The Key to Quito: El Regalo (The Giveaway)

That’s right, it’s time for a BIG GIVEAWAY!

There’s a tablet, photography sessions, gift cards, FUDGE, and more. And you can even enter for free! 

We are so very excited to launch this giveaway to help our brother Matthew fundraise for his mission trip to Quito, Ecuador. We have a BIG goal in a SHORT amount of time, and we’re confident we can get it done with your help!

GOAL: $2,000

DUE DATE: May 27th

If you can donate even $5, or share about this giveaway on your Facebook, we would greatly appreciate it!

Ready to donate/enter? Donate online and submit a comment with your donation that it's for the giveaway/raffle. Otherwise, read on for more details!

Thanks! Rebekah & Leah

About Matt:

Matthew is 20 years old, and has always been passionate about living his life for Christ and showing love to all people (even, or especially, difficult-to-love teenagers!). He is currently a student at JBU studying outdoor recreational ministry and plans to work in ministry to Spanish-speaking communities at home or abroad.

That love for outdoor adventure and the Spanish language sent him to Costa Rica last year, where he spent 2 months interning at an outdoor camp for Costa Rican teenagers. You can read more about his journey here. Last year thanks to the love and support of family, friends, and strangers in God’s perfect timing, he was able to afford the high cost to go just in the nick of time!
 
About The Opportunity:

This year, the journey continues with this opportunity to travel to Quito, Ecuador as part of a mission trip/study abroad with JBU. Matthew will be trained to lead short-term mission trips, and he will work along with his classmates to put that training into action by completing multiple projects while he is there. He is clear that God is calling him to minister to the Spanish-speaking world, but it’s easy to fall into the trap of worrying about where the money will come from. You see, if he doesn’t have the money to go before he’s scheduled to leave, he won’t be able to go. We are incredibly proud of the man our brother is and aspires to be, and we wanted to help him however we could. Hence, the giveaway!

We are all trusting God to provide just like He did last year, and we are hoping you will feel a tug to be a part of this, however you can.

 
To find out more about Matt’s trip, check out his online fundraising and update site:

Props:

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has donated prizes and gotten involved in making this giveaway a reality. Even if you can’t donate to Matthew, please take a moment to visit the websites of our generous business owners as well as two families in the midst of their own fundraising efforts for adoption. 

How to Enter:

1. Donate online (Please submit a comment when donating online that it's for the giveaway/raffle)

• $3 = 1 entry
• $5 = 2 entries
• $10 = 5 entries (best value!)
• $20 = 10 entries (and so on)
• DAILY DEAL OF MAY 10th-$10=7 entries

Or if you want to mail a check or donate cash—I’ll get you the details!

2. Share this giveaway on social media!

• Share on Facebook = 1 FREE entry
• Tweet It = 1 FREE entry
• Instagram = 1 FREE entry
• Blog = 1 FREE entry
• Google +1 = 1 FREE entry

How it Works:

• Submit a comment on this post saying what you donated and/or where you shared.
• Make sure you include your name, email address, city/state, and phone number, so we can notify you if you win! We will also use this information to determine eligibility for local-oriented prizes.
• Comments are being moderated and will NOT be published to the blog post if they contain personal information.

The Prizes!

ASUS MeMOPad HD 7-Inch 16 GB Tablet, Blue (Value - $150) 

"The ASUS MeMO Pad HD 7 combines a gorgeous screen, epic battery life, strong performance and a slew of premium features" (Laptop Mag Review). Specs: 7-Inch display, Quad Core 1.2 GHz, 16 GB Flash Memory (plus microSD expansion), 1 GB RAM Memory, 10-hour battery life, .67 pounds. 

Swavorski Crystal Pendant (Value - $80)

Photo Session with Hannah Way Photography (Value - $150)
(Winner must be local to Northwest AR area, Rockwall, TX, or Arlington, TX)

Includes: 1-hour family photo session, one outfit change, and edited images on a CD including a copyright release form (so you can print off as many pictures as you like pretty much anywhere).

On a personal note, Hannah took Joshua's One Year and Smash Cake photos, and we think she's fantastic!

