For those of you who do not know what these letters stand for it is Letter of Acceptance. This means that we are officially adopting our son from China. It is funny how 3 letters can change your life. At around 2:30 today I received a call from my husband. He told me he had 3 letters for me and I flipped. Sam started screaming and jumping up and down and the knowledge of me being able to hold my son in about 6 to 8 weeks was amazing. The thankfulness that I felt enveloped me. I am so thankful to Jesus that he kept pushing us to find our child. I am thankful that our Lord was holding and caring for him when we could not. I am thankful that in my lowest Jesus was still helping me on and bringing me to my child. Like I have heard to so many times (even from my own mouth), adoption is not for the faint of heart. For I was weary and the Lord helped me on.
There is a quote that I read in my lenton devo the other day. This devo is written by Walter Wangerin Jr. and is called Reliving the Passion (I highly recommend it). He says, " The difference between shallow happiness and a deep sustaining joy is sorrow. Happiness lives where sorrow does not. When sorrow arrives, happiness dies. It can't stand pain. Joy, on the other hand, rises from sorrow and therefore can withstand all grief. (now listen closely) Joy, by the grace of God, is the transfiguration of suffering into endurance, and of endurance into character, and of character into hope- and the hope that has become our joy does not (as happiness must for those who depend on it) disappoint us."
I pray that through this 3 and 1/2 year journey, and all the sorrow that has come, that I have learned joy. I have always struggled to find joy because I have felt like the suffering was unfair or I didn't understand it. Now in my 37th year (sorry to say it has taken this long), through study and talks with my wonderful Bible study group I have a deeper appreciation for suffering and the inheritance of glory that we will receive after suffering (read 1Peter). I will hang on to the joy that the Lord has fostered in me and go forth with more than just my precious children but a deeper desire to know God better. For after all I have been adopted into God's family and I am still learning to live in that family as a full child of God.
Stay tuned for pictures and the name of our precious boy.
Blessings,
Laurie
5 comments:
Woo Hoo! I can't believe you're getting so close! Big smiles from KY!
I am soooo excited for you. I love all these happy adoption stories. I fell like I am part of this special adoption community. And you will have him at the time when the weather turns to perfect. Can't wait for many pictures
Ia
So thrilled for you!!!
I am very happy for your family. And also specially for Sam. I remember how it was difficult to explain to our boy that maybe the adoption for a sibbling is not working. So really happy for him that he will have a brother very soon. This is great!
Wow. I am totally going to steal that quote! God has been teaching me a lot about the difference between happiness and joy throughout our 6 1/2 year adoption journey, and what a blessing it is to experience JOY after the sorrow we all shared. To God be the Glory!!
And congrats on your LOA!!! So excited for you guys! Ours should come soon too, but we can't travel for about 3 months from LOA :( Be glad you're not in the States for that alone!
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