Looking back, moving forward :0)

Looking back: seeing how faithful God has been..

October 2010
     God has been growing the Gurleys !

  I am sure most of you already know that our family has decided to adopt two children.
     We loved these children from the start and wanted nothing less than Gods best for them.
These children helped us to see what is really important in this life.
   We put much prayer into this decision!   This didn't make sense in our heads but God had put it in our hearts.  Mike set out to be a good servant for those ten days but God had bigger plans...
  One by one, each one of our children came to us, knowing that this is what God has called our family to do.
We all know that our God is big enough!
 We believe God has called us to this adoption.
         It is unbelievable how natural it seems for them to be apart of our family.
    
            April 12,2012
Abbie and Gage have been here for One year today!
Reading the first blog and thinking about the last year, we can testify that OUR God IS BIG ENOUGH!
I can say that we are so fortunate to have had a great first year.  We have had hurdles to jump and hills to climb in adjusting but through it all We can say God has been good....
Gage and Abbie have adjusted well. Gage is  eleven and finishing up the forth grade. He is a sweet child with a big heart. He has a stubborn streak a mile long. That makes him fit right in. Abbie will be sixteen on the nineteenth of this month. She will start the tenth grade in August. Abbie accepted Christ as her savior on January 29th.
Abbie is still a chatter box , a drama queen, and a true girly girl.
Thinking about this past year, I can hardly believe it has gone so fast! I can not brag on God enough . He is awesome . We still are so unworthy but We know that little is much when God is in it.
A sincere Thank you for all the kindness, love and support that has been showed to our family over the last year and most of all thank you all for your prayers .

Leeann
P.s. God is still growing Gurleys! Justin will marry in August. God has blessed Him with Callie and we are thankful for her.

Time to blog is hard to find.  I just had to share how good our God is.
 
    This week Abbie called me into her room. She was so excited to tell me that God was working in her heart. She began to pat her chest with excitement and wipe away the tears as she shared how God was showing her the things that she thought was so important when she came here like (boys, clothes, music) was not  nearly as important as she thought. She told me that she wanted to change a project that she was working on at school. (shopping in the Ukraine) Abbie went on to tell me of a demonstration that was shared in church on Sunday and how she felt like God wanted her to use this as her project for school. So she changed the story for her project and made it about her personally.  Mike taped Abbie sharing her project . Abbie told her class how God has  helped her and how He can help them.
    Watching this video, Carson commented "Its amazing what God can do in such a short time". Abbie and Gage have been here for 6 months.  They new very little about God when they came.  I cannot tell you how good God is!

    If God nudges your heart to do something (and its out of your comfort zone) please don't let fear hold you back.  Trust and obey their is no other way...

SOWETH AND REAPING

GALATIONS 6:7 FOR WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP...

