Last night I was sitting at my computer stressing about the financial part of our adoption.  I could feel my unbelief in God’s ability to provide for us sneaking in and starting to consume me. I began to read scripture to give my spirit peace.  That was when I came across Mark 9.  I came to the Mark 9:14-29.  It’s the story where the father asks for the demon to be cast out of his son.  I started to read and God struck me with this part of the story (part of vs 22-24):

22……..Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

I found myself stopping and saying.. Anything God???  Then I reread it and the word ANYTHING kept jumping off the page at me.  (I even in my doubt checked other versions and translations) ANYTHING or the words “ALL THINGS” kept appearing.  Even the 29,000 dollars we will need for our adoption, not to mention the 10,000 in flight expenses and did I mention in country costs of staying there for 13-15 days…  LORD help my unbelief!!!!!  I know in my heart and in my spirit that a 40,000 dollar adoption bill isn’t too big for God but why does my spirit doubt and wrestle with God?  Surely, a God who created the world, gave me breath, heals the sick, cares for the orphaned, the widowed, the poor, and the birds of the air can handle this!  God has proven to be so faithful through this adoption process.  Soooooo Faithful!!!!  Every time we have needed to make a payment for this process HE has provided  (More on this story in my next blog posts).  Every time we have wondered if this was the direction we were supposed to go in, He has confirmed it. Every time things looked impossible He made it possible!

I continued reading the passage and  I began to read vs. 29.
The disciples ask why they couldn’t cast out the evil sprit and Jesus’s response:

29 Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.”

I did some research on this passage and read some commentaries and came to a Commentary by Gracepoint that said this:

“This prayer that Jesus has in mind is ‘not merely a pious exercise,’ rather it is ‘the sense of COMPLETE dependence on God from which sincere prayer springs.’  It makes one receptive to the action of God.  One cannot get ready for the moment by quickly uttering a special prayer; one has to be ready through a prayerful life when the moment comes.”  

Last night I was reminded that I need to be completely dependent on Him, in constant prayer, and constantly asking Him to rid me of my unbelief and continue trust Him for everything so that I might not boast of being able to do things for myself but that in the end HE will receive all the glory.

So thankful for the many things I have been learning through this adoption process!  And believe me it’s a process.   A process of breaking me and molding me into the person God wants me to be.  It’s not easy and so far the journey has been rough, (more on that later) however, I am confident when we are at the end of the journey and we are finally holding our babies in our arms it will all be worth it!   Especially knowing that while we am holding them our God will be holding us!

Thanks for allowing me to share, and for reading!  Blessings on this beautiful spring day!

After a few weeks of collecting, the deadline came to deliver the goods!  Our family was so overwhelmed by the response of those around us!   Sorry this is so late in coming…Here it is… the results from all your generosity and kindness extended to those in Ethiopia!

Through the donations we were able to collect and send over to Ethiopia:

40 Onesies

38 pairs of brand new pajamas

18 t-shirts

70 cloth diapers and 16 Waterproof Diaper covers plus 48 safety pins to pin them on

300 Vitamins

32 bottles of baby shampoo/wash

30 tubes of diaper rash cream

18 bottles of anti-diarrheal medicine

2 tubes of hydrocortizone cream

5 tubes of antibiotic oinment

58 bottles of children’s ibuprofen

4 bottles of cold medicine

11 bottles of pedilite

3 bottles

5 bottles of baby powder

1 Tri Vi Sol Vitamin drops

19 more packs of diaper rash cream

42 bouncy balls for the children to play with and to fill in empty space in luggage

and we fed a total of

3,651 1/2 babies a 6 oz

bottle of Formula!

My kids and I (and our friend Charlotte) brought all the stuff out to our Agency and they were overwhelmed with your response and your desire to help care for the children of Ethiopia!  Thank you so much for your kindness and your willingness to help those around the world.  Know that the orphanages are so very thankful.   May God bless you all for your willingness to care for the children of this world.

