Yesterday we were notified by ABBA Fund that we were not approved for the no-interest loan. There are just too many people needing financial assistance and they can't help everyone. Their e-mail was very encouraging and I understand that they can't loan money to everyone who asks. I have to admit, though, I was surprised that we were not approved.
A loan makes so much sense to me because we should get a tax credit and we have a grant that won't be sent until the child is in our home. Both of these are cases where we need the money up front and then will be reimbursed - sounds to me like a loan would work. I honestly thought that was how God was going to provide the last of the money we need before we can be matched. I really thought I'd soon be able to tell the agency, "We're ready to be matched!" I thought this organization was ideal because we wouldn't have to pay any interest. God MAY still provide a loan, but this is a definite reminder that God does NOT work like I work and He does NOT think like I think. Isaiah 55:9 states it clearly - "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Funny (actually it's sad) that I as a human try to figure out how God will work and even base much of my confidence and my plans on the way I think it's best for Him to work.
As I was going to sleep last night I decided to listen to a sermon titled "How to Live for God's Glory." The main point was "We glorify God by trusting Him." What a timely message for me. The preacher used Abraham and Sarah (and the birth of Isaac) as an example of this point.
"Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.' Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised." Romans 4:18-21 (NIV)
I don't know how many times God has used the story of Abraham and Sarah to encourage and challenge me through this adoption journey. We have not waited any time compared to them and yet Abraham believed. The situation seemed impossible and yet Abraham believed. God has also used their story to warn me not to run ahead and try to accomplish things in my way or in my time. If I try to "help" God, I will just make a mess of the situation. And, so, I'm trying to wait and believe.
Please pray that we will sense God's guidance as to what other steps we need to take. We do hope to do the Both Hands fundraiser soon. http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/bothHands.html
We have had a wonderful weekend. We were blessed to spend Friday night in Cincinnati and spend Saturday at Coney Island. (Someone paid all our expenses. It was a special time for our family -- a mini-vacation.) It was extra special that we were able to spend time with Brad's mom & stepdad. We made great memories and of course we took lots of pictures. I hope to upload some soon but can't with dial-up.
Have a blessed sabbath - REST in HIM!!!
Lilypie Waiting to Adopt tickers
Showing posts with label wait. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wait. Show all posts
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Katelyn's Fund Grant
Last week we were interviewed by phone by the board of Katelyn's Fund. Only four of the board members were able to make it (so they said we had an easy night), but we shared our story and answered their questions. At the end of interview, they each prayed for us and our adoption journey. It was wonderful to have them take time to pray over us. What a privilege and a blessing. We knew they were interviewing others and would then be praying over applications and we should hear from them in around three weeks.
This week has been a little difficult as we've been waiting to hear about our no-interest loan for which we applied. We were told the review usually takes 4 to 6 weeks and then we'd be notified by e-mail or phone. Monday marked 7 weeks since they received our application. If we are approved, we should be able to tell our agency that we're ready to be matched. I know I need to remember that I'm waiting on the LORD, not a loan. I also know that He is using each detail to help bring us the son He wants to be part of our family. Knowing these things helps, but it doesn't take away the anticipation or the emotions that go with the process.
I was encouraged yesterday by the following passage. "...waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us. But, the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy. Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along." ~ taken from Romans 8 (The Message)
We received a call today from Sheila at Katelyn's Fund. She said we've been approved for a full grant - $3000. Praise the LORD!!! I was so surprised to hear from them already. It was such an encouragement in the waiting. We can't tell our agency that we're ready to be matched yet, but evidently God is not ready for us to be matched. And, as a framed quote in our first agency said, "Faith in God includes faith in His timing."
This week has been a little difficult as we've been waiting to hear about our no-interest loan for which we applied. We were told the review usually takes 4 to 6 weeks and then we'd be notified by e-mail or phone. Monday marked 7 weeks since they received our application. If we are approved, we should be able to tell our agency that we're ready to be matched. I know I need to remember that I'm waiting on the LORD, not a loan. I also know that He is using each detail to help bring us the son He wants to be part of our family. Knowing these things helps, but it doesn't take away the anticipation or the emotions that go with the process.
