Walking on Water!

Rachel "walking on water" at Kettle Cove Beach!!

Adoption is the closest experience I've had to "walking on water!" I keep reminding myself to "fix my eyes on Jesus" who is the ONLY one who can order our steps and align everything to make it work! 

Robin got his finger prints. Hallelujah! But then our officer at the USCIS went "off the grid"! Two days of calling and emailing her with no response. And the embassy doesn't know where to send the prints. Really?! I can get upset and panic or I can just trust God to work it out. ...You've been out of the boat for some time...keep your eyes on Jesus and not the storm...take another step...

I sent our $1200.00 worth of Spanish translations and remaining English paperwork by Fed Ex so that it would get there sooner than me and our adoption process could continue in the courts. But because of something I tossed in last minute to send at the same time, I unwittingly caused it to get caught in customs. Now I will easily beat my box to the intended destination and I must trust God to work out. Keep your eyes on Jesus and not the storm...take another step...

This is our new normal. It is adoption and these experiences are not unusual. The obstacles, though different from person to person, must be expected and by faith in God, overcome. 

There's the money that only God can provide. There's endless paperwork (just when you think you're done, more requirements tend to appear). There's delays and holdups and phone calls upon phone calls and travel complications. There's a sea of needed people and agencies who are not going to return your call and who need to move on your behalf. There's a challenge every day! 

Why would anyone even try?? Well, because there are approximately 147,000,000 children who NEED a FAMILY, someone to CALL THEIR OWN, to KISS THEM GOODNIGHT, to address a MOTHER'S DAY and FATHER'S DAY card to, to HELP them PLAN a FUTURE, to PRAY FOR THEM, to LOVE THEM!!! Once they age out (in many countries as young as 16 years old) they are ON THEIR OWN. 

But when you take this process on, PREPARE to FIGHT. Prepare for the long haul. You're not fighting AGAINST someone, but FOR someone. Thank God, you are not fighting alone!

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,”they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,”he said, “why did you doubt?”
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:22-33, emphasis mine.)