Sunday, May 17, 2009

Trust

Friday was a great day!!! We have done everything we can do at this point!!!! Our social worker visited us for the last time a few weeks ago. She finished our home study on Wednesday and it was notarized on Friday. We picked it up and immediately had an appointment with immigration and handed it over to them!!!! Immigration now has everything they need to continue the process.
For those of you who do not know me-our family of five moved to St. Louis from Nashville last summer. We had lived in Nashville for eight years and it was home. But, God called Ryan, to complete his master of divinity at Covenant Seminary. And when He calls, I have found the best place to be is in His hands and follow. Ryan came into seminary with many hours due to taking classes online. So-one year down and one year to go. He finished finals on Friday. Between finals over and all our adoption paper work turned in -a huge weight seems to have been lifted. It made me wonder-do I really trust Him fully with EVERY detail of my life-in the good-in the bad-in the mundane? Do I really trust FULLY? It made me look back and see all that God can do- in just one year.

This time last year I was packing up our home and so sad to leave the life that we had known. Now I can honestly look back and see many mountains and few valleys from the past year. One of the lowest valleys happened the second night that we were in St. Louis. At that time we were working with a different adoption agency. We were praying and waiting for a little boy from Russia. Ryan was watching the news and all of the sudden I heard him yelling for me to come and watch. Sadly enough, the agency we were working with had been shut down for embezzling money. I can't explain the sadness I felt that night. The pit in my stomach from being so far away from all that I had known. And yet, the much greater pit in my stomach for the child whom I thought was my son. That happened almost exactly a year ago. Deep down in my heart, why do I put my trust in things that are fleeting? My redeemer is so much greater than I ever give him credit for.
The yearning to adopt continued to get stronger and stronger. I contacted a few more agencies about domestic adopting but God did not move. So I waited and the desire became even greater-almost too much to bear at times. I knew somewhere in this world there was child who needed us. Somewhere in this world there was a child who was mine. Somewhere in this world there was child waiting on me-like I was waiting. But, I could not find him. I could not figure out where God was leading.
I drove back to Nashville for a women's conference at our home church. During the lunch break -a dear friend told me how she had decided to adopt from Uganda. This friend had never even considered adopting. She told me how there was a girl (20) who was a missionary in Uganda that she heard speak- she had adopted thirteen children so far by herself! My friend told me I had to go to her blog and view with my own eyes how God was using her to feed, reach, and love so many orphans. This whole conversation lasted about four minutes. I walked back to the pew (and honestly can not remember that last talk given) because I JUST KNEW MY SON WAS IN UGANDA.
It was such a sweet wave of relief to know where in this world my child could be found. I knew at that moment and I know now that God will work out every detail of bringing my precious Judah home-I just need to trust. Almost a year ago, I was saddened to be moving to St. Louis. I know now I will be saddened again when it is time to leave. When that time comes, I will go where we are sent and tell myself again -I just need to trust.

There are links to both women that God used in our journey on the side.
Mighty to Save is my sweet friend, Dana, who is adopting from Uganda.
Amazamia is the link to follow or donate to the missionary-Katie Davis- who is literally saving lives. And has dramatically changed mine and does not even know my name.

My next blog will be about how God is giving me such an overwhelming burden for Africa and such an overwhelming burden for orphans. Literally He is removing the scales that have been over my eyes and I never want to go back.




4 comments:

  1. It is so good to take time to see where God has moved in our lives to reaffirm that we are always in His hands! It was not an accident that we bumped into each other that day...it had been planned from the beginning of time! There are no accidents or mistakes with God! I am praying for you both this week. Check out Rachel's story on my blog...once again, we can rest assured that God has us (and our boys!) in the palm of His hands! Love you!

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  2. Hi Lindsey! Thank you so much for praying for our kids!! We are confident that God is moving on their behalf! So excited about your adoption! Katie is our sweet friend and our friend Gwen is adopting from Uganda, too. Is Judah at Amani Baby Cottage? My daughter is leaving for 37 days in ET and Uganda next Thursday....she'd be so happy to take a gift for Judah if you'd like her to. We need to connect! :)

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  3. Lindsey, Your blog is so uplifting and encouraging. Thank you for sharing! I am very excited for ya'll!

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  4. girl welcome to a wrecked life ... don't you love how living this crazy life w/ the Lord is so beyond blessed ... Suzanne and I have had two speaking engagements this week about adoption/orphan care and a couple of years ago who would have thought God would use us in such a mighty way .... Oh to have the veil removed to see the FACE of the Lord .... So excited we are journeying this together and our sons will play together !!! I just sent off our custody papers to Mary and we filled our I600A and got our receipt they have it ... One step closer sister !!!!

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