REDEMPTION! The Lord has done GREAT things and we are FILLED with JOY!

"Yes, the LORD has done amazing things for us! 

What joy!"

Psalm 126:3, NLT

Four years ago today (Dec 28th), we attended a service with many of you - the Celebration of Ellie Kate's Life, full of dancing, pink balloons, cookies, and even art.  We heard from precious Elders and Pastors who spoke life to all of us through God's Word.  We worshiped the Lord together, and collectively thanked God for Our Daughter's Beautiful Life - a life so short and yet a life that left a daily impact upon me as her mother, and a life who left an impact on so many of you as well.  Watch Ellie Kate's Life Celebration Here: EK Life Celebration 2012

During the time of mourning and healing these past four years; during this time of soul-searching, learning who we are in Christ, learning God’s character . . . we’ve heard so much.  

 We've heard about God's faithfulness and of His goodness.  

• We've been told that, "Everything happens for a reason" and that Ellie Kate's death wasn't purposeless or "In vain".
• We have heard of His Providence and that NOTHING can happen outside of what He allows or even causes
• We've heard that God knows our hearts and our desires and that He even places certain desires in our hearts; that He FULFILLS the desires of our hearts that will bring Him glory and those that will be for our good.
• We've been told of God's radical, reckless love for us and for our children - of His love for ALL of our children, even the little girl who suffered and died.
• We have heard that God will cause ALL of this - the good, the bad, the ugly - to work together for OUR good and for HIS glory, and that the same is true for our children.



But in all of this, what DO we believe and why?

 Do I still stand by what I've said I believe and that which

I believe God to has shown me in the past?

Has God changed? 

• I don't pretend to have tasted the worst this life has to offer.  All I know is what we've been through and what we've faced and that, has felt like a spiritual death, a mental death, an emotional death so many times over, and if it weren't for God's faithfulness and for the Hope He gives us through eternal life, we would have succumb to these trials in some way, shape or form.  

• We have felt like we've walked through the Valley of the Shadow of Death (Psalm 23:4).
• At times, we've felt abandoned by God and haven't felt His presence.  We've had to learn to choose to trust Him, trust His promises, because nothing else has made sense.  Lord, I believe!  Help my unbelief (Mark 9:24)!  
• We have truly experienced "groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26)", and I know so many of you can relate to this deep crushing of your spirits.  
• We've wondered if God would fulfill His promises - if He would indeed cause things to work for our good, for the good of our living children (we know He's worked it for Ellie Kate's good bc she is complete and whole with Jesus).

Where we've experienced "groanings too deep for words", we are now experiencing JOY too immense of human definition.  

Where we've walked "through the Valley of the Shadow of Death", we are now skipping through the mountaintops of new life and new beginnings!  

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There are people reading this today and God has a message for some of you.

 It’s a clear message:

Sweet Momma, Our Father-God wants you to know that He IS working intimately and intricately on your behalf and on behalf of your children.  You will see His Victory soon and you will see the goodness on behalf of your children!

Struggling Daddy, Our Good, Father is taking care of ALL of your needs - emotional, mental and physical, so listen to His voice.  He's taking care of your precious children too. You will see His Victory soon and you will see the goodness on behalf of your children!  It will be better than you could ever have planned!

 

On December 23^rd 2012, Ellie Kate left this earth to spend eternity with Jesus. 

 On that day four years ago, we held Ellie for the last time and it took my breath away, as I watched them wrap that sweet body in a white sheet, carrying Ellie Kate out to a van and driving her away from us forever. 

On December 23^rd, 2016, Bowen Jane McLaughlin was born into our family through adoption.  This past Friday, God took my breath away when I witnessed our fifth child being born; when the doctor wrapped Bowen Jane in a white blanket of sorts, and handed her to me to hold forever.  On Christmas Morning, we welcomed Bowen into our home.

Who, but God could make this happen in such an extraordinarily exquisite way?!  Better than we could ever dream up or ever begin to hope. 

Without yet going into details, I can tell you that we are going through a private attorney, who is a precious Believer and friend.  Through God's goodness, we were connected to the birth mom through one of Ellie Kate's former home health nurses.  NO doubt, Ellie Kate has played a big role in all of this and we wouldn't have our Bowen Jane without our eldest daughter, of that we are sure.

This most certainly came to us, out of nowhere, although we had publically expressed our desire for adopting and had shared the things God so fiercely laid on our hearts, burning it even brighter starting December 18th, 2015, when He led me to post about it on FB.  