I was encouraged yesterday by the following passage. "...waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us. But, the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy. Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along." ~ taken from Romans 8 (The Message)
We received a call today from Sheila at Katelyn's Fund. She said we've been approved for a full grant - $3000. Praise the LORD!!! I was so surprised to hear from them already. It was such an encouragement in the waiting. We can't tell our agency that we're ready to be matched yet, but evidently God is not ready for us to be matched. And, as a framed quote in our first agency said, "Faith in God includes faith in His timing."
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Both Hands & Paperwork Progress
We got a call from Lifesong for Orphans yesterday. They approved us to do the BOTH HANDS fundraiser. We are excited and have quite a bit of work to do to get a team together, etc. Please pray for us as we organize the project, etc and pray that God will be glorified through this fundraiser. If you want to read more about it, you can see our previous blog post or go to http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/bothHands.html.
Today we did our fingerprinting again. Everything has to be done within 12 months of the child's placement in our home. So, we've been redoing physicals, criminal checks, etc... I must admit it's been a somewhat frustrating week because I've been confused about some of the paperwork. After several people helped me, I think today I finally understood what we're supposed to do. I don't say this to complain. In fact, I almost didn't admit it. But, if any people reading this are in the adoption process, they need to know that the adoption journey has it's ups and downs. Hold on!!! It will be worth it!
Some quotes from Hope for the Journey that have really encouraged me are
“This is what God has called us to do. We know it’s messy; we know it’s uncomfortable, and it’s going to turn our lives upside down, but this is God’s heart.” ~ Steven Curtis Chapman
and
"The adoption journey is not easy, but every hour of toil, every obstacle encountered, every tear shed, every sleepless night--all are but a shadow of the price that God paid for us."
and
“Looking back at the wait and setbacks we had endured to adopt our son, God’s timing could not have been more perfect. God knew exactly how to connect us to the child he created for us.” ~ Kerry Hasenbalg
Today we did our fingerprinting again. Everything has to be done within 12 months of the child's placement in our home. So, we've been redoing physicals, criminal checks, etc... I must admit it's been a somewhat frustrating week because I've been confused about some of the paperwork. After several people helped me, I think today I finally understood what we're supposed to do. I don't say this to complain. In fact, I almost didn't admit it. But, if any people reading this are in the adoption process, they need to know that the adoption journey has it's ups and downs. Hold on!!! It will be worth it!
Some quotes from Hope for the Journey that have really encouraged me are
“This is what God has called us to do. We know it’s messy; we know it’s uncomfortable, and it’s going to turn our lives upside down, but this is God’s heart.” ~ Steven Curtis Chapman
and
"The adoption journey is not easy, but every hour of toil, every obstacle encountered, every tear shed, every sleepless night--all are but a shadow of the price that God paid for us."
and
“Looking back at the wait and setbacks we had endured to adopt our son, God’s timing could not have been more perfect. God knew exactly how to connect us to the child he created for us.” ~ Kerry Hasenbalg
Saturday, May 29, 2010
So glad we waited on God!
God has been working behind the scenes as we've been waiting on Him. It has been amazing to sit back and let Him work. Now I don't mean we've been completely idle. We felt clear to do our homestudy with Adoption Assistance, Inc so we filled out paperwork and had a homestudy visit. We've looked at some placing agencies, but just haven't felt clear for one reason or another. The ones we've leaned toward either wouldn't work with us for some reason (like we already have children or we don't make enough money) or had a very negative evaluation from someone we trust. So, we've just waited. We are so glad we did.
As we shared in our last blog, God's Grace Adoption Ministries gave us a matching grant of up to $2500. Generous friends donated $1129.85 so it will become $2259.70. PRAISE THE LORD and THANK YOU to the friends who gave!!! Unfortunately, GGAM cannot tell us who gave. They will only tell us the total given. This is frustrating because we cannot thank individuals. So, if you gave and you're reading this, thank you. We deeply appreciate your gift!!! One group that gave was the Pro-Life Ministry from Kentucky Mountain Bible College. It was so encouraging to be supported by college students (who don't have much money) and to be reminded that God will provide in ways we don't expect.
