New Horizons & Transformers!

This past January, a good friend told us about a program called New Hori.zons for Chil.dren based in Atlanta, GA.  It piqued my curiosity and I started researching.  I found out that every winter and summer, a team from New Horizons for Children heads to orphanages in Latvia and Ukraine (they've gone to Russia in the past) taking humanitarian aid with them and to interview various children.  They talk with the children, watch them play and interact and then make the very difficult decision of which children they think could benefit from and flourish in American for 4-5 weeks.

Orphan care has always had a HUGE piece in my heart.  So one evening, on the way to Bible Study (we were leading The Truth Project), I mentioned it to T. 

Let me back up a little and let you know that the "theme" for The Truth Project is Transformation.  I had also started a devotional written by various people in our area that had the theme Transformation.  And I had begun Ann Voskamp's "One Thousand Gifts" at the beginning of the year...with the theme, Transformation.  So when I prayed about a "word" for 2011, the Lord had already brought Transformation to the front and center of our hearts and minds.  I joked with my sister in law that I need to buy a Transform.ers t-shirt for the year - to wear under my clothing! ;)

With Transformation, being our word for the year, we prayed and felt God calling us to this mission opportunity for our family.

We submitted our application and back on February 28, we selected a 9 year old boy, Andriy.  A whole realm of emotions followed for our family, but we were excited!

Then in May, we found out that Andriy would not be able to travel to America for the summer and we were given a chance to view the "second chance photos" of children who had not been selected, because at this point, the time to choose host children had been closed.  We talked as a family and decided on a 13 year old boy, Artem, from Andriy's orphanage.  I have pictures of both boys (from a facebook friend who was on the interview team and met them) sitting aside one another playing and talking.  It was a crazy rollercoaster of emotions making the adjustment - and we hadn't even met either of the boys.  But God had already made a huge spot in our hearts to love Andriy and we knew he'd do the same for Artem.  And He has!

This past Tuesday, June 28 (exactly 4 months after we had made the decision to host), Artem and many others flew into the USA.

(the top photo was taken with my phone and has such a long delay that we lost the boys' attention!)

Prior to his arrival, I was quite anxious.  But we have some amazing prayer warriors who have held us up in prayer.  My "pity party" quickly ended when I looked at everything from Artem's vantage point.  Not only did they have a tremendously long flight, but they had to interview for their visas in Kiev on Monday morning and there was travel involved to get there.  They've had a long journey and we are happy to have him in our home.

He's a joy to have despite the language barrier.  We have some books, flashcards, goo.gle translate and charades! ;)

He came with just a little clothing, a hat, 1 pair of shoes.  And, he brought a few small toys - I'm sure they are his prized possessions as they are just one thing that he can call his own.  Right now, they are on the dresser in his room (Colin is sleeping in Quintin's room so that Artem can have his own room).  We went to Wa.lmar.t yesterday and I was thrilled to see his smile when I let him pick out a t-shirt featuring his favorite toys.

His favorite toy?

Transfor,mers. 

Coincidence?  NO WAY! 

What's that old commercial?  "Transform,ers!  More than me,ets the eye!"

I can say that God is transforming this family!

[The periods and commas placed in words throughout the post is to keep my blog posts from showing up in goog.le searches for those words/phrases.]

1 down, 11 to go!

As the first month of 2011 draws to a close, I'm finding myself much more reflective, than in Januarys past, to the work God has been doing in my life.

And reflective on this word - transform - that God has placed on my heart.

On my bulletin board at my desk, I have hanging a drawing with the word "TRANSFORM" in the center and circled.  From the circle are lines branching out with the nuggets God has been revealing to me as I make my way on this transformation journey.

In my last post, I shared the two pieces, "It's going to get ugly before it gets better," and "Rest."

I've taken the first one and made it my sort of mantra to get me through the ugly times.  It kind of reminds me of repeating, "This too shall pass," when I was awake in the early morning hours feeding a little one.  And I took moments to 'rest' and have felt refreshed and rested.  (Hence the lack of new blog posts.)

I feel as if a new nugget is presented to me each week or so, and I use the time that follows to really breathe it in, soak it up and make it part of me.

And to be completely honest, I am really loving this process.  It is totally a God-thing, because I could have never planned it like this! ;)  And God has taken into account the way I learn and remember and is using that to teach me.

Be it a book, a word heard from a friend, written in an email or whatever - I am full of sense and wonder as each nugget is placed upon my heart.  It doesn't just happen in a moment and then fade.  But rather, throughout the following days, it is revealed deeper.  I chose the word nugget because it makes me think of a gold nugget - or from wikipedia: "a piece of gold produced through mining and extraction." 

Mining and Extraction!  Chipping away!  Removing the worthless! Chiseling!  When God chisels the dead weight out of our lives it can be very painful!  But through it comes - Transformation!

My most recent nugget?

"It's not about me."  A powerful truth mentioned in chapter 1 of Rick Warren's "The Purpose Driven Life."  In regards to the purpose of our lives, "It's all about God.  It's not about you."  (you can read the first seven chapters of PDL, here).  I've read through this book twice, and it is an amazing book.  I try to read it every other year - and God continually shows me more and more each time.

Rather than just seeing one side of "my transformation," the selfish side - I'm looking outward and earnestly seeking God's lead to show me where to put my next step to transform not only me, but my family, my friends, my community, and anyone who comes across this blog.

Watch this movie from the Skit Guys for a great visual reminder of God chipping away the dead weight of our lives and how we go through the process of discipline.

Transformation

Transform has become an ugly word since posting it last Monday. 

I've learned in order to transform, it is going to get ugly before it gets better.  And I didn't know how ugly it could get.  One week into the new year, and God has showed me many things.  Things I've wanted to change before, but never took the next step.  And they didn't come in nice packages, they took many forms, such as relational difficulties.  It has been an emotionally draining first week of 2011.

2011 is going to be filled with steps - and I'm choosing to take the steps now; baby steps, but steps nonetheless.

Step one - Rest.  Emotional Rest.  Rest in Him.  Rest.

My "Word" for 2011