Walk-a-thon...Coming Fast!!!

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

We are gearing up for our ADOPTION walk-a-thon!

We are Team Hope... A family on the blessed & challenging journey of growing our family through international adoption.

Your support will help bring our children home from Ethiopia to their forever family.

Estimated cost of our journey is $20,000 - $25,000"

Let your compassion come to me that I may live." Psalm 119:77

We are very excited!

So mark your calendars...

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Lakeside Park, Big Lake - Corner of Hwy 10 & Lakeshore Drive

Registration 8:30 am Walk 9:00am

Interested in participating / Questions ? / Sponsor sheets .... Email bdjfisher@izoom.net
(subject line: walk-a-thon / Include your mailing address)

You may choose a 2 or 4 mile option on a paved path around beautiful Big Lake.

Can't be there the day of the walk? No problem! You can walk on your own in your favorite park and simply mail in your forms and money to us.

To be considered for event prizes, money must be turned in before Saturday, May 9th.

Make checks payable to Team Hope.

Some Fun Prizes will be awarded to our "top walkers" upon the completion of our walk!

**Let's extend the fun... bring your packed lunch and we'll picnic together!

Team Hope T-shirts are also available for purchase... Just $10 each
Adult sizes; S, M, L, XL
Youth sizes; S(2/4), M(6/8), L(10/12), XL(14/16)

T-shirts can be picked up at registration or email to make delivery/shipping arrangements.
(T-shirt design available for viewing soon)

What if it rains? There is no rain date. We will walk rain or shine.

Thank you for partnering with us in this exciting journey!!!

God Bless you all!

friday.

Kids are gearing up to perform at their school's annual "Spring Musical" tonight.

We're looking forward to it... they always do a great job... at sharing the sweet love of Jesus through the songs & speaking parts too!

Easter 2009

{M-12, E-10, J-6, S-3}

~Becky

...they are precious in His sight.

“Adoption is a perfect picture of what God has done for each of us in making us His children through Christ. Psalm 68:5-6 tells us that as the Father to the fatherless, God delights in setting the lonely in families. It has been our experience that the scriptural mandate of caring for orphans, such as the one found in James 1:27 is really a wonderful invitation to experience God in a profound way by being a part of His sovereign plan for His precious children.”

{Exurpt from Shaoey and Dot, Mary Beth & Steven Curtis Chapman}

Though our adoption journey has just begun and continues to be long & curvy... We are blessed to part of God's sovereign plan of taking care of His precious children. Each one a special & unique creation. We are honored to be Momma & Daddy, to the children here in our arms & the children of our heart <3

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"The true gospel is a call to self-denial. it is not a call to self-fulfillment.”

(John Macarthur)

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first draft

Our adoption "HOPE" t-shirts are in the process of being designed.

Here's a sneak peak at the first draft.

We might do a little tweeking, but it does a good job at capturing our hearts.

"Thanks S. "

Happy Spring!!!

"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."

Galations 1:10

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"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men... It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

Colossians 3:23,24

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strength

"The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

Isaiah 40:28-31

Questions?

?Questions you may have but were too afraid

to ask...

Here we are.... Over a year now since we felt a tug from God to consider adoption for our family. We don't know why or when or how, but we felt the tug. And thus our family began this "journey" in prayer. (Fall 2007)

In October 2008 we began the "paper chase" of this journey and continue to seek to do God's will for us.

And now as we begun traveling down this (adoption) path set before us, we have encountered many challenges, blessings & a fair share of doubt. Many of you may look at us, the Fisher's, and say, "they are not rich, not wealthy." But Alas, we are! We have an abundance of food, we have family, clean water, warm showers, a roof over our heads, and each other! We are so very rich!!! And we have much to give & share!


And that's where it starts... Our hearts prompted to grow our already blessed family through adoption, and provide a family for child(ren) who do not have one.

No, we are not saving a child, we are adopting children into our family, just as the Lord our God adopted each one of us. To love & care for the very children God planned for our family before the beginning of time.

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons/daughters." Galations 4:4,5


Who & Where???