The process has involved friends and strangers, Believers and those who do not know the Lord yet personally.  We’ve become close to our Birth Mom and to her little family.  Mike and I rest, knowing we have literally stood back and watched God at work.  We haven’t pushed or prodded or even sought things out.  We’ve sought godly counsel from our Home Church, from Dear Friends, from other parents who’ve gone through adoption, and from parents who’ve adopted after burying a child with special needs.  God has so literally surrounded us with a great cloud of fully-knowledgeable people who’ve spoken truth into our lives during these last many months.

  

 

 

REDEEM: to buy back, repurchase; to get or win back. 
 To repair or restore.

Through these four short years, moments of which have seemed agonizingly long, God has shown Himself to each of us in real ways, and the greatest way He has done that is through the birth of Miss Bowen Jane McLaughlin, this perfect baby girl who was born on Ellie Kate's Fourth Heaven Day, December 23th.  

She is Our Daughter, whom God has called us to adopt,
Our Daughter whom God has so clearly given to us! 

While so much of Our Journey remains a mystery, with confidence,

I CAN tell you the following . . . 

• For the Believer, God REDEEMS that which has been lost. God redeems us as humans, giving us eternal life with Him and abundant life here on earth.  God REDEEMS the broken things - the things we break on our own, because of our sin.  He redeems the things stolen by this broken, evil world

• God IS GOOD, even when it doesn't feel like it, ESP when it doesn't feel like it or when you can't see it.
• God IS working it all for your good, for the good of your children, for the good of ALL who love Him.  You can trust Him, no matter what, even if you must CHOOSE to trust. 
• God doesn't think any less or any different of you when you question Him or when you choose to trust (when you don't feel like trusting), or even when you or can't feel Him.  This doesn't make you any less of a Believer.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  
• 
  
   Your Father loves you the same, no matter what you say or what you do!  There is NOTHING that can change His amount of love for you nor the giddy, passionate way He feels about you as His Child! 
• God listens to the desires of your heart, Friend.  Oftentimes, He places those desires IN your heart so he knows them before you do!  God WILL fulfill those beautiful desires, the ones which seem so impossible, the ones you know that the Father-God gave to you.

 You just wait and see, Friends - if He's done it for us, He will do it for you.  REDEMPTION.  He WILL redeem what you are facing, what you've been through and what you will soon go through.  He WILL turn mourning into dancing, just as He promises for us as Believers.  Don't lose hope.  CHOOSE to believe Him, even when you don't feel like it

(esp when you don't feel like it), Mark 9:24.  

Conner, Meeting Ellie Kate for the first time - Dec 5, 2005

Bowen Jane, Going Home - December 25, 2016

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Our hearts are overflowing with humbleness, with gratitude,

with thankfulness as we look in awe at God's Providence. 

Will we still hurt?  Absolutely, and I imagine we will hurt even more deeply than we've experienced thus far, as reality sets in and we come to know that Ellie Kate won't get to love on or play with Bowen here on earth.  Bowen Jane the only sibling who won't have a chance to remember EK and wasn't able to see her in her earthly body like the others.  I find myself accidently calling Lucy, "Ellie Kate" during these last days bc it seems so similar to what we've already faced.  Ellie was just this size, just the same, when we brought Lucy home.  There will be many things that will be difficult in the days to come, and we aren't ignoring that.

We KNOW the heartache will continue and we know that Satan will come to steal our joy and our hope.  We KNOW too though, now more than EVER before,

how FAITHFUL AND TRUE Our God is!

We thank you for your continued prayers over this month of December - a month so full of heartache and now joy, as well.  We thank you too for your many texts, calls, emails, and messages as you've encouraged us with your words during Ellie Kate's Month of Reckless Love. 
 Thank you for saying her name, “Ellie Kate”.  
Thank you for sharing her story. 
 Thank you for recklessly loving, serving and giving to those around you!  

Miss Ellie Kate McLaughlin

If you ever have doubted God's existence, look upon Our Story.  HE.IS.REAL. He is active and alive; He is good Father.  Soon, you will be here in our position, telling others about His goodness and the fulfillment of His promises!

Ellie Kate, Dec 2005

Bowen Jane, Dec 2016

  

We are proof though, that God WILL, CAN and DOES so gladly take the Broken and make it into something more beautiful than anything ANYONE in the world could ever, possibly imagine!!!