Sunday I (Marie) was called and asked to participate in a ministry opportunity in October. I said I'd pray about it and I was to give an answer by Wednesday. I prayed and talked it over with Brad and planned to call between 4 and 6 to say "Yes!" because I could see no good reason to say "No!" Brad told me that if God wanted to close the door, He could make it clear. Well, at 4 o'clock the phone rang. It was a lady from an adoption agency that wouldn't typically work with us because we don't make enough money. They have a required gross income that we don't meet and then they want you to make $10,000 more per child. I had e-mailed the agency briefly explaining our situation and asked if they made any exceptions. Instead of simply replying to my e-mail, she called. We talked for quite some time and she said that Adoption Assistance does such a good job with home studies that if they approve us, she doesn't care how much we make. WOW!! The agency also had been refusing to work with most families who can have biological children, but she told me they changed that policy this week. God is into details!!!! It sounds very hopeful that we may have a baby much sooner than we were expecting. Brad & I felt that the possibility of having a baby by the time of the ministry opportunity and the fact that I received the call at 4 PM (the time I had planned to call to accept the opportunity) was God's way of closing the door and I called to say, "No!"
That night we began filling our paperwork for Graceful Adoptions. We still have some more to do, but it's not too much considering what we've filled out previously. Much of it is similar to what we've done before, so it's not difficult, it just takes time to put it in the format this agency wants. It will cost over $20,000 to work with this agency and we will still have some other expenses. We cannot use the two grants we've been given until we are almost finished with the adoption process. (This is to guarantee the grants given support adoptions that are completed.) We know that God is leading and as someone said, "Where God guides, He provides."
I continue to be encouraged by the quote from George Müller, "The greatness of the sum required affords me a kind of secret joy; for the greater the difficulty to be overcome, the more will it be seen to the glory of God how much can be done by prayer and faith."
As we shared in our last blog, God's Grace Adoption Ministries gave us a matching grant of up to $2500. Generous friends donated $1129.85 so it will become $2259.70. PRAISE THE LORD and THANK YOU to the friends who gave!!! Unfortunately, GGAM cannot tell us who gave. They will only tell us the total given. This is frustrating because we cannot thank individuals. So, if you gave and you're reading this, thank you. We deeply appreciate your gift!!! One group that gave was the Pro-Life Ministry from Kentucky Mountain Bible College. It was so encouraging to be supported by college students (who don't have much money) and to be reminded that God will provide in ways we don't expect.
Sunday I (Marie) was called and asked to participate in a ministry opportunity in October. I said I'd pray about it and I was to give an answer by Wednesday. I prayed and talked it over with Brad and planned to call between 4 and 6 to say "Yes!" because I could see no good reason to say "No!" Brad told me that if God wanted to close the door, He could make it clear. Well, at 4 o'clock the phone rang. It was a lady from an adoption agency that wouldn't typically work with us because we don't make enough money. They have a required gross income that we don't meet and then they want you to make $10,000 more per child. I had e-mailed the agency briefly explaining our situation and asked if they made any exceptions. Instead of simply replying to my e-mail, she called. We talked for quite some time and she said that Adoption Assistance does such a good job with home studies that if they approve us, she doesn't care how much we make. WOW!! The agency also had been refusing to work with most families who can have biological children, but she told me they changed that policy this week. God is into details!!!! It sounds very hopeful that we may have a baby much sooner than we were expecting. Brad & I felt that the possibility of having a baby by the time of the ministry opportunity and the fact that I received the call at 4 PM (the time I had planned to call to accept the opportunity) was God's way of closing the door and I called to say, "No!"
That night we began filling our paperwork for Graceful Adoptions. We still have some more to do, but it's not too much considering what we've filled out previously. Much of it is similar to what we've done before, so it's not difficult, it just takes time to put it in the format this agency wants. It will cost over $20,000 to work with this agency and we will still have some other expenses. We cannot use the two grants we've been given until we are almost finished with the adoption process. (This is to guarantee the grants given support adoptions that are completed.) We know that God is leading and as someone said, "Where God guides, He provides."
I continue to be encouraged by the quote from George Müller, "The greatness of the sum required affords me a kind of secret joy; for the greater the difficulty to be overcome, the more will it be seen to the glory of God how much can be done by prayer and faith."
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Apparent Uncertainty
Can You Bear Uncertainty?
Wow! A friend posted a link to this on Facebook and I clicked on it since "uncertainty" describes our adoption situation almost perfectly right now.
It's a blog by Jon Bloom on April 5, 2010. There's a whole lot more to it than I'm quoting, but in case you're short on time, here's the part that really struck me!
"When an adoring fan announced his desire to follow him anywhere, Jesus deglamorized things a bit by replying, “Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Luke 9:58).
God doesn’t tell us how that person responded because what’s important is the implied question: can you bear uncertainty? Can you bear not knowing how God is going to provide for your most urgent needs and still trust that he will?
