Waiting . . .

Still no news on the referral end of our adoption. There haven’t been any new referrals for weeks. It's a little frustrating, but we are handling it fairly well.  I think the toughest part is planning and not knowing when we will get a referral and when we might travel, etc.  I know it's part of the process and part of our being obedient, but that's been one of the toughest things for us. (not to mention that there's a little girl on the other side of the world waiting for a family!!!)
There is hope though! Three representatives from our Agency are currently over in Ethiopia right now helping to sort out some of the problems and complete paperwork for children who have not yet been referred. (which could include our "E").  The main delay, it seems, is a shift in focus on reviews and the placement of children from the orphanages that have recently closed. They are trying to determine the status of these children, which has resulted in the delay of new referrals. Please keep these children in your prayers -- they've been ripped out of one orphanage and put into another.  Some have already been referred to families -- so it has to be a confusing situation over there. 

We typically get emails every Thursday from our Case Manager. I wait, very patiently, for those emails to come every week just for a glimmer of hope that things are picking up. I know I could call our Case Manager or email her for a status update, but I really want her to concentrate on moving things along for those who are in process, not tend to a whiny parent to is tired of waiting :)   I do wonder, however, if they know how I hang on every word of those updates? Our last email said that one representative remains encouraged and hopeful that things will get moving again “soon.” Yay!.. but ummm, what exactly does ‘soon’ mean?  Webster describes it as “within a short period after this or that time, event, etc.; before long; within the near future.” (Great, that doesn’t really help me).

I guess to us, soon means in God’s timing. I must admit, it’s getting harder and harder to wait and I feel like I’m getting older and older (ha ha)… but I know that after everything is final and when we look back, we will see God’s perfect timing in our referral, our trips, and finally bringing E home. It’s hard for us to understand now, but it will all make perfect sense some day.

For those of you who know me, you know I am not very good at plucking the perfect scripture out of the Bible – but yet I always seem to find them. God always has a way of bringing them to me. It’s no coincidence that I was looking at something else (in reference to 9/11) and found this scripture. It spoke volumes of encouragement to me.

We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!


But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.  1 Corinthians 13:12-13 ( Msg)

Then, that same day, as I drove in my car, another revelation through a song (God likes to speak to me in the car – usually through a song!).

John Waller – Yes

Ask, it shall be given to you
Seek, and you will find
Knock and the door will open
and that's a promise

He said He'll finish the work He started in you
Your needs He will supply
He'll never leave you
nor forsake you
and that's a promise

It's a guarantee
it's a beautiful thing
He delights to keep His word

God says YES to His promises
Take Him at His word
Yea, you can believe it
God says YES
to a child-like faith
when we claim
everything He died to give
God says YES

 I'll keep you all posted IF we hear anything this week.