9.03.2010

Almost one year in.....

I cannot believe that we have been home almost a year with Nile. Oh the joy he has brought into our family. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about Africa and all of the children we left behind. I pray that all of the sweet children we met last year are not still there.  It happens one family at a time. That is why I pray that other families will submit to the calling to adopt. I really want others to experience God's miracle of loving a child that was born across the world from you. A child of a different race, culture, country, family--it's a beautiful experience!!

I dream of the day when I can go back to Africa. It's hard when you have little ones but hopefully we will be returning in the future to bring other children or a child into our family to love, nurture, disciple.

Here are some recent pics of the kiddos.


Hairstyle attempt #1
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3 sweet kiddos.





8.01.2010

Shone, Ethiopia

This is a map of where Nile is from. When in Ethiopia we flew into Addis Ababa and were unable to visit Shone. We hope to get to see it one day. I would love more info/photos of this birthplace. I think it will one day be very important to him to see where he is from. I am so thankful that we are able to know specifics on where he was from.



I was able to find a sweet couple that were missionaries there and they sent me these pictures of Shone.


The church in the background.
Home in Shone
Tree in Shone
Hadiya countryside
inside of a house in Shone
The river where many gather to bathe and get water in Shone.




Nile and Amanda

Amanda and I met through our adoption agency when we were in the process to adopt Nile. She was able to meet Nile in Ethiopia before we did. Look at the pictures of them together. What a difference a year makes!!


August 2009
July 2010

7.17.2010

Blogs of people living radical lives for Jesus

http://journeywiththeclarks.blogspot.com/
--family from Williamson Co. sold it all to move to Bangkok.

http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/
--Williamson Co. girl out of high school moves to Uganda, now 3 yrs later is the mother to lots of kids--lost count is it 13?

http://blessingsfromethiopia.blogspot.com/
--Sweet young couple adopts 6 kids from Ethiopia. That is on top of their (almost) 4 children.

Share some more. I love reading about lives forever changed by their radical love for Jesus.

Do we REALLY believe the bible?

Do you? If so, it has radical implications for the way we live. I have struggled with this ever since we started the adoption process. Seeing how differently the rest of the world lives. It's hard to see life there and life here. How do we just go on living like this?(speaking to myself here too!)


This isn't the way God intended us to live. I recently came across(not by accident) upon this sermon series. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT but it's a hard pill to swallow. Also, just started the book! Radical is an amazing book also. Just getting into it but that is for another blog post.

I have also been reading the most amazing book ever: "The hole in our gospel" Christians we are missing it, we have to care that there are people dying on the other side of the world. 30,000 children will die TODAY of starvation or preventable disease. Does that bother you in the least? What if it were your children? Sumner County would be wiped out in 5 days.

I read a similar illustration but if we just found out that 30,000 people were killed in the US we would be devastated. What if 150 planes crashed today? That would kill about 30,000 people. We would be in shock! What if it were 30,000 firemen dead. But the fact that 30,000 children will die today doesn't move many to action because we are so removed from it, so wrapped up in ourselves, our plans, our lives. I am SO guilty of this too!


DO YOU BELIEVE?

Luke 14:26-27 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

OR

Luke 18:18-22 "A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother." "All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

I hear people make excuses all of the time to make themselves feel better. Implying that God has them there(dying and suffering) and has us here(living the American dream) or saying the bibles says we will always have poor. God cares so much for the poor and I think he will be asking some Christians, "why were there so many poor in the world?"

Ready to get RADICAL for God! Are you?

7.10.2010

Daydreams.....

What do you daydream about? Clay- Colorado, Me-Africa. Today, I've thought a lot about adopting again. I have so many friends in the midst of adoption, I read so many blogs and facebook updates about adoption! God has surrounded me with it. I love having all of the friends around me keeping the passion for Africa and orphans in front of me daily. I love praying for the families raising money, waiting on the call, dreaming of their child. A true time of faith building, patience testing and pure excitement!

