Quick Update - February 4, 2014

Here's a quick update on our life!

We should find out this coming Friday where we are on the wait list for Uganda! So that's very exciting! We look forward to that email every month.

Though it is not adoption, we are in the process of becoming licensed for Foster Care. That is exciting and it's moving QUICKLY! It looks like we may have two kiddos in our care in the next couple weeks. They are cute - we have gotten to know them a bit already!

In case you are wondering, foster care is NOT taking the place of adopting from Uganda. We are still pursuing adoption from Uganda - while waiting we want to care for kids in our community.

That's a very quick update!

Thank you everyone for your support in both adoption and foster care. We REALLY COULDN'T fulfill God's call on our life without you. Neither waiting to adopt, nor foster care is easy :) . Please continue to pray for our family as we continue on this journey.

Love,
The Svalesons

Where we are

Hello everyone!
Marissa here. Sorry it has been so long since we have updated you on life and adoption! I felt the need to do so today! A lot has been going on!

First, I leave for Uganda in 3 DAYS!!! No, not to pick up our child (that would be AWESOME!) but, to go on a mission trip to learn about the culture and to love and serve the people there! I will be traveling with my cousin Marcy, my friend Mallari and her mom (who is also my friend) Noreen! I am SO excited to be a sponge for 18 days and to soak in as much as I can! I will be sure to post pictures and video when we return! I can't wait to teach you all about our child's culture, since you will all be a part of his/her life once we bring him/her home! You can read the previous blog post to learn more about this trip, and the organization New Hope Uganda. I can't wait to see how God moves!

Second, I am going to share with you all an update on our adoption process! First, I want to say that God is good...I hope you all know that. I know that I know that, but at times life is just plain hard. We are still number 23 on the list...haven't moved for a couple months. We got a phone call last week from our case worker in Alabama (the one who is doing all of our international adoption stuff) and she informed me that the wait for our child possibly could be longer than the 15-18 months that we were initially told. That news was so disheartening...it hurt....I felt pain...I felt sad.

Going back a couple weeks...I started reading a book with some friends of mine called "The Resolution for Women" by Priscilla Shirer. We wanted to help one another grow in our relationship with God, but also learn to just have joy in Christ, and know/believe that He is enough in every life circumstance! I was SO EXCITED to start reading this book! So, I open to the first section, and the first section is about.....(drum roll please)......CONTENTMENT! God sure knows what He's doing! So, I read the first "resolution" and it states this: " I do solemnly resolve before God to embrace my current season of life and live with a spirit of contentment." After reading that...I started to tear up. Tear up, because I know that God is working on trying to teach me how to be content. One of the BIGGEST things I learned is that contentment is something to be LEARNED....check it out:

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." -Philippians 4:11-13

Paul says He has LEARNED the secret of being content...so, I must learn how to be content...not an easy task, but I know that God is working on changing me. You see, when you are content with whatever season you are in, you are able to live life to the fullest! You are able to see what God has in front of you RIGHT NOW, because you aren't so focused on what you don't have. I don't want to "wish away" my life so I can get to the next "bigger" or "better" thing...because then I fear that I will get to the end of my life, and not remember it...I was "there" but I wasn't "really there". You know what I mean?

I am so glad that God is choosing now to teach me contentment, instead of after I wished my life away...but boy is it hard! But, it is SO FREEING! I am able to call on the Lord, and He takes my sadness and pain, and fills it with His love, and reminders of what HE has done for me...and that my life purpose is to bring glory to Him! There is a lot more work to do in me, I know, but I am rejoicing in what He has changed already...and for that I am so thankful!

So, getting that phone call was so hard to receive the other day. It felt like we were taking a step back..but I know that God has a plan. I cling to His promises:

• Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

• Romans 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

• Matthew 11:28-30  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

And so many more verses that speak of God's sovereignty and about His love for His children. I am so thankful for Him. If it weren't for Him, where would I be? I would be nowhere...and I am so thankful He has come and saved me. I couldn't get through this difficult period in my (our) life. He sustains me and gives me strength each and every day.

