Sunday, February 7, 2010

Unfailing Love

For our faithful followers we are sorry that it has taken us a few weeks to update you on the journey! We are so grateful that you choose to follow and pray for us along the journey. We have been very busy with work, the weekend in Austin,TX to celebrate our favorite 10 year old's Birthday, and preparing for our home study evaluation.

We could write an entire blog on the ways that satan has tried to attack and discourage us but who wants to give him any glory?! NOT US! Although, we could write a blog about how satan has been at work we WILL write about GOD'S Faithfulness and Unfailing LOVE! We want to say thank you to all of you that have allowed God to use your words, text, emails, and FB messages to encourage us! We have literally stood in awe of how MIGHTY our God is! We could go on and on with examples... we will share a just few with you!

Satan attacked and within seconds we received this "Hi Sheila! I love your blog and am really encouraged by you and Marty's heart and answer to God's call to care for orphans."


During another time of discouragement we received this message " just hearing about you're faith and what God is doing in you're life is so encouraging and it just brightens my day!"

On Saturday, Feb 6th we had our home inspection for the home study. Last week was a very stressful week as we prepared our home. The morning of the inspection Satan attempted to convince us that our home would not be sufficient and then we received this message "is today the big day? praying for u guys! God already has a precious child picked out for y'all. This is just a stepping stone that will take you to him/her! I can imagine your nervousness but I know your home will be perfect!"

The home study inspection could not have went any better!!!! We looooove our social workers and were pretty convinced they looove us too! :)


Satan attacked.. God used His child to remind us "you will both be awesome.....relax.....my prayers will be with you....."

Satan attacked and God restored us by using his people to remind us "we're praying."

Satan tried to discourage and God used our family coordinator to remind us "I’ll be in touch! In the meantime we’ll just pray and trust God that His timing will be perfect for your family!"

Another example of God's faithfulness and unfailing love...Satan tried to discourage us about the financial commitment of adoption. Just an hour later we attended a prayer meeting held at a friends home to prepare our hearts for the upcoming revival. God spoke to my heart "you can't have revival and have a stronger love relationship with me if you don't trust me" I responded "but God I do trust you.. remember Marty's wreck, remember all of the little ways I trust you daily." God then asked but do you trust Me with EVERYTHING?" He then used testimonies of other's during the prayer time to show me that I didn't trust Him with EVERYTHING! He makes the sun shine,He makes the flowers bloom,He's The ultimate healer, and he sought after the heart of one man for 59 years before he chose to accept Christ..BUT My God NEVER gave up on him!!!He spoke to my heart over the next week to trust Him with everything...after all this is His plan for our life and He will provide!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding"
-Proverbs 3:5

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him"-Jer 17:7

We could literally go on and on listing the ways, the words, and the people that God has used to encourage us, restore us, and keep us focused on the plan that He has for our lives and Baby Cantrell!

up next.. we should receive our completed home study on Tuesday, Feb 9th!!!(Happy 2 year Anniversary to us! WooHoo!) God's timing is alwayyys perfect!

Then we will apply with the U.S. Immigration, fingerprinting with the FBI, gather lots of documents and have then notarized and apostilled..

Finally,we will be able to send all of our documents to KAZAKHSTAN!!!!!!!

We can not express how thankful we are for your continued prayers for our family! We can't wait until we are able to introduce to you BABY CANTRELL! God's timing is perfect!

Some may be wondering how I am able to blog on Super Bowl Sunday! Shouldn't I be gearing up for the BIG game after all the SAINTS are playing in their 1st Super Bowl ever?!?! Well, I must be honest I'm not a football fan at all BUT I am excited for the Great State of Louisiana, the beautiful city of New Orleans, and all of you TRUE fans who have waited for this day your entire life!