HOPE

God takes the brokenness of our lives, the parts that we try to hide and either we or others think is useless and makes something beautiful. In the picture of Jesus with the children, you can see me leaning into Him.........or wait a minute is that you?

SHATTERED OR RESTORED? YOU TELL ME!

While praying this morning God reminded me of some of my past as a little girl growing up without a father. To my biological father I feel I was just excess baggage waiting to be discarded. Kind of like pieces of broken glass. For a long time I tried to either put these back together myself or fill the void with so many other things not worthy or an adequate fit for this huge crater of a hole left in the very depth of my soul. IT HURT and IT WAS A GNAWING REMINDER of my brokenness and my inadequacy. But you see the Lord was always there. He tells us that He will take ALL of this brokenness and use it for His purpose, in His time, and make something Beautiful out of ALL my/our brokenness.
You see, this lack of a loving earthly father left me shattered to my very core, but it also caused me to long for the love of a father. In this search, I FOUND JESUS. This post is not long enough for me to describe how My Heavenly Father has bound my wounds and filled that huge crater of emptiness inside of me. Now, this did not happen over night. He could have chosen to do this but instead he has let me learn from what He is doing and given me all the time I needed to learn to trust Him; place my total faith in Him; be disciplined by Him; nurtured by Him; lean into Him and at certain time to see a little glimpse of what He is doing. What an amazing Father!
You see if I had been rushed I would have missed out on so much. God's timing is perfect. We don't have to rush, worry, help Him out (not that I ever tried this); we simply need each day to say....Father? Are you there? Will you help me this day. This moment? And the answer is always the same. I am here, give me all your worries, your hurt/brokenness and I will love you no matter what. I won't leave you; forget about you; turn my back on you.......no Jesus will walk with us Always. Yes we may get disciplined.......but He will never leave us. Thank you Jesus for letting me learn to trust you in this.
Along the way God has always given me a heart for the broken hearted; the discarded; the least of these. This day is no different! You see God uses all my and my families brokenness to give us an opportunity to show others that Our God is still the God of miracles. This day and for several months we have been seeking His will alone in a second international adoption.
We are called to follow Christ example. Right? He adopted each of us as His dearly loved children. Right? Then what does this mean for each of us? It may not mean that you personally called to adopt literally, but does mean that you are to come alongside ____ in the way that He calls you to. Pray God's will be done. He will not leave you hanging. He will answer in His time. We must only seek and obey. Much love, Dawn

We're Back

Wow, so much has happened since I was last here. Tella made it back from her 10 day turned into 3 month mission trip to Addis Ababa Ethiopia, got engaged, Married, moved with her husband Justin Craft to Morgantown, started a couple new jobs and changed her educational focus to a degree that she plans to use for further missions.
Casey will graduated from High School in a little over a month, she is working part time at Long Johns, is dating Shayne Harman and is sorting through what God has in store for her next. College, missions are on regular topics of discussion.
Dubale continues to grow and show off his muscles. He is doing so well in school and has learned so much. In order to give him the best foundation we have decided to have him repeat Kindergarten next year. He loves school and continues to be very social. Bonding has taken some time between he and I, but the Lord has been gracious and everpresent in this journey. He is so very faithful. I am so very thankful.
Tim had a long winter break and now is working in Grove City doing concrete restoration on bridges. He is a fabulous father and husband.
I continue to work at Ruby Hospital on Cardiac Stepdown floor. Get kinda antsy sometimes about what I am to do.....God has kept me there thus far and I don't think He is done with me there yet.
The Lord continues to provide, protect and guide our family. Trust me there is rarely a dull moment. We are truly blessed!

