Habakkuk 2:3
For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.
A snapshot into what her future held...
Zhukovka, Russia
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Road blocks and blessings
I must be quite honest friends... I know it has been awhile since I last posted. There is a reason... I simply have not known what to write. I have been trying, very hard, to wrap my mind around the "latest" and I've needed to do that and "process" before I could inform.
So... we knew getting into this adoption that things would not be easy. We knew and continue to know it is a journey of faith. And now, we are learning, God is working on us and our individual strength... our faith and our strength. I can quite candidly admit, there is room for improvement in both areas.
Typically, with all of the paperwork we have submitted, we would be registered in the region, in Russia, by now. However, we have run into yet another road block involving one of Sveta's parents. There aren't any concerns of either parent wanting to gain rights again, but we now have extra paperwork to do, which of course, takes more time to process, therefore; pushing our visit with her back, yet again!
This is very difficult for us. We have been let down twice now... first, thinking we'd be meeting Sveta in August, then October. It has made us question God- WHY? WHY? WHY? We are trying to do what God asks us to, in the Bible... care for orphans. (James 1:27) So... WHY??? As we keep trying, it seems as though there is one obstacle after another. However, in spite of the obstacles, we keep getting confirmation from God that we are on the right track! It's a really odd place to be!
Pursuing an adoption takes such an insane amount of time and energy. It can truly be both physically and emotionally draining. And now that I know this, I never for a second want to forget or seem ungrateful for the two little blessings we already have! God has given us, already, two of the most precious little souls who have big purposes in this life! Already, we are blessed!
A friend of ours recently made a comment that really made me think. He, too, is an adoptive parent and understands what the process and emotions entail. He said that he's so glad we can't see into the future, because if God would have told him 5 years ago that he and his wife would be adopting down the road, he wouldn't have believed it and would have resisted and been upset about the idea. However, that's not how God works... we don't know the plan ahead of time (thankfully), and He doesn't just throw us into things... He uses time to grow us and prepare us for what He has for us. That outlook has helped me understand our waiting a lot better. Also, right after we got word, our church message was centered around "Waiting!" I'd have to say that's the Holy Spirit giving confirmation we are supposed to adopt... we just need to wait. It's all God's timing, and His is very different than ours. It's amazing that God already knows the timing. He knows the day we will bring Sveta home. He knew the day she was born that she was going to someday enter into a new family... a family in southwestern Ohio... USA!
There's so much I could get into, but for now, I just wanted to update you on what has been going on. Something we ask for prayers about is... a friend of mine, who is a former airline stewardess, has offered her buddy passes to our family. If our adoption agency gives the "ok" I could be traveling with a friend, to Russia, in December. I wouldn't be able to acknowledge that we are pursuing the adoption of Sveta; however, I could meet Sveta, observe her, and take her something. I am hoping this will work out, if it's God's desire. I am so blessed that my friend thought of me, to use the buddy passes which are an amazing deal!
Tomorrow, I leave for a show in Toledo, so I don't know if I'll have time to post. For now, I just want to say... I am so thankful for the family I have, the quaint home we share, the amazing friends I have, the freelance work that comes my way, the wonderful school our children attend, and our health... which I'm reminded of when I see our strong, little boy take to the football field! Waiting is hard, but life in the meantime is good... and I thank God for that!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Bryansk Home
My two favorite colors together seem to be common in Bryansk homes.
Ahhhh my friend <3 I big heart you and your courage, your faith, your authenticity (and about 463 other things about you).
ReplyDeletePsalms 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
Psalms 37:7a Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him.
Micah 7:7 Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
The last part of that verse.... say it out loud. My God will hear me. Pretty awesome, right? God hears you. He knows. And He cares. He's building your faith and strengthening you for His plan. His plan is always greater. This we both know. Be encouraged. Sveta is meant to be with you. There's no doubt about it. xo