Blog of Praise

The long awaited, undeserved, good news has come to us today…and in multiple ways!  This post is to give praise and glory to God for every single detail of getting us to where we are.  In no way can we or any other man receive an ounce of credit for the splendor of what the hand of God has provided for us on this day.  He moved in more ways than our imaginations could or would have ever fathomed!

If you have been reading, then whether you wanted to know or not, you are all too aware of the ridiculous home loan journey our family has been on in effort to get funds for our adoption.  My endless chatter usually decorated with some level of anxiety has probably become quite irritating and translated into, “blah-blah, blah-blah, blah-blah!”  Well if all this talk has been disturbing to you, fear not!  I will not be moaning, sulking, or complaining anymore…well, at least not about the home loan (Lord, help me!)

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, JESUS!!!  I do not want to be found as the 9 lepers that Jesus healed in Luke 17: 11-19 who failed to take the time to thank Jesus for healing them.  Only one of the 10 turned back after being healed and “He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him.” 

Leading up to hearing today’s news, I had allowed the worst thoughts to creep in and I could only imagine how I would most likely not be able to prevent crying for days and days about not getting funded.  I would tell myself how I know God is in control and I would wholeheartedly believe it but I would still have felt the pain.

What I did not expect was to be crying uncontrollably upon receiving the blessed news that we have been approved!  But that’s exactly what I did.  I was overwhelmed by God’s grace and His mercy.  I turned around, threw myself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him! 

I had not allowed myself to even talk too much about the twins over these last few days.  When I walked away from them in Haiti back in June, it was never supposed to be forever.   I kissed them both, prayed over them and told them I would not leave them as orphans.  In these last days as the anxiety built up about whether or not we would even have the funds to continue their adoption, I just couldn’t let my mind hardly think about them.  What if we couldn’t fund their adoption and had to leave them?  That was a question too hard to swallow…so instead I channeled all of my thoughts solely on the agenda of our home loan refinance as just that…a home loan with no strings attached.  Of course deep down I knew there were enormous strings the size of tree-swing rope attached, but like I said, I fought that thought with a vengeance. 

Then today, we hear the sweet sound that every detail of our loan has been approved, the HUD (whatever that is) has been built, and tomorrow at 1pm we will close.  Within a few days after closing, our adoption funds should all be provided.   Praise God!!  But, that’s not all.  I told you there was more to the blessings than we could have imagined.  Not only will this provide our adoption funds, but it also makes us debt free…a process God has been guiding us in achieving since March of 2008.  Thank you, my Lord!  It doesn’t stop there.  We also received an email from our agency confirming our dossier has completed translation and is being sent to the Consulate for legalization.  This should only take two weeks and then it will be Haiti-bound!!  This is also the point when a large portion of our funds will be due to the girl’s orphanage.  Talk about sweet and perfect timing!  God is AWESOME and there is no other!!

Did I walk this portion of this journey faultless with no wavering in my faith?   Umm...that would be a big NO!  Pretty obvious.  But this is what I want to say to everyone out there who is in the midst of a hardship.  God knows our hearts.  We don’t have to be perfect.  I am no theologian, but it seems to me that no matter how bad I fail in keeping in step with the Spirit, God knows I love Him with all of my heart and mind and soul.  If God is first, keeping in step with the Spirit should be a result of this love for God but it will not be perfect.  We all fall short.  But it’s in these moments His grace is made known for all to see.  Love God wholeheartedly.  Make Him your One and Only.  Expect pain and suffering along your journey but through it all be prepared to be showered with His grace.  Thank you, Jesus!!

Jesus, thank you for covering my sin in Your blood, making me blameless in the sight of God.  Thank you for your out pour of grace.  I love you.  I need you.  You are my everything.  Be exalted in my life.  Be exalted in this world.  All glory, praise and honor to you, my King!  

Tomorrow I'll be dressed in my "closing clothes" for the last time!!