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen", Ephesians 3:20-21

 With Our Love and with Thanksgiving beyond Description,

Mike, Ryan, Conner, Henry,
Lucy Belle, Bowen Jane (and Ellie Kate from Heaven)!

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Many sweet friends have asked about end-of-year giving, so with that in mind, we share the following information (simply click on the links below):

• NKH Crusaders - Supporting Research - funds donated go solely toward NKH research at the University of Colorado and Denver Children's Hospital, or the research efforts at Notre Dame University, and/or the new research efforts at Boston Children's Hospital

• OKC Hope Link - the 501c3 God led us to start in 2007,  ministering to families whose children suffer from rare, serious and undiagnosed disorders / outreach to families who have lost children due to disease or illness
• McLaughlin Family Medical Fund - through Helping Hands Ministries, a 501c3 which pays medical bills directly or reinmburses via medical receipt (seen under 'Ellie Kate Memorial Fund').

"For Unto Us a Child is Born"

WARNING: This Post is one of my longest one's to date.  However, I PROMISE that it is rich, meaningful and has some VERY exciting surprises along the way!  So, read it all at once, read it in small bits, or only read the parts that interest you (I've labeled each section for easier reading).  Also, a big "thank you" to everyone for their patience and understanding as I've been without a working phone and without a working computer at home - yippee (sarcasm)!  

For those reading via phone or tablet - Blogger has seen fit to change the format of this post with extra highlights and confusing paragraph changes; for that, I sincerely apologize.  Hopefully all will be able to read this in it's entirety and hopefully, it will all make some sort of sense (despite the grammatical "differences"). In all seriousness and with all of my heart, I wish you the Merriest of Christmases!

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"For Onto Us a Child is Born"

Miss Ellie Kate starring as an Angel 

in the Church Christmas Program 2009

Christmas Songs. They fill our homes, our cars, our churches, and even our shopping malls. I remember one Christmas Season, when Charlie Hall was our Worship Pastor at Bridgeway Church,  he brought to our attention something uniquely special about this season:  Christmas - it's the ONLY season, the only time on earth, where Christ's name is proudly proclaimed out in the public arena, within our communities, throughout the airwaves,  and seemingly everywhere you go. How incredible is it that Our Lord's Name is being sung and proclaimed, even by those who do not know Him?! Do you ever sit back and fully take in the words of these beloved Christmas Carols, understanding the truth coming through the lyrics and rhymes?

Take this popular one, a favorite for many:

Oh holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt it's worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn . . . 

Fall On Your Knees!

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease!
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name!


And one of my VERY favorites, which clearly shows the longing of Advent . . . one I can relate to, with mourning and yearning for My Savior to meet me - not only for Salvation, but for daily life, hope and peace . . . 

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appears
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.



Advent - many of us celebrate it in our churches and with our families, but what does it truly mean?  The dictionary tells us that "advent" means "waiting or anticipating the arrival of something".  We celebrate Advent in the days leading up to the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ on Christmas Day. It's a holy remembrance of the history of Our People, as Christ-Followers.  It's the marked anticipation our forefathers once knew and so vividly tasted as they lived in a world without a Savior, without the Holy Spirit.  

Man was so sinful - lost and without hope.  Can you imagine - NO light, NO true peace, NO true hope?  They knew He was coming because the Father told them so and spoke to them for generations through the Prophets, as we see in the Bible.  They knew God the Father would bring a King - a King to set them FREE!  They no longer would be slaves or oppressed, as they had been for generation upon generation.

This short video from our church gives an excellent description
of Advent and: The Coming King

The Father fulfilled His promises with the birth of the Baby King. He delivered, quite literally, in fact.  Jesus was born miraculously, from the womb of a humble teenage girl and her partner who was also surrendered to the Father's Will.  Jesus wasn't born in a palace, but in a manger.  You know the story, of course.  It's just so easy to forget the reasoning of it all - Jesus was purposefully born to unknown, unimportant, lowly parents for a reason.  He was born in a lowly town, in a shed with filth and animals all around, without anything that would resemble royalty.  Jesus came to us in the lowliest of earthly forms because He is Us.  Jesus, the King of Heaven and Earth, lowered Himself and became the lowliest of men on that Christmas night. 

Let us not miss the meaning of Jesus's lowly earthly birth and the circumstances around it. 

It's in this spirit which I share what God has so dearly pressed on my heart this Christmas . . . 

