Monday, September 23, 2013

Waiting

 
 
In recent posts we established that I am not good at waiting nor do I like to wait (who does?). Once I make up my mind on something I am focused on it at full speed ahead. Well, this mindset or personality trait (or whatever you want to call), is not conducive to the international adoption process because that process is all about waiting (and paperwork).  Lots and lots of waiting. I actually sent Jason a text not long ago that says, "I don't think I am cut out for this," and by 'this', I mean waiting (and being patience).

I know that God is in control and that everything is in His time, but that doesn't always make the waiting easier. Lately I have been trying to put the adoption waiting at the back of my mind and focus on the here and now, but it is so hard! So, I decided to do a little study on waiting and share some of what I learned (I actually did this study a few months ago, but am just now getting around to posting it).
 
Waiting requires the passage of time (which is of course the hard part), but when I read this I immediately had the thought that the passage of time is necessary because it is during that time of waiting God is working and fulfilling His plans. God's timing is perfect and He will accomplish the plans He has laid out, but it will be in His time, not ours. It reminds us that God is in control, and although it is hard for a control freak like me I should really see it as an amazing source of peace and comfort because I know that if I were in control (and I admit that at times I slip into thinking that I am) I would completely botch everything. I would much rather have our perfect, loving, all mighty Father in control. 
 
All of this reminded me of one of my favorite songs Sovereign Over Us by Aaron Keys:

'You are working in our waiting,
Sanctifying us
When beyond our understanding
You're teaching us to trust'

Ahh, there it is...trust. Waiting is God asking us if we trust Him. Do we trust Him even when we can't see what He is doing? When we have no idea of His timetable? It is in the waiting that He is teaching us--to trust Him, to follow Him, that He is in complete control, and that though we can't see it He has a perfect plan. It is hard at times, but I know that trusting God and waiting on His timing will be so very worth it. So I will keep waiting...and trusting....


"If any are inclined to despond, because they do not have such patience, let them be of good courage. It is in the course of our feeble and very imperfect waiting that God Himself, by His hidden power, strengthens us and works out in us the patience of the great saints, the patience of Christ Himself."
– Andrew Murray






 

Friday, September 6, 2013

A Year Ago {Adoption Update}

Last year at this time God lead us to the decision to pursue international adoption, and we started researching agencies, talked to other adoptive families, chose China, applied to our agency, and took our first steps on this journey. I never dreamed that my adoption update blog post a year later would be: still waiting. I honestly believed our one year update would include a picture of our soon to be child (referred and approved by China) and the news that we were making travel plans, but instead our update is that we are still waiting on a referral. All systems have been go for a referral since April when our dossier was logged in at the CCCWA in China, but so far we have not gotten the call that we have been waiting for. And the waiting, oh the waiting, it has been hard - really hard (and I do have a post on waiting that I hope to put the finishing touches on this weekend so I can finally publish it).

There is a bit of a story that goes along with all the waiting (a few of you know it as you have faithfully prayed with us), but I'm not ready to share it here just now because, well, I don't know how the story ends yet. If it ends the way we have been praying then it will be a true God story and an undeniable miracle! But even if it doesn't end the way we are hoping we know that God has a story just as wonderful and amazing in store for us.

Please continue to pray for us and for our future little one waiting in China. Pray for patience in the waiting and for trust that God has a plan far greater than anything we could hope or imagine. Pray that I will have occasion to post another adoption update very soon :) 

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. ~Psalm 143:8