From the other side

So I finally got to attend our church's adoption conference from the other side of an adoption. It hit me about half-way through the conference that I'd never attended one from this perspective.

I'll never forget the first one we sat through as a couple, over-the-moon excited to gain enough information to begin our journey. (2007)

Then the following year, we went to another one while in process to adopt two specific older children we'd met through a hosting program. (2008)

The year after that, we grieved. (2009-2010) And we kept to ourselves for quite some time, processing the unexpected turn of events in our journey. We completely withdrew from the adoption ministry. Period.

Once we met Julian, everything changed. Our hearts broke for the older orphan, the ones starting life on their own without a family. Rather than hiding our story and covering our heads in shame and embarrassment, we wanted to share it with anyone and everyone. Not just our story, but Julian's story, too.

Yesterday Mike took on the responsibility to transport the boys back and forth between their soccer games and their D-Now weekend activities with church so I could spend the day in Rockwall at the adoption conference. For the first time, I welcomed all the post-adoption information.

I loved the breakout session called Adopting the Older Child, where I heard both Julian and Juan David's voices through the speakers' words. They talked about their own experience adopting a 15 year old boy, and then they gave the daunting statistics about the ones who never get adopted. What a privilege to now encourage others to prayerfully consider adopting an older child, just as we had done.

I'm so thankful for a church with such a big heart for adoption and a passion for foster and orphan care. What a great resource to have at your fingertips, no matter what stage of the adoption journey you find yourself in.

(I wish I'd gotten better pics. I took a few of Jason Castro while he sang, but they didn't turn out very well. Here's one I stole from the Adoption Ministry's Facebook page. :))

Lots of stuff in my head

I had to chuckle when a student walked into class the other day with a new excuse as to why she didn't bring her materials to class.

"Es que mi mama tiene muchas cosas en su cabeza." (It's just that my mom has a lot of stuff in her head.)

It made me chuckle, but it also hit home because I've been feeling the same way recently. Between cramming 48 parent conferences into one month (30 in the first week), keeping up with my boys' school, church, and soccer activities, managing my house with Mike out of town for a week, doing a final proof of my book, and gathering a book launch team--yeah, I'd say I've been a bit overwhelmed. I've had a lot of stuff in my head and no time to collect my thoughts.

I'm happy to say, though, that I made some good progress this week, despite thinking the contrary. My launch team is growing, and I'm encouraged to see the wide variety of social circles that my book advertisements can start reaching. I created a trailer for the book that I am anxious to start sharing, but I think I better wait until the launch date is closer. Looks like we're still 61 days away.

I apologize for skipping a week or two on the Unexpected Tears blog. I updated it today and scheduled all the remaining posts, which will take us up to the weekend of the Painful Waiting launch. Good timing! I hope you'll consider purchasing a copy of Unexpected Tears even if you read it all on the blog.

Yes, the truth is, by blogging the book, I really did give it all away for free. But when my publisher asked me to do it, she reminded me, "Rachelle, it's not about sales. It's about maximum Kingdom impact." That's why I love ABH. Sales or not, let's reach as many people for Christ as we can. I hope our story challenges you in some way to draw closer to Christ, to increase your faith, to believe for bigger things, to take God out of the box, and to lean on Him when nothing in life makes sense.

I can hardly wait to share Painful Waiting with you. Bear with me if I over-advertise, or if I seem a little scattered at times. I really do have a lot of stuff going on in my head, all of different ways to spread the word. It's such an amazing story of God's faithfulness, and I want to give Julian, Juan David, and their sister a voice to tell their story between the lines of my own. I hope, more than anything, that you hear their voices above my own.

Launch team

I would love for you to be part of my team!  Here are some things you can do to help me get the word out to as many people as we can about the book, Painful Waiting. You can pick and choose whatever you are comfortable with and have the time/ability to do.

Level 1: (I will consider you to be one of my bestest and dearest friends.J)

·         Share any of my posts from Surviving the Valley Series on your own page or even in any other groups you are in.

·         Share any Pinterest quotes from the book on your own page, in other groups, or on your own Pinterest account.

·         Share any of my posts from Surviving the Valley Series or any of my Pinterest quotes on your  Twitter account. #PainfulWaitingbook

·         Write a review on Amazon after it comes out.

