How the journey has started....

What a journey these last few years have been!  The song that plays in my mind as I write these words...Steven Curtis Chapman's "Glorious Unfolding"

The Lord has certainly been unfolding a glorious story in our lives.  And, it is definitely not anything like I thought the story of my life was gonna be!  And amazingly, the story is FAR from being over.

We have walked through the season(ssss) of infertility and the dark path that has been.  We have walked through the process of starting a domestic adoption...waiting...being looked at by birthmothers...waiting.  In the midst of that waiting, we were drawn to the listings of children that were waiting for a forever family in other countries.  

The scriptures say...........

Psalm 68:4-6

"Sing to God, sing praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds;  rejoice before him--his name is the Lord.  A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.  God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing....."

I could see that the Lord had set the lonely in our hearts for a child.  In the faces of these children, you could see the lonely in their hearts as well.  Our hearts broke for them.  The Lord began drawing us to this list, over and over.  Then, He began drawing us to the children in China.  Then, He began to show us individual children to pray for in China.

WAIT!!!!  This is not what we planned, Lord!  We are ready for a baby...an infant.  We have a crib, and baby bottles, and newborn diapers waiting in the BABY room.  We have gone through the months of preparing for a baby.  We have been waiting and dreaming about a sweet smelling, prune like, crying infant.  We are finally done with the adoption process for a newborn, and now we are thinking about changing....and going across the world?  Really?

Yes. Really.   The Lord began to reveal His plans through so many ways.  Sermons, scriptures, people, circumstances...things that happened that we could not deny His presence was in it.  But it hasn't been all dreamy and beautiful.  It's been full of fear, questioning if we are doing the right thing, questioning from others if we are doing the right thing.  We have been completely overwhelmed with fear.  We have struggled in our marriage.  We have been close to calling off the whole thing (having a child).

He has reminded us through the scriptures:

Genesis 16:13--He is the God who sees.  He sees us.

Romans 8:14-17--He has reminded us of our own sonship in Christ.  Our own adoption into His family.

Romans 8:31-32--When we feel opposition to our decision, He reminds us that He is for us!  And if He is for us, who can be against us?  He will provide all that we need to finish out His plan.  He will never leave us nor forsake us.

And many, many other scriptures have encouraged our spirits!

So I get excited when I hear Steven Curtis Chapman sing:

God’s plan from the start 

For this world and your heart 

Has been to show His glory and His grace 

Forever revealing the depth and the beauty of 

His unfailing Love 

And the story has only begun 

And this is going to be a glorious unfolding 

Just you wait and SEE and you will be amazed 

We’ve just got to believe the story is so far from over 

So hold on to every promise God has made to us 

And watch this glorious unfolding 

Romans 68:19,20; 32-35

"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.  Our God is a God who saves....Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord, to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens, who thunders with mighty voice.  Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the heavens.  You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary; the God of  Israel gives power and strength to his people.  Praise be to God!"

He continues to show us His glory and His grace.  He has stretched our faith.  This stretching has caused my heart to fall even more in love with my Father.  I'll hold on to His every promise.  

All praise and glory to God for what He has done, and what He will do....