NEW YEARS GIVEAWAY: Love is Waiting

Thank you all SO MUCH for sharing your joys and struggles with us through this giveaway.  What a blessing that you are allowing our ministry to uplift you through this crazy roller coaster ride of adoption/fostering and, ultimately, parenting.  We are thankful for you!  Happy New Year!

This giveaway is closed.  Winner: Kim Nantz

2013 is drawing to a close which provides an excellent opportunity for reflection as well as contemplation.  As we each take the time to count our blessings individually, we would like to do the same as a team.

First, reflection: 2013 will always be an important year for the Joy in the Journey ministry as this was the year of it's birth.  When the team began earlier this year, we never dreamed that the Lord would grow it so quickly.  We started with the mission to encourage and connect adoptive and foster families and we believe that God has richly blessed His mission through this blog, our Facebook group, and (more recently) through other social media.  We are so thankful to be a part of this journey.  

Secondly, contemplation:  The truth is, the future of this ministry is completely in His hands.  We know that we will continue working around the clock to bring you information, encouragement, and connection through the blog, the retreat in February, and our social media sites.  But, past that, what God has planned is beyond the scope of our imagination and is His to reveal in His time.  We do know that our team of four is committed to this ministry and that it is no accident that each of us shares a passion for adoptive families.  We also know that whatever the future of this journey, we will approach it with JOY as followers of the One who provides that joy!

To show how much we appreciate all of you who are here to help us reflect on an amazing year for this new ministry, we are bringing you {another} giveaway!  This time, it's from an awesome ministry called Love is Waiting.  Here's their story:

Our adoption journey started in 2010, when we decided to adopt a baby boy from Ethiopia. We were buried in paperwork and had a few different fundraisers going, one of which was a t-shirt shop! 

 I designed a couple of t-shirts to sell to help with our expenses, but I didn't just want them to be "throw away" shirts. I didn't want people feeling obligated to buy them and then stuff them in the back of a drawer. I wanted people to buy the shirts because they LOVED them. I made sure the printing was perfect. I splurged on expensive t-shirt blanks. I thought long and hard about the designs… and it worked! people LOVED the shirts! They loved them so much that we even after our adoption was fully paid for, and our son had been home for TWO YEARS… people were still asking about the shirts! How amazing is that?! 

I decided that I had to reopen the store, but this time give funds to OTHER families who need help with adoption expenses. Now we feature a new family each week! We share their story on the blog and 20% of the sales from that week will go towards their adoption! 

I have loved partnering with families in this way and I hope that this little shop grows and grows!  And, we are currently taking new families!  If you'd like to be one of our sponsored families, contact me {Heather} at mrs.heatherhale@gmail.com.

Wouldn't you LOVE to score a Love is Waiting shirt for free??  Here's how you can be entered to win one:

{One entry for each separate comment for a total of up to four entries}

1. Comment on this blog post with one thing that has brought you Joy in 2013.

2. Comment on this blog post with one thing that you are looking forward to in 2014.

3. Comment on the corresponding FB post with one thing that has brought you Joy in 2013.

4. Comment on the corresponding FB post with one thing that you are looking forward to in 2014.

Entries will be accepted for 48 hours only, midnight 12/30/13 to midnight 1/1/14.

Winner will be announced the morning of 1/1/14.