AS I COME HOME TODAY TO A HOUSE FULL OF SCREAMING AND FUSSING AND A TEN YEAR OLD 
BEING IN TOTAL DEFIANCE OF HIS MOTHER. I HAVE TO SAY THAT I HAD MORE FLASH BACKS 
OF MY CHILDHOOD. WE HAVE RAISED 4 BIO CHILDREN WITH VERY MINIMAL ISSUES THANK 
GOD. BUT I SEE ME REAPING MY YOUTHS OATS WITH ONE RIGHT NOW. ITS NEVER ANYTHING 
OF A BIG ISSUE TOO START WITH IT'S LIL THINGS LIKE READ THE LAST THREE SENTENCES 
OF YOUR READING BOOK OR PUT YOUR CLOTHES IN THE HAMPER THAT START WORLD WAR 987 
FOR US BUT WHO'S COUNTING. I AM STILL AMAZED AND IN AWE ABOUT THE CHANCE TO 
CHANGE THE LIVES OF TWO CHILDREN GOD HAS GIVIN US. HE NEVER PROMISED THAT THE 
CROSS WOULDN'T GET HEAVY. BUT I KEEP ASKING MYSELF WHY WAS I SO BAD? WHY DID I 
SOW SOO MUCH AS A CHILD? WHAT WAS I THINKING??? WE HAVE HAD ALOT OF DIFFERENT 
EMOTIONS AND QUESTIONS SINCE WE HAVE STARTED TO SETTLE IN GOOD WITH OUR NEW 
FOUND WAY OF LIFE.  CAN YOU SAY IT'S NEVER BEEN A DULL MOMENT.  WE GO FROM ONE 
DAY I WANNA GO BACK TO THE HOME IN MARIPOL, TO MOMA I WANT YOU TO ADOPT ANOTHER 
GIRL FROM THE UKRAINE SO THAT I WILL HAVE SOMEONE TO TALK TO:::GAGE IS ALWAYS IN 
TROUBLE AND CARSON WHICH IS PLAYING FOOTBALL NEVER COMES HOME.. SOO I DON'T SAY 
ANY OF THIS FOR ANY REASON OTHER THAN FOR OTHER PEOPLE WHO MAY READ THIS AND IS 
GOING THRU SOME OF THE SAME KIND OF ISSUES. YOUR NOT IN THE BOAT ALONE. I DON'T 
LIKE TO SUGAR COAT THINGS IT KINDA CRAMPS MY STYLE.. I KNOW THAT GOD WILL MAKE 
THIS TRIAL A BLESSING  AND HE WILL MAKE YOURS A BLESSING AS WELL..WE HAVE ISSUES 
YOUR FAMILY HAS ISSUES BUT IN GODS EYES WE ARE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS WORK.. 
FOR THOSE WHO ARE ON THE FENCE TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH TRUST HIM. GIVE IT TO HIM. 
GO ALONG FOR THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE. HMMMMM YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE MISSING 
UNTIL YOU TRUST HIM AND PUT YOUR FAITH IN HIM... WHY DID I SAY ALL OF THAT I 
DON'T KNOW FOR SURE BUT I WOULD DO EVERYTHING OVER AGAIN IF I HAD THE CHANCE TOO 
TURN BACK TIME..... NOW FOR OUR KIDS SAKE WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON ENGLISH WITH 
TEACHERS ALL SUMMER LONG AND HAVE MADE SOME LEADWAY IN GETTING READY FOR 
SCHOOL.. WHICH ACTUALLY STARTED FOR US THIS PAST MONDAY AND LET ME TELL YOU 
SOMETHING ELSE HOW CONFUSED MY KIDS ARE THEY ARE MAD BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GO TO 
SCHOOL ON SATURDAYS I BET THAT WON'T LAST LONG IN THIS CULTURE. THE BLOGGING 
TIME GETS HARDER AND HARDER TO FIND TIME BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO MY NEW 
NORTHERN FRIENDS I HAVE MEET THROUGH THIS JOURNEY:::: KEEP THE FAITH FIGHT A 
GOOD FIGHT.. SOME OF Y'ALL HAVE HAD SOME HORRIFIC TRIALS WITH YOUR JOURNEY I 
STAND IN AWE IN YOUR FAITH... I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE TEARS OF PAIN FROM YOUR 
HEARTS..BUT GOD KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING... I LEAVE YOU WITH THIS THOUGHT AGAIN 
""WE CAN'T CHANGE THE WORLD BUT WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD OF A CHILD"""


Psalms 66:1
 God didn’t deliver them from the fire; He delivered them through the fire. 
Maybe you are going through the fire today. Know that God is with you. He’s 
doing a work in you, and He’s displaying His glory through you. Remember, on the 
other side of the fire is a place of abundance and blessing! Stand strong and 
see the fulfillment of the promises He has in store for you!

YAHOO DON'T WE SERVE A AWESOME GOD!!!!!!

THANKS FOR READING THE GURLEYS


Have a wonderful day. And GOD bless

IF IT WAS GOD THAT BROUGHT YOU TOO IT HE WILL BRING YOU THRU IT

15.5 HOURS ON THE PHONE WITH AIRLINE

149 HOURS OF TRAVEL

21,600 MILES OF PLANE RIDE

48 HOURS ON A TRAIN

28 DAYS OUT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

COST: GOD DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE,,,FOR OUR FAMILY PRICELESS!!!!! 