It is a question that Jesus wants all of his disciples to wrestle with. There are simply going to be times when we don’t know where the provision is going to come from. Circumstances will look precarious, sometimes foreboding and threatening. Plans are going to fall through. People are going to disappoint us. They may reject or misunderstand our mission. If these things happened to Jesus, we should not be surprised when they happen to us.
Jesus does not want us to be governed by fear at such times. He wants us governed by faith. The reason is that the uncertainty is only apparent uncertainty. Our future and our provision and our ultimate triumph are certain to God. He has all the foreknowledge, power, resources, and desire to turn everything for good for those who love him and are called by him (Romans 8:28).
Apparently uncertain seasons are usually the most powerful God moments we experience. They often put God on display more than other seasons, demonstrating that God exists and rewards those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6).
So if you are in one of those seasons, take heart. You are likely experiencing what it means to have a God 'who acts for those who wait for him' (Isaiah 64:4).
*If you want to read the entire blog by Jon Bloom, click here Can You Bear Uncertainty?
Wow! A friend posted a link to this on Facebook and I clicked on it since "uncertainty" describes our adoption situation almost perfectly right now.
It's a blog by Jon Bloom on April 5, 2010. There's a whole lot more to it than I'm quoting, but in case you're short on time, here's the part that really struck me!
"When an adoring fan announced his desire to follow him anywhere, Jesus deglamorized things a bit by replying, “Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Luke 9:58).
God doesn’t tell us how that person responded because what’s important is the implied question: can you bear uncertainty? Can you bear not knowing how God is going to provide for your most urgent needs and still trust that he will?
It is a question that Jesus wants all of his disciples to wrestle with. There are simply going to be times when we don’t know where the provision is going to come from. Circumstances will look precarious, sometimes foreboding and threatening. Plans are going to fall through. People are going to disappoint us. They may reject or misunderstand our mission. If these things happened to Jesus, we should not be surprised when they happen to us.
Jesus does not want us to be governed by fear at such times. He wants us governed by faith. The reason is that the uncertainty is only apparent uncertainty. Our future and our provision and our ultimate triumph are certain to God. He has all the foreknowledge, power, resources, and desire to turn everything for good for those who love him and are called by him (Romans 8:28).
Apparently uncertain seasons are usually the most powerful God moments we experience. They often put God on display more than other seasons, demonstrating that God exists and rewards those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6).
So if you are in one of those seasons, take heart. You are likely experiencing what it means to have a God 'who acts for those who wait for him' (Isaiah 64:4).
*If you want to read the entire blog by Jon Bloom, click here Can You Bear Uncertainty?
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Labor pains?!?
I read an interesting article tonight. It's titled "Hurry Up and Wait..." I'll put the link at the bottom of this post in case anyone wants to read it, but here are a couple quotes that really stuck out to me.
Referring to the waiting time adoptive parents experience, Rebecca Robinson says, "I often describe it as the adoptive parents' time of labor. You are expectant parents with no idea of when to expect your child. It can be an emotional, painful, exciting, frightening, joyful time. One thing it's not... is predictable."
"Rarely does adoption occur in a neat, organized, time-oriented, totally predictable manner. It is a time when we have little or no control over much of what occurs and it is enough to make some of us want to yell, 'An epidural, please!'"
Wow! What a great explanation! I was hoping we'd be the exception and our adoption would happen quickly. I like neat, organized, and predictable! It was a nice dream, but not reality. :)
It's been 13 months since we felt God leading us to adopt. We applied to BCAS in March 2009 and began our waiting then as the lady who works with adoptive families was too busy to get back to us. We finally heard from her in May and her in July. Then we began the hours of paperwork, meetings, fingerprinting, reading, etc...
If we were pregnant, we'd be packing our bags for the hospital trip and waiting for the first signs of labor. Instead, we've learned that our agency is closing and God has other plans for us. We don't know what they entail, but we KNOW that they include hope and a future, not just for us, but for the son He will bring us. (Jeremiah 29:11)
After two successful pregnancies, I must say that in many ways, this is much more difficult. Of course, I have to remember that I have 3 beautiful girls from those pregnancies and they have erased many of the memories of the difficulties. For now I'll claim what the article says, "Remember that your child will come to you. ... You will soon be parents and your wait will be over. I believe that just as the pain of physical labor is forgotten with the sight of your child, your 'labor pains' will also fade to memory when you hold your little one."
http://www.lifetimeadoption.com/for_adoptive_families/hurry.html
Referring to the waiting time adoptive parents experience, Rebecca Robinson says, "I often describe it as the adoptive parents' time of labor. You are expectant parents with no idea of when to expect your child. It can be an emotional, painful, exciting, frightening, joyful time. One thing it's not... is predictable."