• Jesus was fully God and fully man
• THE King, lowered Himself for me, willing to become human on my behalf
• He left His heavenly kingdom and comforts to be a helpless baby in the arms of an imperfect mother and father, to grow in a broken world, just like the one I live in.
• Jesus chose to live in an imperfect world with hurts - physical, emotional, mental and everything in between.  He chose that because of His great love for ME.
• The Father fulfilled ALL of His promises in Christ Jesus!  Even though He came in a different way, and even looked differently, acted and lead  differently than what they thought He would - God's plan was BETTER.  His way was PERFECT, even when it didn't seem that way.  Even when their Long-Awaited, Promised, King and Salvation came in the form of a lowly, poor baby boy without a crown - God was Good and had Good in store for His people, just like He does today.  

Here's something AMAZINGLY EXCITING: For Believers in Jesus Christ, Advent is also the waiting and anticipation of the second coming of Christ. We continue to live in a season of Advent because we know He is once again coming for us, defeating evil, death, and this broken earth once and for all - His Kingdom Come! 

THIS is the reason I have HOPE through My Daughter's death!  Oh, Friend, What else could bring me hope? How else could I go on?  How can one hold their dying child in their arms, kissing her mouth as she takes her last, agonizing breaths?  

There is only one reason why I can keep going; only one reason I have hope: I have hope because I know Jesus came to earth as a precious baby in a broken, human body - leaving His riches and the comforts of Heaven to live on earth among men; living to willingly give Himself as THE sacrifice for all mankind.  

Jesus was born.  Jesus lived.  Jesus died.  Jesus rose from the dead.  

Jesus ascended into heaven.  

JESUS IS COMING AGAIN, reclaiming His  Own, 

and we will live with Him for eternity!

Friends, Death does not bring "eternal sleep".

We won't just "cease to exist" once our hearts stop beating.  

For those who've made Jesus Lord of their life, who have asked forgiveness for their failures and depravity, we can celebrate, continuing a holy state of advent as we await our Precious Savior's return!

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A Very Special Delivery

Advent takes on an even more beautiful meaning for the McLaughlin Family this year. You see, the Father, in His most infinite wisdom,  in His most perfect design, has created a little life that will soon join Our Clan.  He has fulfilled His promises to us in more ways than we could have possibly imagined!

This December, this Month of Reckless Love; Our Ellie Kate's month of life and death - it is in this VERY month, where which God has so graciously decided to bless us with a beautiful, newborn Daughter.  

This incredible gift is one we did not seek out, although we did very much hope for it.  God brought her to us and He did it through Ellie Kate.  There are so many intricate details, exciting twists and turns, all gloriously and

completely from the Lord!  We cannot wait to share it with you, when the time is right and when this Little One is finally home and in our arms.  We gleefully expect her arrival any day.

Who but GOD could orchestrate such a thrilling gift?!  

Who but GOD could cause all of these things to fall into order,

at this very time and place?!  

• As we celebrate this Advent, we celebrate the marvelous life of our eldest daughter, Elizabeth Kathleen ('Ellie Kate') McLaughlin, our "Pure and Consecrated" Princess, whom we miss more than the stars in the infinite sky. 

• This Advent Season, we look back on Ellie's last days; on those severely painful, final moments of her precious, earthly life.  Our words fail, and often times so do our bodies, as we continue to face the reality of it all.  Even in joy, even in Advent, a part of us will always mourn.

• This Advent Season, we also celebrate Jesus as the "Giver of All Good Things"!  While no one could ever replace our most cherished, green-eyed, curly-haired little girl; the One born in December, who loved to "hop" around her world, "pat-pat" the ones she loved and dance to any and every beat which filled the air . . . God has given us the gift of LIFE in the form of another Little Soul, and the hope of her is a healing balm to us all.  

• This Advent Season, we celebrate that Christ has come to earth and that Christ will come again!  And in between those miraculous things, we can walk in full assurance that He is FOR us, that He is WITH us, Emmanuel.  

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Month of Reckless Love

This year we adopted the Williams family, made up of mom, daughter (14) and son (8).  Dad is currently in prison and has been for several years.  I had to force the family to choose "wants" and wishes for the Amazon List,as all they really wanted to put down were things such as shoes, socks and underwear.  This family is humble and precious, and they've become very dear to our hearts. Oh, what a joy it has been to see the wishes, needs and wants of this adopted family fulfilled!

