Thanksgiving a Month Early!

As we approach a season of thanksgiving next month Act of Life has reasons to be thankful today! With grateful hearts we are pleased to let you know about another marvelous provision the Lord has made for Act of Life.

First Baptist Church of Midland is a consistant and faithful supporter to people in the Permian Basin. We have been richly blessed with their generosity in the past, but did you know that FBC Midland has a foundation separate from their church body?

FBC Midland Foundation was chartered on October 23, 2003 to provide an opportunity to leave an enduring legacy to further the Kingdom of God. They have invested in many unique projects from providing funds for upgrading housing, to assisting a young woman through seminary, to providing Bibles through the Vietnamese Bible Society. Each project helped to provide necessary tools to meet specific needs.

We want to express our gratitude to the Board of Directors for their considerable contribution of $6000 to be invested in furthering God's plans for the Midland/Odessa region through Act of Life.

We look forward to tilling the soil of West Texas with updated resources, additional traning sessions and excellent referrals for those in need. More importantly we are looking forward to future opportunities of sharing the good news of salvation which God equates to adoption! We get the joy of sharing adoption is important both physically and spiritually. Thank you FBC Midland for investing in our kingdom work!



Act of Life Founder & Presidnet, Julie Stobbe with FBC Midland Foundation Board Directors: Mr. Lee Parks (Member), Mrs. Debby Gilliam (Treasurer), Mrs. Robbie Campbell (Secretary), and Mr. Sam Gibbs (Chairman).

Record Attendance at Training!

September 11th we had the privilege of offering our training to new people in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. Working with the generous people at the Gladney Center for Adoption in Fort Worth we reached a record number of people at one time.







Here are just a few things that made our adoption training special:

• We encouraged and equipped 42 people in a single session!
• We reached representatives from 4 pregnancy care centers
• We touched representatives from 3 different adoption agencies
  

Group introductions in Mabee Hall at the Gladney Center for Adoption

The day was full of life, laughter and learning. You can imagine the great interaction with all of the participants. The practice counseling was truly fantastic with novices attempting adoption conversations for the first time and long-time pros illustrating their strengths to the group.

Here is a sample of comments from the evaluations taken at the conclusion of the day:

• "(The training was) informative and held my interest. The time went very quickly and nothing dragged"
• "I enjoyed the whole day. Very well planned and organized"
• "Very concise and full of helpful info right at your fingertips"
• "The speaker was dynamic - kept my attention and very informative"
• "(What I liked most about the training was) making the connection between spiritual and physical adoption"
• "(What I liked most about the training was the) interaction with other advocates and agencies"

A special thank you goes out to Jennifer Lanter and her team from the Gladney Center who truly went the extra mile to provide not only a lovely facility but delicious food as well. What a marvelous picture of the Body of Christ working together to advance adoption!

We are pleased to announce we will be returning to Gladney to host another adoption training Thursday, October 30. For more details and to register please visit our website .

What's Up Radio

The first week of September I was a guest on the "What's Up Radio Program" with Terry Lowry. To listen to Terry tune in weekday afternoons on KKHT, 100.7 FM, Houston 2:00 – 3:30 PM (CST). Terry is "informing, encouraging, uplifting...introducing and covering cutting edge topics affecting you, your family, the church, and our great land - America!"

Click here to listen to the interview when we discuss the "Choose Life" license plate effort being supported by Texas Alliance for Life.

Please be aware that many of the Texas Tour events in the Gulf area have been altered, rescheduled or cancelled due to Hurricane Ike. For updated information please visit Texas Choose Life website.

Because life matters,
Julie

Choose Life License Plate

(note: this is a republish of a previously written article)

Are you looking for a way to make a positive impact in the raging war between 'pro-life' and 'pro-choice' camps?

Please take time to read the following exciting news from Texas Alliance for Life.

"Choose Life Texas Tour Begins on Sept. 13 to promote pro-adoption Choose Life license plate For eight days starting Saturday, September 13, the Choose Life Texas Tour will crisscross the state, visiting 11 cities with over 16 meetings and events to promote the pro-adoption Choose Life license plate for our state. Texas Alliance for Life is launching the Choose Life Texas Tour with numerous other pro-life organizations to make a Choose Life license plate a reality in Texas.

Check out the website at http://www.txchoose-life.org/, and click on "Choose Life Texas Tour."

The Choose Life license plate is on the road in 19 other states and has raised more than $9 million for pregnancy help centers and Gabriel Projects to assist women with crisis pregnancies who are considering the loving option of adoption. Although Texas has over 130 specialty license plates, our state does not yet have the Choose Life plate.

Why not Texas? The Texas Legislature must pass a law to create the Choose Life license plate when it meets in January. The Choose Life license plate in Texas will promote adoption and other compassionate alternatives to abortion and raise funds to assist women experiencing a crisis pregnancy considering adoption. Of the $30 fee for the plate, $22 will go to this mission and $8 will cover Texas Department of Transportation's production costs.

"This is about the loving option of adoption," said Pojman. "Our goal is to create more win-win-win situations in Texas for birth moms, children, and adoptive parents."

Act of Life joins Joe Pojman and the others at Texas Alliance for Life in this valiant effort. Please visit their website and check the itinerary for an event in your area. Make plans to attend to see that this important bill gets passed in the next session of our Texas Legislature.

People long for ways to make an impact in a positive manner. Choose Life plates are an easy, non-combative way to do just that. Together let's make an impact. Support 'Choose Life' today!

