Thank you all for praying along with us for this adoption process !! Last week we really asked for deep prayers (read here) from everyone and anyone to really lift up in pleas to the Lord to let nothing get in the way of His plans. The one paper, that needs to be signed from the officials in Ethiopia by one person....and it's been delayed for 5 months.....it has been hard to wait.
Last week in my prayers I was asking the Lord for comfort in knowing that it will all be all right. During church we were reminded of the Lord as our shepherd and how he leads us weary, straying sheep to the calm, still, refreshing waters. In a real shepherds daily life, he would lead the sheep to graze, drink, rest, and travel along paths. Some paths would wind up the mountains. A narrow path with a steep drop off to one side and a wall of the rock mountain to the other. The shepherd would tap his rod on the rock of the mountain so the sound would echo behind to the sheep following. They would know that the shepherd was still in the lead and they were to continue to press on by the sounds of the taps.
I prayed for a tap on the rock; for an echo to know that God really does have this under His lead. And in my tiny sheep-like, weak mind, tired-worn-out-walk, I just needed to know that everything was going to be all right. I repeatedly told myself the truths of God that I know dear in my heart: His timing is perfect, He holds the world in His hands, He tells the lightening where to travel- surely He holds me, and His ways are higher than mine. But it's hard to listen to yourself sometimes. I read the Bible and just still cried out for a personal tap on the rock. An echo to say a personal "it's o.k. Erin."
Well, it came. The echos. The taps came in many ways. People sent me encouraging words, friends called to pray over the phone with me, and you all were praying too! At our daughter's dance recital, the Christmas theme was "Hope is born!" and all about the beautiful hope born to us when Jesus entered this world as a baby. What an amazing gift of HOPE that He is! The lyrics in a song at the program said "it will be all right" and was touching to my heart. Our family devotionals were tip-top perfect for what 'tap' I needed to hear. Read one here. God was really reaching out to me and comforting my heart.
Scriptures came into my day like:
Romans 8:24-28
Romans 12:12 "Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and prayerful always."
Hebrews 6:18 "So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us."
And this was our family devotional for Dec. 12th:
As that comfort and peace was speaking to my heart, somewhere in someone's office, on someone's desk across the ocean in Ethiopia was signing our paper!!! YES!!
THE PAPER HAS BEEN SIGNED!!!! We just got a call from our agency saying that they have a copy of the letter!!! It was signed and dated for DECEMBER 12th!! We are beyond thrilled and just praising GOD for this goodness and sign of movement in our adoption case!!
He HEARS our prayers and makes the way for those who believe to be encouraged in knowing that yes, He's still in control and in the lead for our long journey to adopt.
Celebrate with us in thanking God the Father for answering our prayers!!! Thank you for praying deeply and bringing this request continually to the feet of Jesus. Thank you!!
YIPPEEEE!!! We can move on!! What a gift of HOPE!!!! Another step forward!!!!! GOD provided a miracle!!!
Last week in my prayers I was asking the Lord for comfort in knowing that it will all be all right. During church we were reminded of the Lord as our shepherd and how he leads us weary, straying sheep to the calm, still, refreshing waters. In a real shepherds daily life, he would lead the sheep to graze, drink, rest, and travel along paths. Some paths would wind up the mountains. A narrow path with a steep drop off to one side and a wall of the rock mountain to the other. The shepherd would tap his rod on the rock of the mountain so the sound would echo behind to the sheep following. They would know that the shepherd was still in the lead and they were to continue to press on by the sounds of the taps.
I prayed for a tap on the rock; for an echo to know that God really does have this under His lead. And in my tiny sheep-like, weak mind, tired-worn-out-walk, I just needed to know that everything was going to be all right. I repeatedly told myself the truths of God that I know dear in my heart: His timing is perfect, He holds the world in His hands, He tells the lightening where to travel- surely He holds me, and His ways are higher than mine. But it's hard to listen to yourself sometimes. I read the Bible and just still cried out for a personal tap on the rock. An echo to say a personal "it's o.k. Erin."
Well, it came. The echos. The taps came in many ways. People sent me encouraging words, friends called to pray over the phone with me, and you all were praying too! At our daughter's dance recital, the Christmas theme was "Hope is born!" and all about the beautiful hope born to us when Jesus entered this world as a baby. What an amazing gift of HOPE that He is! The lyrics in a song at the program said "it will be all right" and was touching to my heart. Our family devotionals were tip-top perfect for what 'tap' I needed to hear. Read one here. God was really reaching out to me and comforting my heart.
Scriptures came into my day like:
Romans 8:24-28
Romans 12:12 "Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and prayerful always."
Hebrews 6:18 "So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us."
And this was our family devotional for Dec. 12th:
As that comfort and peace was speaking to my heart, somewhere in someone's office, on someone's desk across the ocean in Ethiopia was signing our paper!!! YES!!
THE PAPER HAS BEEN SIGNED!!!! We just got a call from our agency saying that they have a copy of the letter!!! It was signed and dated for DECEMBER 12th!! We are beyond thrilled and just praising GOD for this goodness and sign of movement in our adoption case!!
He HEARS our prayers and makes the way for those who believe to be encouraged in knowing that yes, He's still in control and in the lead for our long journey to adopt.
Celebrate with us in thanking God the Father for answering our prayers!!! Thank you for praying deeply and bringing this request continually to the feet of Jesus. Thank you!!
YIPPEEEE!!! We can move on!! What a gift of HOPE!!!! Another step forward!!!!! GOD provided a miracle!!!
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