If you could, please keep our family in your prayers. Thank you for all the encouragement the last 3 years we have been in this journey. God has really blessed us with all of you, and we couldn't do this alone. I wanted to share one song with you, that I think is so beautiful. We truly do serve a beautiful, beautiful God.

"Beautiful" by Shawn McDonald...

Love,

Marissa

Blizzardy (an assortment of updates) Updates on Adoption

Hello everyone! We thought it was about time to give an update!

First things first, we have moved up to number 23 on the waiting list! (We started at number 31 in October of 2012!) Being that we get asked frequently, we would like to share that God has so graciously provided just over $16,000 for our adoption! That's INCREDIBLE! That means we have about $13,000.00 left to raise. Our total cost for the adoption is estimated just under $29,000! We are also in the process of completing (by completing, we mean we just have to send it in) a grant through ShowHope! We are hoping that God will provide for our adoption through a grant!

The CD that we mentioned a while back should be finalized very soon! We are hoping God will use it to encourage you and help us all lean on him in times of great sorrow and great rejoicing. 

Josh and I won a free photo shoot (thanks to many of you liking a photo on facebook) through Lou Lou's Photography! (http://www.loulousphotography.com/) Over half of the pictures we took were "Expecting Adoptive Parents" pictures (Like maternity pictures, except for adoption!) It was REALLY fun, it was quite chilly and we had a good time! Below are some of the sneak peeks! Sam did a WONDERFUL job capturing these moments! They definitely help with the pain in this moment of waiting for our child.

Lastly, we'd like to mention that Marissa has the opportunity to go to Uganda in May of 2013!!!! There are two main purposes: 1) To love on the children, and to be a light of the Gospel of Christ. 2) To learn about Uganda and the culture! She is hopefully going to be taking a lot of pictures and videos and absorbing the culture and area, and try to get Josh up to speed when she gets back! She also will be spending most of her time at "New Hope Uganda" (click the link to learn more: http://newhopeuganda.org/). Below is a short video to help you learn more about the place she will be going! She will be travelling with her cousin Marcy, friend named Mallari and Mallari's mom Noreen. We pray that this will be a time of growth, service and learning. God is good!

 God continues to give us many opportunities to share what He is doing through our adoption story. We've been able to talk with a number of people about adoption and also about our adoption into God's family through Jesus. So that's really cool! God's still not done with us yet, it looks like!

Thank you for your continued support and prayers! We greatly appreciate it! 

Love,

the Svalesons

Encouragement in the Christmas Season

Hey all!

We have some exciting news! We moved up to number 27 on the waiting list! :) It may not seem like a big jump, but hey, we're moving on up, by God's grace!

God has cheered our hearts and encouraged us. He has solidified over and again his calling for us to go get our child in Uganda. For that, we are so very, very thankful. No matter what challenges arise, no matter how often we lose heart, no matter how confused we may become, God never changes and he is faithful and encouraging. For him and to him we are most thankful. God continues to encourage us through his word, through prayer, through song, and through others (many of you!).

Let us say again and again with true joy, "God is good. There is no one like our God." :)

In the holiday season (I say "holiday season" because there is Christmas [woo!] and New Years in which many people have time off from working in the workplace to enjoy with friends and family), we want to encourage you to pursue the God that pursues and graces you. CHRISTMAS, oh what a reason to celebrate! The Word became flesh; Jesus was born! Emmanuel! Savior! Lord! LORD! King! He who came to bear our sin and to bring us into relationship with the Father, a RESTORED relationship with the triune God, is whom we celebrate, praise, and worship this season! It can be a time that brings up sorrow for various reasons. And the sorrows are legitimate and should not be neglected nor minimized. God's heart breaks with us in our sorrows; yet, God loves the opportunities that come in our sorrows. He loves to comfort and encourage us. He loves to be our provider. He loves to be generous to us. He loves to care for us. He loves to love us and show us who is is. So in this holiday season, celebrate God more than circumstance. He has given us the most wonderful reason to celebrate......himself! :)

