Expect It!

Thank you! Thank you for taking a moment out of your day to stumble upon our blog and read about what is going on in our life. Taking the time to see us for who we are, the raw reality of who we are as people, and what God is doing for us. This has been a tough week. I received some news that I cannot yet share, but is weighing heavy on my heart. I find it hard to be the bearer of such news that I know will affect so many yet bound by the circumstances not able to share. I also see it as perhaps one of Satan's tactics to attempt drawing me away from God as it is a direct hit to my heart. I promise to share with you as soon as able. In the meantime, to ease your minds...nobody is sick and we are not pregnant. I am so very thankful that in the midst of heartache, sadness, or even just a little ho hum, Christ can take my earthly perspective and turn it around. He can transform my outlook into his outlook. Thank you sweet Lord for this little blessing that I do not deserve, it stirs my fire. 

Let me take a moment and update you. Our part of the home study has been completed since February. The precious social worker that we worked with for our entire study went on maternity leave unexpectedly early therefore someone else had to finish it by typing it up and finalizing it. I guess it took a while for them since they did not know us and were going based on her notes. Props to them for doing a great job and helping out when needed. So last week while we were at the beach we received an emailed copy of our home study for review. We went back and forth making a few changes, and then it was complete. They have mailed it to our original social worker for her signature then when they get it back....drum roll....it will be sent to Congo! Hopefully within the week. YAY!!! This means that we will then be on the waiting list for a referral. They average the matching process to be 6 months, give or take. So if we are not matched by October, you may hear me singing "All I want for Christmas is my baby girl". Then, once matched we will wait on the court process to be finalized, averaging 8-9 months.

Since our home study is now finished we can begin applying for grants and loans. I am blown away by the number of people who are called to give, support, and sponsor families adopting. I really enjoy hearing stories about how people were called into "prayership" and "sponsorship" (yes I think I just made a word up, but it works) just as much as I do families called to adopt. God's immaculate plan is amazing and the way he intertwines people's lives is intricately phenomenal. God spoke scriptures into the bible for all Christians, not just for the ones who wanted to read it, or the ones who cared about it, but for all Christians. One of the beautiful things about the Holy Spirit is what he speaks to each of us. I can prayerfully meditate over the exact same scripture as another person and the Lord reveals two completely different things to us. As we get our paperwork together for the grants and loans we have also spent time prayerfully considering additional ways to raise money, for lack of a better word, fundraisers. We have started with t-shirts and I have been honestly and truly amazed at the response. I have emails from friends of friends with such encouraging and supportive words. We value your prayers and stories, just as much as we value your support. The back of our shirts say HIS Grace and then have the verse "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27. It is not just our desire to raise money for our adoption, but even more so to spread the word of God. As Christians we are called to be disciples, living and breathing God's message. So why put "HIS Grace" on the shirts? Well....it is by HIS grace that we are saved ("For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" Ephesians 2:8) It is by HIS son that we are adopted into HIS family ("God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ." Ephesians 1:5) And it is by HIS grace that we are on the journey to Congo to bring HIS daughter into our family ("Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27). I have gone through one order of shirts, and will be placing another order tomorrow. As I looked at all the names of people ordering shirts, friends of ours as well as people I have never met, I wanted to do something for them. I guess a means of thanking them for loving and supporting us in our journey. The Lord quickly reminded me that the greatest gift we can give each other is to pray for each other. So I chose to roll each t-shirt up and tie it with a wraffia bow. As I fold and roll each t-shirt I pray for the person the shirt is going to, some friends I know and others across the states that I have never met. What a joy and blessing the opportunity has been to pray for so many people! 

There is a particular person in my life, of great importance to me, that we have not yet shared about the adoption. Not because I'm not ready to or because I am fearful, but the timing has not been right. Taking into account conversations with this person in the past about various topics, well, guess I'll be honest....conversations about anything...responses from this person tend to show a pattern on the negative side. Therefore, my family has shown great concern for this upcoming conversation I will have with this person. It is truly out of love and I am beyond blessed to have a family that so badly wants to protect me from any harmful words this person may say. I believe that part of being a Christian is persecution. Not to just experience it, but to expect it. 1 Peter 4:12, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you." He goes there again in Philippians 1:29. In 2 Timothy 3:12 he cannot say it any clearer "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted". So I have to wonder...if we as "Christians" are living our life and have not experienced persecution then what is our faith based on? What are we living for? Are we just luke warm? I know my feelings will most likely be hurt by this person as they have been in the past, but I cannot help imagine the persecution and pain that Jesus went through for me. How can I read the Bible and specifically the gospels about Jesus' persecution and crucifixion, acknowledge he suffered that for ME, then turn around to him and say "Sorry Jesus, I'm not feeling up to taking that persecution for you today"? He has given me comfort in my darkest days and I believe He will again as I encounter them. So I guess my perspective going into this conversation is not anticipating how bad it may hurt, but rather how closely God will hold and comfort me.