Some encouragement!

I want to share a very encouraging story:

A few weeks ago, Jeremy and I sat down to have lunch, and we were talking about our adoption.  We were feeling pretty discouraged.  We have SO much going on right now, it's not even funny.  Full-time seminary classes for both of us, increased work hours for both of us, plus taking care of our home and our marriage and now we're choosing to add adoption into the mix!  We really had to stop and began to question our sanity in all this.  You may be saying yourself, "Are they crazy?"  Well, we might just be.  Jeremy expressed some deep concerns he had about if we can really handle everything.  We both honestly wondered if we should just postpone the whole thing until things are not so hectic for us.

At the end of our talk, I felt like my heart had been completely ripped out.  I knew I had to listen to his concerns and submit to his decisions about our family, but oh. my. gosh. was I upset.  I sobbed.  Jeremy prayed.  I just knew we'd be contacting our adoption agency to tell them to file away our application for a few months until we were more prepared.

We both had to head to work that evening.  I felt like someone had died.  I actually went to the restroom while at work just to cry a little by myself.  On the way home from work, I literally cried out to the Lord.  I know He has asked us to be in school.  Of course, we have to both work right now.  And we feel so sure that He has called us to adopt.  But, we were so discouraged.  I just cried, "Lord, help me to trust you with my family."  I was feeling so many emotions, but I finally realized that all those emotions boiled down to fear.  I was afraid that if I did truly trust God with my family planning that there was a chance that He might choose not to give us children.  How horrifying!  It's kinda like when you're growing up and you're praying for your future husband or wife, and you realize that God never promises to bless us with a spouse.  It's scary to think that something that you desire SO deeply may never be given to you.  It was incredibly hard to say those words, "I trust You and I will be grateful and I will praise You even if You choose not to bless us with a family." 

Two days later:
Jeremy and I had just gotten in from walking our dog, and we grabbed the mail.  Mostly junk and bills (bleh), but I also found a little envelope sent from a good friend whom I haven't seen or talked to in quite a few years.  I opened it as we were walking into the door, and a check fell out.  When I opened the folded check, I literally couldn't breathe.  I started crying (again...yes, there is a lot of crying in this post) and sat down on the couch.  Jeremy was looking at me like I was crazy, and all I could do was just hand him the card and cry.  That check was for the amount of $800 to go toward our adoption fund!  Talk about an unexpected gift!

I felt like God was right there in the room with us telling us that it was a gift from Him.  I know without a doubt that He moved on the heart of my sweet friend to send this gift.  I know that she and her husband had been sensitive and obedient to the Lord's calling.  I felt so humbled.  So loved.  So encouraged.  I will not share her name here, but I hope she reads this post and knows again how much of a blessing her support has been to us.

Needless to say, we have been encouraged to keep pressing onward! I am totally humbled that God heard our prayers and answered.  We still need $1,100, hopefully by October 2nd, to get over this first stage of the adoption process, but we now have full assurance that God will provide.

Please do not think just because you cannot give $800, your gift is not appreciated.  I just wanted to share this unique story because the timing was just so impeccable.  I am sure that $800 was a sacrificial gift, and I'm also sure that every $10 and $20 gift we have received along the way have also been given sacrificially in faith.  If the Lord has placed upon your heart to help the orphan and you feel so led to support our adoption through prayers and giving, we receive your gift with grace.  We are so very humbled by all of our family and friends (and even strangers) who have supported us during these past few months.  Every prayer and every gift is precious to us, and we know that every good  and perfect gift is from our heavenly Father.  We know that we can never repay you, but we pray that you all receive a blessing in return.

Some things in the works for this fall:

• Adoption t-shirts.  Go grab one over here!
• Early October:  another local lunch time fundraiser!
• Late October: Ruby Tuesday Give Back event in Mount Airy, more info TBA!
• November: SEBTS craft and bake sale!
• Hopefully beginning our meetings for our home study
• Hopefully beginning our adoptive parenting course