"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. "

Jeremiah 29:11

Happy Birthday, sweet Isaac!

[[[ I originally wrote this post 2 years ago, on Isaac's 2nd birthday. As I read it again today, I was once again convinced that the words grow more true as more time passes. Perhaps some year, on this day I will post something different. But today, this still speaks from my heart...please, OH PLEASE, say a prayer for this little boy tonight!! ]]]

Somewhere in Guatemala, Isaac turned 4 years old today! We trust that the Lord is keeping him safe, as we continue to pray for him as a family. It would mean so much today if you all would take a minute to lift him up in prayer as well!!

When I think back over the 8 months that we called Isaac "ours"...I am reminded that our most important task as parents is to entrust our children into the Lord's hands....to remember that they are HIS first and foremost. I will be honest in saying that at times my heart aches for our "loss"...and I try to make sense of it all....but the reality is, we serve a sovereign God who makes NO mistakes...Isaac was (and continues to be) a beautiful part of the Master's plan for the Timmons family.

One of the songs that will always, always, always remind me of our adoption journey is "Blessed Be Your Name"...

Blessed be your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where the streams of abundance flow
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name

Blessed be your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, Blessed be your name

Rock Star Cousins!!

And let me tell you...these cutie-pies were jammin'!


Every time I see them playing together....EVERY TIME...I continue to think of God's sovereign hand!! These two sweet lives born worlds apart (Micah in Guatemala, Faith in China)...now cousins living just 20 minutes away! :) Miracle upon miracle! We are blessed beyond measure!

"I Saw What I Saw"

I feel like I am doing this all backwards...posting this video before I have told who the people are.
But, the video is done. And I thought I would share.

"What now?"

"WHAT NOW??"
That was the question Dave, the leader of our Ethiopia trip, asked us to think about each day.
It seems a little odd to post about "What Now" before I have even posted about our trip...but the "What now?" is where my focus has been these last 10 days...so I will share a little bit about that first:

When God first called Chad & I to adopt Micah, our eyes were opened to the many needs of orphaned, abandoned, and impoverished children of the world. Over the past year, our compassion for these children has grown.

A couple of months ago, we began to consider the possibility of starting a not-for-profit organization as a way to do more to help these often forgotten children. On our recent trip to Ethiopia, God confirmed this desire and ignited a fire to get started.

Today, I introduce you to: Hope For His Children


The purpose of Hope For His Children is two-fold:
1) To increase awareness among our family, friends, church and community regarding the desperate needs of orphaned, abandoned, and impoverished children of the world.
2) To generate support for orphaned, abandoned and impoverished children in the form of: financial contributions, donations of various supplies, prayer commitments and mission trips.

We are very anxious to get started...and, well, in fact...we ARE started!

Here are the exciting things that have happened already:
*We are officially incorporated as a nonprofit organization according the laws of Indiana!!
*We have drafted bylaws and established our initial Board of Directors.
*We have obtained a Federal Tax ID number.
*We have applied for tax exemption in Indiana.
*We have set up an account to distribute contributions.
*We have sent a package of much-needed medication to Ethiopia!
*We are in the process of applying with the IRS for our 501 (c)(3).

You will certainly be hearing more about Hope For His Children in the future...but if God is moving in your heart TODAY to get involved, please let me know...some exciting things are already beginning!!

As for the details of our trip, my plan is to start posting a "day-by-day" journal of our time in Ethiopia. I pray that it will be a blessing to you, and a great refresher for me! So....stay tuned.....

A very inadequate post.

I just wanted to post to let everyone know that we made it back home safely!
Our trip to Ethiopia was amazing.
As we have started to share with family and friends, we are learning that there are really not adequate words.
There are so many emotions, it seems impossible to process all of it.
I will certainly post more in the near future (as I wade through my hundreds of pictures)!!