Joy Comes in the Morning!!!

Hello Friends...


    Joy comes in the morning!!!  I have been listening to some of my favorite praise music tonight and I have been reminded after a LONG day.....that "Joy" my friend is in the Lord!  He is with you when your faith is gone.....! Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Wow!!  I am thankful that I personally know a God that wants to see me prosper!  In life there are hills and valleys, and sometimes craters, but God already knows the outcome.  When we trust him with our lives and give him full control he will direct our path.  He sees my tomorrow and the day after!  
    He knew when those two boys in Latvia were born that I would be there mother!!  That overwhelms me......and reminds me of His mighty power.  I cannot help but think about Jesus' powerful words when he said, "What you do to the least of these my brethren you have also done unto me."  There is a beautiful song by Lauren Talley called "The Broken Ones".  Listen to it on U-Tube, if you have never heard it.....it will truly bless you!  Thank you from the bottom of my heart to those who share in the journey of adoption.  You are precious in His sight.  Join with me today in Praising the Lord!!!!


Love, 
Penny

All For the Glory Of Christ......

Hello Friends!

    Today was an extremely busy and long day.  It was full of many different school events.  Whew.....I am tired to say the least.  It is finally quiet in the house and I can take a moment to post this thought that jumped out at me this morning during my quiet time.  I have been very busy with work, family, fundraising, gathering info and waiting on the "phone call".  It has basically been this way since last August when Peter returned to Latvia.  This morning as I sat and prayed for many different things.....I began to think about the busyness of life.  Our family is very involved in school, church and extra-curricular activities.  I made a list the other day of the activities our family is connected to and presented it to the clan at dinner.  We were all amazed that we were even at home for dinner.....we made some decisions in that meeting.....we all need to cut out one activity!  
    Busyness does not always equal success.  Sometimes it can lead to disaster.  Our family is not quiet that bad....we manage to spend quality time together.  I even seem to be able to spend individual time with my kids, however our lives are very busy.  As I was making the list, I categorized things into different areas of priority.  As I was making the decisions of where each activity would be placed, I thought about what God would consider a priority and a need.  Which activities in our lives would bring him glory.....which ones would bring us closer to him.....which ones consumed us and took us away from him.  I remembered this beautiful song our choir sings called "All for the Glory".  I want desperately for my life to represent Christ and I want to live for His glory.  It isn't easy....the busyness is blinding.  It easily consumes a family like quick sand.  So with these thoughts, I am reminded that life is about love, and quality time with friends and family.  Time is precious and should be guarded.  The moments of time should be used for the glory of Christ.


 "You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments
  when you have really lived are the moments when you have 
  done things in the spirit of love."   ~Henry Drummond


Love,
Penny

This is a picture of my husband and Peter on his last day in America.  Tears in both of their eyes!  Precious moments of time!

The Gift of Motherhood

Hello!

    I have been saving this post because every time that I begin to write, I break into tears!  I have finally succumbed to the fact that the tears are just the reward and blessing of being a sensitive soul!  I am a very sensitive person and it does not take much to bring me to tears....., but the gift of motherhood is SOMETHING to cry tears of joy over.
    I became a mother in 1997 when a beautiful blue eyed baby girl came into my life.  My life has never been the same!  When I heard the first cry and saw the sweet face of my daughter, I knew the reason that I was breathing.  I had a purpose larger than my own life.  Everything that I had been prior to that moment was changed forever.  I remember those first few years....how every move, sound or squeak she made was recorded on film.  She was our joy....our gift from God.  As I said in an earlier post, I have always wanted a large family, so my husband and I continued to grow our Kilgore clan.  Our second child another beautiful girl blessed our lives and continues with her sweet and loving heart. She is the peace-maker, the glue of the family.  Then our son entered our lives and OH BOY....does a boy change everything.  I love it though....he is all boy and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Well those sweet days of the toddler years have passed and we have moved to the beginning of the teenage years....when all reason and sanity is lost to the wind.  Yet, motherhood is still a gift from God.  It is the best thing that I will ever be given the opportunity to experience.
   As I write this post I cannot help but share that in my own life, I have been blessed by a wonderful and godly mother.  She has sacrificed, worried,worked, suffered, cried, laughed and PRAYED for her Scarlet O'Hara daughter through the ups and downs of my life.  I learned through her example to open my heart, my home, my pocketbook and my spirit to those in need.  It is an honor to call her mother.....my best friend.  I will share a secret....she is my hero!  I wish you all could meet her....she would probably say sit at my table and let me bring you something to eat or drink...her gift is hospitality.  I love her and so do my children and husband.  Peter also fell immediately in love with grand mama!
    The last couple of days in preparation for the boys...I have been reminiscing the days prior to birth of my children.  I am as excited right now as I was the days prior to leaving for the hospital.  I am so thankful that God choose my family for this journey.  I am honored that He would again give me the chance to be a mother.  Motherhood has always been a treasure as I have read throughout scripture.  As I close this post, I would like to challenge each of us as parents.....treasure each moment...the "not so good days" and the great days of parenting. These days soon will pass!

