So, why the long wait?

Two families received referrals from our agency in the last couple of days.  The Crockett family received a referral for a soon-to-be 4 yr old boy and the Grays received a referral for a 6 week old girl.  Interestingly enough, the Grays are actually #3 on the list so that would mean that two other girl referrals have gone out very recently too.  We don't know any details about the #1 and #2 girl families, but can only assume they received referrals too.  It's very exciting to get some news of some referrals going out even with the courts closed.

We rejoice with these families that the little ones who have been referred no longer have to wonder whether they will have food, shelter, or clothing.  They will no longer wonder where they will sleep at night.  They will no longer wonder if they will ever have a mommy or daddy.  They will soon become part of a family through the miracle of adoption.  God is actively rescuing these kids from the depths of darkness - lovingly placing them within waiting families.  And just as He actively rescued these kids, He will continue to heal their hearts from the hurts they have known through the miracle of becoming part of a family.

So now we continue to wait for our phone call.  Another week has gone by.  Another week of waiting for the sound of a long distance phone ring with Kiersten on the other end.  Another week of thinking about our little girl.  Another week of praying for her referral to come quickly.  Another week of quietly resting at the feet of Jesus, knowing He is patiently working His plan, perfectly executing His purposes.

So why the long wait?  I think of the story where Jesus is asked why a certain man was born blind (see John 9).  The disciples ask him whether the man was born blind because of his sin or his parents' sin.  And Jesus answers them that it wasn't because of the man's sin or the parents' sin, but so that the works of God might be displayed in Him.  In a similar way, our wait is not long because of our lack of prayer or from other people's lack of prayer.  Our wait is not long because God is unable to efficiently or effectively bring us our girl due to hold-ups in a third world country.  Our wait is not long because of the rainy season in Ethiopia.  Our wait is long so that God's glory could be manifested through our lives and through our little girl's life.  He is using our lives and her life to tell His story about His purposes.  We are pleased to be part of the story.  We anticipate each new chapter that He unfolds.  We are grateful to know Him better each day as He draws near.  We are thankful that as our hearts groan for the phone to ring - He is in control, He is holding us near, He is all that we need.

A note of clarification that my conscience requires me to make after thinking about this post over night:

The story of the blind man in John 9 is a miraculous account of one Jesus' famous healings where He is revealing Himself to the Jews.  In the midst of discussing the man being blind, He uses this moment in time to declare Himself to be the light of the world.  Can you imagine standing there and taking all of this in?  Jesus chooses to use this man's life - through no merit on the man's part - to make a public statement of who He is and to reveal His power.  So, in no way do we want to make any inference that our adoption story is any where near the importance of the healing of the blind man in John 9.  Our story is a blip in history that will soon be forgotten.  But, I do believe that in a similar way, God uses people in small circles to reveal His power and His person to those around us. Not through any merit of our own, but merely for His purposes and for our joy.  Our eyes are to be opened and our hearts in awe of the King who reaches down to His people and reveals Himself.

OK, maybe that clarification wasn't necessary, but now I feel better.