it's official

I guess it's official!

Well, in our hearts and with our action today, we made the first jump - we paid the application fee to International Adoption Net.It seems so scary and yet, I have an excitement and hope that is ready to burst out.  Why am I holding back?  This has been a desire for us for a long time (it seems) and now that it's more real, it's tempting for me to doubt and second-guess.  Is this right? Are we suuuuure we can do this? Honestly, the answer is no I am not sure we can do this.  But I am sure God can.  I believe will all my heart that this is His heart and His adventure that He's taking us on.  Our role right now is to walk, and trust.  We are asking family and friends to walk with us in prayer and encouragement.  And eventually, we will need to lean on others to support us financially as well- trusting God will provide the money to bring you home.

Recently, I was brought to this verse in Isaiah 54 and I hold on to it with joy and expectation;

“Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD.“Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities."Although I do have a husband (a wonderful one whom I'm very grateful for), I take this verse to my heart and see this as a promise.  The Message says it like this; "Sing, barren woman, who has never had a baby. Fill the air with song, you who've never experienced childbirth! You're ending up with far more children than all those childbearing women." God says so!"Clear lots of ground for your tents! Make your tents large. Spread out! Think big! Use plenty of rope, drive the tent pegs deep. You're going to need lots of elbow room for your growing family. You're going to take over whole nations; you're going to resettle abandoned cities."Here we are. We're making our tents large...spreading out...thinking BIG, and waiting for you, beautiful ones, to join us and be the first to join our growing family.