Mountain moving Faith

Greetings to you all from Uganda!!

I left on Sunday morning along with my brother and sister and we made it here safely. We have been doing a lot of work in the baby home that my mom has been working in here and it has been great. It’s really hard for me to snuggle and get to know all these little ones knowing that I will not be able to take them home with me. But I am comforted in knowing that they are part of an amazing organization – Watoto – and will have a safe home here as they grow. If you do not already sponsor a child, I strongly urge you to sponsor a Watoto child.

Since being here I have been greatly called out on my disbelief by the Ugandan people. In North America we love to put God in a box and leave him there. Here they fully believe with all their heart in the amazing power of God and he provides for them. They ask for his help first thing, and cling to his promises – and he answers.

As I have shared with these people my inability to have children – they immediately started telling me to never say can’t again. They asked me “did you create yourself? There is only one who knows your body like that and he will give you a child”. When they spoke with me they never said God can, they said he will. The speak believing in God’s power and knowing that he will answer - but we need to first ask and ask BELIEVING that he will do it. The stories these people have about how God has provided for them is amazing, and it’s because God comes first here. I have been greatly challenged by how great faith these people have.

At the same time, I had one Ugandan man who told me to completely abandon the idea of adoption, as God will give me a child. This is amazing faith, however I do not believe that this is right for me. I firmly believe that adoption is how I am going to build my family. I have always been the person who wants to love those who no one wants or loves. And because of the cost of adoption I probably wouldn’t have pursued it if Justin and I weren’t infertile. God really knows us and he knows how he will need to get us to do the things we are to do. This adoption has been rooted in me since I was young, and I am just realizing now the love that God has filled me with is for this adoption, for my baby.

I have now reached a point where I am aware that I am putting limits on God. I’m not saying that Justin and I can’t have children anymore. Because we can, GOD CAN and WILL! I feel like none of these words really portray how amazing my experience in Uganda has been thus far, but pray that God will help you readers understand it.

I want to try to blog while I’m here, but it’s been very busy. My sister has blogged a couple of times and has put up some pictures – her blog is located on her website courtneyliskephotography.com you can follow with us there. You can also check out my parent’s blog selingersinuganda.blogspot.ca they update regularly, even when we aren’t here visiting.

Please continue to pray for us while we are here. Driving here is incredibly scary. Safety is really needed. Also pray for my heart as I have been stretched very thin already since I have been here and I know that God has much more in store for me already. My heart has been really convicted, challenged and stirred. Please pray that God will give me peace as I confess and grow in my faith. I have also developed a cold, which happens when working with the babes. They all have snotty noses! Pray for my whole family as we are spreading this cold amongst ourselves. And please just continue to pray for us in our time together, that our conversations would continue to meaningful and that God would be glorified.

If you want to hear all the stories I have about Uganda (I haven't posted any because I wouldn't be able to stop) please come and see me when I am home and I will show you pictures also.

Love you all!

Long time, no blog.

Hey guys, I want to apologize for the lack of blogging lately. The last couple weeks have been way more hectic than I ever want to experience again, but I thought I would kind of give you guys a bit of a summary of what we have been up to. We packed up and moved out of our mould infested rental home into our new to us house on May 31. My grandma and mother in law came and helped us completely clean our old place and start unpacking a bit at our new house. We started painting on June 1st and have accomplished a lot! All 4 bedrooms have been painted and the main floor living room. It's amazing how a few coats of paint have really revitalized the look of the house already. Justin still has some work to do in the bathrooms and the upstairs hallway before we can paint, but it will all look fabulous when we are done! We have somewhat unpacked. Hopefully now that most of our painting is done, we will be able to stop living out of boxes and unpack! I apologize, I do not have pictures on my computer, they are on Justin's and I will eventually post some pictures of the new house... you might just have to stop by sometime! The pictures will come!

Justin and I were both in a wedding yesterday, which was so much fun and amazing. It was a long busy day, but it was beautiful, even with all the rain! After getting to sleep around midnight last night, our alarm went off at 330 this morning to get us up and out the door for my trip to Africa! So I am currently sitting in Calgary (we have a 8 hour lay over here), then we are off to Amsterdam, then Entebbe! I am so excited and ready to see my parents.

I would like to ask for your prayers for this trip, for safety for me and my siblings, but also just for protection over my overly sensitive heart. The last couple of weeks have been exhausting and thus I find myself on emotional overload. Justin and I tried to go to a movie on Tuesday that sold out so we therefore couldn't see it and I cried. It's been a lot these last few weeks. I am excited for Africa but also know how much my heart is going to break for the people there, especially the children. I will hopefully be able to blog (with pictures!), while I'm there.

In adoption news, Justin and I start our home study on July 2nd!!! This process will take about a month. Then we can move on to applying to the agency in Florida. Stuff is really coming together.

Thanks for all the love, help with painting (Ash, Rose and Anna!!! THANK YOU!!), we have been busy and I have been really missing blogging.

Love you guys, thanks for reading this very short update. Keep us in your prayers as I'm in Africa and Justin's at home.