We talk about one day adopting a little girl from Africa, Lord willing. We feel like she will be older, maybe 3 to 5. That would probably mean that she is born now.

I am praying for her today!
Praying she isn't hungry.
Praying she isn't lonely.
Praying that she is learning dependence on our mighty God.
Praying for her family.
Praying for her country.

Could you have a child right now that lives somewhere else? Ask God!

7.06.2010

Help bring home this precious boy....

Our friends from church need $4000 by this weekend to bring home precious Jadon from Ethiopia. Please go to their site to donate. Any amount will help! http://www.lilysprayer.blogspot.com/

6.30.2010

AWAA Africa Fellowship 2010


September 3 at 6:00pm-September 6 at 12:00pm
Here in Nashville, TN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay! Hope to see all of my travel buddies!
Click here to RSVP on facebook!
http://americaworldafricareunion.blogspot.com/

6.25.2010

Adoption 101 Tea

Do you have a heart for the fatherless? Have you ever considered adopting? I am hosting an adoption 101 tea. If you have questions or just want to fellowship with some ladies that have a heart for adoption please come. Come hear from someone who has experience with adoption ministry and has 5 children- 2 bio, 3 adopted. Justine Gamble will be sharing shortly about her adoption of 2 from Ethiopia and 1 from China. The majority of the time will be spent answering your questions.  Light snacks will be served. If you have any questions please contact me at : tracyleev@yahoo.com




Here is Justine's bio:


* Mom to five kids - 2 homemade, three adopted

* Started and operated an adoption and orphan care ministry at a "mega" church for four years as a volunteer


* Worked with more than thirty adoption agencies, orphan care and missions to orphans organizations as a volunteer

* Member of the Christian Alliance for Orphans

* can host or help coordinate adoption and orphan care seminars

* can meet with groups or one on one to assist in the adoption process at any stage of the process, (adoption 101 classes)


* can assist in finding ways to make adoption affordable


* can assist groups or individuals in finding mission trips


* can assist churches in "adopting" communities in need overseas



**all the above is on a volunteer basis - no payment to me

My Ethiopian Prince

Amazing pictures taken by Amanda Humphrey. She is taking pictures to raise $$ to bring home her Ethiopian princess, Macy. Contact her here.

6.19.2010

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY NILE!

My precious boy just celebrated his first birthday!
We had a blast celebrating!


6.13.2010

Attention local families....

We are starting an Ethiopian fellowship called CAFE North for families north of Nashville. We have our first family social this Saturday. Email me if you are interested. tracyleev@yahoo.com or look us up on facebook.

5.29.2010

Remembering....

As happy as I am that I get to celebrate my baby's first birthday, I cannot help but think about Nile's birth mother. It's hard to imagine but there is someone on the other side of the world that is remembering the child that she gave birth to. I cannot know who or where she is today but I wish she knew how much he is loved. She has no clue that he is alive much less so loved. I am sad for her and cannot imagine not knowing. I cannot imagine what her circumstances were and I pray that she has the peace of Jesus to get her through this life. As Americans we cannot fathom the weight of everyday life that she lives. I am thankful for the life she has given us. I can't imagine life without my precious boy. Please pray for her to have a peace as she remembers the baby that she gave birth to around this time a year ago.

5.08.2010

John Piper on caring for the fatherless...

I love PIPER!!! Click here to read his article called "What Does It Mean to Live by Faith in the Service of the Fatherless?"

5.04.2010

May 2010

Well, our little guy is 11 months today. I cannot believe we are one month away from celebrating his 1st Birthday. It went by so quickly. He keeps this momma on her toes. He is into everything and loves our stairs. I cannot complain too much because he is a GREAT sleeper. Nobody can believe how much he sleeps in a day. At night he sleeps from 6:30pm to 7am. Then by 8:30 is back in bed until 11ish and he does another afternoon nap for a couple of hours.I don't know how but I have had 3 great sleepers. Thank you Lord! He is the sweetest boy and LOVES his momma! He is very attached to me, which I love. I am cherishing every moment with my growing boy!! He is my most active and loudest child so far. He keeps us entertained and laughing!

