah had a day of sickness at the beginning and end but not from traveling.) As a Mama I was concerned when she got sick at the beginning of our trip and at the end but each time our team gathered together and prayed over anyone who was sick and the Lord worked in mighty ways.



Sarah sleeping on the plane. No travel sickness!!

                                               

We also had a huge blessing of being invited to a child dedication service, 2 weddings and 12 baptisms all in the same day. Talk about an incredible day full of the power of prayer. Our brothers and sisters at this church all pray at the same time and this was new to me. I am a person who has some trouble focusing so it took a little bit of time to get use to and I don’t know Spanish but what I can tell you is that I was experiencing hearts pouring out loving prayers over these children, couples and believers being baptized. It was incredible to be in the presence of the Lord. The pastors here are trying to teach the value of loving your children and wife (who are not normally looked at with much value). It was an honor to be at these events where God has been working teaching them the precious value of children and spouses and where 12 people proclaimed their faith in Jesus Christ through baptism. This is a huge step for the people many are looked down upon in their villages due to their faith but God has been working in many lives and answering many prayers. Another praise was the good weather we experienced. It was such a beautiful day, in a gorgeous gorge down the side of the mountain where the people were baptized in the freezing water.





Many children were dedicated.



One of the couples getting married.
They are not very expresive here but you could see how much he loved her!





One of the 12 baptisms!



We were also blessed with beautiful weather all week, last year it rained every day but this year it was clear almost everyday, which was a huge answer to prayer for traveling the dirt roads. The rain apparently was back at home where our families weathered Sandy. We were so thankful the Lord answered our prayers and protected our families and homes while we were in Honduras.



One of the beautiful views!



We are so thankful for all the support and items that were given for the Christmas parties. Last count we had packed over 600 bags in 3 days for children and adults. We were able to give a pair of socks to each child. It was such a blessing to be there and watch their faces as they had their dinner and received their gifts. A message encouraging the power of prayer was also shared.



Handing our gift bags and apples.

 

At our last church one of the men asked to pray for us, as he did they all prayed. It was a prayer full of thanks to the Lord but I wanted so much to tell all of them what a huge blessing they were to all of us. It was an honor to be there side by side with brothers and sisters in Christ sharing the blessings the Lord has given.

One of my sweetest moments was when we were able to hand out clothing at one of the churches. The joy overflowed from the people. I put a coat on a little boy and he jumped up and down. A Mothers eyes were so full of thanksgiving when she was receiving clothing for her children. There were so many special moments we shared with the people but also with my own daughter.

This Mama’s heart was overflowing watching her daughter serve our Lord so full of joy and loving every minute. She was such a trooper even when she was sick she still wanted to help. What an answer to her Mama’s prayers and to have the privilege to be a part of her first calling overseas, one day I won’t be able to go with her when she goes but I will be so thankful that I could share in the beginning of her incredible journey. Prayer is so powerful and I can’t wait to see all God will do next!

The Power of Prayer Part 1

So much has happened in the last few weeks that I will slowly be sharing all God has been doing. At the beginning of October we had put in a request to get updated pictures and information on Cargan. It was suppose to come in 5-7 days but several things happened to delay the process. We began praying that we would hear something before Sarah and I left on our Honduras trip on the 27th. God answered our prayer, 32 hours before we were suppose to leave we got pictures and an update. We have found out the he likes the color blue. He likes to play games and would like cars and trains. He is growing and is closer to his big brother Pierson’s height than we thought. He is going to school and can read and write in Chinese. He lives with 4 other children in his area at the orphanage, one boy and three girls. We are excited and getting a little package ready for Christmas for him and the other children with him. We are so thankful for this answer to prayer and the new info and pictures.

He still has that beautiful smile and sparkle in his eyes. Thank you Lord for answered prayers!!

 

Last call for Coffee

We are gathering all the coffee orders for the Twin Valley COFFEE fundraiser. Thank you to everyone who has been helping sell!! If you are still interested in buying coffee just let Melissa or I know by the end of the week. We are excited to see all God is doing.

There has been so much that has happend in the last two weeks that hopefully I will be able to think clearly enough to start posting all the wonderful things God has been doing real soon.

Updates

Just a few quick updates there will be more hopefully soon.

PUZZLE Sponsorships are still coming in!! We are only 65 pieces away from hitting the half way mark to put the puzzle together.

Don't forget all COFFEE orders are due in one week on November 14th. Thank you to everyone who has been helping sell and who has purchased.

We got an update from the orphanage on Oct. 26th right before Sarah and I left for Honduras. New pictures will be coming soon.

Sarah and I went on a missions trip to Honduras this past week. It was amazing seeing God working around the world. More to come.

We are still recovering from the trip and will write more once we are back on our feet.