Thursday, April 28, 2011

A Great Way to Start Your Day...





Over the past few weeks different friends have e-mailed me various links to sermons and YouTube songs, and this morning I caught myself re-watching quite a few of my favorites.  Before I knew it, I found myself bobbing my head to each of these songs.  They turned out to be a wonderful way to start my day, and I hope that they will do the same to you.


"I Make War"

A while back, my friend Jill was very timely in sending this song to me, and I've caught myself listening to this on a frequent basis.  I hope it's an encouragement to you as well.


"Take Me As I Am"

Lecrae is great, and I love that he currently lives in my hometown of Memphis.




"Don't Waste Your Life"

Here's another one by Lecrae, and though I'm pretty sure that this one's been out for a while, I think that it's worth a watch.   


"Black Church White Church"

Last but not least, this song is great, and I'm so thankful to be a member of a church that seeks to exemplify the last verse of this song.



I hope that you found these to be worth your time!

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Who Do You Say That He Is?

Luke 9:18-20

"Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, 'Who do the crowds say that I am?' And they answered, 'John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.'  Then he said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?'  And Peter answered, 'The Christ of God'."






"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever," Hebrews 13:8.



Friday, April 15, 2011

Dossier is Sent!


Today we sent our dossier (packet of information about us that will eventually go to the Congo) to our adoption agency.  So we've done what we can do thus far, and we are trusting that God will guide us according to His will! 


We were excited to send this package off. We can't wait to see how the Lord leads!




Psalm 9:10
"And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you."

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Today we found out that . . .



We're praising God for a healthy baby so far, and we can't wait to meet this little guy in August!

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Worth Taking a Look





Other than learning what God has to say in the Bible about orphans, hearing adopted children share their own stories has been one of the most effective means of breaking my heart for parentless children.  In all honesty, I hope that through watching videos such as the ones below, your heart will be increasingly softened towards orphans throughout the world, too!


"Say Yes"

This video, titled "Say Yes," contains testimonies of adopted children.  I remember the first time I watched this as Paul was studying on the couch across from me.  For the first time in the adoption decision-making process, I began to weep as I watched this, and Paul's eyes welled up just listening to the voices of these kids.  Their stories are great pictures of the beauty that is adoption.



The Ivey Family's Adoption

And my good friend Brandy recently posted this short documentary on her Facebook page.  She and her husband are expecting and are adopting from the Congo as well, and she mentioned that watching this video makes her anticipate the completion of their adoption.  I totally relate, Brandy!



Ben Affleck & Cindy McCain Together for Congo Aid

One particular night a few weeks ago, Paul and I happened to see this segment where ABC News reported on what Cindy McCain and Ben Affleck are doing to help the war-stricken people of the Congo.  I'm so thankful for what they are doing for these people, and watching this reveals the devastation in which many Congolese orphans live.


Psalm 68:5-6
"Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
   is God in his holy habitation.
God settles the solitary in a home;
   he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
   but the rebellious dwell in a parched land."



Thursday, April 7, 2011

Sobering Preparations



Paul and I can't wait to meet our children.  In some ways, I already know the kind of father Paul will be: he will be very protective over our children, especially if we have little girls (some of his friends may be grinning as you read this, because you regularly remind him of how much you want us to have a little girl... a-hem, Chris!); he will strongly emphasize the importance of receiving a solid education; he will teach them to work hard- something I'm certain they will learn from his example; he will teach them to enjoy life as they see how silly he is; and he will teach them to be active and play outside as much as is humanly possible. Oh, and he'll teach them to enjoy Clemson athletics. 

As for me, I have no idea what kind of mom I will be.  But a lot of time these days is spent reading and getting as prepared as possible for being a mom.  And in an effort to help me in this endeavor, my good friend Mariah recently donated a few parenting books our way.  One in particular that the American Academy of Pediatrics published, titled Your Baby's First Year, has been helpfully informative, and I was recently struck at its mentioning of the significance of the child's first few years of life:

"Research shows that during the first three years of a baby's life, the brain grows and develops significantly and patterns of thinking and responding are established.  What does this mean for you as a parent?  It means that you have a very special opportunity to help your baby develop appropriately and thrive socially, physically, and cognitively throughout her life..."


"While genetics does play a role in determining your child's skills and abilities, new research highlights the equally significant role that environment plays.  Recently neuroscientists realized that the experiences that fill a baby's first days, months, and years have a great impact on how the brain develops.  Both nature and nurture work hand in hand in the development of young children."


