July 11, 2007 - Waiting

Wow! The waiting again - and this will be the story of our adoption journey for quiet some time yet. We haven't heard anything yet about another baby girl being brought into the orphanage, but I imagine we will as soon as she arrives, as this is what we're waiting for. Then I imagine we'll have a bit of another wait until they have her referral information and can get lab results back on her. I'm not sure how long this takes. We're praying for her, whomever she is, and for her birth
family in the tough decision they're probably making right now. We're also praying for those at the orphanage to accept her with open and loving arms, as we will do as well. She is already in our hearts.

A couple weeks ago an adoptive mom posted a plea for prayers on the orphanage's Yahoo Group message board. She was having a day of absolute frustration at the delays she was experiencing in gathering her paperwork. Another adoptive mom posted this encouraging response that I wanted to share with you. I think of it often...

I hear your frustration and I want you to know that you are not alone. There are many, many of us waiting in one step or another for others to act on our behalf and where we have no control. For me, some days are easy and other days I struggle with frustration and impatience. I know exactly the struggle with the flesh that you are talking about. We are human and it reveals so clearly our need for the Lord. We each have an amazing story of how God led us to adopt and how we came to this organization. There are countless stories of how God led us to the child(ren) He chose for us and how He has provided the means for these adoptions. These tangible ways of seeing God at work in our lives are precious gifts from Him to help us on this journey. It is a journey. We are, as Paul says, running the race and the end of the race is not our children coming home – although that is a HUGE reward and blessing – the end of the race is when we meet our Savior face to face and He says “Well done, thy good and faithful servant.”

He DOES have a plan and He WILL bring our children home! We just have to decide how we are going to run in the race today. Are we going to give up short? Are we going to run with our eyes on the Lord and learn along the way? Either way He is the wind beneath our wings and, if we let Him, He will get us there. The 2 verses that go over and over in my mind each day that help me are:

1. In Nehemiah 8:10 – the end of the verse “Do not grieve, the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

2. And then I think of Job, who went through far more than we can ever imagine and he said: “I know that you can do all things; NO PLAN OF YOURS CAN BE THWARTED.” WOW!!! I want to trust like Job!

My prayer is for you today, and each of us waiting in whatever step that may be. That we would hold on to our joy in the Lord, have patience, and trust God like Job; knowing that no plan of His could ever be thwarted! Lord, carry us through today because we cannot do it on our own strength. Help us to remember that this is only one small leg of the race and that you are the finish line. Carry us in the palm of your hand, and teach us each something new to help us grow closer to you and further from that place out of which you brought us. May our JOY IN YOU be our strength. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The other adoptive families on this Yahoo Group have been a blessing to us many days, and I'm thankful each day for the positive encouragement that is asked for and received by other members of the group. To know and commiserate with and pray for and celebrate with others going through the same process is such a blessing.