To remember His work...
One of my purposes of this blog is to record God's hand in our adoption process, that in the years to come, we can look back on the entries (I hope to have them printed out) and remember God's provision. I suppose this might be the modern day method for building a pile of stones as a memorial for what God has done -- as the faithful did in Old Testament times.
There is a story I have been longing to tell, to give God the credit. I just don't want to mess it up. I will attempt to tell it rightly now...
The Monday after we got our referral, I checked in with our adoption agency about necessary paperwork. We were surprised to find out that we needed to have our homestudy updated. (Many pieces of the paperwork puzzle expire during the adoption process.) I instantly contacted our local social worker, who said she would put our paperwork in the mail for us immediately.
Boy, was I frustrated. I had completed our paperwork so feverishly in the fall of 2008. And now I would have to re-do many of the forms I had already done. Being fairly inept at paperwork, it has been a burden of love from the beginning. But to have to do it again felt like an uphill struggle. I did have one extra incentive this time. I knew the prize; and I knew he was worth it.
Person after person I saw over the next few days asked me if there were any updates following our referral. I told each one of them about my frustration with needing to update our homestudy. And I know that many of them went before the throne of our God, and asked so kindly for His hand in our situation. What a blessing to simply know that people care enough to lift us up to the One who can truly help.
On Wednesday of that week, out of the blue, some dear friends sent us a check. They said they wanted to be part of the wonderful work that God was doing in adoption. We were just blown away. On Thursday, I went to check the mail, and there was an envelope from family members and the large manilla envelope from our social worker.
Of course, I opted to open the envelope from our family first. Inside was another check. Again, I was in awe. I was even more dumbstruck when I opened up the envelope from our social worker and saw that the amount she listed that we needed to pay for the homestudy update was exactly the same amount as the two checks we had just received.
Tears filled my eyes. "God, really? I was so busy complaining about having to fill out more forms and You did this?" A couple of minutes later, I called Scott at work. "Scott, I have to tell you something..."
I am so humbled to even tell it. So humbled by the grace of our God. The descriptor that keeps coming up for me is His kindness. He is so abundantly kind.
I am also so humbled at the generosity of our friends and loved ones. I would be remiss if I did not add that checks have been slipped into our lives from so many precious people. I feel so undeserving, but so thankful.
He keeps bringing back to this verse...
Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
There is a story I have been longing to tell, to give God the credit. I just don't want to mess it up. I will attempt to tell it rightly now...
The Monday after we got our referral, I checked in with our adoption agency about necessary paperwork. We were surprised to find out that we needed to have our homestudy updated. (Many pieces of the paperwork puzzle expire during the adoption process.) I instantly contacted our local social worker, who said she would put our paperwork in the mail for us immediately.
Boy, was I frustrated. I had completed our paperwork so feverishly in the fall of 2008. And now I would have to re-do many of the forms I had already done. Being fairly inept at paperwork, it has been a burden of love from the beginning. But to have to do it again felt like an uphill struggle. I did have one extra incentive this time. I knew the prize; and I knew he was worth it.
Person after person I saw over the next few days asked me if there were any updates following our referral. I told each one of them about my frustration with needing to update our homestudy. And I know that many of them went before the throne of our God, and asked so kindly for His hand in our situation. What a blessing to simply know that people care enough to lift us up to the One who can truly help.
On Wednesday of that week, out of the blue, some dear friends sent us a check. They said they wanted to be part of the wonderful work that God was doing in adoption. We were just blown away. On Thursday, I went to check the mail, and there was an envelope from family members and the large manilla envelope from our social worker.
Of course, I opted to open the envelope from our family first. Inside was another check. Again, I was in awe. I was even more dumbstruck when I opened up the envelope from our social worker and saw that the amount she listed that we needed to pay for the homestudy update was exactly the same amount as the two checks we had just received.
Tears filled my eyes. "God, really? I was so busy complaining about having to fill out more forms and You did this?" A couple of minutes later, I called Scott at work. "Scott, I have to tell you something..."
I am so humbled to even tell it. So humbled by the grace of our God. The descriptor that keeps coming up for me is His kindness. He is so abundantly kind.
I am also so humbled at the generosity of our friends and loved ones. I would be remiss if I did not add that checks have been slipped into our lives from so many precious people. I feel so undeserving, but so thankful.
He keeps bringing back to this verse...
Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Comments
It is so wonderful that you documented this amazing example of the Lord's faithfulness. It is with such glad tears that I read this and know that years from now, your grown son will be able to read about the Lord's faithfulness in bringing him not only into your family, but into God's family. It is easy to forget the many ways in which He provides everything from the big to the small. Please, keep sharing that we might also thank the Lord for His abundance.
Love you and look forward to seeing more pictures of our nephew soon.