"Studies have shown that children need certain elements in the early stages of life to grow and develop to their full potential:
- A child needs to feel special, loved, and valued.
- She needs to feel safe.
- She needs to feel confident about what to expect from her environment.
- She needs guidance.
- She needs a balanced experience of freedom and limits.
- She needs to be exposed to a diverse environment filled with language, play, exploration, books, music, and appropriate toys."

So our children begin learning from us before they're even able to understand the English language?  So even from the first "days and months" our children are influenced more by us than by anyone else? To many this may seem intuitive, but I was recently introduced to this reality through the excellent biblical counseling education I received at Southern Seminary, specifically under the influence of Dr. Eric Johnson, where I learned how significantly our familial environment can shape the way we eventually tend to relate to God.  And fortunately for us, God's Word provides plentiful guidance on how we can create a familial environment that is "safe" and where our children feels "special, loved, and valued."  On one hand, God calls us to verbally instruct our children: "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates," (Deuteronomy 6:7-9).  On the other hand, God instructs us to teach our children through our actions: "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children," (Ephesians 5:1), and Jesus Himself speaks of this significance:  "Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds," Matthew 11:19.  As if marriage itself has not been enough of a reminder that our words are cheap if not "justified by deeds," I'm frightfully aware that parenthood will also challenge us to be genuine "doers of the Word," (James 1:22).  

So though I'm thankful to have such confidence in the kind of father God will enable my husband to be, I'm most hopeful for what will be most important to us about being parents- namely, that our words as well as our actions will be instruments God uses to draw them into saving faith that comes through Christ.  We hope that they will know and love the God who created them, who lived a sinless life that our kids could never live, who died for sin, who rose to defeat its power, and who is now drawing people to Himself.  Why do we want this most? We want this most because God created them in the first place to bring glory to Himself.  Because just like us, our kids will never be fully satisfied until they taste and see the goodness of God through Christ.  And because even now, their little hearts have eternity set within them (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Until next time,
Sarah

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Trucking Along . . .

I haven't blogged in a few weeks.  Part of that is due to the fact that if I have had time to blog, I've needed to spend that leisure time working on adoption grant applications.  But it's also because I haven't had too much to say lately, and I haven't wanted to waste anyone's time by blogging for the sake of blogging.  Life lately has been wonderfully routine, quiet, and pleasant.  Here are a few updates from the Tennant household:

On the adoption front, the Lord continues to be bless our journey thus far!  Our homestudy is finalized; our dossier (packet of paperwork that is eventually sent to the Congo) is almost complete; and our desires to bring this little one home keep increasing! We are thoroughly enjoying sharing the news that we're "expecting two," and we've been humbled at the amount of support that we've received from family and friends. 

And in pregnancy news, the precious little one is alive and kicking- literally!  God graces me with the ability to feel the baby move throughout the day, and this baby sure knows how to brighten my day when he/she spontaneously reminds me of his/her presence.  Last night the baby actively kicked and moved during the championship basketball game - I'm pretty sure the baby was pulling for Butler.  Paul has been able to feel the baby move, also, and perhaps the biggest highlight of the pregnancy thus far has been watching Paul's delighted countenance as he feels his little child move.  What a blessing...  Here are some pictures taken tonight:


It's not often that you get to live with your husband AND your old roommate/close girl friend after you get married.  But Paul and I are blessed with that privilege right now:  my sweet, lovely friend Mary Ellen is currently living with us as she prepares to move overseas to North Africa.  She is such a blessing to be around, and Paul and I both are so thankful to have her as a friend!





Here is me with Paul who is happy as can be after having just awoken from a nap (his recent all-expenses-paid ski trip to Aspen, Colorado wore him out... poor guy!).  I hope Baby Tennants will be as jovial as my husband is after waking up from a nap!

  



Which one of us has the bigger bump?





And as promised, Mom and Gran, here is a picture of me with your grandbaby/great grandbaby.  Tomorrow will mark 21 weeks!  We can't wait until next Tuesday, when we officially find out whether this little one is a boy or a girl.  We're enjoying thinking about names for the babies.  At the moment, Luke and Micah rank at the top if we have boys.  I love the name Abigail if we have a girl, but those decisions won't be made for a few months.




We are full of praise for each step in this journey:  the pleasant days that we have together as we await the challenges and joys ahead; the new stages of fetal development that consistently remind us of Who is creating this little one; and the anticipation, curiosity, and excitement that grows within us as we prepare to bring our African soon-to-be-a-Tennant child to us!  What a privilege it is to be a Christian who can enjoy my Heavenly Father's perfect guidance in trials and in joys like these. 

Until next time,

Sarah