tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14218337103581345752024-02-18T19:56:04.214-08:00Hope That BindsHope That Bindshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716331517707803309noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421833710358134575.post-15002597802671011732013-09-26T05:29:00.002-07:002013-09-26T05:29:13.544-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Please excuse our mess. </span></div>
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Things are a bit outdated but we are working hard to</div>
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construct a new website that will be even better for you! </div>
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Hope That Bindshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716331517707803309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421833710358134575.post-18011504271646203022012-09-26T21:45:00.001-07:002013-09-26T05:28:07.211-07:00ORPHAN"AID"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixyqZ746m2ZkUvHGlV9Ppa740ZX24alC9ecCrtlAEtob0OsfzF2CaFuQo72e_EIKWLwIAGzO-JEbIRGhFmA6JG9qtf-IXYOoCzSTJiq3jaeC85pqwv34QW4NLMw0j9czqkVk8p3tOIvdI/s1600/why+orphanaid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixyqZ746m2ZkUvHGlV9Ppa740ZX24alC9ecCrtlAEtob0OsfzF2CaFuQo72e_EIKWLwIAGzO-JEbIRGhFmA6JG9qtf-IXYOoCzSTJiq3jaeC85pqwv34QW4NLMw0j9czqkVk8p3tOIvdI/s640/why+orphanaid.jpg" height="432" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hope That Binds ORPHAN"AID" will be set up at BBQ on the River Thursday, September 26 through Saturday September 28 from 10:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. We will offer specialty drinks for only $3 and gourmet popcorn in the flavors of BBQ Ranch and Funfetti. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Come visit Booth #73</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">100% of proceeds will support adoption grants</span></div>
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<br />Hope That Bindshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716331517707803309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421833710358134575.post-72214867227989644012012-09-04T19:24:00.002-07:002012-09-04T19:27:33.520-07:00Adoption in Real Life<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Scripture
is clear that as believers we are to care for orphans. This looks
different for each of us. For some it means adopting a child into your
home, for others it may be foster care, or even a mission trip to serve and
care for orphans across the world. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Over the next year we
would like to share what adoption looks like for 24 individuals and their
families. Each post in the </span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Adoption in Real Life"</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> series will be written by individuals who have been obedient
to God's call to care for orphans. They are willing to share what God has
taught them and as you will see from each post each story is unique. Isn't that part of the beauty of God’s lessons
for His sons and daughters . . . so that we can learn and grow from one
another. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Our hope is that you
will see </span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Adoption in Real
Life"</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> and not just
something going on in the distance. Our prayer is that God will reveal
your role in adoption. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Please welcome</span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jessica Irvin</span></i></div>
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<a href="http://steadfastminds-ethiopia.blogspot.com/">Click here to visit Jessica's blog.</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You'd think with a house full of kids that the
last thing I'd be thinking of is more kids. Our family went from a married
couple with a dog to a family of 8 in just 7.5 years. With three the old fashioned way and three
through Ethiopian adoption, most would accurately say we’ve got our hands
full. But, even while I was in Ethiopia
picking up our 6th child, I just couldn’t shake the feeling that God was asking us to do
more--to make room for more, to care about more, to change the world for
more....<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our pastor preached an awesome series from
Acts. One particular week, he taught from
Acts 8 about (appropriately enough) Phillip and the ETHIOPIAN. Phillip is returning
from a long journey of sharing the gospel when an angel of the Lord says
"go south.” Now, Phillip has put in some serious time already. He had
planned to go home and rest and now God wants him to reroute his GPS and
"go south."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: large;">He could have thought up many good reasons why he
shouldn't go, but Phillip said "yes" to God and obeyed. Because of
that decision, "the Ethiopian" was changed and modern day
Christianity can be traced all the way back to Ethiopia—think about what would
have been missed if Phillip hadn’t been willing to forgo his own comfort to
advance the kingdom of God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And so I ask, how much comfort are we willing to forgo?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And you may ask, "How does this even relate to
adoption?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, adoption isn't easy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The decision to adopt, the process, the
circumstances that lead to the child’s need to be adopted in the first
place,.....none of these things are particularly easy and one can think up
countless reasons (even good reasons....logical ones) why you shouldn't do it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've heard lots of “good” ones:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">It's too expensive</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">(not in God's
economy)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">I don't think I could love a child that's not my own</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">(A<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">lie</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span>from the enemy-- none of
"our" children are "our own." They are<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">ALL</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span>God's children--we're just
