Such an Incredible Week (1 year later...)

Looking back on God's grace often gives us the spiritual courage and strength to move forward.

This week marks one of the craziest of my life (+1 year).  In 2009, we were in the throes of adopting our daughter from China.  We had waited (and waited and waited and waited) longer than anyone at our agency knew what to do with and as a result were about to pull our hair out.  For those unfamiliar with the process, there is a 4-step process once you've been matched with a child.  Our wait from step one to step four is the wait I'm referring to, the interminably long wait.

My wife told me we ought to pray for a July 3rd miracle.  We did.  God delivered.  But the office was closed for the July 4th holiday!  Just as a side note, when you pray for dates, check your holidays.  All weekend we fretted and prayed for God to intervene again.  On Monday, we got confirmation that we could travel but it looked like it was going to be three more long weeks.  We asked God and our agency if we could go with the group leaving on 7.9.09, the day we asked being 7.6.09.

Our agency didn't really want to ask, but did.  They don't hear until the next morning.  I'm sitting at my computer answering emails at 8:30am on 7.7.09 when the call came that we could go two days later.  So, with two days to buy plane tickets and pull it together, off we went to China for our daughter.

All throughout, God's faithfulness was on display.  Four (my mom and stepdad went with us) tickets to China on two days notice?  No problem (and they were about $1600 each).  Childcare arranged and ready for our two boys, who weren't going because of Swine Flu?  Handled.  Banks having clean bills to carry over?  Yep.  Hearts going from breaking to rejoicing?  God did it.  Cool stuff.

I tell that story to encourage anyone and everyone that remembering is a great discipline.  Looking back on what God has done evokes courage and strength.  Remembering the cross of Christ evokes gratitude, joy, peace.  Is there anything you need to look back on today, be refreshed by the Spirit's work?

And for all who would enjoy it, our story (and all the emotions with it) can be found on our family blog under the first-half of 2009 posts.  Link here:  4uruthie.