While I'm Waiting...I Will Serve You!

A Mother's Prayer - Rachel Aldous

A wonderful song & video!

Oh.....BOY!

Joni & I are thrilled to report that we are expecting a little BOY! Lord willing, Joel Delano Bowen will arrive on or near December 2, 2010.

Joni's doctor is very pleased with the latest ultrasound and told us that everything looks great. Thank you so much for your continued prayers!

Happy 4th Wedding Anniversary!

"Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." James 1:17

God Has Blessed Us With A Miracle!

Family / Friends,

We are thrilled to let you know we are expecting a baby! This pregnancy is truly a wonderful miracle & an amazing gift from our Lord!

WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE!

Having been in the adoption process for a year, we had hoped that we would one day be able to have biological children too. We simply did not fathom it would be in our near future!

December 2, 2010

Thank you so much for your continued prayer support!
-Rod & Joni

A devotional thought from a pair of mouth retainers?

Recently, I've been pondering the verse, Romans 2:12, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

Earlier this week, I met with an orthodontist to have new retainers created to replace my old ones that were slowly breaking down. I only wear the retainers at night, so I did not realize the slow breakdown of the old retainers was actually allowing my teeth to slowly move from the position the braces had placed them years ago.

Well, I didn't realize THAT IS until my new retainers were placed onto my teeth this week.

Ouch!

The new retainers totally disrupted my first night of sleep. I could literally feel my teeth slowly moving. Needing to get these teeth back into the correct positions, I decided to keep the retainers in my mouth the next couple of days. Slowly, the pain began to ease. Now, at day 3, there is little pain..just a slight tenderness on the gums.

I am really surprised that my teeth had moved THAT MUCH.

To the eye, they looked the same.

As I ate, I never noticed any issues.

That is when this verse in Romans really started to stick into my head.

Like the retainers, I must remember that I need to keep myself fastened into God's word, DAILY! The Bible is the "retainer" that keeps my mind anchored in Him and living in His direction for life. Without, I will begin to shift from the place He has positioned me in Him...slowly...unnoticed by others or even me...I will drift away farther from Him.

Romans 2:12, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

Thanks for your continued prayers.

Family & Friends,

Thanks so much for your continued prayers these past two weeks while the MS agency was trying to locate the birthmother in order to get her back into the office to make the decision. Our agency just notified us the birthmother has chosen another family.

I just spoke to Joni, and we are both happy to hear a decision has finally been made. Of course, we are disappointed that we were not selected, but we are more excited to know the little boy will NOW have a family to care for him.

Please continue to pray for that little boy and his adoptive family that the transition/attachment/bonding will be seamless between them.

Thanks again for your continued prayers for us, too

:) -Rodney