Yahweh Jireh - The Lord Will Provide

This month is flying by and I am finally getting a chance to sit down and update our blog. I have had many people come up to me and ask if there is any new news on Lucy. Here is where we are in the process: USCIS (immigration services) has received our application and we have received acknowledgement of that in the mail. We now wait for them to send, via snail mail, an appointment for Jason and myself to be fingerprinted for FBI clearance. Ooooo, sounds so official. : ) We will have to travel up to St. Cloud or somewhere around the Cities for these fingerprints. From there the process seems to get kind of confusing. I think, if I understand it correctly, we may have to wait for about 2 months before we receive all the papers from USCIS that we are clear on the U.S. end to bring Lucy home. Then we finish up more dossier paperwork, get the dossier sealed (notarized, certified, and authenticated) and send all these papers to China. Once the Chinese government looks over all our papers, they will tell us when we can travel to get our little Lucy. Whew! Yes, I am exhausted just talking about it all. This is where we are currently at in the process.

There have been several "God moments" this past month that I would like to share. A couple weeks ago I had coffee with a fellow international adoptive mom to discuss adoption overseas and the whole process. It was awesome to talk with someone with the same passion and burden for the "least of these." It was also heart wrenching at times to hear some of her story. She did not receive support and encouragement from some of her church family when they brought their daughter home. I was shocked! Living in a small town I cannot share her whole story, but it brought to my attention how very thankful I am for all the love and support my church family, extended family, and friends have shown us throughout this process. About the same time as this coffee talk, I came across an article on John Piper's blog. It spoke volumes to me. The title is Don't Let Your Cause Eclipse God's Glory http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/dont-let-your-cause-eclipse-gods-glory (You can read the whole article if you would like.) In this article the author talks about getting such a calling or passion for something that a person does not quite understand or gets angry when others do not have that same calling or passion. I could so relate. The Lord was and continues (because this is quite an ongoing process for me) to really work on my heart in this area. I know that He calls each one of us to do different activities, build different relationships, interact with different people. We are responsible to obey what He is asking us to do and to make much of Him, not ourselves, while we are fulfilling our call. This friend of mine found that this church body was a not a good fit for her family or their calling for their lives and despite not receiving the support, they remained obedient and faithful to the One that gave them their calling and have a beautiful daughter to show for it. : )

I have continued to read the devotional from Show Hope and one day the title was: The Cost of Adoption. The verse used on this particular day was Ephesians 1:5,7 "God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ....and it gave him great pleasure... He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son...." I wish I could type the entire day out for you, but I will try to highlight what really spoke to me.

Our adoption by God cost us nothing. However, it did cost God something; it cost Him His Son. The high fees and costs of adoption today are indefensible, but they are not inconceivable. Adoption is costly. Whether in the realm of finances, emotions, relationships, time, or effort, adoption will cost. But think of what it cost God, and yet He was willing to undergo that cost. And not simply to undergo it, but to undergo it with joy! It gave Him pleasure! What kind of upside down world is this? What pain and loss God must have experienced, and yet He delighted in bringing us into His family! In our world of risk-averse, safety-first, immediate gratification, we often lose sight of the truth that some endeavors are worth the cost.

Yes!!

God is Yahweh Jireh (Provider). Jason and I pray continually that God will provide financially for this adoption. Jireh shows up every time when I start to doubt. Jason has had more work.......well I guess than I care for him to have since I do not get to see him much, but that is just me being selfish. : ) I am so thankful for a husband that is healthy and is given the ability to work and work hard at that! We have both received paychecks that show how much He is providing. I pray when I go to the store that I would be a steward of the money He has provided for us to live off of. We are blessed in abundance, more than we need. We have walked out to the mailbox to receive cards with checks from people who are also walking in obedience by showing love to us and Lucy. We have received our first 2 paychecks from justlove coffee. (www.justlovecoffee/ThePenners.com) He has provided and if only I could just get it through to my thick heart during those times I doubt, that He will continue to provide.

Our God, who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, who is rich in mercy and grace, who generously provides for all that we need, this God knows the costs we will incur, and promises to be with us and for us every step of the way. This is about faith in action. This is an invitation to experience God in ways we've never experienced Him before.  -Scott Hasenbalg (Hope for the Journey devotion book)

We asked for  updates or updated pictures of Lucy and have not received anything yet. We pray that as we wait, we could just get some news of how she is doing. This wait is hard, but I have to say I have never been closer to my Lord and God as I am right now. In Sunday School we have been talking about walking with Jesus, learning from His example. A few weeks ago we were talking about how Jesus confronted the rich young man. Jesus' love for the man was brought to my attention on this particular day. I have heard this story so many times, but I am still amazed at how much the Bible is alive and speaks in ways I need to hear. Jesus loved this man and didn't want him to stay where he was in his walk with Jesus. In Mark 10:21 it says,

Jesus looked at him and LOVED him. "One thing you lack", he said. "Go sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.

 Jesus knew this man's heart and what the rich young man was holding onto too tightly that was hindering his relationship with Jesus. Jesus asked the man to give up the one "issue" he was having in order for the man to go deeper in fellowship with Jesus. He LOVED him that much. Jesus has asked me to give up multiple things (sacrifice multiple "things" of this world) in order for me go deeper in my relationship with Him and what a blessing it has been. In Sunday School the statement was made: Sometimes the blessing is in the sacrifice. I wish I could say it has always been easy to give up those things. It is hard because my flesh says "I want.......", but I am now beginning to see what a blessing it is.

Thank you all for your support and prayers. Keep them coming!

Soli Deo Gloria!