Last weekend's online auction fundraiser is finally coming to an end! After a week of contacting and pick ups and deliveries, we have almost everything done! It was such a blessing and so much fun seeing our friends and family and many other people who we have never met come together and support us in our adoption process through this fundraiser. We were completely overwhelmed and humbled by the generosity and donations from so many people. Truly, we are so, so thankful.
During the auction, a friend of ours said that only God could take an online auction and make it grow the way it did. She is so right. There is no explanation other than Him. He has used this long adoption process to prove Himself over and over again...and we want to make sure that He is glorified because of who He is and how faithful He is!
The waiting for our child to come home is not easy. Every day I remind myself that God has a plan in the wait. We aren't just waiting for a baby...we are waiting for our baby. So, I ask myself, "What is the purpose in the wait....because I know God has one." I have found purpose in all the birth mother situations we have been presented with. I don't want to just read through these situations and forget about them if it isn't "the one" for us. I want to pray for these birth moms and these babies. I want to remember their names and cover them in prayer...because who knows if they would be prayed for otherwise, and because this may be the one reason God is bringing so many situations our way before we are matched. I want to be diligent in my prayer for each of them.
I've also realized that this whole waiting thing makes me see just how little control I have and just how much God is in control of everything. That's a good place to be. A hard place to be at times, but so good. I am having to constantly give up my false sense of control and I am thankful for that.
I've also learned to embrace this waiting period because of the amazing opportunities it gives Eddy and I as parents to teach our kids. When they ask "Why does it cost so much money to bring our brother or sister home?" and "Why is it taking so long?", it can be pretty difficult to answer those questions, because really, why does it cost so much money? But the answer for why it is taking so long...because God has a plan and we don't have to understand everything. Through our fundraisers, I have also watched them wrap their little minds around just how much other people are selflessly giving to us to make this adoption happen. What an awesome example for them to see how to walk out being the hands and feet of Christ!
Through the waiting and through the fundraisers, Eddy and I both have repeatedly had to lay down our pride. God has humbled us so much in so many ways through this whole thing. When He puts you in a place that you just know you can't do it without Him working mightily on your behalf, get ready to be humbled and amazed at what He can and will do!
I know a lot of you have been waiting to hear how much closer the auction got us to our goal. And we are so excited to share it with you all because, good grief, aside from God and all of you amazing people, this wouldn't have happened! We were expecting the auction to get us about $3,000-$4,000 closer to our goal of approximately $35,000. We are so thankful for God's faithfulness and provision in this process and we want to make much of Him because it really is all about His glory!
"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:19
