12 Years

12 YEARS WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

Well, by now you should know me well enough to know that I must research this all. Let's take a look at what God has to say about this very special number and what He has in store for me & my Love in this new year of our walk as ONE.

12... 12 is the number that symbolizes God's Perfect, Divine accomplishment actively manifested.
It shows COMPLETENESS of a GROWTH or ADMINISTRATION.
TWELVE marks GOVERNMENTAL PERFECTION and is used 187 times in the Bible, 22 of those times are found in REVELATION.

* THERE ARE 12 TRIBES OF ISREAL (Numbers 1:5-6)

* JESUS CHOSE 12 APOSTLES THAT WILL SIT & RULE WITH HIM ON 12 THRONES (Matthew 19:28)

* THERE ARE 12 MONTHS THAT COMPLETE A YEAR & 12 SYMBOLS THAT ACCOUNT FOR EVERY STAR IN THE SKY (Job 38:32) & (Psalm 19:1-2)

*Elijah built an altar of Twelve stones, and fire from Heaven came down and consumed the altar offering.
(1 Kings 17:30-40)

and this is my FAVORITE:
*TWELVE spies were sent out by Moses to spy out the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:1-3) (Joshua & Caleb); When the children of Israel left the land of Egypt and started toward the land of promise, they came to ELIM, there they found TWELVE wells of water to quench their thirst.
(Exodus 15:27)

I just love this.. It thrills my heart knowing that the God of order.. rules in our hearts and lives. This 12th year of our marriage will be more than amazing. In it God will bring forth growth in our finances (administration), growth in our education (administration), and growth in our positions of authority. He will set up GOVERNMENTAL PERFECTION which to me means promotion, and favor with the government concerning Matthew, of which God led us to ELIM to find. :0) And through it all we will drink from the wells of Living water.. we will be refreshed and walk in Peace not lacking anything!

Not By Chance

A few weeks ago we had the privilege of going to Poland to work in a mission. We went as a family and is was nothing short of amazing what God did in our lives there. To bring you up to speed, I'll have to give you some background information.. So bare with me.

Last year (2006-2007) when we were living in Fort Gordon, I was on my way to work one morning and I heard a radio cast about a little boy named Levi. He was a special needs child from China and because of the current laws there.. his parents chose to set him on fire to get rid of him so that they could try to have a "normal" child. Some missionaries found Levi laying in a field barely alive. They took him and God healed Levi and he is alive today. This couple started a foundation in Levi's name and was trying to bring awareness of this horrible tragedy that literally happens everyday through the East. Needless-to-say, my heart broke. I cried all that morning. Then that night the children & I began praying for these forgotten babies. We have been praying ever since that day and said on many occasions that if God wanted to use us to adopt one of these children that we would open our doors. Off & on since that day we have talked about adopting a special needs child and how if it were a boy or girl we would incorporate Levi into their name someway.
While we were working in Poland we passed by a children's home that is about 200 yards from the mission. It is not an orphanage, however all the children there are orphaned because all the children there have various special needs. But most of them are not "adoptable" because the Polish government considers these kids disposable and when they turn 18 they are sent to an asylum till they die. Two years ago the director of this home was a former communist and hated Americans. He would not allow them to come or donate anything to this children's home. He called these children the "garbage children" and could not understand why anyone would want to help these kids. The home was a very dark and cold place. Now however, that man is gone and the new director is open to the gospel and to Americans coming to help. When we saw this place and were told the story, we knew we had to meet these children. We didn't know if they would let us in, but we went anyway. It was Wes & I with the our kids and a Polish interpreter to translate for us. When we got there the director was not there, but a worker let us in and said that she would show us around. The place has changed so much since the days of the former communists rule. It is now a very bright and clean place. The kids were actually watching Alvin & the Chipmunks in polish. Is was very funny. As we were about to leave, we walked by a single room and the door was half open. Wes asked what was in there & I could tell he was choked up and that God was speaking something to him. The lady told us that it was a child who had been sick with some sort of chest cold and that he couldn't join the other kids until he was well. Wes asked if we could go in and pray for him. The lady agreed. As soon as we walked in the door. Wes started crying and so did we. The little boy about 6 or 7 years old was sitting on his bed.. I can still see him. He was wearing a little white shirt and red tights (all boys in poland were tights??) He had blonde hair and he has down syndrome. We all laid hands on him and prayed for him. He just sat there and smiled. After we left the children's home, Wes & I took our kids back to the mission and went into the prayer room to pray. During that time.. God revealed to us that this boy is to be our son. We have made appointments with the Army Lawyers and have begun the process of adopting him. It is a very long process and most of all VERY expensive, but we have no doubt that God will provide all the favor and finances that we need to make this final. Now.. for the best part... All the kids in there have these crazy, I can't pronounce or spell names... EXCEPT for our son. His name is Matthew, which translated in Hebrew is Levi... meaning "Gift from God"..... I LOVE IT. It makes my heart leap!!!

When we were there, they told us that we could take his picture, but Wes said no. He said that if we took his picture now.. people would just see just an orphan... but when we do take his picture and introduce him to our world... it will be as our son.

Keep us in your prayers concerning this. I can't wait for you to meet our new son.

Much Love,
STACY