Currently . . .

We have finished the 8-hour online Hague certification!!! As far as we can tell we've finished our part for the home study. We're waiting to hear back from Bethany as to what's next. In order to have a completed home study we will need to pay Bethany's fees. After that we will begin working on the dossier to send to Albania. Half of the Albania country fees will be due at that time. We are completely trusting God to provide.


In the meantime, God has been placing people in our lives as well as re-acquainting us with friends from the past who all have connections with Albania. From a possible guide during our stay, to an old school friend's missionary parents in the country, to recent adoptive parents of a child from Albania. As much as He is letting us see right now, He is in control and has already gone before us.

"For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you . . . ." ~Deuteronomy 20:4

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." ~Deuteronomy 31:8

The CD

Over the past nine years, I've been writing songs. I've never tried to make anything of them, I never really thought anything of them. It's just something I've always done. Some were written for my children. Some have been worship songs. Some are worship songs coinciding with my children's births.

Sometime ago Jen began asking me to make a recording. I would always respond to it with "Yeah, I'll get around to it." From time to time other people would ask if I ever thought about recording. Their encouragement usually included a reference to how much money I could make. Interesting. My response was always the same, "Yeah, I'll get around to it."

A few months before we felt God was calling us to adoption, we sang one of my songs at church during our worship service. Afterwards, our pastor's wife whom we love and have the utmost respect for, pulled us aside. "You really need to record these songs." As I attempted to give her my well rehearsed response, she abruptly interupted me, "No. I feel this is from the Lord. You really need to record these songs. I feel like it has something to do with your future."

Okay, so maybe God had something in store with all of this. I still didn't want to make a big deal out of it. What do I know about recording? How would I even begin to put something like that together? Besides the songs really aren't that great. So I figured I could make a real simple recording, just me and the guitar. After that we'll see what God does. As the weeks passed, the idea faded to the back of my mind waiting for me to get around to it.

Suddenly we find ourselves starting the process of adoption and wondering how we were going to fund it. Jen and I were at our kitchen counter discussing different options. Our conversation had run its course with no real solution or strategy found. I turned to walk away when it hit me. I turned around to see Jen's face, she was thinking the same thing. The CD!

God's timing always amazes me. I never would have put recording a CD as a central part of our adoption. I would have kept it separate. But that's the beauty of it. I'm 33 with a wife and family. I do not have the time for, nor am I interested in becoming some kind of huge star. The reason we're recording is to bring a child into our family. If I ever even try and make it about me everyone will know it. I'm totally free to make this recording without trying to build a career out of it.

I have been blessed to be able to lead worship with a phenomenal team. They have volunteered their valuable time and tremendous talent to assist me in this endeavor. One of the members is actually taking on the task of producing/recording the entire project. Our plan is to sell the CDs online so you'd be able to download it, and sell hard copies per order to save on packaging costs. I thought I was going to have to figure out how to get the CD online on my own, but just this past week someone approached me about helping me with this. We'll keep you updated as to when everything will be ready.