Elias (The Lord is my God)

The Exciting News

We are so very excited to announce that this week we have officially received and accepted our referral. Our child is a 4 month old baby boy with big brown eyes and a huge smile. He has already stolen our hearts! We will be calling him Elias.

So where do we go from here?

Now is the hard part-waiting. Our agency is diligently working to submit our paperwork to the Ethiopian government and prepare us for court. We expect to travel to Ethiopia in July or August, and if all goes as planned bring him home before Christmas. This is a lengthy process, but we know that the Lord is in control.

What are we in need of?

This answer is simple, but never to be underestimated-PRAYER. We declare Jeremiah 29:11 over little Elias which says, "For I know the plans I have for you,”says the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." We believe in God's plans being fulfilled in each of our children's lives. We pray that you will join in with us in praying for the following as well.

• Prayer for Elias to feel loved and secure
• Prayer for Elias to be healthy and free from sickness
• Prayer for our family to prepare our hearts and minds for this precious new addition
• Prayer for favor among the Ethiopian government and a quick process
• Prayer for finances as we are fundraising for the last of the travel expenses

We are so grateful for the many of you that pray and support our family everyday through this process. We are so very grateful and praise God for you. We would love to send pictures, but since we are not legally his parents yet, we cannot post them publically. But we will say that he is absolutely beautiful!

Blessings,
Nathan, Alison, Ethan & Bethany

We are anxiously awaiting our referral and getting to see our child for the first time! Thank you to each and everyone that is investing in the life of our child and helping us to bring them home.

Matching Grant from Lifesong

            We were recently awarded a matching funds grant in the amount of $2500 to help with the remaining adoption expenses through Lifesong, a non-profit private operating foundation!  Lifesong will match any funds that are donated through our friends and family for the expenses of our adoption until October 28th. They will continue receiving donations after that deadline on our behalf until the end of the adoption, as well. All donations over $250 are tax-deductible.  If the Lord is leading you to invest in our family and the life of our child the following options are available:

Ø  Checks may be made out to Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 40, Gridley, IL 61744

Please include our family number in the memo section (Atwood#3760)

Ø  If you would prefer to give online the website is: www.lifesongfororphans.org/give/donate and fill in the family account number (3760).

We have also included a letter from Lifesong regarding the grant and helping you to understand a little more about the adoption process. God bless you all!

Adoption Story

Dear Friends & Family,

 After years of praying, God confirmed to Nathan and I this past year that we are to add to our family through adoption – just as He adopted us into His family, as His children. Since that time we have realized that our family is incomplete and there is a child out there that belongs in our family and is worth fighting for. 

We have prayerfully and thoughtfully decided to adopt an infant from Ethiopia. Adoption requires much patience and adjustment; however, at this time we are expecting our child to be with our family next summer. We are overwhelmed with excitement, but are also humbly asking for support during this time of transition in our lives. The greatest support that we would ask for is your prayers for our family to find favor in the adoption process and prepare our hearts for the arrival of our new child and also for the safety, peace and comfort of our child as they prepare to meet their family. In combination with prayer, we are also in need of financial support for the remaining $12,000 of our adoption process.

Will you consider joining us in bringing home our baby from Ethiopia? We realize that not everyone has the means to give financially; however, as a family and as brothers and sisters in Christ, we often underestimate the impact that we can make in this world, starting with one life. In whatever way the Lord leads you to help – whether through prayer, phone calls, financial giving or fundraisers – we know that your sacrifices will be seen and blessed by the Lord. We speak from our hearts when we say that we have the most amazing group of family and friends that never cease to amaze us with their love and generosity toward our family. God bless you and we love you all!

 Blessings,
Nathan, Alison, Ethan & Bethany Atwood


Ephesians 1:4-6 “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”