On Deck

The "good news" finally arrived today in the form of an email saying that we are officially "On Deck" to get our referral. We are so excited and so thankful for the encouragement as there really hasn't been any good news for us in the past 9 months. Seriously. 


The dark cloud that has been looming over us has parted just a little and light is shining through! There may actually be a baby for us in Ethiopia, and we may actually see his face soon!


Technically, being "On Deck" means that you're close. The referral could come at any time, most likely within 1-3 months. They let you know you are "On Deck" so that they can verify your request again, check to make sure they know how to contact you when the referral comes, and let you know what expenses will be due at the time of the referral. 


So, all that to say, it should happen within the next 3 months- though we're hoping for much sooner! Like, tomorrow would be nice.  

Waiting for Good News...

I decided after my last post that I wasn't going to post anything until we heard something GOOD. I felt weary of continuing to share the same information: more delays, more waiting, it's hard, we're doing okay. Some days/weeks/months are better than others. That pretty much sums up the last 22 months of this adoption process.


I had no idea when I made that decision that a very long time would go by without hearing anything GOOD. 


We're unofficially 3rd on the list with our agency for an infant boy, and we've been there for almost two months. We're just close enough to the top that there is a glimmer of hope that the referral could come any day (remember that four referral day several months back?), but we also know that being number 3 could still mean 6 more months of waiting for a referral, and then many more months of waiting for a court date.


So, we wait, and pray, and daily surrender it to the Lord to do as He sees fit for his glory and for our ultimate good. 


I read this recently from C.H. Spurgeon and it was used by God to help me take my eyes away from myself and to look to the preciousness of Jesus. I hope it is an encouragement to you as well.  

True have His promises been; not one has failed. I have often doubted Him, for that I blush; He has never failed me, in this I must rejoice. His promises have been yea and amen. I do but speak the testimony of every believer in Christ, though I put it thus personally to make it the more forcible. I bear witness that never servant had such a Master as I have; never brother had such a Kinsman as He has been to me; never spouse had such a Husband as Christ has been to my soul; never sinner a better Saviour; never soldier a better Captain; never mourner a better Comforter than Christ hath been to my spirit. I want none beside Him. In life, He is my life; and in death, He shall be the death of death; in poverty, Christ is my riches; in sickness, He makes my bed; in darkness, He is my Star; and in brightness, He is my Sun. By faith I understand that the blessed Son of God redeemed my soul with His own heart’s blood; and by sweet experience I know that He raised me up from the pit of dark despair, and set my feet on the rock. He died for me. This is the root of every satisfaction I have. He put all my transgressions away. He cleansed me with His precious blood; He covered me with His perfect righteousness; He wrapped me up in His own virtues. He has promised to keep me, while I abide in this world, from its temptations and snares; and when I depart from this world, He has already prepared for me a mansion in the Heaven of unfading bliss, and a crown of everlasting joy that shall never, never fade away.