Friday, July 30, 2010

I'd choose you...


Over this...



again and again and again.


I'd choose you...


over this....

>
again and again and again.


I'd choose you...


over this....

again and again and again.


I'd choose you....

over this....




again and again and again.


I'd choose you...

over this...




again and again and again.


I often hear people say they would love to adopt- but they cannot afford it.


They believe there is no way they could come up with the large sum of money it cost to adopt.


And yet, many times, without even realizing it-they are investing even more into the 'finer' things in life.

And often, without even realizing it, they go into debt trying to pretend that they can.


They have fallen into the trap of believing that things make them important, things make them accepted and things make them happy.


And that is such a lie.



There are children all over the world, even in our own back yard, waiting for someone to realize their real value...


Waiting for you to see them for the true treasures they are...


Waiting for someone to realize they are the finer things in life...


Waiting for someone-

to choose them,

over a lifestyle.

"Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Matthew 6:19




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52 comments:

Angela said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE this post! So very true!

I so enjoy reading your blog! Thank you!



www.dailyditch.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

AMEN!

AMEN!

AMEN!

9 x over AMEN!

Love you!
Jill

Finding Joy said...

Oh, Amy. When you make it SO REAL by showing those photos of your beautiful children with the photos of the things of this world...truer words were never written. How could anyone say they can't afford it? What's worth MORE than the life of a child? Thank you for the beautiful simplicity of this post.

Chantelle said...

PREACH IT, PREACH IT, PREACH IT SISTA!!!!! ((((hug)))))

Anonymous said...

YES! YES! YES! Thanks for this post you said it so well!!! Your jewels are so precious! How rich you are!!!

Rebekah said...

Oh my, Amy, God sure did use you to convict me. Truth is, I was already feeling convicted about my attitude today, and reading this caused me to repent and be thankful. We spent everything we had to renovate our garage so that my husband's mom could live with us. Then we spent all that we had on adoption #1, and now we are spending all that we have on adoption #2. There is so much that we should? want? to do to our house (a 3 bedroom rancher), and I was feeling really frustrated (as I look at the nicer homes around us). But like you, I would choose my kid's over anything finer...
Thank you for this so very important reminder!

Dardi said...

My daughter, Kearsten, just looked at this post with me & said, "I would choose them!" Planting seeds, my friend....

Thanks again for the chat!! :o)

Tracy said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS POST!

Deb said...

AMEN!

"Are These Kids All Yours?" said...

AMEN!!!!!!!

Meredith said...

The way God is working through you and your family is amazing. Even though you don't mean to be; you, your family and most of all your faith are amazing.

In the past week I've had 2 people question why we were adopting again and all the questions that go along with it about money and why we'd adopt again (we're a family of 3) I just referred them to your blog and the Patterson's.

You guys are the hands and feet of God. Thank you so much!

MyLinda said...

I SO agree with you :-)

Anonymous said...

Amy:
This is so true! I see this so many times.
Leveta

Josh, Candace and Cole said...

LOVE!

CandB said...

Love this post! And LOVE your blog!! I am adding it to my blog role! Thanks for sharing your heart!!
Brenda Fleming
answeringthecry.blogspot.com

Mandi said...

Believe it...and now I want to LIVE it! Waiting on the Lord. :)
Love your blog!
Mandi
johnsonfamily-outoftheboat.blogspot.com

Laurel said...

LOVE it! And LOVE your precious family!

I had a funny thought ... what if the person that owned that house happened to read your blog? Well ... maybe ... they have such a large house because they have filled it with adopted children. :)

Charlotte said...

the best choice 5x.

you have so much chance to have met your five younger children.

missy said...

..."Waiting for someone-

to choose them,

over a lifestyle."... amen and amen.

what a powerful post!

Esther said...

So glad I found your blog. I LOVE this post. Sharing it on my blog!

Lexi said...

love this post!!! So true!

mosey said...

OH OH OH, I just LOVE this post... what a great way to make your point! I wrote on this very subject last month.

Marcy Payne said...

I have never read your blog before and got the link from a friend. I couldn't agree more. I love how you put it and it is the TRUTH! Makes me want more...kid treasures, that is!

Heidi said...

I love this! I am a mother to 5 amazing biological children, who until this last year was living the "American Dream". God used my older children to show me the needs of the children in Ethiopia and how we are so incredibly blessed despite the downturn our economy has taken. Very long story short....we have taken our focus off keeping up with our neighbors and are choosing to follow what God has convicted us to do. We are adopting a sibling group from Ethiopia and we are thrilled! We didn't have the funds, yet God has been faithful to provide to this point and we will trust Him...and work hard for the rest!
www.youngfamilyadoption.blogspot.com

Erica said...

Amen and Amen. I wept as I read this post. Perfectly said. What an awesome post.

natali said...

love it! :))

Meliski said...

This is so simple and beautiful. I will totally steal this idea someday.

I know your children feel how much they are loved.

Lucky kiddos, lucky mommy.

:)

Erin Moore said...