 

 

" I HAVE FOUND OUT WHY PEOPLE DONT BLOG AFTER THEY GET HOME"

WELL I GUESS YOU HAVE BEEN WONDERING WHERE I HAVE BEEN WELL TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH I HAVE BEEN DOING THE SAME THING AS YOU...CAN YOU SAY WOW!!!!!!!   I CAN EVEN IN RUSSIAN..WELL HERE IS A QUICK UPDATE ON WHAT IS GOING ON SINCE I HAVE LAST HAD TIME TO WRITE... I MADE IT OUT OF THE UKRAINE MOSTLY IN TACK SOME BATTLE SCARES TO GO ALONG WITH A HECK OF A STORY.. FIRST HERE IS A RABBIT I NEED TO RUN... FOLKS LISTEN IF YOU DONT EVER LISTEN TO A DUMB PORK-N-BEAN SALESMAN AGAIN LISTEN TO THIS::::::  YOUR GONNA HAVE YOUR NEW YUNGGENS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE IT"S NOT FAIR TO PICK THEM UP FROM THE HOME UNTIL YOU DONT HAVE TOO..  DONT THINK YOUR GONNA HAVE SOME SORTA MINI VACATION WITH YOUR CHILD AND TIME TO BOND... TRUST ME  TRUST ME DONT SPEND 7 DAYS WITH THEM WAITING FOR THEIR PASSPORTS, AND VISAS GET IT ALL THAT YOU CAN DO DONE THEN AT THE LAST MINUTE GO AND GET THEM... I AM NOT INTO SPREADING MY DIRTY LAUNDRY OVER WWW.  BUT IF YOU WILL CALL ME I WILL BE HAPPY TO EXPLAIN IT IN REAL TERMS..BUT THERE I WAS IN KIEV WAITING ON A PASSPORT WHAT DO YOU KNOW ONE MAN FAILS TO SHOW UP FOR WORK THAT DAY TO STAMP THE KIDS PASSPORT SO WE WERE A DAY LATE WITH THEM. THAT PUT US IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUDGET WAR IN THE US ON THAT FRIDAY. AS I SAT IN THE EMBASSEY THAT FRIDAY MORNING TO GET THE VISAS I DIDNT KNOW WHETHER WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET OUT ON MONDAY IT IS A TWO DAY PROCESS.. IF THE US GOVERNMENT WAS TO DECIED TO PLAY POLITICS AND SHUT THE GOVERNMENT DOWN THE I WOULD HAVE BEEN STUCK IN THE UKRAINE UNTIL IT WAS OVER...THE DAY BEFORE I WAS ACTUALLY SICK AT MY STOMACH FROM WORRYING ABOUT IT... BUT I HAD SAT AND WORRIED LONG ENOUGH TO THINK OF A WAY OUT AND BACK INTO THE COUNTRY WITH THE CHILDREN MY ONLY PROBLEM WAS THE CHILDRENS PAPERS I DIDNT HAVE CONTACTS TO FORGE ANY IMMAGRATION PAPERWORK.. #2.. I HAD EVEN FIGURED OUT HOW TO GET TWO US SENATORS  ON THE PHONE TO HELP ME.. BUT I HAD FAILED TO GIVE THOSE WORRIES TO GOD  I WAS TRYING TO MAKE THIS A MIKE GURLEY PROBLEM, BUT THIS JOURNEY WAS ABOUT GODS PLAN FOR ME.. I WAS JUST TOO HARD HEADDED TO GIVE IT TOO HIM.. I HAD FORGOTTEN TO TELL MY PROBLEM HOW BIG MY GOD WAS.... THE BUDGET WAR WAS OVER WITH THE USUAL SONG AND DANCE IN WASHINGTON AND AFTER 5 TRIPS TO THE US EMBASSY FOR THE RECORD "IT USUALLY ONLY TAKES 2"  BUT THE OTHER 3 I GUESS WAS GODS HUMOR IN IT..WE WERE GONE OUT OF THE UKRAINE ON THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY..14 HOUR PLANE TRIP I WAS IN THE GREAT STATE OF GEORGIA..