·         Write a review on Amazon for Unexpected Tears if you read it (or if you read From the Mountain…to the Valley…and Back, since they are the same book.)

·         Talk to your friends about it! J

·         Advertise it in any adoption groups or circles you are a part of.

In addition to any of the Level 1 support, I would love to express my appreciation in a tangible way for anyone who would like to go above and beyond into levels 2 and 3.

Level 2: (I will send you the PDF version ahead of time so you can pre-read it, as long as you will commit to at least two of these things.  That’s right! You will get to read it before anyone else. The absolute most important is the book review on Amazon!)

·         Blog about the upcoming book before and after it launches.

·         Share other people’s blog posts about the book.

·         Find quotes that stand out to you and create a pin to add to our Pinterest page.

·         Write a review for the book to post on Amazon within the first week that it comes out.

·         Write a review (likely the same one) to post on Goodreads.

·         Allow me to do a guest blog on your blog.

Level 3: (I will send you a free autographed copy of the book as soon as I am able to order copies).

·         Help me connect with a radio show, newspaper, etc. to advertise the book.

·         Help me connect with a local church, group, or event where I could possibly tell our story or speak on behalf of the older orphan.

If you have other ideas, I welcome those, as well! And, of course, I will start a private Facebook page and e-mail group so I can be in contact with you to give you any important updates. Please e-mail me at ralspaug@gmail.com so I can add you.

With thanks from the bottom of the heart,

Rachelle

It's on the way!!!

As promised, the painful wait will soon be over, as Painful Waiting is set to be launched on April 14th, just 75 days away.

I know, those 75 days still seemed pretty far away yet to me, too, until I realized how much marketing needs to take place between now and then. Not for my sake. I tell you very honestly that I wouldn't care if I never received a penny for this book. But at least 20 percent of sales will go toward an international pastor who recently had to flee his country, and I would love for our family's story to bring him financial blessing. I also believe very deeply in the vision and ministry of Authenticity Book House (abhbooks.com), and I am honored to share our memoir as part of that ministry.

I am currently setting up a launch team of about 25-50 people who can help me get the word out about my book. Marketing for Unexpected Tears was a bit complicated and messy due to it being a republication of From the Mountain...to the Valley...and Back! I apologize to those of you who didn't get the message that it was not the second book.

Painful Waiting, I assure you, is that second book I've been talking about for the last two years, the story I never dreamed would unfold after the first book was published. The sequel I had no idea I would write.

This story will tug at all of your heart strings and challenge your faith on many levels. It will warm your heart, draw your tears, frustrate you to the core, give you goosebumps and warm fuzzies, break your heart for the older orphan, and make you stand in awe of a personal God who orchestrates every last detail of our lives.

I hope you will consider joining my launch team. You can contact me at ralspaug@gmail.com or search for my new Facebook page, Surviving the Valley series to find out how. In another post, I will have several levels of marketing outlined with options for you to choose from. Depending on how much or how little you'd like to help, there may be some nice surprises for you along the way.  Thank you ahead of time!

Notes with Beth

I usually like to share a bunch of my notes and thoughts and favorite quotes after I get the chance to attend any kind of big Christian conference of some kind. However, since I know Beth Moore said she's going to be airing our sessions on her television program, I don't want to spoil it for anyone who might want to watch it.

I will share a few things she said that had a deep impact on me.

"A huge purpose for why you are on this earth is on the other side of that 'no' that you keep pleading to God for a 'yes'." When you plead with God for something and He still gives you a no, "there is something He knows that you do not know."

Had I gotten the yes I pleaded for over Juan David's adoption the first time, I would have missed the chance to write so deeply about God's faithfulness in the two books I wrote about that whole adoption experience.

As she quoted, "There is something on the other side that means something in eternity."

I pray every day now that God will use something, anything, I've written to bring just one person closer to Him. One person a day.

Our loss was the hardest thing I've ever experienced, but perhaps the way I wrote about getting through it will now impact someone's eternity.

She spoke on a pretty profound word, nevertheless. How she got so much out of one word is quite perplexing to me, but the sessions went pretty deep. The word nevertheless actually is used to tie two opposing statements together, starting with a statement that seems hopeless and then adding God to the equation.  (I'm alone; nevertheless God is with me. I live in fear and anxiety; nevertheless, I will trust God.)

My favorite and most challenging quote from the weekend,

"Nevertheless is where my faith lives. That's where my God will be faithful." 