IMPORTANT ADDITION:  We've recently  added one teenage girl to the family Wish List. "K" is a 16 year old girl now living with the Williams family, as her father was recently released from prison and is currently unable to assist in any way.  "K"s biological mother is currently unwilling and unable to care for several of her children, including K (who is the eldest). 

 " K" was given the role of raising her younger brothers and sisters while in her mother's home, and she misses her siblings terribly.  Although she doesn't ever want to live in that household again,   "K" does long to talk to her siblings and check on their well-being. Because of this, her Christmas wish consists of a flip phone, or a type of phone she can easily and cheaply communicate with.  "K" doesn't have a job because she is in school full-time and that is tough enough doing on your own, especially without any support from your family.

This Sweet Teen needs clothes mostly, and undergarments and other personal items that a teenage girl might need and want.  Gift cards are the best present for "K" or you can CLICK HERE for her Amazon Wish List.  

Even though the Amazon Wish Lists are almost complete, you can still send gifts to our address - gift cards to grocery stores, gift cards to the mall (the ladies need bras and undergarments), even monetary gifts and pantry items are welcome!  All donations will go directly to the family and to their physical needs.  So far, we've had a couch donated, as well as new mattresses for every one in the family (they currently sleep on the floor or on an old mattress on the floor).  A beautiful bed frame has also been donated and we hope to have new bedding for the family as well, including sheets!  

Can you believe how amazing God is - to move in the hearts of YOU on behalf of this family?!  Because of YOU, they are seeing the Body of Christ, the Love of Christ, the acceptance of Christ, the provision of Christ, and SO MUCH MORE!  

*Please, if you have any questions at all concerning our adopted family this year, or if you have items you might like to donate, feel free to contact me via Facebook or email: tullyryan@hotmail.com.

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"Ellie Kate's Wish"

(Ellie Kate's Helping Hands through NKH Crusaders)

This special fund through NKH Crusaders has been a tremendous blessing to people all over the United States! Several families were nominated by their fellow NKH families and as of this moment,  all but ONE gift has been purchased AND delivered!   From medical needs, such as a bath chair and a special humidifier, to basic toys - all items were things the nominated family  struggled to provide for various reasons. Because of YOU and your generosity, these needs and wants have been fulfilled.  

Click HERE to see last NKH gift left to fill

In addition to needs being met, a very giving Sunday School class at Emmaus Baptist Church of Moore, most generously blessed one of our dearest NKH Families, providing both needs  AND  wants! I wish we could all see the look on that little girl's face when she opens 

that American Girl Doll on Christmas morning - the doll that looks like HER; the doll she's wanted for years, but all her family's extra funds are needed for her brothers, both of whom have NKH.

*If you still feel led to give to an NKH Family this Christmas or to NKH Crusaders on behalf of Ellie Kate or Lucy, please glance at the information included at the end of this incredibly long post;).

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THANK YOU

OHMYGOODNESS, my heart dances at the thought of all the JOY and HAPPINESS brought about by so many of you, and all in Ellie Kate's honor! 

Friends, We are truly, eternally grateful!

 I have NO doubt Miss Ellie Kate's green eyes are sparkling  as that dazzling, sly grin sweeps across her face, those luxurious brown curls, bouncing up and down, as her deep giggle radiates throughout the heavens - her heart full of delight, peace and cheer; her soul so full of gratitude that it shines from her perfect, heavenly Being.  

And one day - One day, Ellie Kate will 

thank you for recklessly loving the World in her honor. 

One day, you will hear her voice,

as she so merrily dances and shouts in gratitude,

for all that you have done to serve, to sacrifice, to honor, 

to recklessly love, 

. . . the Least of These.  

Matthew 25:40

New International Version
"The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'

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Many sweet friends have asked about end-of-year giving, so with that in mind, we share the following information (simply click on the links below):

• NKH Crusaders - Supporting Research - funds donated go solely toward NKH research at the University of Colorado and Denver Children's Hospital, or the research efforts at Notre Dame University, and/or the new research efforts at Boston Children's Hospital
• OKC Hope Link - the 501c3 God led us to start in 2007,  ministering to families whose children suffer from rare, serious and undiagnosed disorders / outreach to families who have lost children due to disease or illness
• McLaughlin Family Medical Fund - through Helping Hands Ministries, a 501c3 which pays medical bills directly or reiumburses via medical receipt (seen under 'Ellie Kate Memorial Fund').