Hey, maybe!

What if this is our last year of not being parents? What if this was our last Christmas without a little one? What if this is our last New Year's Eve as just a couple?

We're praying for a lot going into 2014; for better health, for a new and permanent home (not leaving Gainesville, ever, just looking into a permanent place), for deeper connections with friends, for new adventures through River Cross. These are all prayers that are meaningful to us, yet pale in comparison to the prayer that 2014 could see Baby Patterson come home. 

Thanks to each of you who graciously gave this year; you are part of God's provision! You have shown us support in ways that we could not possibly repay, so know that we can't wait to bring home our son or daughter and tell them about the community of people who made this possible. Thank you thank you thank you.

And...would you commit to praying? Would you pray with us - daily? Even just 5 seconds of God's people petitioning the throne of grace with confidence would mean so much. Pray for our child's birth mother; for her health and safety and for her to know she is valued. Pray for Angel Adoption, Inc, for wisdom and guidance and blessings on them. Pray for our hearts to continue to be prepared to welcome home Baby Patterson.

Thank you so much! We love each of you dearly

By His grace, for His glory,

Bethany and Wayne

Christmas is about adoption

But don’t take any of this for granted. It was only yesterday that you outsiders to God’s ways had no idea of any of this, didn’t know the first thing about the way God works, hadn’t the faintest idea of Christ. You knew nothing of that rich history of God’s covenants and promises in Israel, hadn’t a clue about what God was doing in the world at large. Now because of Christ—dying that death, shedding that blood—you who were once out of it altogether are in on everything. (Ephesians 2:11-13 MSG)

We were all far away from God, hopeless and Fatherless in the world. Then Christmas! We were that part of the song that goes 'long lay the world, in sin and error pining' even if we don't remember that part of our lives. 

But Christmas! Our God and King stepped out of his rightful throne, setting aside his Crown, coming into our world and mess and sin and despair and laid aside those rightful Royal elements that we may partake in his perfect inheritance as doted-on sons and daughters.

Christmas! When Perfection took on humanity so that humanity could know Perfection - so that you and me and our future son or daughter could know the One true Father forevermore.

Merry Christmas!

Bethany and Wayne

SO WE'RE SENDING IN OUR CONTRACT

People, we are sending in our contract to Angel Adoptions tomorrow. You can't send in your contract unless you have the $7200.* That means you wonderful people have helped us get over the biggest, most important hurdle. SO YEA, we'll start working on our profile with Angel in the next couple of weeks. They'll take that profile and use it to introduce us to potential birth mothers. WHOA.

We're blown away.

Will you rejoice with us? We'd be honored if you would take a minute to pray a prayer of gratitude; use Psalm 100 or Psalm 126 or Psalm 147  as a guide. We know, deep in our guts and spirit, that the Lord is doing an incredible work. We also know that, because of the Lord's good work and provision, we must rejoice! And, sadly, we know that in our weakness we will forget this.

Will you help us remember? Will you join us in worshiping and rejoicing and remembering that the Lord has done great things?

Thank you, dear friends!

By His grace, for His glory,
Bethany and Wayne




*We told you all the wrong number...we thought $7800 was our next big goal, but it's actually $7200. We still have approximately $17,000 to go after the $7200 so our total taken amount of $8300 (WOW!!) means we're on our way to our next goal. IF, however, you gave money based on getting us to that $7800 and would like your money back, that is VERY fair! Email Wayne (wayne.rivercross@gmail.com) and we'll get that worked out.

Rejoicing in each step

We had a moment recently where we were excited about all the financial support that was coming in and simultaneously subdued because of the amount that was still left to raise. We looked at the generosity of all of you wonderful people and were encouraged, yet also hesitant to be too joyful as we knew there was so far to go. 

Fortunately, God in His patience, quickly and gently reminded us to JUST REJOICE in what He was up to and in what our friends and family are doing by so faithfully assisting us in this journey. So we apologize for our momentary lapse of perspective and have redoubled our rejoicing in what is happening - because the love and support we are receiving is overwhelming! 

As of 9a on December 17th we are barely $700 away from our big goal of $7800 that will go to our adoption agency. We are only a few hundred dollars from being introduced to birth moms via our agency. We are so much further along than we could have ever hoped at this point.

So we rejoice, with thankful hearts.

Are there things in your life that you need to just stop and rejoice in? Are you letting worries cloud what is worthy of praise? We encourage you to stop and rejoice, for surely there is much to rejoice in!

By His grace, for His glory,

Wayne 

That one time we prayed for $300

Last night we held a concert at Patticakes with THE best local artist Gainesville has to offer, Ricky Kendall. Seriously, take a minute and go to YouTube and look him up and you're welcome (no, for real; go do it. We'll take a quick break).

The catalyst for having this show was to have a day/evening fund raiser through Patticakes for our Baby Patterson homecoming push and Ricky was gracious enough to come and play as a draw for folks to come out and support.

We prayed for $300 to come in (through a portion of ticket sales and donation boxes). Truly, we thought $300 was a pretty lofty prayer for a small benefit concert.

Yea, we took in over $1500 in donations.

I did not type that wrong. $1500! We only sold 25/26 tickets, but between the generosity of the folks who came and others who donated during the time of the benefit from afar (via PayPal, venmo, etc) we had $1500+ come in. 

Guys, that's crazy. That means we are less than $1400 from really getting this process going. Less than $1400 away from our agency beginning to introduce us to potential birth moms. That means in barely 7 weeks you wonderful peiple have contributed $6400. That means we are that much closer to bringing home our child.

We are humbled and overwhelmed and beyond grateful. 

There's still a long way to go but shame on us if we don't stop and really rejoice in the faithfulness of our God and His provision.

We love you all. Thank you.

By His Grace, to His glory,

Bethany and Wayne

Wonderful testimony and idea!

We had a recent donation of $300+ that came because of a generous friend's idea to count up their loose change. I heard there were household guesses as to how much it would amount to and no one was even close! This friend emailed in and we wanted to share that great encouragement and challenge:

'When I looked at our jar of coins I always wondered what would be worth spending it on. My challenge to everyone is to think about all the loose coins you have collecting dust and waiting for that wonderful way you are finally going to use that money. What better way to use it to place a baby in the arms of Wayne and Bethany Patterson.'

This note and encouragement has been such a blessing to us and I hope you will be blessed by it as well; if you have wrestled with wanting to help but don't feel like you can do much, know that ANY AMOUNT does help, and that your prayers are being answered as you intercede on our behalf, specifically prayers that the Lord would continue to provide for us financially. Those prayers are being heard!

By His grace, for His glory,

Bethany and Wayne

Overwhelmed

We are half way there! You wonderful and exceedingly generous people have donated nearly $4000. $4000!!

We can't put into words the gratitude we feel because of your lavish participation in this. To be able to tell our son or daughter that they have such wonderful people in their lives that they would help bring them home will be a story we will tell many, many times.

We will keep you posted as we head toward that $7800 mark to start the process of Angel Adoption showing our profile to potential birth moms. Thank you for your support, it is evidence that our great God is supplying our every need as He fulfills his calling in and through us.

Love you all,

Bethany and Wayne