Nikita, Nikita, Nikita!

To recap... We were at the Adoption Expo and saw Nikita's picture.  Unfortunately a law in Ukraine states that there can't be more than a 45 year age difference between the child and the parent. Well, John had just turned 49 that day and Nikita is only 2 1/2 years old.  A big let down for us.  Now we would need to go to the Reece's Rainbow website to look for a different child who would fit the age parameters.  We looked and looked and looked some more. We prayed and prayed and prayed some more.  Many beautiful children, however, we couldn't let go of the idea of adopting Nikita.  He was stuck in our hearts!

Well, when someone closes a door - God opens a window.  I fit the age requirement and so I could adopt Nikita as a married individual.  There are risks involved, however, John and I feel it's a chance we MUST to take.  I was very encouraged by a post I read one night by Autumn who is adopting two boys from the SAME orphanage as Nikita and the same room as Julia.  Here is the devotion I read from Autumn's blog...
                              From Charles Swindoll's book Day by Day page 73.

Go For It

 Luke 5:1-10

In his fine little book  Fully Human, Fully Alive, Author John Powell relates an experiences of a friend who was vacationing in the Bahamas. The friend was site seeing when he noticed a crowd gathered toward the end of a pier. He walked down to investigate the commotion. Powell says :  

         "…he discovered that the object of all the attention was a young man making the last minute preparations for a solo journey around the world in a home made boat. Without exception everyone on the pier was pessimistic. All were actively volunteering to tell the ambitious sailor all the things that could possibly go wrong.... When my friend heard all these discouraging warnings to the adventurous young man, he felt an irresistible desire to offer some optimism and encouragement.  As the little craft began drifting away from the pier towards the horizon, my friend kept shouting: "BON VOYAGE! You're really something!  We're with you. We're proud of you!"

How few are those who see beyond the danger...who say to those on the edge of some venture, "Go for it!" Funny, isn't it? I suppose it's related to one's inner ability to imagine, to envision, to be enraptured by the unseen, all the hazards and hardships notwithstanding.

How glad I am that certain visionaries refused to listen to the crowd on the pier. I'm glad....

• that Edison didn't give up on the light bulb
• that Luther refused to back down
• that Michelangelo kept painting
• that Lindbergh kept flying
• that Papa Ten Boom said "yes" to frightened Jews

Almost every day -certainly every week- we encounter people who are in their own homemade boat, thinking seriously about setting forth.  The ocean of possibilities is enormously inviting, yet terribly threatening.  Urge them on! Dare to say what they need to hear the most, "Go for it!"  Then pray like mad. How much could be accomplished if only there were more brave souls on the end of the pier smiling and affirming.

Thank you Autumn for posting this devotion.  We are praying for you and your family! BON VOYAGE!  

We will not to listen to the crowd on the pier.  We will not give up... and God willing... we'll soon have our arms around Nikita!