You Are Faithful...

One year ago, we walked out of an orphanage in Ukraine for the LAST time (after weeks upon weeks of visits)... with this little one...

One year later... it seems as though we have a completely different girl. I don't think Charlotte's orphanage would even recognize her "today"... To be honest, I don't even remember how she "used" to be. I wanted to create a blog post for you with tons of before and after photos of how far this girl has come...but for most of you, you have been with us along this whole journey, and have seen her progress. It's super tough/difficult for me to look back at photos of our time in Ukraine... I can't get passed all of the faces in my mind that were left in the orphanage, or all of the disposable diapers that hung from the clothesline to reuse and reuse over and over again... I can't get the smell of the place out of my mind, and the stillness/quietness of a place that was FULL of children (that should be loud and full of life)...

Perhaps one day I'll be able to share some of those images with you, but for right now, I can't even look back at those photos. They are still buried in my hard drive, and perhaps one day I'll actually get around to them, and be able to stomach looking at them. So, you'll have to settle for the same photo that I had originally introduced her to to you all, and a sweet little 1 year later photo.

Still our same Charlotte, just with A LOT more love,

" Standing on this mountaintop

Looking just how far we’ve come

Knowing that for every step

You were with us

Kneeling on this battle ground

Seeing just how much You’ve done

Knowing every victory

Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way

But with joy our hearts can say

Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone

Never once did You leave us on our own

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Kneeling on this battle ground

Seeing just how much You’ve done

Knowing every victory

Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way

But with joy our hearts can say

Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone

Never once did You leave us on our own

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Scars and struggles on the way

But with joy our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone

Carried by Your constant grace

Held within Your perfect peace

Never once, no, we never walk alone

Never once did we ever walk alone

Never once did You leave us on our own

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Every step we are breathing in Your grace

Evermore we’ll be breathing out Your praise

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

You are faithful, God, You are faithful "

- Never Once, Matt Redman

** The most recent photo of Charlotte on this post, is one of many photos taken on a shoot I did here in Nevada... more of my sweet little pea to come shortly.