Hug your mother!

Love,
Penny

                   My beautiful mother and her grandchildren

A Second Chance

Hello Friends!

    I have finally found a moment to sit down and write my thoughts that have been spinning through my mind the last couple of days.  First, I must say that God is so good!  He has sent a group of wonderful new friends to my life through this blog.  It has and will be an honor to share this journey with you.  Thank you for the posts and for your stories on each of your own blogs. You are truly a blessing to my life.
    This morning during my few moments of quiet before the rest of the Kilgore gang jumped into the day.......God reminded me of His forgiveness.  His forgiveness is amazing and he is faithful to love even when we choose not to follow his way.  As I was sitting in my favorite chair and holding my Bible (my favorite navy blue soft leather one), I was thinking about life and second chances.  I am sure that many of you at some time in your life have wished for a "do over".....to buy something, sale something, say something, walk away from something, or maybe forgive something.  This morning as I was thinking about the gift of adoption......I was thinking about second chances.  What a blessing, honor, responsibility, gift, and special chance to be some one's "second chance".  God is the God of the second chance.....the "fat chance"....the only chance!  I am thankful that He has been all of those in my personal life and He has given me the blessing of being a daughter of the King.  I look forward to what is ahead for my family as we open our home, hearts and lives to two precious young men and provide for them the "second chance". 

Love,
Penny

Happy Birthday Davids!

Hello Friends!!

    What a busy weekend it has been arranging our home, dealing with my son's high fever and strep throat, and this morning celebrating Davids' birthday!!  What a special time it was for our family this morning....as we called Latvia and sang Happy Birthday to him!  He SHOUTED with laughter when we finished and  he was so thankful.  He was very excited and wanted to talk to each of us. He had lots of questions to ask and details of his birthday to share with us.  He said that this was the best birthday ever!   I had to fight back the tears when  he told us that he would be waiting and waiting for us to come to Latvia.  Maybe we will have a travel date soon.  I am so thankful God called our family for this journey. 
    Please be praying for Peter....as I still have not spoken to him.  He was still away at school and not at the foster home this weekend.  We miss him so and he doesn't know all of our good news.   I haven't had the opportunity yet to tell him that we received an official referral to come to Latvia.  He will be so happy as well and I know that he will be glad to have a brother that will speak his language.  My heart is full and I know that God will take care of all the final needs of our family.  He has overwhelmed me with Christian love and has shown me his mighty power.  God is all I need........all of the time.
    Thank you all for the posts that you have made each day!  I promise that I have read all of them....and thought of many of your families in my quiet time.  Thank you for sharing with me in this wonderful journey.  I am blessed to now call you friends!!

Love,
Penny

My Heart's Desire

Hello Friends!

    Today has been a very busy day full of school and family responsibilities.  I have finally found a few moments of quiet time....alone with my precious Savior.  I have been in my prayer closet talking and sharing all that has been in my heart today.  My favorite time of every day is when I grab those few moments.  I  close my eyes and listen to the quiet and pray.  It is a sweet time....if you do not have a devotional time...please schedule some time with the Lord.  I promise....you will never be disappointed.  I will make some suggestions later of books, Bible verses and studies that I have enjoyed throughout the years.  I have to admit though....just the quiet of the evening alone with the Lord is the best!