This is perfect! BE THE CHANGE! Indeed!!

..and btw, I think your sweet daughters need a "be the change you wish to see in the world" t-shirt from www.lobstersintherough.org

Anonymous said...

Very true,
but we do keep things simple and for (most) anyone, coming up with savings like adoption will cost is going to be tough! We will have it. But not without help from family & friends (thankful that they';re willing to give up *things* in support of us too!!!!)

Luis Rios said...

Very powerful and encouraging message. :) Thanks for sharing!

Created For His Glory said...

Amen!!!

HollyAnn said...

Wow! Proof that pictures are worth a thousand words! Once again you speak truth in a touching way! And I agree three times over (and more to come hopefully)!! :)

Mary Ann said...

LOVE you post! We did do this! We gave up everything to adopt our 2 girls! And we would do it all over again with out thinking!

Christi said...

AMEN sister! Love this post!

Tara said...

WOW...great post! We have been stuck in THIS trap (shamefully) for many years, failed at a domestic adoption of an older child (shamefully) and have now completely submitted to what God has been calling us to do for so many years now. We are just in the beginning stages of cutting out all of those 'things' for an international adoption and VERY proud to be 'making it happen' on faith alone. God WILL provide and we have submitted to our calling - finally!

Thank YOU for a lovely reminder of what we are chosing!

You're an inspiration!

Stacy said...

absoLUTEly!!! our family has been working multiple multiple jobs to get out of debt, living on "rice & beans", so that we can fost/adopt (and so that i can be home with our babies)...

nothing in the world is worth more... nothing!!!

Jami said...

Amen! Amy, I like you so much already! My husband and I also have a passion for the least of these. We have 2 bio kiddos, 1 adopted from Guatemala, and 2 (right now) that we're fostering. God has completly and radically changed my life and I love Him so much. I see your connection with Lifesong too which is very cool because my Dad is the president of the ministry. So I'm loving that you are being an advocate for them. I would love to talk to you sometime and hear more of your journey. I am passionate about getting others more aware and stepping out to live the life that God called them to. Thank you so much for your passion, your God honoring life and for this post! Your family is beautiful!

Engendo said...

preach it! WORD!

Difference2This1 said...

Love this post. And that's really what is comes down to, doesn't it? Blessings, Jennifer

Engendo said...

I just changed my facebook status to "if i cant be linny [place called simplicity" when i grow up i want to be amy" with a link to your blog LOL. im actually serious tho.

Baxter075 said...

Love this post so much I might link it from my blog. You give us all inspiration. We are a family of 4 going to a family of 6 in a year or less! We get the same comments all the time about money and just lately about our age! I've posted before on this subject but your beautiful children and pictures say it all! God Bless you and your family.
baxterfamilyfive@blogspot.com

Phyllis said...

Love this! Even though I've only adopted once, I am SOOOO glad I didn't let the naysayers get me down. Glad I made that choice even when I didn't know how I'd come up with the money, and was scared about doing it as a single woman. I've been blessed beyond my wildest dreams. No car, house, or any amount of money could ever bring me the joy that Kristen has brought me.
Phyllis

The O'Neal Family said...

LOVE this post. I try to explain this to so many people that tell me all the negatives about adoption and namely speak of the outrageous costs. Our problem right now is that we have been saving, fundraising, planning, blogging, etc etc about our adoption from Ethiopia and were all set to send in our application this month and have now found out we will most likely be rejected due to our large debt of student loans. Even though we know exactly what you have mentioned, it is so devastating to think we might not be able to adopt a child now because of something that is out of our control, we're not giving up though, just a bit saddened and anxious now. I only wished everyone could understand exactly what you wrote about and make a change in their lives!
http://expecting-from-ethiopia.blogspot.com/

Kim said...

AMEN and AMEN!!! Love this post! Good stuff!

Kim

Unknown said...

I just referenced this post in my blog...can't stop coming back to it! :)

Cole said...

THAT was beautiful!!! So true. What BEAUTIFUL children you have been blessed with and have been blessed by you.

Jeremy said...

thank you for speaking my heart!!!!
yes, Sooo true, I've heard the same a million times.... too expensive to adopt! and what crosses my mind is just what you blogged here! :) kim

Susan said...

Thank you for putting into words something I have been trying to get out but have not been as eloquent about. This is truly a wonderful post. People take out loans for cars and homes, but look down on us for taking loans out for adoption. We are trying to raise the money, but I will go into debt to bring my son home if I have to. I went into debt to buy my car and go to college, Judah is worth sooo much more than any of those things. Thanks
Susan
allee-fam.blogspot.com

Dawn Marie said...

I LOVE this! That is how I feel about my own kids and my choice to stay home with them! I can live in a HUT to be the parent that God wants me to be! Thank you!

Sara said...

I keep coming back to this post. It is so powerful.

The Stevens said...

Officially my favorite blog post of all time :)

So moving and powerful........

Anonymous said...

I need this for a guest post on my blog. I LOVE IT