Yesterday I finally tackled the much dreaded task of trying to get our basement organized. It's only been about 9 weeks since we moved my craft room down there. I've been procrastinating that project like nobody's business. And today it still looks like I didn't even touch it. Lovely.
But as I was down there, sorting through things, I found some sheet music of a song that I sang at a women's event last spring. I opened up the music, just to refresh myself on the lyrics, because I love them so much. The tune is equally beautiful, so if you're not familiar with the song, please look it up on YouTube.
He's Always Been Faithful -- by Sara Groves
Morning by morning, I wake up to find
The power and comfort of God's hand in mine.
Season by season, I watch Him, amazed
In awe of the mystery of His perfect ways.
All I have need of, His hand will provide.
He's always been faithful to me.
I can't remember a trial or pain,
He did not recycle to bring me gain.
I can't remember one single regret
In serving God only, and trusting His hand.
All I have need of, His hand will provide.
He's always been faithful to me.
This is my anthem, this is my song.
The theme of the stories I've heard for so long.
God has been faithful, He will be again.
His loving compassion, it knows no end.
All I have need of, His hand will provide.
He's always been faithful to me.
This journey to Eli... started almost 5 years ago. What a gift it is, now, to see how God started to pave a path in our lives to little Eli. This path has not always been what I imagined it to be -- but God has always been faithful and he's always answered my prayers. (Not always in the ways I've asked, mind you! But faithful -- always.)
2008 - Tenleigh was born! Shortly thereafter, like electricity going through my body, the Holy Spirit laid it on my heart that our next child would not be born of me. Our family would grow by means of adoption. I waited a few months to tell Ryan about this. :)
2010 - I am feeling the prompting to leave public teaching. I love teaching. I got to work with the best-of-the-best. But I knew I needed a change. However, this would also mean that our monthly income would change significantly. Adoption was still very much on my heart (Ryan was warming up to the idea); and so every financial decision for our family was also centered around the hope of adopting. I had no plans for what I'd do for work.
2011 - I left my public teaching job with total and complete peace, knowing this was also a leap of faith. In June, only 2 hours before the job posting closed (!), I "happened upon" a posting for a co-teaching position in my resident school district. The very next morning I had an email asking me to come in that same morning for an interview. I got the job. 15 hours per week, as a co-teacher for Grades K-2. I also was hired to work with our Children and Family Ministry at church for 10 hours per week. Amazing. Now I was up to 25 hours per week. And again, by God's grace, mid-August rolled around and I was contacted by a local University to work with their Elementary Education students during their student teaching semester. This was truly a dream job for me. For 1 year I had the joy of sometimes teaching Kindergarteners and college Seniors all in the same day! :) God is so faithful. It is this year that Ryan and I finally say YES to adoption!! We applied for a domestic adoption program, and then soon afterwards changed to international adoption. We would be adopting from Haiti!!
2012 - I was hired to start up a Kindergarten Program at our church. This dream opportunity allowed for me to have Johnathan in my classroom, and to also be down the hallway from Tenleigh. No more traveling for work either! God is so faithful. We are full-force in our adoption journey. But no longer adopting a sweet one from Haiti. That door was closed about 6 months into this journey. With open hearts, we chose a new country, Ethiopia, and a new adoption agency. God is so faithful.
2013 - Bumpy start to this year, but the tail end has been full of miracles! Our 2nd adoption agency suddenly filed for bankruptcy. We truly lost all financial investments and can not even begin to imagine starting over. Again. Friends, family, and even strangers rally around us and help us with "seed" funds to keep going. God is so faithful. We finally find a new (this is #3) agency (after a few doors closed with others, of course) and are able to join their waiting list rather quickly. God is so faithful. My parents take a leap of faith and move to our state, just minutes away from us! Mom accepts a position as an assistant in my classroom! (Does it get any better than that!? She taught for over 20 years!) God is so faithful. Show Hope Ministries gifts us with an adoption grant. God is so faithful.
And now, just 17 weeks after first seeing Eli's beautiful face, God still remains so faithful. We are still waiting for 1 last piece of paperwork to come in. His MOWA letter. And prayerfully, that will happen soon. Apparently the office that provides these letters decided to close 2 weeks ago. We have no idea when/if it will re-open. But this stuff happens in Africa all. the. time. And so, because we serve a God that has always been faithful, we must also be faith FULL in Him.
Today is Orphan Sunday. The one day, one time per year in which churches and God's people should STAND UP for the orphan. There are 153 million orphans that need our voices, our hearts, our prayers, and our serving hands. There is much to do with this orphan crisis. But perhaps today, you would please join us in praying that this regional MOWA office will re-open very soon. For it is not just Eli that is waiting on a letter. There are probably thousands of children that need this office to re-open. I also ask you to pray for 7 specific orphans and their families that are close to my heart: Baby L. (C&K's little), Beautiful R. (J & B's sweet girl), Little D (E & B's future boy), Sweet T. (N & J's tiny one), Babies K (M & L's twin girls), and our own Little Eli.
He's always been faithful. He will be again.
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