lucky enough to get to love them for a while).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">My husband/wife doesn't want to</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">(pray for them)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">I just haven't felt called</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></b></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">(James
1:27).............................</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've thought of a few reasons why adopting again would be crazy
for us:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">We have 6 kids</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">(true)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> We <strong>have
six kids</strong></span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">(yep)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
We have six kids</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">(that's about all I've got)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">But, I can think of one
really good reason to do it---<strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">God did it for us</span></strong>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The whole idea of Christianity rests on the
truth that as Christians, we've all been adopted into God's family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And let me tell you, our adoption was<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>HARD</strong>. Our adoption<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>COST</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>more
than we could ever calculate. Our adoption took<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>SACRIFICE</strong>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But most of all, our adoption into God's family took great<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>LOVE</strong>.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Truthfully, it would be
far easier and a lot more comfortable to say no to God's command to care for
the orphans and the widows in their distress—but as our baby boy (our 7<sup>th</sup>)
waits across the world for us to come for him, I can’t help but think about the
ones who will miss out on the love of a family if we as Christians choose to
walk away.<span class="apple-converted-space"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our pastor has said, "God often chooses to use ordinary
people to do extraordinary things." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, we couldn't be more ordinary and I pray that he will use our
family to impact those around us for his glory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Too much is at stake for us not to act.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Hope That Bindshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716331517707803309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421833710358134575.post-14580941414786783202012-08-05T14:29:00.001-07:002012-08-05T14:29:25.444-07:00Adoption in Real Life<div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Scripture
is clear that as believers we are to care for orphans. This looks
different for each of us. For some it means adopting a child into your
home, for others it may be foster care, or even a mission trip to serve and
care for orphans across the world. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Over the next year we
would like to share what adoption looks like for 24 individuals and their
families. Each post in the </span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Adoption in Real Life"</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> series will be written by individuals who have been obedient
to God's call to care for orphans. They are willing to share what God has
taught them and as you will see each story is unique. Isn't that part of the beauty of God’s lessons
for His sons and daughters . . . so that we can learn and grow from one
another. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Our hope is that you
will see </span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Adoption in Real
Life"</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> and not just
something going on in the distance. Our prayer is that God will reveal
your role in adoption. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Please welcome our first
contributor,</span><i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
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<i><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tera Melber </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Do you ever step back and take a look at where the Lord has
had you journey? Reflection is an amazing reminder of our sanctification
process. Sanctification….the word I view with both dread and anticipation. It
is God’s plan of growing us into the likeness of Christ. Sounds lofty, but what
does it require? Sanctification requires stretching. I am not a fan of being
stretched, but the Lord has stretched me over the last several years in ways that
I would never have asked, but in ways that I would never trade.</div>
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Recently I took a look at the blog I kept during our
adoption processes. We have six children. Three children became Melbers
biologically, three became Melbers through adoption. The three most recent
additions to our family were older when they joined our family and all came
home with memories of their life in their home countries. <o:p></o:p></div>
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During the adoption process my blogs consisted of all the
typical thoughts and anxieties that a mother exhibits while waiting for her
precious child to be in her arms. Nothing ever happened on my timetable. What
was the Lord thinking? Didn’t He know that our child needed to be home? Didn’t
He sense our pain in the waiting? Didn’t He part the <i>Red Sea</i>? Wasn’t He capable of blasting through the <i>Red Tape</i>? I feel anxious typing all of
that right now! So, as I re-read my entries I ran across this note that
typifies what I pray the Lord has taught me and continues to teach me in my
walk with Him. We were on our way home with our newest son.</div>
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<b><i>This week we
have watched God's hand guide every aspect of our journey. Lots of travel
troubles, UGH. Through it all, when I would feel anxiety welling up in my
heart, I would hear Him asking me, </i><em><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Do you trust me? Do you really mean all the things you say to everyone
else? Do you trust me to work out circumstances according to My plan, not
yours? Do you recognize that you are not in control?</span></span></em></b><i><b> Over and over, I know that He was and is
telling me that in good or bad I must choose to trust that this journey is HIS.