In our last blog we mentioned that we are working on a project that we hope will let you in on some of how God is encouraging and strengthening us, and hopefully as something God uses to encourage and strengthen you in life. That project should be completed this month (December). We were planning on waiting to tell everyone what the project is until it was completed, but we think God may encourage you through knowing what it is. So, for all of you that might be wondering what it is (which may be none of you), here you go...........
We are making an album of songs we have recorded that we have sung to the Lord out of heartache and joy. We are leaving much of the "rawness" to songs because we want them to be accurate representations of us worshiping our holy God. So, you will hear wrong notes, maybe hoarse voices, possibly tears or sniffles, exuberant joy, some "unprofessional" instrument playing; but you will hear (and hopefully are invited in to) worship. We hope it will be something God uses to encourage you in Christ.

We do want to give a quick shout out of thanks to Bryce Neimiller and Elevate Rock School for allowing us to record, to Josh Barber in Kansas City for mixing the songs for us, and to some anonymous donors that wanted to add something special to the adoption journey.

We pray that God will strengthen you with the fullness of Christ. :)

The Svalesons

Waiting List!!!

Hello family and friends!
Picking up where we left off (3 months ago), which is us sending our approved homestudy to the government to be approved to bring an immigrant into the U.S...WE'RE APPROVED! We found out we were approved by USCIS (United States Citizen and Immigration Services) on Monday, October 1, 2012. We were BEAMING!!!! (and still are)

Now that we've been approved, we are on the Lifeline Children Services (Our agency in Alabama) waiting list! AAAAAAND, we've already moved up 2 SPACES since Monday....from 31st on the list to 29th on the list! Before you know it...............probably 12 months..........and WE'LL BE MATCHED!!! :) We joke about it, but seriously, sometimes, it's tough...so you know, on average, it takes about 12 months to be matched with a child.

Which brings us to some other potentially exciting news. We are working on a project that will give you all the opportunity to see a little bit of how God sustains us and pulls us out of the depths of despair. And hopefully, it will be an encouragement for others who are in trying times.

And because people keep asking, and it's good to note, we are almost half way to our financial goal!!! Praise God for that! That's really exciting! We still have about $15,000 or $16,000 left to acquire, BUT we are well on our way! What we've been told, is to try to get the financial things all taken care of before being referred/matched with a child. So, we would like to raise this within the next year. If you have any ideas, we would GLADLY like to hear them. Ideas for fundraising, simply working for extra money, ways to get grants or gifts would be greatly appreciated. You can get a hold of either one of us, or comment on the blog.

Even though times will probably continue to get even harder, God is so good and faithful. Please continue to pray for us to be patient, and to be transformed into his likeness through this journey. All glory is HIS. That's a huge reason why we're adopting; so help us keep that in the forefront of our minds.

Love,
The Svalesons

Homestudy Approved!

Hello everyone!

We thought we would update you! We have exciting news, but let us tell you the story of how we got to the exciting news!

As of May 21st, Atonement was no longer our church home. Josh no longer works there, but Marissa is still the secretary there. We now worship with River City Church, and are hoping to plant a new church someday (In the next few years). We are learning from River City how they planted their church. So, as you can imagine, life is VERY different. Josh works at a temporary part-time job as a home inspector for Blake Strehlow Property Management (Cass County Housing Authority).

We were waiting for Josh to get a full-time job to complete our homestudy. Our agencies (case-workers) need to know pretty much everything about our lives; so when things change, especially a job change, they need to know, which requires paperwork to change. An amendment needs to be added when there is a change, such as a job change, once the homestudy is completed. These normally cost a few hundred dollars. We wanted to avoid that fee and wasting money; so we decided to wait. We had been waiting for MONTHS. It was hard.

In talking with Lifeline (our international agency in Alabama) they mentioned that the fees for an amendment come from local agencies. So, we asked our case worker at The Village what the fee would be, and she said that it costs NOTHING! Had we known that MANY months ago...our process would be further along....BUT God has a plan, and His timing is perfect. So, we proceeded in finishing all of the paperwork for our homestudy! 

