Wednesday, February 23, 2011

It's OFFICIAL

We have OFFICIALLY begun!  I'm so very excited.  I know, it's going to be a LONG process, but the first step is complete.  We have chosen our adoption agency and completed the application!  I can't wait to hold my little girl and welcome her into our family.  I know it will be at least a year if not two, but to know that I'm one step closer just thrills my heart.
Now for the fun part!  :)  The fundraising..... I have lots of ideas running through my head, I just have to figure out what will be the most effective.  Any ideas??  I'd love to hear them!
For now, I leave you with this verse....
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

Monday, February 14, 2011

Celebrating Love

What a way to celebrate Valentine's Day!  We are very excited to share with our friends and family about our new adventure....

Dear Friends & Family,
  It is with great joy that we ask you to join us on our new adventure.  God has led us to an international adoption and we are thrilled to see what He has in store for us.  As excited as we are, I have to admit that we are somewhat scared too, not sure how all of the details will work out.  We are truly stepping out on faith, and we need you to begin praying for our family and for the heart of our child.  Please also pray specifically for the expenses, and that we will not let this part “control” our thoughts, but that we will once again trust that God will provide our every need.  The hows & whys & what-if’s have been overwhelming so we are leaving all of that to God.  Enclosed you will find a “heart”.  This heart represents that of our child and we ask that you use this as a reminder to pray for her.  Finally, we hope that you will embrace us on this journey, and follow it on our blog:  ourhope7@blogspot.com  We will try to update it as often as possible so that you will know where we stand in our process.  Right now, we are praying for which agency to use, so we are very early in the process. 
“OurHope7” was created because we hope, that we will soon become a family of 7.  We hope that we can make a difference in one life of the 147 million orphans.  We hope that we can show others that God’s love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  I recently was reading another blog and the author wrote that although adoption isn’t for everyone, if we have been called, then we have to do just that.... Fight. For. YOUR. Child.  Do not look back.  Look UP.  If God opened your eyes to the orphan crisis, you cannot pretend not to know.  One of those orphans could be yours.
  I want to thank you, Sweet Friends, for your love, support and grace. May God give you all that you need to fully embrace the present season you are in. Life is hard - but thank the Lord, He never intended for us to walk through it alone.
Our Hope in Him,
Jeff & Katie, Jackson, Anna Kate, Parker, & Grayson Taylor

Friday, February 11, 2011

Why you might ask???

"...Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act..." Proverbs 24:12