"Rarely does adoption occur in a neat, organized, time-oriented, totally predictable manner. It is a time when we have little or no control over much of what occurs and it is enough to make some of us want to yell, 'An epidural, please!'"
Wow! What a great explanation! I was hoping we'd be the exception and our adoption would happen quickly. I like neat, organized, and predictable! It was a nice dream, but not reality. :)
It's been 13 months since we felt God leading us to adopt. We applied to BCAS in March 2009 and began our waiting then as the lady who works with adoptive families was too busy to get back to us. We finally heard from her in May and her in July. Then we began the hours of paperwork, meetings, fingerprinting, reading, etc...
If we were pregnant, we'd be packing our bags for the hospital trip and waiting for the first signs of labor. Instead, we've learned that our agency is closing and God has other plans for us. We don't know what they entail, but we KNOW that they include hope and a future, not just for us, but for the son He will bring us. (Jeremiah 29:11)
After two successful pregnancies, I must say that in many ways, this is much more difficult. Of course, I have to remember that I have 3 beautiful girls from those pregnancies and they have erased many of the memories of the difficulties. For now I'll claim what the article says, "Remember that your child will come to you. ... You will soon be parents and your wait will be over. I believe that just as the pain of physical labor is forgotten with the sight of your child, your 'labor pains' will also fade to memory when you hold your little one."
http://www.lifetimeadoption.com/for_adoptive_families/hurry.html
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
A Greater Yes
A friend shared this with me. I thought it fit our situation so well and wanted to share it. I pray it encourages you in your situation too!!! God definitely knows best!!
A Greater Yes
Marcia Henry / Marcia Henry Music / BMI
Made Popular by The Whisnants
Verse 1:
It starts with a desire, planted deep within your heart
You pray in faith, and wait for God to move
Time passes and you wonder
Did He hear me when I called?
Should I even have prayed that prayer at all
Chorus:
You never pray a prayer, your Father will not answer
He can't ignore His child's earnest request
So while you're waiting and believing
For what you thought was best
Trust God if He says “no” ….. You're still Blessed
There must be a greater yes
Verse 2:
There comes a time when child-like faith
Must graduate to trust
Trials come and you're convinced you're on your own
But the teacher's often silent
During the hardest test
But He'll answer when It's time with what is best
Chorus
Bridge:
Sometimes God will answer - just like we prayed
But other times what's on His mind
Is a better plan, another way, a greater yes
Chorus
If you'd like to hear this song, follow this link
A Greater Yes
A Greater Yes
Marcia Henry / Marcia Henry Music / BMI
Made Popular by The Whisnants
Verse 1:
It starts with a desire, planted deep within your heart
You pray in faith, and wait for God to move
Time passes and you wonder
Did He hear me when I called?
Should I even have prayed that prayer at all
Chorus:
You never pray a prayer, your Father will not answer
He can't ignore His child's earnest request
So while you're waiting and believing
For what you thought was best
Trust God if He says “no” ….. You're still Blessed
There must be a greater yes
Verse 2:
There comes a time when child-like faith
Must graduate to trust
Trials come and you're convinced you're on your own
But the teacher's often silent
During the hardest test
But He'll answer when It's time with what is best
Chorus
Bridge:
Sometimes God will answer - just like we prayed
But other times what's on His mind
Is a better plan, another way, a greater yes
Chorus
If you'd like to hear this song, follow this link
A Greater Yes
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
God's Confirmation
We serve an amazing God. He speaks in so many ways. I love it when He reinforces lessons I'm learning in multiple ways. Our lesson at Bible study confirmed what He's teaching me about waiting and being content in where He has me right now. It also gave me a wonderful way to view it! First I want to share some of what God's been teaching me lately.
I've been listening to some of John Piper's sermons. (As a side note, you can download his sermons for free at http://www.desiringgod.org/. I'm not saying I totally endorese everything he says. There are tons of sermons there. But the ones I've listened to so far have greatly challenged me - especially his sermons on unbelief and the sermon titled "Are You Humble Enough to Be Care-Free?" based on I Peter 5:5-7).