So, last Friday, June 29th, we went to the Village for a meeting with our Case Worker (to tie up loose ends). We were excited to finalize our homestudy...BUT we found out that their license was up June 30th....to remind you, this was a Friday, which means they had only one day to get it all done before the license expired. Changes needed to be done to the homestudy, signatures needed to be added and it needed to be notarized. They said it could be weeks before the license would be renewed. Marissa was very sad in hearing that, and was hoping they could get it signed before the license expired! Patience was being tested. 

Well, a good chunk of Friday went by, and we still heard nothing....so we assumed they didn't get our homestudy signed. THEN, we got a phone call from our NEW caseworker at Lifeline, and she said she got an email saying our homestudy was FINALIZED! We were so excited that God answered our prayers! But, we still didn't officially hear it from our caseworker here in Fargo. So, we waited to make it public. The weekend went by, and we found out on Monday, July 2nd, that they DID finalize it, and that it would be sent in the mail that day! 

So yesterday, July 3rd, we received our homestudy AND sent it out to immigration! It should be in the government's hands on Friday at 10:30 am! 

Now, we wait. The immigration process should take 2-4 months, then we get to be on the waiting list for a child! 

In the meantime, we get to apply for grants. Woo!

Please keep us in your prayers as we continue through this journey. We know God has a perfect plan that is in His perfect timing. It is hard at times to wait, but it is so sweet to be able to cling to Jesus and know that He is in control.

Thanks for your prayers and support. We really appreciate it.

Love,

Josh, Marissa & Lily Svaleson

Treasures Among the "Rough"

Hello everyone!
     It's Marissa! So sorry that it has been so long since we have posted a blog! We hope to blog more frequently to keep everyone more updated.
     I first would like to start off by saying, God is good, and God is faithful. I know that we say that a lot, but it is SO TRUE, and we can't deny it.
     A lot has happened since we last blogged. God has been doing mighty works in our lives. I wanted to blog today to tell you a little bit about what God has been doing in my life lately. I am sorry it is so long, but I promise it will not be a waste of time!
     First, I changed the look of our blog this morning. I was in the mood for something fresh, and new, because I feel like God has brought (and is continuing to bring me) into a new way of life. I looked and looked for a new background for our blog, and couldn't find anything. Then, I stumbled across the background you now see. It looked a little busy and crazy, but it caught my eye. I thought, "this is perfect!", and I will tell you why. It's hard to see, but if you look beyond the beautiful jewels, you see what looks like a white, dried, cracked surface. This is what it looks like before I placed it on our blog:

     Isn't it beautiful? I wish it would show this whole image on our blog. What drew me to this image is that despite all the cracked, dried, peeling surface, there is something beautiful. This is EXACTLY the journey that has brought me to the place I am in right now.
     Let me tell you all about this journey. The last few months have been very difficult for me. A time of deep sadness and confusion. I was in a place where I wanted a child so bad, I could barely stand it anymore. I was sad almost all the time. I was/am constantly surrounded by people who have children, which made/makes my desire to be a mom that much more passionate. I couldn't understand why we had to go through so much work to adopt a child. Why we had to do all this training and paperwork, to just love a child that is in need, and to love a child that God has called us to love. I was wanting so bad to experience what it would be & feel like to be pregnant. I wanted to know and feel that God was creating LIFE inside of me. I was confused...I was at the point where I didn't care how a child came to us...I just wanted a child. I couldn't understand why God was withholding something from me that I wanted so bad. I asked him, "What am I doing wrong? Is there something I need to do before you make Josh and I parents? What are you waiting for? Is there a lesson you are trying to teach me that I'm not catching on to?" etc...the questions went on and on.
     I reached out to people, I was "seeking" God, but nothing seemed to satisfy me. I felt really stuck, and didn't know if I would ever come out. My life seemed like the white, cracked, dry, peeling surface that you see before you. There seemed to be NOTHING good or beautiful about the life I had. But then, things started to shift just a little bit. There was one time I met with a friend at Teaberry! She told me something that I believe was straight from the heart and mouth of God. She said, "Marissa, God is the BEST at giving gifts, and knows the PERFECT time to give them. It's worth the wait." That was the first "jewel" that appeared to be in my dry, peeling, cracked life. Something I could hold on to. The promise that God knows what he's doing :)

