The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. -Psalms 18:2

Last year Tiffany and I began our pursuit of adding to our family through adoption. After spending a year on the waiting list for a domestic adoption, we began to re-seek the will of the Lord. About a year ago we knew the Lord had placed a burden on our heart for adoption. After contacting a couple local agencies, it seemed domestic was the route to go. Not necessarily because it was where we felt led, but as far as we understood it was the only option. Our understanding, which is accurate in some countries, was you had to be 30+ to adoption internationally. A year into waiting, we found ourselves praying over our past decisions and re-knocking on doors we once considered closed. After a handful of phone calls, emails, and web-searches we found ourselves excited more than ever about the opportunity to adopt. There are many countries which follow similar guidelines as does the U.S. Once we were aware that international adoption was not ruled out we began to call different agencies who worked with countries that we meet the age requirements for.  After these conversations took place it seemed the best fit for our family was Ethiopia, and thus submitted our application to pursue an international adoption from Ethiopia.

As I have learned over this past year, sometimes waiting is difficult. It may feel as if the Lord has forgotten the plans He has laid on your heart, but scripture makes clear this is never the case. This truth has recently been affirmed in our lives through our adoption process. The question I have found myself asking over the past months and weeks is, "What does the Lord want from me while I am waiting?" The answer to this question is continually being revealed through scripture, but one truth I have learned through our waiting is my God is my fortress, my rock, and my deliver in whom I [can and will] take refuge. It is in His presence my restless heart finds peace. It is in His word my restless mind finds clarity. Where would I be without this truth?

Although our adoption is not close to being complete, I am at peace knowing it is our God who has led in the past and it is my God who will lead us in the future. His plan and His timing are perfect, therefore I need not fret.