Chosen and blessed,
Julie Stobbe

FBC Midland Sews Seeds

"And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

One of my favorite things to do is hear or share examples of how the Lord has provided in a person's life or in the life of a specific ministry. At Act of Life we continuously see the Lord's hand moving among us, and He always supplies our needs. He is using us to accomplish His purposes.

Today We want to give thanks to the Lord for yet another congregation stepping forward and investing in God's Kingdom. The mission team at First Baptist Church of Midland, Texas has stepped forward and sewn financial seeds in Act of Life. Under the leadership of Bill Johnson and Hank Henry (pictured) they have invested $1000 toward helping us advance adoption awareness at local, state and national levels.

Historically FBC Midland has frequently been in the top ten of the most generous churches giving to Baptist missions programs nationwide. They see how Act of Life is providing hope and biblical resources, so they are fortifying our ranks to ensure we continue to minister.

Thank you, FBC Midland, for seeing God at work, recognizing an opportunity to make an impact and following through with your most appreciated gift! You are helping us educate, encourage and equip people with God's heart for adoption thereby directly participating in helping to save lives and create families.

May God continue to bless this dynamic congregation as they seek to show Christ to others through their words and by their deeds.

With a grateful heart,

Julie Stobbe

Blazing a Trail in Beautiful B.C.

The motto on British Columbia license plates is "Beautiful B.C." and beautiful it certainly is! The magnificent mountains, tall trees and evergreen surroundings are such a welcomed sight - eye candy everywhere! Some of you may remember my husband, Doug, is Canadian, and was reared in the Vancouver area, so it was a real treat for our family to mix a little fun with Act of Life ministry on our recent trip to Canada.

Yes, I saw this young mountain buck on an early morning hike down to Okanagan Lake with my sweet friend, Rita. The challenge was getting back UP the mountain. Well worth the effort...







I can't resist showing you our son's rainbow trout from Lac de Roche! Just look at that pristine water!






June 20 and 21 I had the privilege of presenting our full day adoption training to the Okanagan Valley Pregnancy Care Center in Kelowna, B.C. This was a seminal event for Act of Life, since it was the first time we have presented our full curriculum in Canada. However, this was not the first time Act of Life has presented adoption material to Canadian audiences. In Spring 2005 we offered adoption breakout sessions and I was a keynote speaker during the national conference for the Canadian Association of Pregnancy Support Services (CAPSS).

But, back to our recent training in B.C.... We did something a little different. Instead of offering the full seminar in one day as we are accustomed to doing, we chose to split the training over 2 days. This proved to be a success! People remarked they appreciated having time to digest and process the information from the evening session before diving into the practical application of the second session offered the following morning.

Every seminar we present is unique due to the collection of participants. Each group is a blessing and this particular group was no exception. They were fantastic! We engaged in deep discussion, explored our bias for or against adoption and emerged from the training experience better prepared to converse about adoption with those whom we will encounter.

We were blessed to also have join us three participants from Salmon Arm, B.C. They are in the initial stages of preparation to open a pregnancy center to serve the women and men in their community and they took advantage of our education program while we were in the vicinity.

A special thank you goes to our life-long friends Rita and Bob Letkeman who opened their doors to our family and made our stay in Kelowna such a delight. Gratitude also extends to Jeannie Rodgers, Client Services Director at the OVPCC, for her tireless efforts to organize and assist in such an effective training session.

We thank God for the life saving work He is accomplishing through the efforts of our brothers and sisters in Canada, and we look forward to future ways we can partner together.

For the Glory of Christ,
Julie Stobbe

The Blessing of Buckner

"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'” Matthew 25:40

One night last week I had the distinct privilege of speaking at an appreciation dinner for Buckner Children Family Services. Held at Midland’s distinguished Petroleum Club, the audience was treated to a delightful evening including a delicious meal, personal testimony from people who have benefited from and volunteer for Buckner’s ministry and a powerful duet sung by Dave Robbins and Kristie Garnett.

I could not help but moved as I listened to one of those who gave testimony; Lisa shared how her life has changed since last year’s dinner. She felt compelled to complete foster care certification and for the past five months has been caring for a precious infant boy, Miguel. She hopes to become his forever mother through the permanency of adoption. Miguel stole everyone’s heart with his big blue eyes and bright personality.

It was a pleasure to share parts of my personal adoption journey with the good folks of Buckner. Greater still, it was good to learn how they are being the hands and feet of Jesus to children and families across Texas and specifically in the Permian Basin. As it says on their website, “Buckner Children and Family Services is a Christian ministry devoted to protecting children, promoting independence and strengthening families.” Truly they are accomplishing the mandate from James 1:27 where it states, “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

Buckner Hearthstone offers a variety of services including: foster care, foster to adopt, domestic and international adoption as well as CPS adoption. For a fascinating look at how Buckner began it’s ministry through the vision of Dr. Robert Cooke Buckner, a Baptist minister from Tennessee, and his first pledged dollar bill to establish its mission please click here. For those interested in pursuing Buckner's services check their 2008 calendar for more information and locations of scheduled workshops.

We should thank the Lord for Buckner because they are committed to ministering to the “least of these” in our society through the life-altering love and compassion of Jesus Christ. Through their tireless efforts and strong commitment they are seeing to it that people understand there are no strangers, no outcasts, and no orphans to the Lord.

Blessed to be a part,

Julie Stobbe