Waiting in Times of Uncertainty

The title of this blog is a constant feeling in the international adoption world, yet I suspect every single reader can relate to it at this very moment.

Wow, what days we are in, right? Nothing anyone could of predicted, no one can seem to control and it leaves all of us waiting in much uncertainty. Although I am no expect in the medical field, on the economy, and I certainly don't know the Bible as well as I wish I did - we have learned much about waiting and trusting and would love to share with you, just in case it can encourage someone today.

Waiting Does Require Trust
Now some will trust in the government, in the medical field, or in themselves. And God has given those things in place for us to rely and lean on. But ultimately, our trust needs to be in someone Greater, because at some point our control will be limited, or the wisdom of others won't answer our questions. We must trust in the One who created us and knows us better than we know ourselves.

Trusting Means It's OK That We Don't Understand
This is submitting to a higher power and allowing God to be God.  To relinquish our feeling of control, and follow the only One who is control of this world and our lives.

Our family story has shown God's faithfulness to us and His plans, and I assure you, He is doing the same in your life right now!


God works while we wait, not just at completion.

• Our story: we began asking the Lord to grow our family almost eleven years ago. He faithfully answered that prayer when we brought our son home three years ago. God worked in the most amazing details years before that, day in and day out. He was not absent. He was not silent. Our faith today is a testament to God's ongoing work as we wait.
• Your story: open your eyes to what God is doing TODAY to draw you nearer to Him - He is not silent or absent from your life.

Be faithful to use your time while waiting.

• Our story: as we waited for God to grow our family, we took advantage of things we knew would be hard with a family. We went on missions trips, we connected with friends playing soccer together each week, we would stay up late with small group friends playing games and talking life. We asked God to use us, and aimed to avoid bitterness, anger or despair when our prayer had not been answered...yet.
• Your story: our waiting for this virus to stop has put every person in an awkward holding pattern on life. Ask God to use you while we wait for this to pass. How you handle these days will become part of each of our testimonies!

It will be worth it.

• Our story: we knew if God never gave us children, that He was enough and that would be OK. But trust me, that was a long and painful road for both of us to get to. Then God called us to something insanely greater than ourselves, and now we are waiting to bring our SECOND Thai child home. Long hard road, and yet now we have a front row seat to see God redeem our family story. And it includes two new stories that desperately needed God to intervene to redeem. As we wait in a very uncertain time, we have no idea when we'll get approved and when we can travel to our daughter. The long hard road of international adoption for anyone currently in the process just got longer and harder. But what brings HOPE, is once our daughter is in our arms, all this pain goes away and we knew it was worth it. She is worth it!
• Your story: What will God teach you during this season that you'll look back on and say "It was worth it."? Maybe you haven't prayed in years, and this is making you look past yourself and back to God. Maybe the time at home will rekindle your marriage or your relationship with your children. Maybe it's getting us all on the phones calling our grandparents on a regular basis. Maybe it's showing you how to do virtual Bible studies with someone who wants to learn more. Maybe it's causing you to slow down to reset priorities in your life. What will change for the better? And let's encourage each other in 'the betters' when anxiety, fears, and frustrations lay at the doorstep...look for 'the betters'!

...God is always at work. Be faithful, we know He is faithful. And trust and hope in Him!...