God's Love Part II

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:16-18

Yesterday, was a difficult day for me.  I needed to be surrounded by God's presence. I laid down to pray. 
This journey is VERY difficult.  We have to continually put our trust in the Lord for deliverance. We are only one month into the waiting.    We will not make it through this process without God. 

I know He is watching over us.  We got good news yesterday, pending our homestudy, we've been accepted into the South Korea program.  Woot!  I didn't even know that the social worker had sent our paperwork in, I thought she was waiting for one more piece of information.

God is amazing.  2 Corinthians 12:10 came to my mind.  When I looked it up, I noticed the verse before it.

 9And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness " Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
 ¹⁰Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

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I am one of the weakest people you will meet.  May God's power abound.  He is Holy.  He is Faithful.  Praise God.

God's Love

Thursday, September 23, I went to renew my passport because they had spelled my name wrong the first time one was issued to me 4 years ago.  It was great news.  All I had to pay was the fee for the pictures.

Still waiting on our clinic to get us our test results back and letters about the health of our children.  Hopefully, we get them back on Tuesday.  I'm ready to send in my paperwork.  I need to remember in God's timing.  It will all work out.

Pray for us.  Pray for our child.  And pray for the children who don't have a loving home to go to.

I pray that God's love permeates your entire being today.

Grrr!

We have all of the paperwork done for the homestudy.  We are just waiting on the doctor to read bloodwork and finish writing a couple of letters.  Hopefully, she can get that done so that I can mail it tomorrow.

I went for an interview tonight.  Not sure I got the job, I'll keep you posted. 

God is amazing.  I went and visited my husband's cousin tonight at the hospital. She had her baby.  Her baby is so beautiful.

I wonder.  Has my baby been born yet, or is he/she just waiting on the Lord?  I will trust in You, Lord, for you know my plan.

Psalm 52:8 But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever.

Whirlwind

We have been incredibly busy with paperwork. Thursday we tried to get medical documents and we had our physicals started.  Saturday and Sunday was spent in the adoption classes required by Hague.  Oh, this process is moving right along.  You really have no idea how many hours it takes until you are in the process.  I hear it is all worth it, and I can't wait to experience the joy.

Today I am sending some paperwork to another state to get backgrounds done in that state as well as our own.  We have bloodwork to be done.  I need to continue to figure out how we are going to finance this journey, if it is completed quicker than we first thought.  I also need to hurry up and get my passport taken care of. 

One of my children is sick with a fever again. I hope he gets better soon. 

Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (NIV)

Not Quite Speechless

We don't qualify for the country of China for adoption.  It leaves me a little sad.  I sort of thought that China might be the country.  However, it was my second choice.  I just couldn't imagine being turned down by a country. 

God knows our plan.  I will continue to trust in Him.

I will leave you tonight with this Bible passage:

because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:14-18

Time To Clean Tuesday

The inquiry about the child didn't work out.  I can't say that I didn't shed a tear.  I am an emotional person. There is a little feeling of loss, but I have to trust God.

I'd like to say that my husband is great.  He comforts me.

Today sounds like a great cleaning day.  My house would not pass any type of inspection.  Can you say clutter?

Seems like I need a cleaning also.  My hair is disheveled, but I am pretty clean on the outside.  It seems it is a good day for spiritual cleaning.  I just need to be in God's presence, the Great Comforter.  I am blessed that today is the day that the church is opened for prayer.  I look forward to visiting.  There is something different about praying inside a quiet church.  NO distractions and it's peaceful.

I was just given a hug by my youngest.  How warming to my soul.

I can't stop thinking of this Bible verse:

Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: "Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 1 Chronicles 17:16

Who am I (Christina), O Lord, that you have brought me this far? I will continue to cling to the Father.

I praise You, my God.

Dust bunnies beware, I am coming to get you.

Doubtfilled Sunday

Everyone has a bad day from time to time.  I will be the first to tell you that I am full of faith for our Father in heaven. My problem this morning was that I had no faith in my own abilities.  It is true, I can't make it on my own.  That starts the downward spiral of I am worthless.  Apart from God that is true also. 

God whispered to me through His word,  "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (part of 2 Corinthians 12:9)

Why is it that God continues to follow through on His promises, yet I easily forget to rely on Him?  I have to come back to Him daily.