    Tonight as I was praying for all the the requests, I began to think about how God has awarded me the desire of my heart.  I have always wanted a large family. I knew that when we met Peter that our family was changed forever and that God had sent him to us.  I never dreamed that He would also add another precious child.  I cannot wait to see all of my boys playing, building, riding bikes and camping this spring!  I cannot wait to see those faces when they receive their own bicycles!  My heart is full of joy as I picture what is ahead for two boys....now brothers from the country of Latvia.  This weekend we will begin to arrange the rooms.....as we prepare our home to welcome our sons!
"Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah." Psalm 21:2


                                           My Boys

My Girls

Across the Great Blue Sea

    Across the great blue sea are two young boys that have captured not only my heart, but the hearts of many other Christians.  I have received hundreds of emails from precious prayer warriors who like me are captured by this miracle from God.  I promise you I have read every one of the messages and have prayed for your families, smiled at the pictures, and cried tears of joy as I read your stories. My sweet friends....we serve a magnificent God.  He controlled the storm and He has brought joy to my sons' lives and I thank him for His unconditional love. 
    Yesterday was filled with many emails, phone calls and paperwork.  I pray that we will hear something soon about travel.  I received a great photo yesterday and will share it in this post.  As I begin this day, I am thankful for the many blessings and excited to see what new friends God will send my way. "If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me" Psalm 139. God knew what the plan was for David, Peter and our family and He was the only one to have the power to make such a miracle happen.  
    Please pray for our family as we tie up paperwork and financial needs and WAIT! His promises remind me of His goodness. Oh yes.....I forgot the best part......we will speak to Davids on the phone this Friday!  
               GOD IS SO GOOD......ON THE MOUNTAIN AND IN THE VALLEY!   

                           Davids building a model....his favorite thing to do!

Blessed!

    Today.....God blessed our lives beyond belief!  He gave a smile to a little boy's face and restored hope in his heart.  I am overwhelmed with joy......and I stand in awe of His glory once again!  I know that my Redeemer lives and still works miracles.  Today, Davids social worker spent time with him and shared the story of the thousands of prayer warriors across the United States.  James 5:16, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."  I KNOW that your prayers called out for Davids and brought him to our family.  I wish that I could tell each of you how much I appreciate your prayers, offerings and unconditional love for "the least of these."

    Ines, his social worker gave him a photo of our family and told him how much we already love him.  I will share the pictures of his precious face when he found out that he will have a forever family.  GOD IS GOOD!  I cannot wait to talk with Peter and share with him the news of his brother.   My heart is so full and I love my precious Savior.  What a friend we have in Jesus.  Now we wait for all the final arrangements to be made for travel.  Psalm 130:5 " I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope."  Please pray as we wait for the day we can be together as a family.

 

Trusting in the Unseen Hand

Hello!
    Today has been a beautiful day!  I love Sundays!  Worshipping and praising the Lord completely fills my soul.  I have always sung in our celebration choir at church, but recently have taken a break to catch my breath.  I now am able to experience the blessing from a different perspective that our music ministry provides during the worship service.  This morning especially was amazing.  I could not help the tears that welled up in my eyes as I thought of the overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit and I prayed that David and Peter were surrounded with God's love on this day as well.
    As our choir sang this morning, I began to think about God's protection.  God's unseen hand that guides and protects... the hand that we can't see with our eyes, but with FAITH we believe is present.  I wondered how many times that unseen hand had been there to protect me from danger or to nudge me in a different direction.  The unseen hand that has protected my sons for fifteen years, and has directed these boys to my family.  The same hand that was there for Moses.....is the same hand that will be there for me! 
    As the day comes to an end, I am praising the Lord for his protection.  I haven't heard if David has been told of our family, but will pass along the news as soon as I received the email.  But for now, I am trusting in the hand of God to protect David and Peter until they are home with our family!


Love,
Penny

The Sphere of Faith

Good Morning!