I've listened to Piper's sermon "Battling the Unbelief of Impatience" several times. In it he says, "The opposite of impatience is not a glib, superficial denial of frustration. The opposite of impatience is a deepening, ripening, peaceful willingness either to wait for God where you are in the place of obedience, or to persevere at the pace He allows on the road of obedience—to wait in His place, or to go at His pace. "
Right now, we are waiting in the place where He has us and we are very content. That has to be God, because I'm not by nature a patient person, but He is working in me. PTL!!!
Here were the main points of our Bible study lesson and (how it applies to us specifically):
Taken from Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman by Beth Moore Session 5
It's important to know...
1. When it's time.
2. When it's time to wait. (Obviously it's time for us to wait in the adoption process.)
3. When it's time to wait for someone else's time. (We can't adopt until the time is right for the birthparents.)
4. When the meantime is God-time.
Never in our wait is God inactive. Something is up. Something is happening in the heavenlies.
We lose our strength when we wait upon the event, the thing, the person, the baby, ...
As Isaiah 40:31a says, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength." I'm NOT to be waiting for the time I get to adopt a baby boy. I am to WAIT UPON THE LORD and He promised to renew my strength.
I've been listening to some of John Piper's sermons. (As a side note, you can download his sermons for free at http://www.desiringgod.org/. I'm not saying I totally endorese everything he says. There are tons of sermons there. But the ones I've listened to so far have greatly challenged me - especially his sermons on unbelief and the sermon titled "Are You Humble Enough to Be Care-Free?" based on I Peter 5:5-7).
I've listened to Piper's sermon "Battling the Unbelief of Impatience" several times. In it he says, "The opposite of impatience is not a glib, superficial denial of frustration. The opposite of impatience is a deepening, ripening, peaceful willingness either to wait for God where you are in the place of obedience, or to persevere at the pace He allows on the road of obedience—to wait in His place, or to go at His pace. "
Right now, we are waiting in the place where He has us and we are very content. That has to be God, because I'm not by nature a patient person, but He is working in me. PTL!!!
Here were the main points of our Bible study lesson and (how it applies to us specifically):
Taken from Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman by Beth Moore Session 5
It's important to know...
1. When it's time.
2. When it's time to wait. (Obviously it's time for us to wait in the adoption process.)
3. When it's time to wait for someone else's time. (We can't adopt until the time is right for the birthparents.)
4. When the meantime is God-time.
Never in our wait is God inactive. Something is up. Something is happening in the heavenlies.
We lose our strength when we wait upon the event, the thing, the person, the baby, ...
As Isaiah 40:31a says, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength." I'm NOT to be waiting for the time I get to adopt a baby boy. I am to WAIT UPON THE LORD and He promised to renew my strength.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Blessed Beyond Measure
We haven't updated the blog lately because there isn't much to say about the adoption process. We're in the WAIT and PRAY (repeat, repeat, ...) stage.
We have applied to Show Hope (Steven Curtis Chapman's organization) and God's Grace Adoption Ministry for financial aid. We are waiting to hear from both organizations and praying for God to provide in His way and in His time. We also tried to contact the Boatner Foundation, but don't have current contact information.
In the mean time we are rejoicing in where God has us and how He has blessed us. God has been so good to us. We know that even if we never have the privilege of rearing a son, we have been blessed beyond what we could have imagined. Our daughters are at such fun ages. God has supplied all our needs and has given us many of our wants. I never dreamed life here on earth could be this good. Is it perfect? No, of course not!!! But God is good and we can't praise Him enough for working in our lives and allowing us to serve Him. Thank You, Lord!!
We have applied to Show Hope (Steven Curtis Chapman's organization) and God's Grace Adoption Ministry for financial aid. We are waiting to hear from both organizations and praying for God to provide in His way and in His time. We also tried to contact the Boatner Foundation, but don't have current contact information.
In the mean time we are rejoicing in where God has us and how He has blessed us. God has been so good to us. We know that even if we never have the privilege of rearing a son, we have been blessed beyond what we could have imagined. Our daughters are at such fun ages. God has supplied all our needs and has given us many of our wants. I never dreamed life here on earth could be this good. Is it perfect? No, of course not!!! But God is good and we can't praise Him enough for working in our lives and allowing us to serve Him. Thank You, Lord!!
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