For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.  Isaiah 41:13


I may be down, but I am not out!  I will put on the full armor of God (see Ephesians 6:10-20).  I will continue to be bold, even through my weaknesses.  I will continue to be bold about my faith even when it makes someone else feel uncomfortable or they point to me and say all I want is people to focus on me. I beg you please, look at Jesus.  I WILL fail you.  Jesus NEVER fails. 

Praise God for taking care of us.

Chosen

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV)

"For many are invited, but few are chosen."  Matthew 22:14 (NIV)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV)

We have chosen a Waiting Child (little girl) to request more information on Monday, September 13, 2010.  Once we receive the information, we will decide if we want to continue to pursue this child.  If we choose to pursue, then we wait to see if we are her chosen family.

Hope vs. Wish

Look these two words up in the dictionary: hope, wish.  Do you see the difference?  If you are wishing for something, you're probably going to come up empty handed.  Hope is something you already have or it is something (or someone) you usually work toward. 

In his name the nations will put their hope. Matthew 12:21 (NIV)

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:13 (NIV)

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

Three things will last forever--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT)

Isn't it amazing how faith, hope, and love are intertwined like the trinity?  And they all last forever.

I have a passport, but they spelled my name wrong.  So today, I filled out the application for a new one.  On the application it asks when and where are you traveling.  I wasn't sure how to answer that, so I put in about 4 months.  Of course, it will more than likely be longer than that, but I don't want to be held up by my passport.  Some of the people receive referrals very soon after they receive their completed home study.  For the country I put Korea or China.  God only knows at this point. 

I hope my little girl comes home soon.  I am waiting. 

I encourage you to listen to John Waller's, "While I'm Waiting".  I love that song.  It's the anthem of a lot of people who are waiting for their children.

Annyeong -that means bye in Korean.  Bai Bai - one form of bye in Mandarin (China).  Goodbye, that is goodbye in English.  Yes, I do get a kick out of myself.

A Thousand Years Wait

You know that ache you have in your heart to want to hold your new baby? I am pretty sure that this wait for my little girl won't be forever, unless God has other plans, but the worries that surround the wait time are aggravating.  By that I mean it brings forth pain.  Don't get me wrong.  I appreciate all the blessings I have in my life.  There is just a groaning within for my little girl.  I am sure that some look at the time I've waited and say, "Oh, well you've only waited 2 weeks."  Yes, that is correct, and I have a long road ahead of me.

I have so many questions:  What will she look like?  Where will she be from?  What is her background?  Will she love me?  Will our children get along?, etc. The list is circular.  Everyday, she is closer to coming home.

Have you ever wondered about these Bible verses:

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:8,9

You and I didn't always exist.  Was there a first time that God saw our future?  Was that first time waiting on us agonizing?  Or maybe He just always knew.

When you look back in time at something you already accomplished, it seems like yesterday, but looking forward, it seems like a thousand years.  I think God's love for us is so amazing.

Look up the word "faithful" at thesaurus.com.  What do you see? I saw a description of God.  Maybe not completely, but a part of Him.  The more I learn, the more that I see how important words are.  The Words of God are the most important.

Every minute she is closer to being in my arms.

Wonderful Wednesday

GOOD Morning! Yesterday was an awesome day.  I talked to my sister-in-law and can't wait until their house is built and they move closer. I called my social worker at the adoption agency and talked to her for the first time.  She was very helpful and so nice.  She sent me the forms I needed and set us up for the required adoption classes in 2 weeks.  Hallelujah!  Please continue to pray that this adoption process goes smoothly.

My husband and I had a wonderful walk.  We had a good discussion about wishing vs. doing something about what you want.  Wishing gets you nothing.  You have to step up and work for what you want.

Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture  Psalm 37:3

I really enjoy this Bible verse.  We live in a rural area.  We are surrounded by nature. Pastures can be so peaceful.  Just watch out for the cow patties.  On that note, I need to go change a dirty diaper so that we can have fresher air.  Later.

Hodge Podge

Well, I have been writing a lot of my thoughts on Facebook for about a year now.  I am just getting tired of reading stuff that just has no meaning.  I would rather filter out some of the junk that is on there, so I guess I'll start writing here. 

Shawn and I just watched "Julie and Julia" last night.  Shawn has talked to me about writing a blog before, but last night I decided that now is the time. 

This blog has at least a two-fold purpose.  One is to keep track of the journey of our adoption of a little girl and two is to help educate myself and others about the Word of God.  So buckle up and get ready for my kind of ride, on FAITH.