Checking In

Hello friends!

I hate that I have not been blogging. I am working on a few special projects, one for a friends blog and a few of my own. Hope to be back up soon.

Few quick things...

Isn't this hilarious! Cracks me up!


photo by Pam Saxon

and...yeah...my brother is coming home from NY today! I absolutely LOVE it when we are all in one place.

Chad's brother Gavin won city council re election! Great campaign Gavin! So thankful the Lord continues to give you such favor!

Although, I do think your sign wavers really did it. :-) Go sister- in- laws!

photo taken from Brittany's blog


I am reading "Death by Love" by Mark Driscoll and really thankful for this fresh reminder of Christ's atonement on the cross...need to sit at the cross for while.

Chad's birthday is Saturday...have I mentioned lately I am madly in love with him? I am!

James is so obsessed with choo choo trains at the moment we have to pray for "Thomas" everyday and talk about how "Percy was stuck" ...not to mention there is one particular choo choo train in the church nursery James believes is his...oh yes...you can imagine that battle...this is a little bit of our conversation on our way to church each Sunday/Wednesday...

Me..."James are you excited to go to church?"

James..."Bella, choo choo, Bella, choo choo"

Me...."Yes, James, Bella and the choo choo are at church but we are going to worship Jesus as well."

James..."Bella, choo choo, Bella, choo"

*Bella= James dearest little friend at church

Can't believe how fast he is changing, reminded all the time our life is but a vapor, praying to live with an eternal mindset.




Much love to all, hope to be back soon...will share my projects then as well.

Amber

Freed to Visit Orphans (Ethiopia)

I shared this video several months ago and was thinking about it again this morning. I sit here overwhelmed, my heart aches as I think of David in Psalms 139 reminding us "for they are fearfully and wonderfully made, how precious are your thoughts to them, O God!"

O, Father, I pray that we as Your church would be purged with a burden for these children. For by God's grace we are no longer orphans but through the Spirit of adoption are now heirs, children of the Father, sons and daughters of the King.
(Rom. 8:15)

"Jesus has visted us in our affliction. He has freed us to visit orphans in theirs." T4A

Crazy Love

I have had several post I have wanted to write for quite some time but have struggled to get a few moments to do it. This is one of them.

I was in the check out line in Publix last week(alone..meaning no children, how glorious in the grocery store) and I began a conversation with the young woman ringing up my groceries. Somehow we got around to talking about James and adoption. I showed her a picture, she smiled...I did too. She then asked..."Are you going to tell him he is adopted?" She had no idea what her simple question meant to my heart.

You see, this was sweet music to this Mama's ears...of course we are going to tell James he is adopted, we already do....but more than that he will probably notice pretty soon that he looks different from his mommy and daddy:)...but you know what, I think he looks just like me. I do....some days I look in his eyes and he looks into mine and the love we share is so sacred and so rich that all I can think is..."you look like your mama" and my heart believes it. The girl ringing up my groceries didn't see the obvious racial difference between my son and his mama, she just saw my son, just like I do. I know, I know, it sounds a little silly to think he looks that much like his momma, but what I have found and what I want to express as I write this is that when I look at James and he looks at me it goes so much deeper than just the color God made us. When I dive into those deep brown eyes looking back at me I just can't help but think they look like mine...that's just the goodness of our Lord and a crazy love that comes from Him.

Thank you, Miss Publix...your simple question made this Mama smile.


"For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. " 1 Sam. 1:27

Q&A

Questions and Answers

With our desire to use this blog primarily as a resource to encourage adoption and the biblical responsibility all believers have to visit orphans we decided to open it up for some discussion. Please email any questions or thoughts you have on adoption to chad_amber_rollins@yahoo.com

We will post your question (without using names) along with our answer on the blog. These questions can range from... "how do I get started?"...to..."what's it like adopting a child of a different race?"...we will do our best to answer your questions and if we can't we will search for resources that can! We want to be a blessing and encouragement to you.

Mercy

This past week I was washing the dishes and cleaning up after dinner. Chad was watching James and they were enjoying some father- son time rolling all over the floor in the living room. I can't remember exactly what Chad had asked James not to do but James of course living in his "almost, 2 year old flesh"...did it and because it was direct disobedience there was going to be a consequence. James quickly began protesting because he knew exactly what was coming. Chad took him into his bedroom and I prepared myself for the dramatic screaming and alligator tears that were about to follow Daddy's discipline. All of the sudden it got quiet, I heard Chad talking softly to James..."James, Daddy loves you very much and my desire is for you to be obedient. You directly disobeyed Daddy but Daddy is choosing to show you mercy tonight, just as God has shown His mercy towards us." All of the sudden James walked out of his room, grinning from ear to ear, very pleased that Daddy had shown him mercy. Chad followed and said, "James, what did Daddy show you tonight?" With a big smile and that sweet little voice James said, "Merceeeee."

