A Day of Fasting and Prayer

Very happy news for our family -- we cleared Embassy on Dec. 27th and are just now waiting to receive our PAIR letter!  This feels SO good.  But yes, still so much nervousness too.  Especially with recent news (as in the day we cleared embassy) we have learned that some Ethiopian officials are trying to shut down adoptions from Ethiopia completely.  Ugh, this just makes my heart hurt and my stomach churn… for SO MANY reasons.  (Perhaps another, rather long, blog post)  But despite this information coming our way, we are moving forward and remain hopeful and excited about the upcoming months.

Tomorrow I'm participating in a day of fasting and prayer for our adoption, and adoptions everywhere. This very thoughtful gesture comes from a fellow church member.  As an adoptive mother herself, she's organized this day to show support for 4 families in our church family, all in the middle of adoptions from Africa.  I am really looking forward to dedicating the day to prayer and clarity.  An added blessing is that because our temperatures are so FRIGID tomorrow, school has been called off.  So this also means a day at home with Johnathan and Tenleigh, and probably more intentional quiet time.  In my quiet time I have much to pray about, and I know that the Spirit will put even more prayers on my heart -- but for now I will be lifting up the following:

For Eli:  
* We lift up thanks for the caregivers that care for Eli and all of the children at his Care Center.

* We offer praise and thanksgiving for Eli’s continued health and steady growth.

* We pray protection and blessings over Eli: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. 

* We ask God to help prepare Eli for his transition into our family.

* We pray for Eli’s birth family, that they might have peace and hope, and know the love of Christ.

* We pray for peace and joy for Eli as he grows into adulthood.

For Our Family:

* We give thanks for the many people that have lifted us up throughout this process.

* We ask God to help prepare our family for the transition of bringing Eli home, and the “hard work” that comes with creating attachment and trust.

* We pray protection over our paperwork as it makes its way between the United States and Ethiopia, and that it be processed in good hands, in good time.

* We pray for patience and courage and continued hope.

* We pray that God will use our family to advocate for the orphan.

* We pray for guidance as we become a trans-racial family.

For Adoptions, Everywhere:

* We pray for all adoptive and foster families.  God knows their needs.

* We ask God to be in the hearts and minds of the people making decisions for orphan care and adoptions.

* We pray for the 155 million orphans in our world: that each one would have a family.

* We pray for programs and organizations to support foster care, single mothers, and widows.

* We pray that all Christians would “rise up” to defend the fatherless.

In previous posts I've mentioned that Eli's Ethiopian-given name means "Our Hope".  I love that -- Hope.  And every time the word comes upon me, my heart sort of flutters and gives me pause.  This afternoon this verse came up on my computer screen, like a balm to my heart:

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.  It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf."  Hebrews 6:19-20