Russell and I sat during the weekend trying to figure out how we were going to raise the "extra" monies that we thought we needed with the change of the new agency.  I went back and read our memo again.  I read it to Russell.  Maybe we were reading it wrong.  Just maybe we didn't need to pay ACFI $7500 more.  Maybe the $2000 per child represented that fee.  Just maybe.....

As the weekend went by, I kept feeling more and more comforted.  God was speaking to me ever so gently.  I had to really quiet my thoughts so I could hear Him.  This was God's dream for our family.  He wasn't going to pull the rug out from under us.  There are reasons for all of this change and there are reasons that God had our family go through them.  Lysa TerKeurst says it well, "God's dream must be experienced God's way.  If you settle for anything else, you'll never be satisfied," (from What Happens When Women Walk in Faith). 

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion.  For the Lord is a God of justice.  Blessed are all who wait for Him!" (Isaiah 30:18).  God wants us to wait on Him.  Verse after verse speaks of waiting on the Lord.  "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord," (Psalm 27:13-14).  "We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield," (Psalm 33:20).  "I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry," (Psalm 40:1).  This one is my favorite:  "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope.  My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.  O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption.  He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins," (Psalm 130:5-8).

So this weekend I waited upon the Lord.  It must happen in His time and not mine.  Yesterday afternoon, He revealed to me why He was comforting my heart.  I received a phone call from Susan at PLAN.  If you remember in my previous post I stated that we still needed to confirm some things regarding the fees.  Well, it turns out that we don't need to pay ACFI the second installment of $7500.  Now the final talley is this:  $3800 for the agency fee; $6000 for the remainder of the legal fees for all 3 boys; $195 for the application fee; $150 for the international adoption course that is geared towards African children; approximately $7000 in travel expenses (this is over estimating).  Praise the Lord!!!!  This seems so much more attainable.

We have filled out our application for PLAN and sent in the $195 application fee and the $150 course fee.  Last week we had received two donations that totaled $500.  So this will cover this expense and then some.  The application is being put in the mail today!!!  Praise the Lord!!

Waiting patiently upon the Lord is sometimes a hard thing to do.  Sometimes we can lose hope.  But God doesn't want us to do that.  He gives us His word to cling to.  He speaks to our hearts.  God gives us the shield of faith; use it to fend off all doubts and fears!  He is strong and mighty and there is nothing that He cannot do.  God hears our cries and wants us to trust in Him and His unfailing love.  Yesterday when I was at the doctor's office, I sat in the waiting room for almost an hour.  During that time I had my Bible with me and read from God's word and read the passages in Psalms that I quoted above.  God is so good.  He knows what I need to nourish my spirit and my inner most being.  Praise be to God. 

Each day as I walk through life, I discover something new about my heavenly Father.  He has a dream for each of us.  In todays world we want everything NOW because we are so used to having everything NOW.  But God's timing is different.  Second Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."  God is so patient with us, yet we can be so impatient with HIm.  God wants us to be ready.  He wants us to be ready for His return.  He wants us to be ready for the dream that He has envisioned for each of us.

Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."  Actually, I would encourage you to read all of Psalm 37!  God wants us to delight in Him.  When we delight in Him, we become one with Him and see His ways.  Then the desires of your heart become His desires!  His dreams for us!  Even when things seem to look down, continue to seek out the Lord.  Fill your heart with His precious word.  Let it grow in you so that you may delight in the Lord!

We continue to send praises up for each you.  We appreciate the prayers and financial support.  I will pull together another financial report after our upcoming MayFest.  Please pray that this will be a huge success and that God will touch people's hearts to come to our booth so that we may share our story!  What a great opportunity not only for us to raise money for the adoption, but also to take the opportunity to share God's love with those around us!  If you would like to help us run our booth, please email me!!! 

Blessings to your day!