Butter cheese and growing in the Lord

A strange title for a post...... right? I don't know about you but my learning style has been for most of my life hands on. I can not tell you the trouble/situations that I have gotten into because of this when I really could have listened and learned, but no I had to experience it for myself. An funny example of this happened a couple of years ago when our ladies prayer group/friends went on a day trip to Amish country. In this delicious cheese factory you were able to sample any cheese you wanted prior to purchasing, so we were going around sampling away. A friend came upon butter cheese........she immediately said "yuck that looks gross" and what did I do.....of course I had to sample it. And yes it tasted just as gross as it looked. I thought then and since then why did I have to actually taste this cheese. Why?
Yes, I think part of it is my learning style, but lately God is revealing that part of it is my trying to be in control and not trusting!!!!!!!! WHAT?????????
Well since that time and (almost) no truly daily these days God is giving me an opportunity to learn to trust in Him. He has also been teaching me some very valuable lessons on trusting and believing him, getting snug down to Him and staying there. Not being distracted by XYZ, but to truly keep my focus on Him. I highly recommend reading about Peter doing just that in Matthew 14:28-32. I imagine myself in this situation. My raging waters are not wet, but they are distacting and fearful and they most certainly do threaten to swallow me up to drown out my faith which puts me in a tail spin. Exactly Satans plan!
If I am looking at XYZ then I am taking my eyes from God therefore I am not able to see clearly, my focus is off, I am disoriented, fears grips me and I sink like a rock.
All of our XYZ's are different, but one thing for sure if that God is bigger than any of that, He wants to be in it with us, He has gone ahead of us and is all around us, He has a plan for us, and He wants us to trust Him, listen to Him, Obey Him, bring all our cares, worries and anxieties to Him. Why? Because He cares for us. We are Gods treasured possessions.
I would love for you to lift us up in prayer for:
1. Tim's job/travel and possibility of him being able to work close home.
2. Our family as we seek to serve God daily and obediently.
3. Tella serving in African orphanage. Physical, Spiritual and Emotional Safety for her.
4. Our continued transition as a family.
We would love to pray for you if you would leave a response.
Praying that God draws you closer one minute at a time. Love Dawn

Justin Bieber - Pray

turn the music off at the bottom of the page, listen to this song.

Tella is 21 year old today

It seems unbelievable that 21 years ago today our first child was born. Today, she celebrated her 21st birthday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on a mission trip "Visiting Orphans" She is simply amazing. For over 7 years now she has been dreaming and praying about Africa; saying that when she grew up she was going to go to Africa and be a missionary.....oh and ride elephants. lol

It is amazing to me that she knew what God wanted her to do at such a young age. Tella is such a huge influence on our entire family and many people she comes into contact with. Spurred on by her sister, Casey, Tella participated in "A day without shoes" which is to bring awareness to children who don't even have shoes to wear. She went through her day at college without shoes which opened up opportunies to talk orphans and those less fortunate than most of us and how we can help. One college professor brought many pairs of tennis shoes for her to take this trip. She messaged me the other day that she had passed out every single pair to children who live on the streets of Addis Ababa Ethiopia. (I also need to mention that Casey attempted to join in A Day without Shoes and encouraged 30 high school students to go to school without shoes; she was sent home in first period, but at least she attempted. Even at this she did have opportunity to witness about these children's needs.) I am so blessed to have these two strong young women as daughters. They are doing and will continue to do the work the Lord has laid on their hearts. Proud Momma of

Tella Dawn Greathouse, 21; Casey Lynn Greathouse, 17; Dubale Wade Greathouse, 4

Dawn Lynn Wade Greathouse

15 days left !!

15 day's til it's summmerrr!!! and I'm a senior!!!

this year has gone by so fast. but I'm glad because this has been a rough year for me. Today was my best friend (11 years) Tara's last day of school. she is graduating this year! i never really thought this day would come..but it's here and I DO NOT LIKE IT!! you see Tara and I have grown up together! she live exactly 28 steps from my front door to hers! yep we are that close!! Her birthday is March 21 mine is March 22!! we have always known each other! tomorrow is gonna be a sad bad, becsuse its gonna be the first day of the rest of my high school careeree with out my best friend!!

short story about Tara and I;

we were about 11 and 12 when we got this Bright idea that we were gonna go camping. (in my drive way) so for four days straight we stayed in my camper. ate played and slept outside! we went in to use the bathroom that was it! well one night we got marsh mellow in our hair.so my sisters boyfriend Justin told us to put PB in our hear SO what did we do..we listened to him!!hahah about the time we gout both of our heads COVERED in PB my mom comes out and freaked out! because we had a whole jar of Jiff peanut butter on our heads. we quickly told her Justin told us too..she wasn't happy. our camping trip was complete with getting our hair washed outside with the water hoes. hahah