Photo Session with JADA Photography (Value - $100)
(Winner must be local to Northwest AR area)

Includes: 1.5-hour photo session, two outfit changes, all images on a CD and 5 edited images, including a copyright release form (so you can print off as many pictures as you like pretty much anywhere).

On a personal note, Janina took candid photos at Joshua's first birthday party, and we also think she is fantastic!

Photo Session with Stephanie Hardwick Photography (Value - $75)
(Winner must be local to Elizabethtown, KY; St. Louis, MO; Little Rock, AR; Northwest AR; or points in route!)

Includes: 1 hour photo session, one outfit change, edited images on a CD, including a copyright release form (so you can print off as many pictures as you like pretty much anywhere).

On a personal note, she's our sister, and she rocks. :-)

Mom's Day Out: Cleaning, Babysitting, Photography (Value - $100. . . I mean, Priceless!)
(Winner must be local to Elizabethtown, KY; St. Louis, MO; Little Rock, AR; Northwest AR; or points in route!)

Have you ever had a moms night out only to come home to a messy house? Or gotten your house cleaned but had to keep your kids entertained and out of the way the whole time? With this package you don't have to do either! Elaine, Sarah, Leah and Stephanie; cleaners and babysitters extraordinaire; will clean your house and entertain your children while you take 4 - 6 hours to treat yourself to a much deserved rest! As a bonus, Stephanie will throw in a photo shoot that evening or at another time of your choice! This package is available to those in Elizabethtown, KY area and also with advance planning, St. Louis, Little Rock, and Fayetteville areas or any points in between!

Mary Kay Lemon Parfait Pedicure Set (Value - $50)

This package was donated by Brooke Kirk. Right now this awesome family is in the middle of an adoption of this precious boy:

And yet she decided to help by donating this package in the midst of their adoption of Ian. Please keep them in your prayers as they still have about $2,500 to go before they are fully funded for their adoption of him & are still waiting for a court date. If you wish to donate towards their adoption click here.

Includes: Lemon parfait scented foot fizzies and foot gel plus pumice stone, coral toe separators, matching emory board all in a coordinating mesh tote bag. Two Mary Kay professional nail lacquers in Lemon Parfait and Carefree Coral. Plus a Travel Set with travel size MK oil free eye makeup remover and travel size Lash Love mascara in a zippered mesh bag along with a travel sized MK translucent loose powder (perfect all complexions and skin types) with a mini powder brush.

Scentsy Package (Value-$35)

Includes the Mustache warmer & Mystery Man scent. Perfect gift for that father or man in your life! Donated by Frances Porter, to find more cool scents & gifts be sure to visit her Scentsy store https://francesporter.scentsy.us/Scentsy/
Olive Garden Gift Card (Value - $25)

Starbucks Gift Card (Value - $25)

Cloth Napkins Handmade by Traditionally Unique (Value - $26)

 
Go eco-chic with these beautiful handmade cloth napkins! Features include: *Made of easy-to-launder cotton. *Rectangular shape means napkins stay in place on your lap. *Double sided means more absorbent and always beautiful. *Greatly reduces paper product consumption. Hop over to Jenn's Etsy Shop or follow her on Facebook or Instagram to check out her other handmade goods -- aprons, clothes, cloth napkins, and more!

 "Coffee Lovers" Starbucks Swag (4 available!; Value - $15 - $35)

• Package 1: One insulated mug + One package of 4 Starbucks Via Packets - Vanilla Latte
• Package 2: One insulated mug + One pound of Starbucks Gold Coast Blend + One package of 4 Starbucks Via Packets - Mocha Latte
• Package 3: One glass mug with gold leaf inlay + One package of 4 Starbucks Via Packets - Vanilla Latte
• Package 4: One blue ceramic mug + One package of 4 Starbucks Via Packets - Mocha Latte

Like what you see? Go see my friend Summer at the Starbucks on MLK Blvd in Fayetteville, AR!

My Thirty One Bags (3 available!; Value - $12 - $25)

Donated by Melissa Chellson. Melissa is also in the middle of an adoption, and she was nice enough to donate several bags. If you can keep them in prayer for the rest of the process, and if you wish to donate towards their adoption just click here. 