Our hearts are drawn to Ethiopia.
A Country of both beauty & despair.
Home of 4.6 million orphans.


Why? The answers pretty simple...
"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

For us, Ehiopia is "the least of these." With a little research this is what we found:

Ethiopia...

1. The 4th poorest country in the world, making about $160 per family per year.


2. One in ten children die before their first birthday.


3. One in six children die before their fifth birthday.


4. 44% of the population of Ethiopia is under 15 years old.


5. 60% of children in Ethiopia are stunted because of malnutrition.


6. The median age in Ethiopia is 17.8 years


7. 1.5 million people are infected with AIDS.


8. 720,000 children have been orphaned by AIDS alone.


9. Half the children will never attend school, 88% will never attend secondary school.


10. Ethiopia's doctor to children ration is 1 to 24,000.


11. Etc... "the least of these"

Who?

Our hearts & home is open to two children, siblings.

Why siblings?

Imagine a brother and sister experiencing the extreme pain of losing Mom, Dad, & even other family members to some unknown disease. All they have is each other. So often they are faced with one of two realities;

1. Seperate and be adopted.


2. Remain together and remain un-adopted

We want neither for our children!

Our children, Children of our heart, Members of our family-living in Africa for now. Children only God knows their names, ages, genders, and when they will come home to their forever family.

It may sound strange but our family has an emptiness in it now... We are missing & longing for members we still have yet to meet. So we wait and work to welcome & love them home-in God's perfect timing. To share with them the very HOPE we have been given only through Christ.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Please continue to keep us in your prayers. The journey can be long & unpredictable... But so very worth the wait & hurdles ahead!

See the below post "Mark your calendars" to further partner with us on this adoption adventure.

And once again, thank you for your support & encouragement!

(and bless you for actually reading this extremely long post) =) The End

Mark your Calendars...

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a future." Jeremiah 29:11







We are gearing up for our ADOPTION walk-a-thon!






We are Team Hope... A family on the blessed & challenging journey of growing our family through international adoption.






Your support will help bring our children home to their forever family. Estimated cost of our journey is $20,000 - $25,000
"Let your compassion come to me that I may live." Psalm 119:77


We are very excited!



So mark your calendars... Saturday, May 9, 2009



Lakeside Park, Big Lake - Corner of Hwy 10 & Lakeshore Drive

Registration 8:30 am Walk 9:00am

Interested in participating / Questions ? / Sponsor sheets .... Email bdjfisher@izoom.net

(subject line: walk-a-thon / Include your mailing address)

You may choose a 2 or 4 mile option on a paved path around beautiful Big Lake.

Can't be there the day of the walk? No problem! You can walk on your own in your favorite park and simply mail in your forms and money to us. To be considered for event prizes, money must be turned in before Saturday, May 9th. Make checks payable to Team Hope.

Some Fun Prizes will be awarded to our "top walkers" upon the completion of our walk!

**Let's extend the fun... bring your packed lunch and we'll picnic together!

Team Hope T-shirts are also available for purchase... Just $10 each

Adult sizes; S, M, L, XL

Youth sizes; S(2/4), M(6/8), L(10/12), XL(14/16)

T-shirts can be picked up at registration or email to make delivery/shipping arrangements.

(T-shirt design available for viewing soon)

What if it rains? There is no rain date. We will walk rain or shine.

Thank you for partnering with us in this exciting journey!!!

God Bless you all

Our cup runneth over

You have blessed our socks off!




Words continue to be too few to express our gratitude.






Spare Change-Change Lives Campaign has far exceeded our every expectation.






April 1st Campaign total= $3,238.98





And we've been asked to continue to have bottles available... To keep the Campaign going, until God closes the door. We would be honored :)





"Thank you" is just not enough.






Our cup runneth over!






Every single penny, every single prayer, every single word of encouragement is appreciated...





And every step of this journey has been possible only through our Lord in heaven... For He can move the mountains!

"May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you." Psalm 67:5

April 1st ...

Spring in Minnesota!

Need I say more?

"I planted the seed...but God made it grow. For we are God's fellow workers, you are God's field, God's building."
I Corinthians 3:6,9

Have a happy day!