My heart was overwhelmed with gratitude for a husband who loves our son by not only telling him but demonstrating to him biblical truth. It was also filled with joy and gratitude as I began to mediate on the magnitude of mercy my Heavenly Father lavishes on me day after day, after day. Of course even if the only mercy I was ever shown was that at the cross when by His death He brought me out of my depravity into a relationship with Him and gave me eternal life, that would be more mercy than I could handle but praise the Lord, for it doesn't stop there! For each and every day I do not love him with all of my heart soul mind and strength and each and every day my heart is desperately wicked and each and every day I am consumed with self. Yet each and every day, God in His great mercy with loving kindness forgives and pardons my debt.

Thank you, Father. Thank you, Father.

Truth

I had a few minutes to jump on and post and wanted to share something I read recently and have been thinking about a lot. I am reading through an amazing book, actually probably the most convicting and biblical books I have ever read on "Marriage." It is called, "When Sinners Say I Do," by Dave Harvey. I wish I could share more specifically about the text surrounding this quote but I will leave you with this for now...

"Spiritual maturity comes not just from knowing what to avoid but rather what to pursue."

So Overdue!

Well, as you can very well see I have not been a good blogger at all. To be completely honest I have been convicted that many times my time on the Internet takes away from more important things so I have been taking a break from blogging and have decided I will do it when I can but only when I am not sacrificing something else. I love to read everyone else's blogs but it seems hard to do that and update mine so it has been nice to just read about all of your families and not worry about blogging every time. I have however gotten some hate mail :-) for not updating the blog and I am constantly torn because I want so badly to use the blog to encourage adoption, I guess I have to take care of the home front first. Still getting this Mom thing down.

First of all...and a little late...Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We trust you had a meaningful time celebrating the birth of our Savior!

We had a wonderful Christmas and this year more than ever really tried to take in the precious time we have with our family. James had a ball and called all of his presents "prizes." He now thinks whenever you go to anyone's house you get a "prize." We are working on that. :-)

James is 20 months old now and a busy, busy boy. He adores his daddy and carries a football around all the time. His new obsession are the little jibitz for his crocs, he just about can't handle himself he likes them so much. We are so thankful for such a happy little boy!

Chad was able to go to the Sugar Bowl game in New Orleans with his 3 brothers and they had a great time! He was glad he got to see Tebow's last game! We all love Timmy, go Gators! I stayed home with James and had a fruitful trip to TJ Max. :-)

Praise the Lord we finally found a new church home! We are so grateful for the Lord's leading in this process and are so overjoyed with this new opportunity to worship and serve. We are starting the new members class at First Baptist Lake Butler and Lord willing we will be joining after the completion of that class. I know, I know....Lake Butler, that's what my family said, it's in the middle of no where and the last place we thought we would look, but we feel sure it is the place God would have our family serve and we are so excited!

In other news, my brother Dave leaves Thursday morning for New York. He is starting the spring semester at Kings College in Manhattan. He will finish his bachelors there in Culture, Media and the Arts. His school is actually in the Empire State Building...I know, pray for Mom! We are very excited about this opportunity for him but very, very sad to say goodbye. Please be in prayer for Dave as he travels and begins this new chapter, please pray for our family as we adjust to him being gone.

While we are talking about brothers, Chad's brother Gavin is running for re election for Keystone Heights City Council March 2nd. Gavin did a great job with his last term and stood strong on important tax issues, please support him again and tell your family and friends as well! Please also pray for Gavin as he campaigns over the next month.

We begin the process this month for the search and adoption of our second or maybe even third child. We have no idea how long it could take or what all will be involved but we are thrilled to begin. We should know more come February so we will definitely update!

One last thing, we will be hosting a couple from the Ukraine for about 12 days starting this Sunday! We met Andriy and Katya about a year and a half ago when they were visiting the states. They returned for the Passion Conference in Atlanta and will be staying with us after their time there!

I probably won't be blogging much over the next two weeks but will try to update more!

Praying you all have a wonderful New Year in the Lord and the truth of His Word!

Amber