Prayer & Shakespeare

Since we made our big announcement, many of you have been asking how you can help us during this process.  Here are a few ways you can get involved:

1. Pray - I've said it before and I'll say it again - prayer is truly one of the most valuable gifts you can give us.  We have walked with friends on their adoption journey and now that we are finding our way on this road I can absolutely confirm that prayer is a tremendous gift.  We are so humbled and grateful when hear you’ve prayed for us.

Specifically, please pray for:

Strength & Patience

Pray that the Lord will strengthen our hearts for whatever lies ahead. Help us to know that even through delays and disappointments, the right time & child are out there.

Wisdom & Discernment

So that we may have confirmation of the decisions we will need to make.

The Birth Family

Pray for protection.  Pray for the choices they are making.  Pray that they too will have confirmation and peace in the decisions they are making.

2.  Listen - This is going to sound border-line crazy, so bear with me. There's a chance that one of YOU could know a woman/couple who needs an adoption plan for their baby.  I know that sounds unbelievable, but you wouldn't believe the amazing stories, GOD sized stories.  My sweet friend Lindsey was approached in the grocery store by a friend of hers who heard she was thinking about adoption, and happened to know a young woman who was looking for a couple to adopt her child.  Stories like Lindsey's are the tip of the iceberg.  Maybe you know of a situation you think we need to hear about - who knows what God might do...  Keep your ears peeled!

3. Give - A lot of folks aren't comfortable with adoption fundraising. As my friend Sam says, it's the co-sleeping/breast feeding issue of the adoptive world.  Boy is she right.  Who among us likes to ask for help? Here's what I know - God has given us the desire to adopt.  We trust him that this is the way he wants to grow our family - and our trust in him extends to our finances too.  Already in this process we've been blown away with how our own money has seemed to stretch a little further (which is a whole post in itself). That said, we are planning a fundraiser later in the winter (more details to come later) and we are accepting all donations though the Rock Bridge Foundation at our church, Brentwood Baptist.

If you'd like to contribute, you can do so online - be sure to choose 'adoption' under the designation dropdown and then email

bfowler@brentwoodbaptist.com, give her your name and tell her your contribution is for the Barnett family adoption fund.  We will only see names of people who have donated, not amounts. If you’re concerned with some part of this process, please let us or Bryce know and we will make sure your donation was processed correctly.  All donations are tax deductible.

You can also mail a check with a note that says "Barnett family adoption fund" to:

Brentwood Baptist Church
Rock Bridge Foundation
Attn: Bryce Fowler
7777 Concord Road
Brentwood, TN 37027

You’ve no idea what your involvement means to us.  Kindness, in any form, is never small and certainly doesn’t go unnoticed by us.  So in closing, I’ll put my theatre degree to work and borrow these words from Shakespeare.  I think he says it best, ‘I can no other answer make, but thanks, and thanks.’

Much love, 

Annie & KB