This journey of my life is the one that He has planned and intended. I still
get very anxious, want to control situations and people, but honestly....deep
within my soul, </b></i><em style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">I do trust Him.</span></em><i style="font-weight: bold;"> I may
not like the plan, but I trust that He has ALL worked out. I'm in a plane right
now on our last leg home from bringing home our son. We are surprising the
other kids with an early flight home. Soon we will be </i><em style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">the eight of us.</span></em><i style="font-weight: bold;"> Our sweet boy is sleeping peacefully. He
fully trusts us as his parents. We know where he is going. We know what is in
store of the other end of this plane ride. We had a plan to bring him home.
Everywhere we've led him, he has willingly gone with a smile on his face, hand
held out to take ours. Fully trusting. May I be the same with my Heavenly
Father who has the plan.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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As your family journeys
through the growth of your family and through parenting, I ask you to trust Him
with the plan. Recognize that He sees the view from above the plane. The full
view. You only see out of your little window. How we react will show the world
that we trust HIM and love HIM more than we trust and love <i>our </i>plan. Ask yourself, which you desire more…the child you are
longing for or a relationship with the ONE who made both you and your child?
Growth is never easy. Cling to Him.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Isaiah 55:8-9 “</span></i></b><span class="text"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The </span></i></b></span><span class="small-caps"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-variant: small-caps; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lord</span></i></b></span><span class="text"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
says: ‘My thoughts and my ways</span></i></b></span><b><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span class="text">are not like yours.<sup> </sup>Just
as the heavens</span> <span class="text">are higher than the earth,</span> <span class="text">my thoughts and my ways</span> <span class="text">are higher than
yours.’ ”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>Hope That Bindshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03716331517707803309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421833710358134575.post-39221291333890658022012-06-24T15:21:00.001-07:002012-06-24T15:21:24.605-07:00Who are We?<span style="font-size: large;">Who are We? </span><br />
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Hope That Binds started as a desire, just a longing of providing support for families pursuing adoption. In a beautiful, God ordained way, that desire grew to be a non-profit organization with the goal of being obedient to scripture by caring for orphans. <br />
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The board of directors developed a vision for the organization that outlines three main focuses of <span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;">Hope That Binds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our vision is to
ultimately bring glory to God and the demonstration of His love through the
death of His son Jesus Christ so that we may be adopted as sons and
daughters. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #783f04;"><i>Romans
8:23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firsfruits of
the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the
redemption of our bodies 24 for in this hope we were saved now hope that is
seen is not hope for who hopes for what he sees? 25 but if we hope for what we
do not see, we wait for it with patience.
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Hope That Binds seeks
to serve the western Kentucky and surrounding areas as a ministry by providing
adoption resources. Resources provided
will include, but are not limited to,</div>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #783f04; font-size: large; line-height: 150%;">empo</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #783f04; font-size: large; line-height: 150%;">wering the church through adoption
consultation</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #783f04; font-size: large; line-height: 150%;">advocating for adoption both domestically and internationally</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #783f04; font-size: large; line-height: 150%;">being a vehicle for the financial needs of adoption</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #783f04; line-height: 150%;">. </span></li>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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If you would like to receive updates on events and ways to get involved please join the Hope That Binds e-mail list by e-mailing hopethatbindsministries@gmail.com with your name and "add me to the list" in the subject line.<br />
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