In fact, I think I will write it on a notecard and pin it up on my wall so I don't forget it. Stay tuned to Beth's program on Wednesday nights so you don't miss it when this particular teaching airs.

The Friendships of Women

My boys get on to me sometimes, saying I don't have any real close girlfriends. I guess they're right. I'm not much of a social butterfly. I'm usually pretty introverted and very focused on whatever I'm doing.

That's not to say I don't put a high value on friendship, though, and God blessed me this week with opportunities to connect with several other Christian women, all varying in ages.

Just a week ago, I was in the car with my new friend, Jan, driving back from an uplifting weekend in Houston with Beth Moore and several hundred other women on the Scripture memory team.

The following morning, I ran the booth for the Adoption Ministry at church and had a chance to chat and catch up with two fellow women's Bible study teachers who ran the Women's ministry booth beside me.

Monday I had lunch with a friend visiting from out of town, along with another dear friend that I haven't seen in a while. We all three used to meet together often for a small group and we carried each other in prayer for many years.

Thursday evening I spent a few hours having dinner and talking with several other ladies from the church who will be teaching women's Bible studies at church, one of whom I spent two cherished evenings with her family while we stayed in Colombia. How nice to reconnect here!

Friday evening I had a chance to attend a Parenting conference at church with a new friend, (who just happens to be the mom of my youngest son's female "friend"). The more we get to know each other, the more we find we have in common, besides the fact that our kids are attracted to each other. I am really thankful for this new friendship.

Made for a busier than normal week, but I feel so blessed and refreshed after spending such quality time with these lovely Christian friends, from my age to my grandma's age. I cherish each one of these friendships the same.

I also got an e-mail from another sweet friend from my writer's group, who recently edited my book, saying my book got sent to the formatter. We're so close to publication!  She completely made my day, my week, and my month. I can hardly wait to share this book with you, the true story sequel I had no idea would ever follow that first original book.

It's been a week full of blessing.

Siesta Scripture Memory Team Celebration 2016 (#SSMTC16)

What a fun, inspiring, uplifting way to start a new year--celebrating with women from all across the country who invested their time to memorize two verses a month throughout the year 2015. I met people this weekend from California, Virginia, Arizona, Washington State, Missouri, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Oregon, and other parts of Texas. (Probably more states, too, that I am not recalling at the moment.)

I am so glad my friend, Jan, told me about this amazing group of women and challenged me to join in!

If you've never heard of it, let me explain. On Beth Moore's Living Proof blog, you have an opportunity to sign up at the beginning of the year to be a Siesta team member, dedicating yourself to post and memorize a Scripture verse on the 1st and 15th of every month during the odd years. They started this in 2009, and then they have continued in the years 2011, 2013, and 2015. Then in January of the even years, they have a celebration retreat (for free) at her previous church where she served and taught for 30 or so years. There at the retreat, you get to attend an evening and a morning worship and teaching session with Beth and her worship team (with Travis Cottrell). There is also a set time for everyone to partner up with someone to recite their verses to each other, something that I found very beautiful to witness. Everywhere you walked, you saw and heard people quoting Scriptures that they'd been meditating over for the last year. Your notebook of Scriptures is your "ticket" to get in.

I will post another day about the highlights of the teaching that stood out to me, but for now I will post pictures. (Oh, and Beth just started her own TV program with Living Proof on TBN each Wednesday night, so they will be airing the teaching we sat through on her show sometime. Stay tuned to the Living Proof blog for more information.

LPM TV: http://www.bethmoore.org/TV

TBN : http://www.tbn.org/index.php/2/4/p/1826.html

TBN online: http://www.itbn.org/

So, here's my pics! 

We had front row seats the first night!

Stay tuned to the Living Proof TV program to hear the teaching on this fascinating word when used in Scripture, nevertheless.

Women writing their favorite verse on the wall.

Mine was Colossians 4:2--Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

My friend Jan in her moments of fame when she got to go up on stage to play Wheel of Favor.

Jan finding out what prize she won, the audio version of the book Audacious that she'd just bought.  

(Pictures with Beth)

Women reciting their verses to each other all over the building, and even outside.

I hope to go back in 2018 with a bigger group of women from my own church with new notebooks that say SSMT 2017.  Who's going to join me?

http://blog.lproof.org/