Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Mountains and Valleys- The Wait

Most of you know that we are trying to get licensed again to foster/adopt. (We were foster parents in AK) This process has taken FOREVER. We were told originally that it would only be a couple months max. Now seven months later we are still waiting. It has driven us crazy and been a subject of lots of prayer. A couple weeks ago I was especially anxious and praying. In the middle of my prayer God reminded me of a story that really threw me for a loop. It was one of those "God did you really just say that" moments. As I share this with you, you may have the same sentiment. Don't say you weren't warned ;)

So years ago while I was babysitting we went to the park. We were playing and the little boy said he needed to go to the bathroom. So we walk to the bathroom. His brother went in with him and I waited. After a bit his brother comes out and we continue to wait. I am about to send the brother back in when I hear his voice shout, "Come onnnnnnn penis!!!" (sorry that is the word). When he came out and I asked him about it he told me I wanted to be done going so he could go back to playing.


I asked God why are you reminding me of this? This does not make sense.


In that moment He gave me clarity. I'm the child in the story. I am trying to rush through the mundane tasks of life and get back to playing. You can't do that. Stop trying to rush it. Eventually you'll be done with this phase.


Not the answer I wanted.

Wait.

Really?


I'm trying to do a good thing. A Biblical thing. God says to take care of orphans. I could fill this blog with verses on that. I have been a foster parent before and insert other reasons why there should not be THIS long of a wait. So why am I waiting?


At church our pastor used a metaphor for why we go through the rough times/ wait. He talked about how we want to go from mountain top to mountain top without the valley. But growth does not happen on the mountain tops. At the tops of mountains are rocks and snow. Nothing grows. The growth is in the valley. So it is with life. In the valley- that is where we grow.


Case in point- On Black Tail. Notice the snow and rocks. No greenery. 

In the valley at the Nature Center. Green everywhere. 



This wait has caused growth. We are on our knees daily for our future kids. Most days in the quiet moments I say a quick prayer for them as well. Or when I am bawling my eyes out catching Annie or anything orphan related. It is like one of my favorite songs "Orphan" by John Waller. I tear up every time I hear it. The line "Little did they know, little did they know Mom and Dad were coming" describes us. These kids have no clue we are coming. But we pray daily for God to make it happen.


And it is not just for them. During this wait I have felt the weight of adoption as a need for a miracle. The joining of a child to a new family is a miracle. The process is long and difficult. So while we wait on that miracle, I have my Wall of Miracles with index cards of everyone we are praying for daily. During this wait we are seeing Him move.



This wait is driving me crazy, but I have faith when the timing is right He will bring our family together. I cannot wait to share that with all of you.


I know we all have things we are waiting for whether it be kids, jobs, education, money, health, ect. So much of this life is in the waiting. But I am reminded of one of my favorite Bible verses.




Isaiah 40: 31, "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."




We like the end of that verse. Yes, strength, eagles wings, run, and walk. But that fourth word. Wait. In order to get those things we have to wait. So while I am ready to fly. I am ready to be on that mountain top. I must wait. I must grow. And when we get there it will all be worth it.

So if you are waiting too- take heart. God is with you. He has a plan. Keep trudging through the mundane. Someday you'll be playing on the mountain tops.




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