   As I start this day with my cup of coffee and my Bible....and the still of the morning, I am in awe of God's grace and mercy.  I would like to shout that I HAVE BEEN ADOPTED into my precious Savior's family.  I don't know if any of you have ever had a praise session all by yourself, but on this 15th day of January I am praising the Lord!  God's amazing power has swept over my family this week and has convicted each of us even more to serve and honor the KING! He is worthy!
    The verse that I found myself needing this morning is from Hebrews....the faith chapter.  I am a teacher in a Christian school here in our town and have taught third grade for many years.  This year I changed positions in our school, but this chapter which is the chapter I recited with my students for years is my favorite.  I listened to these words spoken over and over through sweet little voices for many years.  This morning....these words spoke very differently to me.  Hebrews 11:1,"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."  My faith has been strong many times in my life, but many times I have failed to believe or relinquish my stubborn will.  I have wanted my own way or I have just been very impatient.  My faithful and mighty God still protected me.  He still loved me and guided me and caught me when I failed.  He has loved me when I did not keep His commandments.  HE is worthy!  This morning as I read this verse God revealed to me the meaning of what faith truly is and without faith it impossible to please Him.  Through the last 6 months, my faith has been stretched, tried, and I pray strengthened.  My husband and I have walked out on faith and God has overwhelmed us with love.  I know that more will come, but through prayer God will provide.  One of my favorite verses from this chapter is verse 30, "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days."  It took faith to bring down those walls.....it was belief in the things not seen that God honored his promises! 
    My prayer this morning is that my FAITH will grow and strengthen and that I will hold to these verses as we begin this new challenge.  It will take faith to raise a family of five children.  I pray that through these experiences my children will grow in their faith and will learn to rely on the Lord....to wait on His answers.  "He is the rewarder of them who diligently seek him" Hebrews 11:6.

Overwhelmed By Love

Good Morning!

We have snow lingering here in our town and once again our schools are closed.  As I begin to read the notes and posts from last night....I am overwhelmed!  The donations have reached over $10,000.00.  The outpouring of love is amazing and only from God.  I can hardly write for the tears that are in my eyes.  Each one of you is a precious soul that God has lead to help "the least".  I never dreamed that I would be given this opportunity and I am so thankful that I get to be a small part in this effort.  God amazes me everyday and I so want to live a life for him. I cannot express our gratitude as a family.  I would love to write each of you a note, so please post comments on this blog.  I heard yesterday that even Mac Powell of Third Day made a donation. My heart sings with joy for the love of God's people is definitely in the air! 

I believe today, Davids' social worker will deliver pictures of our family and tell him that a family wants him.  I am very nervous and ask that pray surround him as he is once again given a promise of a "Forever Family."  I can only imagine what this child has felt and experienced through this disappointment.....,but pray that he will find great joy in knowing that a family is waiting to love, protect, guide, educate, cry with,  laugh with, cheer for, discipline, understand, forgive, regret, and hope for, as long as God provides. Join with me today in this specific prayer for the social worker and for this special child that waits for a family.

Love,
Penny  

What a Day Can Bring!

    I awoke yesterday to the beautiful sunshine glistening off the icy snow.  Little did I know that God had a huge plan waiting for my family.  I was thinking about my son, Peter who is in Latvia waiting for his forever family to come and bring him home.  He had been on my mind all morning when the phone rang.  It was our social worker calling not to relay information regarding Peter, but rather to share a story that would not only break my heart, but also change all of my plans.  She began telling me this story of this precious child who had been promised adoption by another family and now two weeks before his sixteenth birthday they were backing out of the plan.  In Latvia, this means that the child will no longer be able to stay in the orphanage.  Davids would be without any hope of a family and the security and shelter from his caretakers and home. He would be homeless....and he knew it.  He had become so worried and anxious over what was to come that he had been moved to the hospital.   My heart was breaking as I listenend to this story and I could feel the pain that this child must be experiencing.  I knew that my husband and I were capable of adopting Davids as well as Peter because all of our documents were ready and we had acquired immigration approval.  The only problem was financing.  I asked if I could have some time to pray and discuss with my husband this child's story.  She of course said for our family to go and to pray.  After great discussion and prayer, we walked out in faith and agreed that we were the family for Davids.  
    I called Kelly back and gave her the news and within less than an hour donations began to be given for Davids.  My heart is overwhelmed with joy!  I can feel the presence of my precious Savior.  I can hear His whisper of love!  He is mighty and powerful and omnipotent.  I cannot undertand why He would find me worthy.....I just know that I must serve him!  I cannot faint or grow weary......I must finish this race.  I am thankful that my three children can see the power of His work and to know that He is in control.  I never dreamed that I would be called to international adoption. It was through a wonderful organization called New Horizons for Children that our family began this journey last summer when we met an amazing young boy named Peter.  It is only God's amazing touch that we would now also have a son named David.  I guess Peter and David have always been chosen!

Love,
Penny