The First Grant

I heard an answered prayer today. Our church's adoption ministry, A Child's Soul, gave its first grant. I've been praying specifically for A Child's Soul to give it's first grant in 2011, so I am thrilled to see God working in this area. And only two months into 2011 too! This inaugural grant will be used bringing little boy in Ethiopia home to his forever family in Memphis.
I would love to see A Child's Soul grow and be a blessing to many other families seeking to honor God in adoption. Nick and Jennifer Moore, the couple that started A Child's Soul, have taught us so much about the needs of orphans, the picture of the gospel in adoption, and the beauty of a family made by adoption. After adopting two precious little boys, God laid it on their heart to help other families adopt. They started A Child's Soul, and began fundraising in the worst economic times our generation's ever seen. They sold purses, tshirts, beaded necklaces, baked goods, and gave every family in the congregation a baby bottle to fill with spare change. When the bottles are full, members bring them to church and empty them in a box designated for A Child's Soul Ministry. Jennifer said the bottles had been their biggest source of funds. This was a shock to me, because we're a tiny church, and don't have that much spare change! But God delights to use the humble things of the world to exhalt Jesus.
Nick and Jennifer work hard to advocate for the cause of orphans and adoption. God bless their diligence!

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this:
 to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, 
and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
James 1:27