Worship in the Waiting (round two)

We've done all the things: applied and were accepted into our adoption program, filled out all the paperwork, answered all the questions, completed background checks and interviews, had our home evaluated... and now we wait.

It’s been about six weeks since we shared our special news with the world that we are on the road to adopting...again. Although we hadn’t shared any updates yet, I assure you that we’ve been busy making strides checking off our “to-dos” on our Adoption Checklist. In fact, in the last six weeks we passed our background checks, underwent individual and joint interviews with our adoption case worker, and had our pre-placement home evaluation which even our sweet Haddon got to be a part of this time! So, after all of that (and a mountain of paperwork) …we are so excited to be officially home study approved or, in other words, legally licensed to adopt! This is huge for us because it means that our family profile is live and online for expectant mothers considering adoption to find.

I distinctly remember the last time we arrived at this phase in our adoption journey that we had no idea what to do with ourselves. We felt like we needed to be doing something, but all we could do was wait! That feeling led me to remember and meditate upon two passages in the book of Acts where Paul was left in a period of "waiting." During their imprisonment in Acts 16, Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns of praise to God while other prisoners listened. Likewise, throughout the two-and-a-half years that Paul was under house arrest in Acts 28, he kept busy welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered. We also know that it was during this time that Paul wrote his prison epistles (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon). He surely kept busy, worshipping and radiating Jesus. I think the point is that Paul was faithful. Paul was faithful to do as the Lord commanded Him in each of these circumstances, even during a period of waiting.

So what should we do while we wait?

This time around we are still feeling just as excited to get the call that we have been matched with an expectant momma and her babe. In fact, we may be sitting even further toward the edge of our seats than last time after knowing the wonderful joy a new bundle brings to a family! With a busy boy already at home, however, we are thankful that we are done with our list of to do's and simply have to rest and wait.

Yet, Tyler and my prayer for this time is that we would be faithful like Paul during our (very easy and comfortable compared to his) time of waiting. We are praying that we will not hesitate, waiver, or delay to spend each day worshipping, praying, preaching, and teaching the name of our sweet savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

We humbly ask that you pray with us, that we would be faithful. And we praise the Father for Paul’s words to Timothy that, “when we are faithless, He remains faithful,” (2 Timothy 2:13).