Surrendering to the Unknown

What a SURREAL experience to drive with your husband to meet your children for the first time (or 2nd for some) and attempt to soak in five people's reactions all at once. It was like having quintuplets, but different. It was incredibly strange to leave five behind to pick up five more. The nerves and excitement and thoughts were a lot to take in. Andy and I got to relive some of those giddy school boy/girl moments and first Christmas type feelings.

When I say it could not have gone better, I mean it. These children are the SWEETEST children I know. I know I am biased, but sometimes we imagine things and they just simply aren't there what they are. These children were loved deeply; they have a sweetness that the culture of kids I know don't quite have. Within an hour, Junior was putting his arm around Thomas just hanging out and leaving his arm there. We told them they could call us whatever they felt comfortable with as long as it was kind. An hour after we dropped them back off, I got a text from Rosa, saying, "Hi mom.". Just this morning Junior texted Bobby saying, "Hey, what's mom doing?". Just tonight, Carmen texted, "pleasssssse can we move in this weekend and not next weekend."

It is so beautiful to see children want the family we have for them as well. At dinner, we were able to tell them we wanted them to stay forever and that they are just as much a part of our family as the other five. It was a day to be treasured.

We are renovating like crazy adding two bedrooms and two bathrooms to our house in hopes of getting settled a tiny bit before a week and half when they arrive. We cannot wait to share them with you!!!!

Many people have asked how they can help... see below...

DONATIONS: The children are NOT part of the foster care system so there is not any support from the state. Point of Contact: Jen Style, jennifermstyle@yahoo.com

Tax Deductible: Helping Hands Ministry - select in project category “FINANCIAL” - select in project name “Cook, Andy and Martha”

For a MONTHLY recurring tax deductible donation using a credit card, call the Helping Hands office to make arrangements-- 706-754-6884.
There is an 8% ministry grant on donations received to carry out their mission and purpose.
They take donations via Master Card, Discover, Visa, American Express (credit cards are additional 3%), and checks made payable to Helping Hands Ministries with the Project name written on a note accompanying the check.

All donations mailed should be sent to Helping Hands Ministries, PO Box 337, Tallulah Falls, GA 30573.

Non Tax Deductible: Monthly and one time gift option available

I just read my last post from 3 years ago and saw the quote..."There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind"... C.S. Lewis.... pretty much sums up what we are about to embark on. It is hard to describe what God has been birthing in the hearts of our family over the last 2 years, but never, not once could I have guessed what that was as we were not looking for children. The Lord has taken us on a journey where he has taken that lens of fear and replaced it with hope in lots of areas of our lives. It has been beautiful to experience, but over the last eight months especially, the Holy Spirit has awakened something in us that may have been asleep. Listening intently and running into His arms, we have heard the Lord call us to bring in a sibling group of five precious Hispanic children that we learned about two months ago.

Typically when a family like this crosses our path through Promise686, we share with many others and watch it unfold for various people, but this one in particular did not keep going. They are 17(girl), 14 (girl), 12 (boy), 10(boy), and 2(boy). When we learned of them, their mother was dying of cancer, and their community church had a plan in place for these children to go to three different homes. The mother wanted her children to stay together but after looking for a family for them, she knew as she passed away that there were a few families who were willing to take them, but there wasn't one where it would work to keep them all together daily. As you can imagine, for us having five children already, the story resonated, especially imagining if I died, and then picturing all of our children being split into various homes. We also imagined what it would be like for them to be separated from the 2 year old that they have helped care for the last two years while their mother was so sick. Their mom passed away six weeks ago and the children are being cared for by two great families within their church as of today. The decision was made on Monday for them to all come to our home in two weeks and for the 2 year old to come on Sunday.

We have heard the Lord throughout the last six weeks drawing us to the next step over and over again. We have experienced some mountaintop experiences where you sense He is giving you clarity so that you can hold onto it when you go back into the valley and walk it out. He has given us a DEEP peace, one that is anything but normal, and you know is from Him. Each call, each next step, God has opened up time and space for and put exactly what needed to be there, there. We have been awakened in the night to turn to certain Scriptures. One a few weeks back was Galatians 4:2, "The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father." This is not one I had memorized! A few nights later after that, I awoke with the second chapter of Joshua heavy on my mind. The chapter describes people melting away and a gathering of brothers and sisters, and mother and father into one home headed to the Promised Land. In the last 8 months, God has been revealing Himself to us and inviting us out of a place of fear to crossing over to the "promise land" for our inheritance in Him where we are met by His love.

Andy has prayed for peace, agreement, and joy through this process. Each one has been slowly given to him. That is a miracle in and of itself to imagine my husband having JOY when thinking about more children! We know there are an infinite amount of giants before us, but feel like God has really been pressing on us that the God behind us is so much bigger than the giants ahead. We realize that their stories may or may not end up the way we envision, but we move forward trusting in the goodness of God and His ultimate plans of healing and restoration throughout a lifetime of bringing these children into a community of love and faith.

Our next step is to get our home ready for these children. Also, we'll be figuring out the short term legal details of guardianship along with the long term adoption process. There's a lot that has to happen with time.

We invite you to partner with us in any way you feel led. We could not say yes to a life altering decision such as this, without knowing we have people like you, layer upon layer behind us. It feels like an army to us where we know that when we are need, you all are right behind us holding us up.

If you would like to partner with us, you can click the button below or click here.