Laying in bed this morning, I am filled with gratitude and thanksgiving.
For my Salvation.
For my family and friends.
And especially this morning??
For my BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER!
Yes, in case you didn't catch that. Yesterday was (so far) the best day of my life when late in the afternoon we were introduced to our beautiful barely-three-year-old little girl.
I feel like I am flying. It's surreal. And wonderful. And I keep just soaking in everything about her. She truly is God's most perfect creation yet and we are so excited to get to be part of her world.
Since I can't show you a picture of my beautiful Cupcake, I thought I would let my friend Franky describe her as clearly as I could for ya'll!!
Please keep praying for us. We're not through the thick of it yet as we work to raise funds and pray down any more hindrances and attacks to prolong our daughter's stay in an orphanage.
We believe that it was through prayer warriors joining with us that her referral came through and we believe that that SAME prayer can push us through the system with-- what can only be described as-- the Favor of the Lord.
We can't wait to bring our baby girl home!!
Thank you for praying with us and celebrating our beautiful daughter!
We are expecting that God has given us great favor and we are confident that no attacks/delays/hindrances of the enemy will be able to continue to slow down God's plan.
We are warring.
There are specifics that I can't share yet, but please know that this is critical. We are asking every praying person to join with us today.
Ephesians 6:10-11, 14-17 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes… Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
In high school, I readied myself every morning with this verse....so much so that I had the lengthy excerpt memorized. I am sad to say that I don't have it memorized anymore.
I am not sure at what point in our lives we start leaning on our own abilities. I can't remember a specific day when I stopped "putting on the armor of the Lord" every morning. But I know this....
We won't win the fight without it.
As I look at my frustration, my lack-of-control, and my inability to go swoop up my child and hold him/her close to me, I can't help but be reminded that I am far more vulnerable to attack without my shield of faith.
That without the belt of truth, I am more succeptible to the lies of the enemy. That without the breastplate of righteousness. Without the helmet of salvation. Without the sword of the Spirit?
I am simply a sitting duck.
The enemy wants to throw out his attacks on your life with the speed of a machine gun.
How prepared you are for battle is up to you.
Me? Well moving forward, I am ready.
The Lord goes before me and I will be victorious. I may be on the front-lines of battle, but I have an armor that the enemy can't penetrate. I have a promise that will never be broken. And I have a commandor that has already defeated the opposition.
I could continue trying to do it on my own. I might even be able to weather some of the storms of attack in this battle.
But I don't just want to weather the storms sometimes.
I want to win.
So I am going to take up my armor and remember that my fight is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers.
I am sure you are sleeping (at least you better be). I can't help but sit here and wonder what you look like sleeping. If, even now, you're smiling in your dreams...I wonder if your little eyes flutter as your mind takes over and you dream peacefully tonight.
I wish I could gently kiss you face and say a prayer over your little body tonight. Praying that God would hold you close in His embrace. That you would seek after the things of God all the days of your life. That His perfect destiny for your life would be fulfilled and you would know Him more deeply than I could even imagine.
I would pray that you would have confidence to stand up for what's right, even if it's not easy. And that the influence that God gives could be used to bring others to the realization that God's love is better than anything you could chase after in this world.
I would pray that you would be able to accomplish everything you put your mind to. And that even in those times when you don't, that you would be courageous in your attempts...that you would be gracious in your defeats... and that you would be strong enough to try again.
I would pray that you would listen closely when God speaks and you would carefully follow His directing.
I would pray for your husband/wife. That he/she would balance you completely. Where you are weak, that he/she would be strong and where he/she is weak, that your strength would minimize those weaknesses. That together, you would be a witness to the power of faith, and love, and endurance.
I would pray that you know the joy of spontaneity and childlike ways. That you would never be too big, or too proud to simply play. That laughter would fill your life.
I would pray that you would be quick to compassion. And that you would challenge us daily to love and give more fully.
