"We love because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19At last! We are finished with our paper chasing! Hooray! And, thank You, Jesus! We received our USCIS (Immigration) approval on Friday and today, our dossier is headed to our agency. So, it's officially out of our hands and into God's (although we know it has truly never been in our hands, but His!) Now comes "The WAIT". Our dossier should be in Ethiopia within 2-3 weeks and we will officially be on the list to recieve our children. As the Lord prompts, please pray for wisdom for the agency staff in Ethiopia to know the children God has planned before the beginning of time to add to our family. It is so exciting!
The photo above is literally ALL the papers we have been waiting on, collecting, notarizing, tracking down and photocopying for the last 6 months...and it has been a true "labor of love." Just as we experienced in our first two adoptions, the love God has placed in our hearts for these children has allowed this process to be...can I really say it?...enjoyable. Some weeks...nothing happened. Other weeks...we were a flurry of activity. But truly...it has not been overly stressful or burdensome...and I can only attribute that to God's grace...and your prayers! (Thank you!)
As we have been making all these efforts to track down documents, go to the doctor for physicals, get fingerprints, meet with social workers, write letters, get signatures notarized (will I ever sign my name again without a witness?), complete 10 hours of on-line adoption training, read 5 books (required), crunching financial numbers, not to mention beginning to clean out closets, shop for new bedspreads, furniture, thinking about toys, books and clothes...it occurred to me that our children on the other side of the world have NO idea what is occuring RIGHT NOW to ensure that they have a loving, safe and secure future!! Yet does the fact that they don't KNOW what is being done on their behalf make it any less TRUE? (of course not!) As this reality settled into my heart, the Holy Spirit whispered..."just like you don't know all the amazing things your Heavenly Father is doing to make sure you have a loving, safe and secure future, Beth!" WOW! I can tend to worry and doubt that God is working on my behalf because I cannot SEE His hand all the time...yet ultimately I must choose to trust and believe that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him..." Romans 8:28 This also brings to mind Jeremiah 29:11 " 'For I know the plans I have for you', delcares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' " He knows the plans...and I know Him...that should be enough to give me peace! Oh, that I would continually put all my hope in His unfailing love and care!
Okay, enough preaching...for now! :) I just thought that was a really cool 'picture' of how God is caring for each of us even when we cannot see it with our eyes. "Now faith is being SURE of what we hope for and CERTAIN of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 May God grant us all that kind of faith!
We love you and thank you for your prayers, words of encouragement and support! We are so glad you want to walk this journey with us!
We will keep you posted! :)