 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17 (NIV)

     After that moment, I had a roller coaster of a life. I would be happy in the life God had me, and then I would be sad, and felt stuck...but not as stuck as I was before, because of that one "treasure" of advice. God kept placing beautiful people in my life who encouraged me, and reassured me that everything was ok, and is in God's timing. People who truly were there for me, and truly empathized with me. What a blessing that was. The jewels continued to multiply. God continued to speak to me through his word. And then something so magnificent happened. You see, I was "seeking" God, but not in the way I should. I was seeking him, but was also frustrated with him, and mad at him (which is ok, because God can handle my emotions) BUT it was like I was telling God that I wasn't going to be happy until he granted me my wish; until he gave me what I wanted...because we all know that "I know what's best for me" (hint of sarcasm).

    

     I was crying to my husband one evening, because I had a rough day of struggling with these issues. I felt bad for him, because I felt like a broken record....I felt like someone who just couldn't move on. I felt embarrassed and ashamed that I wasn't seeking God the way I thought I should. My husband is so gracious, patient, loving and encouraging. He really told me what I and we needed to hear. I thought all this time that I was struggling with this issue by myself. I didn't think he struggled with it all. And then he told me that he also struggled with wanting to be a dad, and the wait that we have to endure. BUT here is the thing that has changed my life. I have heard it many times, but it really seemed to hit home this time. Josh told me that we needed to have joy. I at first was not very happy, because I didn't feel like being joyful. But, he was absolutely right. I read this quote once, "Joy is not the absence of troubles but the presence of Christ." That is SO TRUE. God did not promise us that our lives were going to be easy and without trials and suffering. But he did promise that He will never leave us, and that he knows what's best for our lives. HE is in control.

     I love my husband so much, and I thank him for telling me truths of God. What a blessing He is. Ever since that moment, even though I didn't feel like it, I told God that I was choosing to have joy, no matter what happens in life...I wanted to choose to have joy, that's all I could do. I decided that God's plan really is what is best for our lives. God is worth it...God is worth going through the suffering and trials. He endured the most painful thing anyone could ever endure. He suffered physical pain on the cross, but also suffered the heavy weight of all of our sins on the cross. And for that I am overwhelmed, and so thankful. Which makes me want to submit my life to him, and "Raise my white flag" as Chris Tomlin has sung in his newest song. I surrender to you Jesus...because that is the ONLY way to do this thing we call life. 

     I am so thankful that God is bringing us through this journey of adoption. I truly am HAPPY, and have JOY. I am happy with where we are in life right now, and am happy with waiting, because I know that it is worth the wait for whatever God has in store. I know we have a long way to go, and I am sure there is going to be many many more trials and suffering, but now I have so many more treasures of God to hold on to and to see. I can see the work he is doing in our lives, and I can read and see his promises in His word that are sweeter than honey, and are the most satisfying thing EVER. All the glory and honor goes to Him. I am nothing without Him, and I wouldn't be where I am in life today without Him. He is everything, and without Him I am nothing. Thank you to all of you who were there for me in those times I needed you the most, and for the encouragement that you shared. You were truly the hands and feet of Jesus in those times. I am sure I will be needing you again! lol 

     I am sure you are also wondering where we are at in the adoption process. We are still doing paperwork, but we see the end in sight! We have a little bit more of online training to do, half a book to read, and some joint paperwork and observations of our community/neighborhood to do, and then we will be done! (I hope) Our goal to have all of this paperwork done is the end of May! And then it will go through Immigration (which on average will take 3-4 months), and then we start waiting for a referral of a child! We still have about $16,000.00-$17,000.00 to raise. Please pray for God's will to be done in our lives. We know he will provide in His good time. God is good...all the time.

Love,

Marissa