1 Pound of Matt's Mom's Famous Fudge (4 available! - Pick-Your-Flavor! - Value - $15/lb)

Even if you think you don’t like fudge, we promise you’ll like this fudge. It’s creamy, light, and comes in multiple delicious flavors. You win, you pick the flavor! Flavors include: Original Chocolate, Cookies ‘N Cream, Pumpkin Spice, or Peanut Butter.

Homemade, Gluten-Free Bakery Item (Value - $10)

Specialty homemade, gluten-free sweet treat.

The Fine Print: 

• Online and in-person entries will be entered into a spreadsheet, and a random number generator will be used to identify the winners.
• Winning entries will be verified for donations and/or social media shares.
• Giveaway will end on or after May 18th, 2014.

Why I'm proud of my brother Matthew

Want To know what makes this guy so special?

Cause, he is my brother. I'm proud of the way he has worked hard his 2nd year in college.
I love his tender heart for loving God above all else & his sweet nature but funny spirit to spread Christ's Love all over the world. I'm proud of how he has stepped out & said Yes, to what God has called him to do. Last year, despite the cost & despite finishing his 1st year in college he said yes to go to serve in Costa Rica. God provided all the funds plus some to go just barely in the nick of time.

And Yes, this crazy guy is my Brother! The One who would yet again answer Yes, to Gods calling for him except this time to Ecuador.

When you say yes, to God you take a huge leap of faith that he will provide the funds needed for whatever he is calling you to do. He is taking this huge leap yet again trusting God will provide the funds to go yet again. For you see I'm a proud big sister who watched her brother come home from his trip last year & I enjoyed seeing how God worked & changed his life on that trip. It's not always easy waiting on God but you trust & know he will provide the way if it's his plan for you. I know from experience, I'm still waiting for his Yes for my life but right now while I wait I would go to the moon & back for my brother (or any of my siblings for that matter!) to help him fulfill Gods yes for his life.
Is it going to be easy? No of course not but I trust Gods got a plan & he will provide just like last year. I know I mostly write about orphans but this is a personal matter I feel I need to write about. He is leaving the end of May & still needs about $3,000. Please be praying for God to provide the needed funds for him to go & that he will help Matt show people God's incredible love for them on this trip. Want to know how you can help?
If you wish to learn more about Matthew's trip & to donate to help "Mission Matt to Ecuador" go to his page http://www.gofundme.com/5gog98
Have you heard of Scentsy? Scentsy Warmers use a low-watt bulb to slowly melt specially formulated wax. In my personal opinion they are much safer than candles & matches. Why waste your money buying more than one scented candle when you can just get it all in one! With Scentsy you can mix scents & have plenty of options to choose from. Here's my scentsy warmer I bought awhile back. I personally have only gotten the Lilac scent from Scentsy but I love the days my rooms smell not that great I can just turn on my warmer without worrying about flames or fires. 

Anyway, not long ago God lead me to a kind stranger who offered to do a fundraiser for my Brother. Out of the kindness of her heart she is offering 20% of sales to go to Matthew. I encourage you even if you have never heard of Scentsy to check it out! Thus far, we have not had much luck with this but I'm trying to spread the word cause I want this to be a success! Please help me spread the word too!!! To order go to https://francesporter.scentsy.us/Scentsy/ & PLEASE BE SURE TO SELECT MATTHEW HARDWICK AS THE PARTY AT THE TOP FOR THE 20% TO GO TO HIM!!! OH AND CHECK OUT THE MOTHERS DAY DEAL!! 

Stay tune, we also will be hosting an awesome "moms day" Giveaway on here next week to help Matt even more! We will feature many prizes including a Moms day package of babysitting, photography, & house cleaned all in one and other prizes like gift cards, baked goods, My Thirty One bags, & MUCH MORE!! YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS!!! Please be praying for this to go well in addition to our Scentsy fundraiser & be sure to spread the word for this fundraiser once we start it!
Matt, again I'm so very proud to be your big sister & of all that you do. I love you to the Moon & back!!