I would pray that each day with you, I would understand more fully the love of our Father. That I would be challenged to be a better person and that I would grow in faith and love and courage just from being blessed to be your mommy.
I would watch you resting and imagine what you would be dreaming about. I would pray that your dreams always make you smile and that the comfort and peace of God give you rest.
All while you are sleeping.
Rest Peacefully Dear Child. I love you across the ocean and back.
But when I started thinking about hitting 10 months on the waiting list, a lot of different things to say started coming to mind... Things like:
I never imagined we would still be waiting for an OLDER child at 10 months.
and Waiting doesn't get easier just because you've done it for a while.
and I'm not so sure I am cut out for this anymore.
But even with all those thoughts? I couldn't get this one song out of my head... It's an old (heh...okay 1990s) Charismatic song from the Brownsville Revival days for those of you who know it, a song that talks about taking back what belongs to you:
Well, I went to the enemy's camp and I took back what he stole from me. I took back what he stole from me. I took back what he stole from me.
I went to enemy's camp and I took back what he stole from me
He's under my feet. He's under my feet. Satan is under my feet.
Now I know as well as anyone that adoption is not God's first plan...but it IS His redemptive plan..and the bureaucracy that slows down children being placed into families is nothing short of the enemy's attack on redemption. I may not be able to control much in this process but I can control the fervor and urgency with which I pray. I can bring my petitions to the Lord and I believe He is faithful to move on my behalf. I can pray that no action of man or enemy could get in the way of setting the lonely into families. I can fervently bring my requests before my Father, much like Hannah did. She didn't stop just because nothing changed right away. In fact, her prayers became more fervent, more desperate, more evident of faith...I, too, can "pour out my soul to the Lord" (1 Samuel 1:15) in expectation.
You see, that song? It comes from a story about King David in 1 Samuel (chapter 30).King David and his men had returned home to find that the enemy had taken everything. They had burned their tents and their land and kidnapped their families. His men, distressed and fatigued, had no other ideas than to stone David. They were out of their minds (who wouldn't be?). But David, strong in the Lord, had the presence of mind to say "The enemy may think it's over becuase they destroyed what was ours. You may think it's over because everything is in the enemy's hand. But I? Don't think it's over until God says it's over" He sought the Lord's wisdom and the Lord told him to pursue the enemy and take back what was theirs.
They could have waited. They could have sat quietly for the Lord to bring back what was taken. Then again...they might still be waiting. Their families needed their pursuit. God honors our pursuit.
David had to fight to get back what belonged to him.
And we have to fight to get back what belongs to us.
Adoption? Is a God thing. It belongs to God. Frankly, I am tired of the evil and the corruption and the bureaucracy that has seemed to work its way into these stories of redemption. Bottom line is, there ARE children who need families. Their lives have been struck by a tragedy that nothing short of God can heal. Adoption doesn't wipe away that tragedy in any way, shape, or form. But leaving them without a family to protect them, to love them, and to steward them? That's leaving it all in the enemy's camp.
You see, there's another part to this story....As David and his men began to travel the distance to fight for what was theirs, a third of his men dropped out. They were too fatigued to keep fighting. They were too weary to pursue any longer. Their families were waiting in the balance and they didn't have it in them to fight anymore???
Kind of feels like month 10 in a 6-8 month wait.
But, I don't want to be like those men.
When I get back what belongs to the Kingdom? I want to know that I was like David. I want to know that I was one who never stopped fighting. I may not be able to physically go, but I know without doubt that my fervent prayers availeth much (James 5:16)
And yours do too.
So whether you are in this fight with me or you are willing to jump in on our behalf now (which we welcome whole-heartedly)? The fight isn't over just because the enemy took something. It's not over just because of paperwork errors, and evil and greedy men, process slowdowns, and long unexplainable waits.
It's not over until God says its over.
And that's not what I heard today.
I am fighting for my family. And I am not about to drop out at the 10th mile.
