Apple Pickin FUN!

Today we went to Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge, GA. It was beautiful. I still have to pinch myself that we live in this amazing part of the country! Gods master piece, his creation, is SO fun to explore! We PICKED apples right off the tree and drank yummy fresh apple cider...so amazing!

When we were driving home we were rocking out to the PASSION CD! Wow I love that CD! I was singing to Natalie and I had an amazing thought...last year at this time we had NO idea that God had picked Natalie for us! But just like apples have to wait to be picked until they are perfectly perfect, the weather is just right, and the trees are heavy with reds, pinks, greens and golden deliciousness...we have to wait on the Lord!

He PICKS our blessings...and when the time is right...he allows us to experience that blessing in its FULL GLORY!

In order to get to the U-Pick section of the orchard a lovely tractor took us for a ride on its trailer :) The ride was bumpy, dusty, hot and SO MUCH FUN! And it was beautiful. We drove past the section where they are planting strawberries for next year, drove past the cherry orchard and peaches! GLORIOUS! Then we arrived at our destination...and my friend and I were like children on CHRISTMAS! Who knew picking apples right off the tree would be such a worshipful experience.

Our journey to get to the U-PICK section of the orchard is much like our journey to ALLOWING GOD TO PICK FOR US! He picks the most amazing fruit...he desires for US to trust him and allow him to work! His season for harvest is perfect. He is RIGHT ON TIME and delivers some of the most amazing blessings. We don't have to figure out what works best for us, our family or our timeline! He knows the right time...when we will be ready and when our blessing will be ready! He invites us on a journey to experience him, sometimes it will be bumpy, dusty and hot...but it will be SO MUCH FUN and SO BEAUTIFUL! He works ALL THINGS together for our good...see from his perspective!

Jesus...U-PICK for me!

He LOVES us...a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck!

1st Wednesday...

The 1st Wednesday of every month we do a service at church that is focused on Worship, Communion and Baptism! This is a time for families to worship together and take the Lords Supper...its a powerful time!

At the August 1st Wednesday Jackson cried and begged Jason to get baptized that night. Jason told him that we wanted to wait until next 1st Wednesday so we could really make sure he understood what baptism meant. We talk about it all the time with him but we wanted to take a whole month and focus on what it means!

Jason and him spent time together talking about the symbol of baptism and why we follow in baptism after we accept Christ! **Jackson accepted Christ in Sept 2008 in our van, in his Christian Preschool parking lot...he is so funny telling the story!

Jason drew some pictures for Jackson explaining all the details:

On the 1st Wednesday of September, last wednesday, Jason came home early from work to spend a little more time with Jackson before the 1st Wednesday service. We talked about it again, had him tell us what it meant...and then he said...I'm not ready yet! So we said...okay that's fine! You wait until you are ready!

Worship was AMAZING, our RevBand is SO talented! Its a beautiful worship experience each weekend! Our Worship Pastor has done an amazing job demonstrating what true Worship is!

After worship we took communion as a family...Jackson got in trouble because he ate his "bread" before we even started doing the communion (I had asked him 3 times to wait for his dad)! We prayed as a family and then Jason went back up to the front to get prepared for baptisms.
I LOVE baptisms...I LOVE watching people proclaim their FAITH & LOVE for Jesus! Its powerful EVERY TIME...I don't want it to EVER get old!

Once everyone who was in line got baptized, Jason asked if there was anyone else who would like to get baptized. A few seconds later I saw a lady walking down the isle, she was ready to follow in obedience! It was powerful...she has MS and she needed help getting in and out of the baptismal...but she was determined to proclaim that she was a Christ Follower!
Her obedience gave Jackson the courage he needed, he looked at me after watching her struggle and said "Mom, I'm ready!" So I told him to go tell his dad...and I honestly don't have any clue how we held it together!! It was life changing for us!

Jackson also wanted Josh Boggs, one of our RevKids Volunteers to be a part of his baptism, our RevKids Ministry is amazing!


1st Wednesday was amazing...it challenged me! If a 6 year old and a woman with MS can stand in front of a whole church and say "I LOVE JESUS WITH MY LIFE AND ACTIONS", then so can you, so can I! The same power that raised Jesus out of the grave is the SAME power that will live within you when you accept him as your Savior! He is a force to be reckoned with and he desires us to follow him! Proclaim HIM...you never know how your obedience will effect the generations younger than you!

What God is doing at Revolution Church absolutely blows me away! He is moving in lives...with a strong and mighty power! He desires for his people to be changed and to be passionate about him...that's happening at REV CHURCH! So grateful to be a part of this movement in GA!


And lets end this post with a picture of Jackson's very HAPPY little sister...our sweet Natalie Grace! God has been so gracious to us...we are so unworthy yet through HIM he allows us to parent these precious children!

A failed adoption....

***I was cleaning out my "Drafts folder" here on my blog and I came across this post I had written but never posted! I remember these feelings of a failed adoption so vividly...and I wouldn't trade ANY of our story! Its all part of God's plan to bring Natalie to us! I know some of you who read this blog have experienced a failed adoption...your child is coming...and GOD will blow you away with his perfect timing! Praying for you!


August 18th, 2009

Oh goodness...the emotions rage when you know that the adoption you had been praying for starts falling apart before your eyes!!! On Tuesday, April 28th when we got our call I thought that was the REAL call...little did I know that only 2 weeks later we would receive the phone call from Sara letting us know that our birthmom must have changed her mind since they couldn't get a hold of her.

IT HURTS!!!!! ITS PAINFUL!!! No amount of encouragement helps in the middle of the chaos. You cry, you scream, you snap....its as if you have an outer body experience.

I lost control...I lost my joy...I lost the drive to keep going...I GAINED weight...I ate...and I cried!!! I'm just saying...I had REAL emotions...I didn't just sit at home and in a calm voice say "it will be okay." Nope, it effected me in ways I cant even explain.

I know without a shadow of a doubt that God is HOLY, that HIS time is perfect, that he wants me to desire HIM above anything else...but I'm not gonna fake it...this journey is HARD!!!! But God's Word says "WHEN you go through trials...." I'm not a Christ Follower who believes...just follow Jesus and everything will be perfect! NO WAY...being a Christ Follower is MESSY, people turn on you, people think you are CRAZY...people try to talk you out of your purpose!!! Following Jesus isn't for wimps...its for the desperate people who KNOW they need a Savior!!!

Through all of this over the last 4 months...and the last 18 months of waiting...my FOCUS has been on Jesus. We are adopting because we feel lead by the Holy Spirit to take care of orphans (James 1)! I want HIM and HIM alone to reap all the glory for this journey. I don't want a pat on the back, I don't want a celebration of Jason and Lindsey Gerdes, I don't want people to look at us and say...WOW...I want EVERYONE's focus to be on GOD, the Creator of Life, the Giver of Breath, the Author of Adoption.

So if anything...this adoption hasn't been a failure...its been fruitful...Ive learned more than I ever could think imaginable! Ive prayed prayers that scare me, Ive laid flat on my face for hours and begged the Lord for guidance, strength, perseverance, deliverance, and peace!