Rise Up!

I wish I had the means to tell you Lyla's story properly, but I'm here at the homeschooling convention in Tennessee with little time to write and lousy internet access.

 I wish I had a better way to tell you why my eyes well up with tears each time I see this little girl's picture...

Sweet Lyla.

Her complicated story involves a lot of twists and turns.  It is a story worth telling, and I really wish I had a better way to tell it.

Suffice it to say that Lyla has a family who has loved her with the deepest of loves for almost two years.  They chose Lyla to be their daughter out of ALL the children on Reece's Rainbow - the child of their hearts.  They started the process to adopt her; but before they could finish their paperwork and cross the ocean, the authorities told them that she was no longer available for adoption.  Lyla was too sick to be adopted, and she was going to die.

Stricken with grief, but still obedient to the Father's call, Lyla's family chose to cross the ocean anyway and adopt a different child. 

 Longing for Lyla, but unable to carry her home, they chose to rescue Belle instead.

Sweet Belle helped soften their heartache over poor, lost little Lyla.

But in the meantime, something unexpected happened: Lyla survived.

Uknown to her family, Lyla was still clinging to life.  She was determined to live, and live she did.

The authorities neglected to share this news with the Spitzes. So, when they felt God call them to go back and bring home another child, they chose Gavin.

And Gavin was an AMAZING choice - a perfect fit for their family.

Only after they were committed to Gavin did they discover that LYLA WAS ALIVE, AND THAT SHE WAS ONCE AGAIN AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION.

What to do?  At the time, the authorities had only approved the Spitzes for one child. They were committed to Gavin, not to Lyla.  They couldn't leave Gavin behind.  What could they do?  

After much prayer, they decided to go adopt Gavin, then work and pray hard to find another family to adopt Lyla.

Soon enough, another family stepped forward to adopt Lyla, and all was well.  Their baby girl was going home - not with them, but with another loving family.

It so happened that Gavin and Lyla shared the same baby house. During their trip to adopt Gavin, they got a chance to meet Lyla in person for the first time-- to hold her, to kiss her, and to whisper in her ears that a family was coming for her.

Then came yet another twist: As it turned out, Lyla's new family couldn't complete her adoption, and poor Lyla was looking for a family all over again.

When that happened, LYLA'S FIRST FAMILY - THE SPITZES - THE FAMILY WHO LOVED HER FROM THE BEGINNING - rasied their hands and said to the Lord, "Send us. We want this child. She is ours."

They obediently and graciously stepped up to claim their baby girl.

Unfortunately, the difficult economic reality is that they have just completed two enormously expensive international adoptions.  

The cliff from which they just jumped on their way to bring home a third child is a high, steep one.  

They honestly need help; and today, I am begging you to help them.  

This baby girl needs to go home.  She needs her Mama. 

The Spitzes have wanted her from the first.  Her story led them to bring home TWO OTHER CHILDREN.  Because of their loyalty to Lyla, THREE ORPHANS HAVE FOUND HOMES.

But they need help.

There is a Giveaway going for the Spitzes. It ends today, and if you donate today, you can still enter; but honestly, WE OWE THIS FAMILY OUR SUPPORT WITH OR WITHOUT A GIVEAWAY!!  

They need over $9,000.00 to bring their Lyla home.

God's handwriting is all over the adoption of these three babes, and the Body of Christ needs to acknowledge that by supporting this family.  Giveaways or not.  We need to help them.

You can CLICK HERE to make a donation.  

Stand with them as they go get their babe.  Pray for them as they step out in faith for the third time in a year. Support them with gifts as they step off of this cliff.

RISE UP CHURCH.  

RISE UP!!