Janie and I have some big news we are excited to share with you today.
On Christmas morning, we received a phone called from The Home of God's Love (a Christ-centered orphanage in Taiwan) and they told us that they had a baby boy who wants to come to Miami to live with us. His name is Chase and he will be three months old on January 6.
We have been keeping our adoption process pretty quiet, with our families and our family at The Pursuit going through this with us. Now we are ready to let everyone know!
We sent in our application to begin the adoption process in September. Little did we know Chase would be born the very next month!
By the first week of December, we hadn't heard anything from the orphanage. We weren't sure what to think. Did they even receive our application?
While at the Newthing gathering on December 8, we met Mark Weigt, Lead Pastor at The Ridge Community Church in New Berlin, Wisconsin. He and his wife, have adopted twin boys from The Home of God's Love and are waiting to go pick up their daughter! I believe our meeting with Mark was completely God-ordained. He gave us some very helpful advice and encouraged us to pick up the phone and call the orphanage. So we did.
The next week our references were contacted and I guess they said good stuff because we received the call on December 25. What a remarkable Christmas gift!
Now we are busy getting our home study done and getting our house ready to welcome Chase to his new home. We will be traveling to Taiwan to get him. Please remember the three us in your prayers as we continue to go through the process. Thanks!
Awww..he is a little adorable thing. What big love you guys have in your hearts that you will share with that baby. I love him name! Congrats from Orlando. Jared and Jocelyn
Posted by: jocelyn | January 02, 2009 at 10:04 AM
Congrats Matt! What a life changing journey you've entered into. My first is getting married in July and I remember when I took her home at Chase's size. My how the time flies.
Best wishes for the "Pursuit" church in '09. Keep my church plant in your prayers if you are so inclined!
Posted by: Scott Cheatham | January 02, 2009 at 11:57 AM
Congrats Matt and Janie. I am so excited for you guys. So now two of our network will have kids under 1 year old. Chris Hornbrook has his little girl on Dec 28th.
Posted by: Troy | January 02, 2009 at 10:40 PM
Wow! I needed to hear great news today and this is just amazing! I am SO excited for the two of you...and the name is no surprise either :)
I will be praying as the bond begins...
Way to live James 1:27 my friends. Simply Amazing!
Jen Hills
Posted by: Jen | January 03, 2009 at 01:57 AM