This first picture was taking with my cell phone the night before we brought the stuff….. I have no idea why I didn’t use my camera!   Oh well you get the idea… the next morning we went and picked up enough formula to feed another 1,400 babies… so this picture is minus all that!!

Delivery Day:

This past week we received a notice from our agency that the director of our agency was going to be visiting Ethiopia during the first week of February and that they are trying to fill as many suitcases as they can with formula. Buying formula here is easy. So many options and so many prices.. Buying formula in Ethiopia is difficult. It’s hard to find, the containers are smaller, and the price is higher. Many of the orphanages in Ethiopia do not have the resources to purchase the formula needed to provide nutrition for the infants and children there. Truth is that our children might be one of them. He/She could be at the orphanage right now… this minute… in need of a bottle and there might not be enough to go around. We may not know the names and faces of our children yet but they are already in our hearts and our hearts break at the thought of them suffering. It breaks our hearts to think of rooms full of babies and children lying in cribs with hungry bellies.

That being said, our family is going to try to fill as many suitcases as we can. We want to offer you an opportunity to help us. A large can of Formula costs around 12.99 at Meijer (Meijer Brand). One Large can of INFANT or TODDLER formula will provide about 28 – 6 oz bottles to orphaned children. That’s 28 meals to 28 children. That means for what it costs you to buy 2.5 Starbucks lattes or a pizza you could instead provide 28 babies with the nutrients needed to survive.

 Truth: Six million children die of hunger every year.

SIX MILLION!!!!

We (my husband and I) are going to be collecting cans of formula from now until February 1, 2012. Any type of formula, any size of can, and any brand as long as it is powdered formula will work. The orphanage is running especially low on Toddler formula. If you would like to donate and help us fill some suitcases you can drop cans off to our home, give them to us when you see us next, or mail them (if you mail them, check that they will arrive by February 1st so we can get them on the plane to Ethiopia later that week):

OR

If you live in the Grand Rapids area we can/will come pick them up from you as well if you want. Just kick us an email at info@staceyclackphotography.com or call 616-490-0628 and we will swing by. Thanks in advanced for your willingness to help me feed the orphans.

Blessings,

Stacey

“Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” – Matthew 25:34-40

• to share photos of my clients
• to spend less time on FACEBOOK and more time with my kids (less time in spent on my news feed, status updates, etc…)
• to have a log of all the clients I have photographed in one place along with all the important information a client might need
• to allow you as followers, clients, and fans to get to know me on a little bit more personal level ……That being said…

I have BIG NEWS to SHARE!!!!!!

2011 was an amazing year for us as a family.  There are so many wonderful things I could share about.  However, I want to share with you about a recent new venture we are on as a family.  Recently we have felt God calling us to ADOPT!  Yes I know some of you who are reading this are thinking:  ”Say WHAT???  Don’t you have 3 kids already?”  I have always wanted to adopt and feel that God has given me a passion to do so.  ”My” life plan was to have two and adopt two… but God had other plans. Hence, we found out we were pregnant with my little guy when my middle daughter was just 5 months old.  His plans were different than my life plan but I couldn’t imagine our life any different now.

Currently, we are in the beginning stages of praying through this process and in the process itself.  A  few verses that God has laid on my heart through this process so far are:

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.  -James 1:27

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.  - Proverbs 31:8-9

And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.  - Matthew 18:5

I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!  - Matthew 25:40 

“Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve”. – Proverbs 24:12 

I am sure many of you are asking questions right now as you read this?  Questions like: Where are you going to adopt from?  Are you still going to do photography?  (The answer to that is YES)  Why are you adopting?  Aren’t three kids enough? How old are the kids  you are adopting? How many are you getting?  When will he/she/they be here?  Are you guys crazy?  How did you feel God leading you to adoption?  Did I ask yet, ARE YOU GUYS CRAZY?   I have answers to many of these questions and will begin sharing the stories and journey we are on soon.  For now for those of you who want to know more, you can click here or on the Adoption button under my blog header photo on my blog home page and read about why we are choosing to adopt and where we are adopting from and read how far we are in the process.  I hope you are having a blessed weekend.