While we are waiting...
This past Sunday our pastor spoke on "Waiting on the Lord" and so I thought it'd be a great opportunity to not only share with you what God's Word says about it, but also how we are doing with it.
Lamentations 3:16-33 was where we were at.
That's usually the main thing people ask us is how are we handling waiting. I can honestly tell you from both mine and Jason's heart, we are doing so good with it and we can testify to the greatness of our God! And that's not because we are patience experts or because we don't long to be with our little boy. It's an evidence of God at work in us. This is not to boast or brag, its an honesty post of years of God's work on our selfish, wordly hearts to remind us day in and day out our lives are not about us.
When we first began to ask God to grow our family, we didn't think much about God's will and we (without realizing it) had selfish reasons why we wanted kids. To experience a pregnancy like everyone else, it's what married couples do, to have someone who looked like us, to carry on our family legacy, to fit the mold of the American dream, to have easier conversation with all our friends going through this life change together, to "be fruitful and multiply" like God said. As time went on and years passed by, we learned a very hard and painful way that it's not about our will. It's never going to be about our will, and in our own strength we will fail. We learned God's will was more important. And when God said He alone deserves the glory, we began to see if we would have a family one day, it'd be for His glory and not be something we think that we created!
We've learned that our HOPE in the Lord grants patience. We've learned that waiting is hard when it's about us - and our biggest prayer request we've asked for is that this adoption journey wouldn't be about us but about God's glory. And how we are handling waiting is testifying to that answered prayer! I'll be honest to say that this wasn't my attitude at the beginning of us longing for kids.
As we wait, we want God to use us now. The only reason our son isn't in our arms today is because God will use us to glorify Him through a different way. We don't want to miss God working in us as we long to enter that new stage of life. We will be stewards of God's gift to us, our son, when He says so. And we are ok that God has given that responsibility to his foster mother today.
So, I've put our heart our there. Now here's where we need you!
For starters, we praise God for how truly AWESOME this journey has been, and we really do have an incredible support team which includes so many of you reading this. God is using you in our lives!
I know everybody goes through seasons of waiting. I'd encourage you to read the scripture above and turn your eyes to Jesus for hope. Our testimony is living proof that our God can change hearts, attitudes, and minds to direct you to the only One who can bring you the HOPE you long for!
Lamentations 3:16-33 was where we were at.
That's usually the main thing people ask us is how are we handling waiting. I can honestly tell you from both mine and Jason's heart, we are doing so good with it and we can testify to the greatness of our God! And that's not because we are patience experts or because we don't long to be with our little boy. It's an evidence of God at work in us. This is not to boast or brag, its an honesty post of years of God's work on our selfish, wordly hearts to remind us day in and day out our lives are not about us.
When we first began to ask God to grow our family, we didn't think much about God's will and we (without realizing it) had selfish reasons why we wanted kids. To experience a pregnancy like everyone else, it's what married couples do, to have someone who looked like us, to carry on our family legacy, to fit the mold of the American dream, to have easier conversation with all our friends going through this life change together, to "be fruitful and multiply" like God said. As time went on and years passed by, we learned a very hard and painful way that it's not about our will. It's never going to be about our will, and in our own strength we will fail. We learned God's will was more important. And when God said He alone deserves the glory, we began to see if we would have a family one day, it'd be for His glory and not be something we think that we created!
We've learned that our HOPE in the Lord grants patience. We've learned that waiting is hard when it's about us - and our biggest prayer request we've asked for is that this adoption journey wouldn't be about us but about God's glory. And how we are handling waiting is testifying to that answered prayer! I'll be honest to say that this wasn't my attitude at the beginning of us longing for kids.
As we wait, we want God to use us now. The only reason our son isn't in our arms today is because God will use us to glorify Him through a different way. We don't want to miss God working in us as we long to enter that new stage of life. We will be stewards of God's gift to us, our son, when He says so. And we are ok that God has given that responsibility to his foster mother today.
When we have hope, waiting on God is possible. We know this period of waiting is God shaping and molding us to look more like Christ. And we can testify that our marriage looks more biblical because of waiting on God.
Don't misunderstand me, our marriage it not perfect. But it is more in line with what God's Word says a marriage should be because we've had to wait on the Lord.
So, I've put our heart our there. Now here's where we need you!
For starters, we praise God for how truly AWESOME this journey has been, and we really do have an incredible support team which includes so many of you reading this. God is using you in our lives!
- We do need supporters to pray for us and hold us accountable. That everyday, every conversation, every action - as we are in a season of waiting, that God would be glorified. That we wouldn't complain about the wait, and that it wouldn't be about us.
- Pray that we'd be outwardly turned. May our hearts break for those who need Jesus, and that we wouldn't limit our prayers to our desire to hold our little boy. God is so much bigger than that!
- We know God is faithful. Would you pray that He would give us our little boy in His timing?
- Pray that God would remind us daily of His character. Focus on Him! (hint: scripture and words of encouragement from you that helps us focus on Him is huge!)
- Pray that we'd be protected from satan. He knows what temptations to throw at us to turn our attention back to ourselves.
- That our hope in the Lord would grow everyday. We know that He can give us a family, and when that happens, please pray even now we'd give God all glory for it!
I know everybody goes through seasons of waiting. I'd encourage you to read the scripture above and turn your eyes to Jesus for hope. Our testimony is living proof that our God can change hearts, attitudes, and minds to direct you to the only One who can bring you the HOPE you long for!
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