Thursday, May 3, 2012

Two Years in the Journey!

TWO YEARS ago today, on Monday morning, May 3, 2010, I mailed our official adoption application to AGCI to adopt a baby girl from Ethiopia!

I wish that I had taken a picture that day, but I didn't...so unlike me! :)  I still remember what that big white envelope looked like sitting on our kitchen counter, just waiting to be mailed.   So many months of praying had all led to this day...the beginning of the journey to our daughter in Ethiopia!

This was the day that we had been waiting for!  When we first started praying about adoption, we both agreed not to tell anyone until our "adoption application was in the MAIL!"  So, now that it was finally mailed off, we could begin to tell our friends and family our BIG NEWS!!!

God had told me His plan for our family to adopt a baby girl from Ethiopia 6 months earlier in November of 2009.  Yet this day, May 3rd, 2010 seemed like the "official beginning" of our adoption journey!

And here we are now, exactly two years later, still waiting on God's perfect plan and timing to be revealed.  Still waiting to see our daughter's face for the first time. Still waiting to know her story.  Still waiting...and still praying.

It's so neat to me that today is also the National Day of Prayer!  I am crying out to God today, along with believers all over our nation!  I know that God hears our prayers and will answer according to His will.

I feel like after two years, I can honestly say this.  I wouldn't trade one single minute of the waiting.  God has used this time to draw me closer to Him.  I feel that my relationship with the Lord is so much more intimate and close than it was before we began this adoption journey.

God has used the years to grow our family in ways we couldn't have imagined.  He has used our daughter to draw our hearts closer to His heart.  Our kids have grown so much in the past two years.  And already at their young ages, they are learning what it means to truly wait on the Lord.

He is redeeming the time already. I have already begun to see a few of His purposes in the wait...some things about our family that He needed to grow and change.  I know His timing is perfect, and I know His plan for our family and our daughter will be revealed one day.

But until then, we will continue to wait on Him.

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Romans 15:13

6 comments:

Laura said...

Such a sweet post. And happy adoption anniversary to you!! I know the wait has seemed unbearable at times, but I can tell you have your heart in the right place to endure the waiting. We hope to mail our application for Korea next month, but aren't planning on telling our big news for a while, so I pray that I can accept and be patient and understanding as our wait is just beginning. Thanks for sharing your heart!

Lauren said...

you have such a beautiful heart!!! Praying that next May 3rd your sweet baby girl will be in your arms as you write a post about all God has done in those 3 years... you are amazing!!

Rachel Pehl said...

I gives me peace that you are still finding joy in waiting on the lord. We have yet to submit our dossier and are already feeling tired of waiting. God is changing our hearts as well as we wait and what a beautiful thing that is!

Courtney said...

Praising the Lord that He has carried you this far. So blessed to be on this journey with you!

Unknown said...

Alison - I second all of the comments already posted...these girls had the perfect words and I'm just at a blank! :) But I am praying for you and, as always, love that you are sharing your heart with us. You are inspiring and your faith is AWESOME. I know that God is loving how close you are drawing to Him during this time! He treasures you and this is all for His glory and for your good...even the hard time waiting!!

Team Keehn said...

Such a beautiful post Alison. We are about a year behind you in our journey and I appreciate this post so much. I feel like I am just getting over some really hard months in this wait. God is already showing and revealing little things he is refining in me and my family. A month ago I never thought I would of said this, but I am truly thankful for the wait. God is being glorified in your faithfulness in trusting his timing. Praying for your girl and the story He is continuing to write for your family.