Gods Amazing ways & to Never Give Up!

As I write this with tears still in my eyes, I know I wrote about this some in my previous post but today I want to share a message with you all. 
See this little boy here? His name is Ian.

He has a family doing everything they possibly can to cross the ocean for him. They have met him on their 1st trip to his country & are just waiting for a court date before they cross the Ocean to bring him home. Meet his family who adores him to pieces & can't wait for him to come home! They blog here http://www.walkingthenarrowpathnow.blogspot.com/

So what's this have to do with God's amazing ways? Not too long ago I was unsure of what to do in my advocating. I was still struggling of getting back into it & the devil using fear of my heart breaking all over again after the Russia adoption ban. While I watched from the background God was using the hardwork this mom whom I have never met to break my heart for what breaks his heart. I started chatting with this mom after purchasing this shirt to help benefit their adoption.

And I don't know why but God prompted me to signup to become their family warrior. Meanwhile He was planning to use his Glory for Good. He was working in the hearts of an anonymous friend to say yes to his calling by helping this family bring home this precious boy across the ocean even though they never had met this family just like me they knew they could not turn away. This anonymous friend has left me at a loss for words to describe what has happened today & though I can only share so much I want to thank this friend again. 

Thing is their have been countless times I have wanted to give up cause I think no one cares, hears, or sees what I have been posting. I know I'm not alone either, many advocates & adoptive families have said this over & over again. But let me tell you something YOU JUST NEVER KNOW HOW A FACEBOOK POST, SHARE, BLOGPOST, AUCTION, ETC can TOUCH someones heart & how God might be working on them right now! SO TODAY I'M HERE TO SHARE MY TESTIMONY TO NEVER GIVE UP!!!
These past few weeks I have seen amazing ways God works in peoples hearts & I am still praying this is only the beginning of this beautiful story that I can't even share entirely on here.
Right now I'm a bit occupied with my Brothers fundraising for his mission trip which I will be posting about very soon but I want to share the Kirk family still is in need of quite a bit before they can qualify as fully funded! They are waiting on some stuff before they can get their court date so Please just put their family in your prayers. I don't have much to offer but I still want to share their need so if you even just have $5 to spare or if you can uplift them in prayer, or just sharing their need every little bit helps & you just never know whose heart might be moved.
Again, if you feel moved to donate to their adoption please do so here http://reecesrainbow.org/55675/sponsorkirk
& if you want to leave a message of encouragement for their family feel free to do so in the comments! Cause IT MATTERS TO THIS ONE!!!

When you think no one Cares

Yes, it's been awhile. I know this blog is probably not read very much or at all but I knew it was time for another update. I know I have planned to blog many times but it just has not happened. My blogging just has taken a back slide in my life & just maybe that's okay.

I have so much to say but I can't always grasp & put it into words but I certainly try to. 

Well, I had something I had written but God knew I needed encouragement tonight. You may think why bother blogging when you think no one is listening or even cares but let me tell you never know who might God be speaking to!

God's got his plan for you even if you can't see it. Keep going cause you just might be the person God uses to speak about orphans to! 

As I was writing I went to check on an online auction when I realized a friend of mine had bid on an item. To be honest I have been struggling getting back into advocating/blogging thinking why bother if "no one seemed to care" & because the stuff with the Russia Orphans being stuck my hearts just not in it still. Only God would use this time to knock telling me I need to keep going which is why tears pour out of my eyes again sharing this with you. I can't say how much my heart longs for no orphan crisis but God has put it on my heart for a reason so try to help I must one orphan at a time.

Right now I share this girl who still needs a family,

And the Kirk family who I have become a family warrior for who are adopting a sweet boy named Ian.

http://reecesrainbow.org/55675/sponsorkirk

It may not always be an easy road, but I will take it any day! Please be praying for them as they raise the remaining funds needed to complete this adoption.

Be encouraged today whether your adopting or advocating you just never know when someone is watching! Keep me in prayer as I continue to find myself back into blogging/advocating. My writing might not be as great as it once was but I will get there & I still have a few posts including some guest ones in mind so stay tune!