Monday I spoke with my agency’s director and got some news. She told me that after speaking with CCCWA (China Center for Children’s Welfare and Adoption), they told her that the earliest they can get the TA to my agency would probably be Monday or Tuesday. The director, Tina, broke the news to me that there was a very good possibility that we would have to travel and be gone for Christmas. Yes, we’d have her by Christmas…but, we may not be home BY Christmas. At first, this felt like a gut-punch. I had a special plan all worked out in my head of how all this was to play out…..but, God taught me a very important lesson that day. He told me I had to surrender “MY” plans. The question: “Do I really trust Him…really??”, kept playing over and over in my heart. So, after a long shower and a BIG CRY of grieving the possibility of being gone over Christmas, I made the choice to “TRUST HIS TIMING ALONE!”
Philippians 4:6
The Message (MSG)
6-7Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
See, our daughter is stuck 1/2 way around the world in her orphan’s crib without a family…we just need to get to her!!! That was the most important thing! Christmas could easily be spread out over a few days, and extended when we come back!! What was most important was getting to our baby girl! That is our mission. We give it to God, and we trust Him to work it all out for His good!
So, I broke the news to the kiddies…expecting disappointment. And, would you believe how the Lord went before me and just prepared their sweet little hearts!!! They seriously rose to the occasion! They agreed that we all may have to make sacrifices to get baby sister, Tahlia, but that SHE IS SO WORTH IT! (I am welling up in tears here for the love they have for her). We all then agreed that it would be a Christmas day to remember, even if its on Skype celebrating together! My momma’s heart is so so proud of them! They truly sister’ed and brother’ed up in a courageous way!
We all learned on Monday that following Jesus doesn’t always follow our plans! It can actually “mess up your plans in a big way”….cause following Him is messy! But, its a good kind of mess! Its the kind of mess that when you are standing in the middle with all the craziness around you, you have a peace (that transcends all understanding). Because, we have the assurance that we are in His will…His good and perfect will….right where He wants us. We have to choose to trust Him, We have to lay down “our plans” and we trust that His timing is best! He is Sovereign!
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…..sooooooo, fast forward to last night, Wed. night! I went to bed before everyone else around 10:00pm and fell into a light sleep. But, suddenly something told me to wake up and check my email!!! I kid you NOT! It was so God! I checked it, and it was from Tina ( have I mentioned how awesome she is). She had told me that…..
oh, and she was pretty much in disbelief of such a miracle……
that…..
GOT……..
TRAVEL……
APPROVAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOOHOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We prayed for a miracle….and GOD DELIVERED A MIRACLE!!!!!!!! My specific prayer (and, the prayers of many of you reading this post) was that we would have our TA by Thanksgiving! We got it!!!! Brian told me that just 1/2 hour before getting this news, he and the kids had just finished praying AGAIN for TA! Knowing (in reality) that it pretty much was impossible to get it this week, and that CCCWA said we wouldn’t have it this week!! LOL!
We serve a GOD who DOES THE IMPOSSIBLE!
So, what does this mean?? Well, it means that Tina (who is really going to extra mile for us) emailed the American Consulate in China for the EARLIEST appointment that they have. We still don’t know if we will be home by Christmas, but having the TA this week sure does increase our chances! Once she confirms our CA appt, then we book our tickets!! We hope to hear back from Tina on Friday!! We’ll keep you posted. We are still praying (and we ask that you join us) for another miracle, to be home by Christmas with our little girl! However, either way, God has brought our family to the point where we have surrendered our plans, and we have chosen to trust HIS timing….no matter what that means! There is such peace in that.
How amazing His grace! That we got to see HIS hand at work in receiving this TA!
To Him be the glory!
I leave you with this verse (thanks Amy C!)
Psalm 115
“Not to us, LORD, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness.”
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Yay!!!! I'm so excited for y'all!! I was disappointed with you until I saw the twist in your story! Love it!!:)
We are praying to be home before Christmas as well, but you're about a week ahead of us, so we probably will be there during Christmas. You never know though?
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Wow. This is a Thanksgiving to remember. How exciting!! Praying for all the details to fall into place.
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So happy for you all!!
Awesome news!!!!!
I've been lurking on your blog, and thinking about and praying for you all. Tears of joy are welling up as I read this. Rejoicing with you!! Praise God!!!
Wow!!! God gives such good gifts to his kids…great to be reminded. Excited for you and your family! 🙂
Yay for TA!!!!