Speed Bump

So everything in our adoption was going so suspiciously smoothly until we hit one of these this weekend--a speed bump. Darren and I fall into the "detailed planners of the world" bracket so we don't like unexpected uncertainty all that much.

Over the weekend we started to hear reports of the Ethiopian government cutting adoption processing by 90%. WHAT?!?!?!?! We were warned by our agency that many rumors would come out over the weekend and that they would update us with any confirmed information. It was still a little hard to stay calm when looking at a possible 4 year wait for our child?

Sunday was awesome...like every Sunday. God seemed to be speaking to our hearts directly through The Word that was preached through our pastors. We were reminded to petition the Maker of heaven and Earth and Savior of our souls for these children, to trust, to rest, to be patient and not to be anxious. I'm so thankful for a church that preaches the Word and for friends who encourage us to obey and trust our Lord. That night I felt like my heart was bleeding just thinking about the possibility that Keira could not come home to us for years or that we would have to start all over and apply to another country. I wept and prayed and knew that God did not lead us here for nothing. He has been sovereign over the whole process. He has watched as we have worked and labored to do what undoubtedly was His will for us to pursue. If now, He decides to undo that for His hidden purposes and glory, who am I to question His will? If He leads us to perservere through years of uncertainty so be it. If He calls us to abandon this process to seek another then that's what we'll do. So...right now I may not know what all of our passion and work has been for, but I know that the God of all creation has a plan.

So we and our friends have been praying earnestly...petitioning the Lord on behalf of an unknown child whom we believe to be ours and other countless children awaiting adoption from this country.

Today I recieved news from our agency that while the government of Ethiopia has made substantial cuts, they do not expect them to be permanent. These cuts were done in response to possible "corruption". These discussions could go on for days or weeks. We may not have an answer for a while.

I still firmly believe that my child is in that country and that we are meant to adopt from here. I am not giving up on what I believe to be God's will for us unless the Lord clearly leads us to do otherwise so PLEASE pray with me specifically for these things:

1. That God be glorified above all else and for our feelings and emotions to be subject to his will.
2. For the discussions in Ethiopia to move quickly.
3. For the number of adoptions processed to be a high workable number.
4. For the aweful practice of human trafficking to be lessened or even eradicated by the new decisions made.
5. For God to protect the children of Ethiopia and to raise up more advocates for them.

This Psalm was read in church yesterday. It was just what we needed and we have been meditating on it as we pray.:

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah