An Adoption Story

Sacred Selections,
Our journey towards adoption actually began almost ten years ago. From the day we became husband and wife, we have always wanted to raise godly children in a Christian home. Our plan was to have two children naturally and then adopt a child one day from Korea. However, after seven years of marriage and then two years of trying to conceive, we quickly realized what most of us forget, is that our plan is not always God’s plan. After a lot of praying and placing matters into His magnificent hands, His plan became very clear to us. From this moment, it was obvious that our dream to adopt a child was no longer in the future, but in the present. With the persistent threats to the safety of Koreans and the steady reduction in the Korean international adoption program, we knew that God was leading us down a definitive path. Our Korean adoption process had officially begun.

Once we started down this path, we never looked back except to reflect and to thank God for showing us the way. When we started the process, we had a lot of unanswered questions, such as paperwork, financing the process and the usual mysteries of adoption. With unanswered questions and mysteries comes faith. With faith enters God with the answers. With our biggest concern being finances, Amanda took a job as a nanny and we saved as much money as we possibly could. We also tried to raise as much money as possible with yard sales, cookie sales, etc. Even knowing that God was in control, there was still an obvious shortcoming in our financial need.

Through His marvelous guidance, God brought another Christian couple with a passion for adoption to our local church. This couple, Chad and Becca Ford, provided us with encouragement, understanding hearts, listening ears, plus an awareness and connection to a great organization called Sacred Selections. A few months after applying for a grant, we received a phone call one night from Dana Carrozza. God had answered our prayers and concerns with a grant in the exact amount that filled our ultimate adoption financial need. God is great and without his providence and the Sacred Selections organization, we would not have been able to continue our adoption story any further.

 As the story continues, one day in late October of 2010, Amanda received a phone call from our adoption agency. It was the call that we had been long awaiting. As Amanda was filled with tears of joy, she struggled to breathe as she told me the news. In a rush, we left work and headed to the agency office to find out the details of our baby boy. We could hardly imagine another happier moment as we shuffled through the pictures and the reports telling us all about our new son. The next few months were a long and difficult wait. We kept ourselves busy prepping for the arrival of our son. Two days after Valentine’s Day, we finally met our son at the airport in Atlanta. What an anxious and amazing day all wrapped into one! God’s plan for us had finally unfolded and the journey towards raising our son had begun.

There are so many things to be thankful for through this process…
• Our family and friends who supported us in too many ways to count
• Sacred Selections and the generous donors’ encouragement and financial assistance
• Most importantly, God, for his providence, power and love
With love from our Family,
Joshua, Amanda and Phineas Nettles

2011 Bartlett Benefit Info

As stated in the previous post, the 4th Annual Bartlett Benefit weekend will take place June 10th and 11th this year. The barbecue dinner and auction will be Friday night, June 10th at the Bartlett Municipal Center (5868 Stage Road). As in years past, we will enjoy delicious Memphis-style barbecue and a variety of homemade desserts as well as silent and live auctions. This event will begin at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available in advance only - $12.50 for children 12 and under and $25.00 for adults.

On Saturday morning, June 11th we will host a golf tournament at Wedgewood Golfers' Club (5206 Tournament Drive, Olive Branch, MS) beginning at 8:00 a.m. with a shotgun start. The entry fee is $125.00 per person and includes range balls, green fee with cart, refreshments during the round, many contests with prizes, post tournament awards, and a steak lunch. Mulligans and red tees may be purchased when you register or at the tournament.

For those who don't golf, Dixie Cafe has generously donated their restaurant in Bartlett to us for a pancake breakfast from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. on June 11th as well. Tickets are available in advance and at the door for $5.00.

All proceeds from the 2011 Bartlett Benefit go to Sacred Selections. Please see the attached brochure and registration form. Registration forms with entry fees and donations are due by May 27th to Rod and Lisa Waterman. If you have any questions, please email us at sacredselectionsfundraiser@gmail.com.
Also, if you have any ideas for auction items or any items you would like to donate to the auction, email us. We need these turned in by May 27th as well.

 We look forward to seeing all of you in a few short weeks!

4th Annual Benefit Info Announced

It's that time of year again - time for the 4th Annual Sacred Selections Bartlett Benefit! This year's benefit weekend will take place on June 10th and 11th. We are still getting the details figured out and will update the blog as soon as we know everything, but there will be a Barbecue Dinner and Auction on Friday evening, June 10th. A pancake breakfast will take place on Saturday morning, June 11th as well as a golf tournament. Check back for further details, or "like" our Facebook page ("Sacred Selections Annual Benefit in Bartlett, TN) to get all the latest news and updates.

Sacred Selections is a non-profit, privately funded and run organization that helps match children in need with families who will love and care for them. Sacred Selections works from both ends of the adoption process. We seek out children who are in need of loving families and Christian families who want a child to share their love and blessings with. Another big part of Sacred Selection's mission is to help these families with the financial burden of adoption. This is where you come in! Your support and donations will help us fund adoptions for these families! In the past 3 years the Bartlett Benefit has raised $47,000 and helped fund 9 adoptions! We need your help to make this year an even bigger success.

 For more information on Sacred Selections, visit their website at http://www.sacredselections.org. We look forward to seeing everyone the weekend of June 10th and 11th and raising money for this worthy cause!