Stones of remembrance...

We might be familiar with Joshua and the stones of remembrance in the Old Testament. I too have collected some actual stones in my life, but I decided that my blog can serve as a stone collector from time to time... God is so faithful and I know in the future there will be valleys so right now I need to find ways to remember His great work! I am simply going to list a few ways that I have seen His faithfulness in the last week or so... I am so thankful and in this season of thankfulness I challenge each of you to take a moment and think about the ways you have seen God's handy work this week!
Counting my blessings one by one and seeing what God has done:
~ We got to spend 3 days with "2 sweet boys" at our home! Wonderful memories were created and relationships were deepened. We also realized how non-childproof our house currently is!!!!
~ Since last Sunday we have hosted 3 groups of people in our home and have experienced great joy getting to know the people in our dear church family.
~This is a longer one... A couple of years ago during Moody Founder's week I heard Dennis Rainey talk about orphan care and adoption. I was in my car and cried the whole way home. I ran to our living room stereo and listened to the rest sobbing away... at the end of the talk Dennis announced that he was selling orphan care ministry books and that he only brought 10 copies with him. I really wanted one, but I can't really purchase one through from my living room. God really used this talk to open my heart to adoption. We were still going through infertility, and it would be six months later before we were ready to say we were adopting, but it was very formative. We now own a copy of the talk and I listen to it quite often! Well, last week I found out that our church's youth pastor was at Moody Church that day and heard the talk live. I found out that he left the talk early so he could be the first to buy this orphan care packet and get this... he has no clue why... GOD KNEW!!!! He is faithful and we are excited to see God grow an orphan care ministry at our church!
~Our church participates in the 30 hour famine each year... this years focus... ETHIOPIA!! WOW!!!! We are so excited to champion this cause with our youth group!
~We have been praying for some specific requests of people at our church and God is moving!
~This is already in a different entry, but why not include it again: We were accepted to our international agency! Everyone posted such encouraging news on my FB status I really felt like I had announced bio pregnancy! You all don't know what a gift that was to me!
~All 100 boxes for Operation Christmas Child were taken!!!! We are now praying that they are all returned by Sunday!
~My husband blew me away in his message yesterday morning! I have been so blessed by Brandon's walk through Ephesians! I have also been blessed by our sermon discussion group between services! How big is your Gospel friends???
~I have great friends and great family. Their care and love have been so evident this week through cards, phone calls, conversations, hugs etc.
~We are DONE painting for a long time!!!! Well, until DTE (Dossier To Ethiopia) anyway!!!
~Our nephew turned one. We don't get to see him often, but we are excited to see him next month!
and best for last...
~To God be the Glory great things HE hath done. So loved He the world that He gave us His Son!!!!!!