Why We Call Our Blog the Miracle of More

The miracle is a beautiful image of Ephesians 3:20--more than I can ask or imagine. Every day is a miracle. Every moment is a miracle. Specifically for our family, the miracle of more is our family growing in ways I would never have imagined when we first committed to adoption 8 years ago. But, the greatest miracle is the change in ME!

If you have questions about adoption, our work in South Africa, or spina bifida, please email me at rbmattox@bellsouth.net

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Trash and Treasures

If you live near us.....

we are participating in an annual community yard sale this weekend....at Horseshoe Road.

If you have any things lying around your house you'd like to donate....particularly household appliances, used furniture, or baby items, let me know.

If you live nearby, come see us. We'll have the beads from Uganda and other 147 million orphan merchandise as well.

Continue to pray for God's miracles!!!!!!!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Will You Join Me

Tonight our pastor's message concerned the significance of prayer.

Will you join me on Friday? I truly feel God calling to a time of fasting and prayer. Will you pray with me, perhaps fast a meal, as we seek God.

Pray for God's provision for our adoption.

Pray for God's perfect timing.

Pray for His perfect peace to rest upon us.

Pray for our friends who are also adopting: Ben and Julie who travel to China soon, Paige and Matt, Leah and Derek and Xiao Yong's family, all who are anxiously awaiting LOA with us.

If you join us on Friday, please leave a comment. I will take comfort in knowing you are binding together with us~!

Monday, September 19, 2011

Sunshine Through The Clouds

God sent rays of sunshine today.

We still need our miracles, the miracles of funding for our adoptions, the miracle of perfect timing.

And, while we wait, God sent precious encouragement today.

Nearly eight years ago, I made a friend online. She was adopting at the same time we were adopting Josie-Tatum. She has been a prayer warrior for us. She has sent encouragement before, but today, it was simply sweet. Thank you, Melody, for the card and the time you took to send the words of hope from your devotional calendar.

The Son shined on us in a financial blessing as well. The Laila Rose Foundation helps families with children who have special needs. (Click here to learn more about them. Perhaps you know a family who could be blessed by them.)

They have reimbursed us the out-of-pocket expenses we have paid for Ellie's medical needs this year. We will be able to pay off a couple of bills and add $1000 to our adoption fund. PRAISE the LORD!!!!

May today's rays of hope begin a flood sunshine!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

The Little Things

Thank you, Jesus, for the little things.

The little smiles you send my way each day.

If only I had the camera ready this morning. I walked into the dining room where Ellie had begun to eat her breakfast. She had Jesus Calling beside her plate, took a bite, and leaned over as if to read......Praise the LORD, she was imitating one of her mother's good habits. ;)

And, last week, God gave me the opportunity to share something with a person in need. It was a very small something, but the person who received it was moved to tears. As we drove away, Josie-Tatum said, "Mama, I don't think you've ever been closer to Jesus."

May I not take those two precious moments lightly. God has given me the sacred trust of showing the His ways to my beautiful treasure. And, even in the little things, He smiles at me.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Looking Unto Jesus


By now, you've figured out I love sunsets.

Last night, we were driving home from church, and it blessed my heart to hear Ellie say, "Look at that beautiful sky, Mama."

And, then Josie-Tatum said, "The heavens declare the glory of God." That verse was in her first devotion in Jesus Calling when we were in Africa. Since we spent the day looking at the ways God declares His glory, she remembers His word.

And, since she, too, knows her mother's love of sunsets, she said, "You really need a picture of that Mama." I took her advice, ran inside when we got home from church, ran to the road in front of our house and captured God's glory with my camera.

I am struggling, though, to keep my eyes on Him.

There has been much going on here....attacks of Satan....to get us discouraged, most too personal to share, except to ask you to pray.

Then, on Friday, I received an email from our agency. We sent our dossier to our agency in late July. It was a week later before they sent it to China. The China staff had the dossier a week before it was delivered to CCWAA, the government agency for adoptions in China. Then, our dossier sat there for THREE weeks before it was logged in,.

That means we lost FIVE weeks of time, five weeks that our paperwork was not being processed.

At that point, I think I stopped feeling. I couldn't even cry until Saturday. But, Saturday, I did some crying...and some more crying...and some more.

It was the death of a dream...my dream...my plans.

I had sooooooo hoped, and really believed we would have our boys home for Christmas, or at least be in China with them at Christmas.

Now, though, that dream is nearly impossible. Outside of a miracle, it will be either January and maybe even February before our boys come home.

I am having to truly rely on blind faith, that God has a perfect plan, and He will not withhold any good gift from us, his children. He loves our boys more than we do. He loves us. He has a plan, a plan to give us a future and a hope. I must trust Him. And, trust for me is not as easy as I thought it was.

I trust Him to provide for our adoption, with $22,000 still needed to complete our adoption fund.

But, I don't trust Him with His plan for the perfect time.

I am talking much to Him, and I beg of you to join me.

May I, as my sister has encouraged, learn to "dance in the rain," learn to praise Him in the storm, learn to be still and rest in Him.

Please pray that God sends a miracle. If that miracle is not bringing our boys home before the end of the year, then pray the miracle will be in me, the work He wants to do in my life and my heart.

And, may I give Him all the glory and honor and praise.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Simply Sweet


You know it's been a good day when your daughter prays, "Thank you, Jesus, for a good day....we got to go to a birthday party, swimming with Mama and Grandpa, and we got to make homemade donuts."

Labor Day weekend has sent many people on a last "vacation" to the beach and other places.

I've enjoyed my time at home!

The return to school with a new schedule and new responsibilities has kept me super busy, so this three days at home have brought sweet peace and rest.

Stan was going to a friend's house to watch the first UGA game, so I told the girls we would make homemade donuts. I remembered how much I enjoyed making them with my mama, but I didn't realize how much fun the girls would think it was. Even while we were swimming, they said, "Hey Grandpa! Guess what we get to do tonight. We get to make homemade donuts."

If you want a cheap, simple, non-nutritious way to make your children smile, grab a can of biscuits, a Coke bottle cap, some powedered sugar, and some milk. If you have really never experienced the pleasure, send me an email and I'll add the easy details.





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