 

OUR KLAN IS FINE WE HAVE BEEN HOME FOR 22 DAYS AND WE HAVE BEEN AS I WOULD LIKE TO CALL A FULL "BLENDER"  YOU KNOW HOW WHEN YOU PUT TOO MUCH MILK AND ICECREAM IN A BLENDER YOU KNOW WHEN YOU MASH THE BUTTON ITS GONNA GO EVERY WHERE WELL THATS US   WE ARE FULL AND I SOMETIMES THINK THE DEVIL HAS HIS FINGER ON THE BUTTON READY TO MASH IT... GIVE A LITTLE MORE TIME WE WILL BE READY FOR THE SPIN CYCLE.. TODAY GAGE AND ABBIE BOTH STARTED SCHOOL AND THEY CLAIM TO HAVE HAD A GOOD DAY.. WE SHALL SEE ABOUT THIS SCHOOL THING MY HOPE IS THAT THEY WILL FIND SCHOOL; TO BE FUN AND WANT TOO LEARN..

 

SO IF YOU HAVE READ THIS MUCH THEN I FEEl SURE YOU READ TO THE BOTTOM  HERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME I HAVE HEARD FROM FRIENDS, SOME I READ FROM SOMEONES BLOG, SOME I HONESTLY DONT REMEMBER WHY I HAVE IT IN MY HEAD BUT ITS GOTTA COME OUT.:: PS. SORRY FOR ANY RAMBLING

 

THIS IS WHAT KEEPS COMING THRU MY MIND THE MOST::

 

"THERE ARE NO BAD CHILDREN ONLY UNPREPARED PARENTS"

 

I CAN'T CHANGE THE WORLD BUT I CAN CHANGE THE WORLD OF A CHILD..

 

IT'S TIME WE STOP PUTTING PICTURES OF ORPHANS ON OUR REFRIGERATORS AND START FEEDING ORPHANS OUT OF OUR REFRIDGERATORS....

 

 

 I left a lot of kids back at the orphanage wondering why they weren't chosen. Wondering if someone would pursue them and pay the price in so many ways they aren't even aware of.  I do know that taking care of the defenseless and those who find themselves in places and situations outside of their control is NOT a calling it has the tone and tenor of a command. Anyone who thinks that we, as Christians are called to affluent lifestyles and that God simply wouldn't want that for them is a fool. Those who feel the least qualified(me)need to do this. Don't be a member of the "Pansy Christian" crew. God has no use for those who cloak themselves in comfort and buy in to the notion, "You're Best Life Now". That view of the Christian life is nothing short of a load of false teaching crap! What about the best life now for those who are in the greatest need? Trust me; if you're one of those who have the lifestyle of home ownership, good job, great kids, way to many gadgets, comfort beyond description, routines that cannot be altered and are making you feel safe-you ARE thee very ones who need to get out of the rut, take a chance, walk in faith and make a difference. Don't be the servant who buried the talent. Again, God has NO USE for inaction, none!!!!!! It's NOT a ticket to heaven, it's a ticket to a deeper, closer relationship and understanding of Gods will.

GOD DOESN'T CALL THE QUALIFIED,HE QUALIFIES THE CALLED...IS HE CALLING YOU?  ARE YOU WORRIED YOU CANT HANDLE IT?  YOU CAN'T... BUT HE CAN IF HE'S CALLED YOU TO IT!!!!!!!!!  

 

I AM OUTTA HERE AFTER THIS ONE...ONE DAY WE MUST ALL STAND BEFORE GOD AND HAVE TO ANSWER NOT FOR OUR SINS "THEY ARE FORGIVEN" BUT FOR WHAT WE HAVE DONE OR NOT DONE...

 

THE GRASS CAN'T GET NO GREENER ,,AND LIFE CANT GET NO SWEETER!!!!!

 

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR PRAYER,LOVE AND SUPPORT   THE GURLEYS

welcome home!!!