Movement...?

There has been a lot going on in my heart and in our adoption journey that I can't share here... mostly because of the fragility of the situation, and the nature of the country we're dealing with. That said, I do want to at least let people know that we covet your prayer right now, as always.

For whatever reason, there has been movement... and things have been accomplished that we did not at all expect anymore. We've always known that the Lord could accomplish this if it was his plan to do so, but we stopped assuming that we knew his plan, and began to accept that we would need to be content wherever and however this ends.

I thought it was "ended" as of several weeks ago, and I can say that I was choosing to be joyful looking toward the future, even without my Kelvin and Hawa here (after wrestling with it, and choosing to let my heart be corrected... certainly, it does not all come in a neat, tidy, perfect package for me...). Then, out of the blue, there is movement.

We are being very cautious about this news. We rejoice that God has allowed it!! I refuse to be so cynical that I can't give glory to God for HUGE obstacles being passed. To do that would be to allow fear of more disappointment to shackle me, and to steal the renown that God deserves in these circumstances. On the other hand, I sense that I need to be in a place of surrender. I need to remain content whether this moves us to a completed adoption or falls through to be nothing, as good news has so many times before.

So, it's a strange place to be. In moments, I'd like to flip out and scream with excitement over the possibilities!! In other moments, I have a deep realization of how fragile this is... how very insecure. But most of the time, I'm taking one moment at a time... thanking God for his goodness, no matter what comes, and asking him to guard my heart and mind unless and until he gives me full freedom to rejoice. If that happens... watch out! There will be a WHOLE lot of happy freaking-out going on!

We had planned to travel to Liberia this winter as a whole family. After much prayer and consideration, we still plan to go and spend a number of weeks serving in whatever ways are needed, and uniting our entire family for the first time. :) No matter what may come of this adoption thing, Anika and Asher deserve to meet the brother and sister of their hearts... and Kelvin and Hawa need to know how loved they really are. We know that if circumstances change, we will need to be flexible and just go with whatever God shows us to do.

Anyway, that's the best I can do. If God brings us to your hearts, please pray for his guidance to be clear to us... that we would walk on his paths, not turning to the right or left. Pray that we would be a blessing in Liberia to the many children and staff with the ACFI ministry. Pray that our time as a family would be sweet and meaningful as we parent through very difficult circumstances; as Anika and Asher experience a whole new culture, extreme weather and conditions, and as they spend time with Kelvin, Hawa, and the MANY kids who will want their love and attention... and as we parent Kelvin and Hawa with great difficulty understanding their words, and desire to love them well and impact their lives as much as we can in the short time that we get to be with them.

Many thanks to those of you who have lifted us up in prayer. We are grateful.