His newest trick:
             Praise the Lord

Mommy's big helper




Well, if you are not from this area you have probably seen TN all over the news. We have had MAJOR flooding.

Check out the small creek behind our house.
BEFORE:

AFTER:



We are very lucky to be up on a hill. Some of our neighbors on the other side of the creek houses were flooded.


 We have friends that have water to their ceiling and many business owners are being affected by the damage. Please pray for all affected by this!
Here are some pictures of the flooding.

Downtown Nashville


Parking Lot at our church

Aerial view:

4.20.2010

Adoption Yard Sale this weekend!!!!

Come out and support a local Hendersonville family, who is adopting a little girl named Macy from Ethiopia.




All proceeds from the yard sale will go straight to their adoption fund.

Help them as they reach out to save an orphan!!!!

Here are the details:

When? This Friday and Saturday--April 23 and 24th
Time? 8am to Noon
Where? 110 Strathmore Ct. Hendersonville

4.17.2010

Fun in April

The weather in TN is gorgeous!!!! We have been outside every day. Amazing how nice you can keep your house when everyone is outside. Here are some recent pictures. Enjoy!

4.09.2010

Sharing our story

About 4 months ago I was asked to come to a church and share our adoption testimony. I immediately felt sick to my stomach. I have never liked speaking in front of people and have no experience at it.  That night God wouldn't let me sleep. I was reminded about all that He had done through our adoption. What good is a testimony if you aren't willing to share it? So I said yes and started to prepare. I wrote out word for word 16 pages of our testimony. Clay got a big kick out of that and explained that I needed to do an outline. This sent me into more panic.

So I prepared and everytime I would practice my heart would start racing and I would get out of breath! What was my deal!? So I had it down, 11 page outline, 40 minutes of talking. I am not a big talker so I don't know if I had talked that much in a week or so.

The night before I prayed, "God you did all of these miracles through our adoption, I know you can do another miracle and take away my nervousness." I had tons of people praying for me that week. Guess what? I wasn't nervous, I got up and spoke for 40 minutes, feeling more comfortable than I ever have before. THIS WAS TRULY A MIRACLE! I get nervous speaking up in a small group or getting up in front of anyone! God totally took over that night! He is SO faithful!!!

Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Mark 11:24 says, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

During my talk I talked about our sponsored child through Children's Hopechest. I thought I should ask Hopechest if I could bring some children's profiles with me that needed sponsoring. They said YES and sent me 36 profiles. I cried when I opened them b/c all of the children needing sponsors were from the same city Nile was from. I loved looking at all of them and reading about their lives. It broke my heart all over for all of the children we left behind. I will never forget them.

God did BIG things that night and we got 19 children sponsored. 19 more children will have shelter, a bed, food and an education all because people were willing to sacrifice $32 a month. Thanks to all who made that commitment! If you are interested in sponsoring a child, visit Children's Hopechest.

Our family is good! Getting very busy with Nile crawling and eating everything he finds around he house. He is 10 months and has the cutest personality!

Here are some recent pics:

3.05.2010

I need your input...

In preparing my talk I need your help. What are some reasons Christians don't adopt? What is your reasoning or things you have heard from other people.

3.04.2010

9 months and movin'

Our boy is getting so big!!! He is now offically in 9 month clothes and is 9 months! Amazing!

He is doing so many new things. Saying dada, mama and bye-bye. He's waving, army crawling and trying to sign more. It's so cute. He is cutting his first tooth that should be through the surface very soon. This has interrupted some of mommy's 9-7 sleep schedule. :)

Check out the "in the works" fro!

Here is a picture of his sis Anslee bathing him.

I know what you are thinking. She needs to read my post on modesty. We are working on it.


I am loving every day with these kiddos.

Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him. Psalm 127:3

Happy #adoptionday2017

                        ADOPTION HAS FOREVER CHANGED OUR SWEET FAMILY!