Adoption

Fear and faithfulness – My adoption story

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

When my wife and I started the adoption process back  on June 28, 2012, I was scared silly as we were entering a world of unknowns.  My wife was ready to start this process a long time before I was.  I remember many times when she would bring it up but I wouldn’t give it much time in conversation.  I would find ways to divert the topic and hope it would end.

I knew it was expensive and that scared me.
I knew we didn’t have the money.
I knew it would be hard.
I knew it would forever change our lives.

But…

I also knew that I wanted to be a father.  I was caught between my fear and my dream.  I didn’t know what to do or how to proceed.  I was praying but I don’t think I was listening very well.

I don’t remember specifically what the turning point was but we finally dove in.  We decided on an agency that my wife found (God’s Children Adoption Agency) and off we went.  We met with one of the case workers and got the information we needed.  My wife immediately started the paper work and I started feeling more overwhelmed.

What have I gotten myself into? [I was still worried about money.]

The home study process started and things seemed to fall into place.  It wasn’t too long into the process that we received our first financial contribution from a friend.  Then our parents pledged support.  At the outset of this we had friends praying for us.  There were times when we would talk with these friends and they would end up gathering around my wife and I to pray.

It was overwhelming…but this time in a good way.

Now we are 6 months in and I am feeling like this has been God’s plan all along.  I still know that this will be a lot of money but I don’t worry about that anymore.  God has showed me over and over again that He has us covered.  Various financial gifts have come in; showing me that God is not going to leave us hanging.  God is faithful and always has been faithful.  There are still a lot of question marks but feeling that my hand is firmly in the grip of God’s hand is comforting.  We are not walking alone.  And I am so thankful for our wonderful family and our wonderful friends.  There is no way we could have gotten this far without them.  They are indeed a gift from God.

So we continue waiting; knowing that God has a little one out there waiting for us.  And when that child enters our home they are going to be so loved; not just by my wife and me but by our wonderful and supportive family and friends (including the congregations I serve).

Despite my fear God was faithful.  What an awesome God we have.

Thank you, God, for walking with us in this process.  Thank you for your faithfulness.  Thank you for calming my fears.  Thank you for your love.  In Jesus name, Amen.

The pastor -|—

Waiting and questions

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

My wife and I are in the adoption process.

We started this journey back in June but didn’t tell the congregations I serve until October.  For me those fours months were long.  A couple very close friends knew (as they were praying for us) but I was looking forward to being more open about what we were doing.  My wife, on the other hand, wished we could keep this quiet for a little while longer.

You see ~ one of things that we were concerned about was all the questions we knew we were going to get.  Not just the initial questions following the news release but the follow up questions, “Any news yet?”  This would be especially hard if this process dragged out…and compound that with the number times that well-meaning people asked the question.

It has been nearly 2 months now since our announcement and the questions have come just like we thought.  Not everyday but I do get a couple questions per week.  Usually from someone I haven’t seen for a while.  But as time has gone on I have come to a realization…

…I look forward to those questions.

I thought it would be hard but it’s not.  The reason I look forward to those questions is because it tells me that Connie and I are not the only ones anxiously waiting.  We are not waiting alone.  And that feels good.  People are praying for us.  And there is something about waiting together that is powerful and encouraging.

And when I contemplate this waiting I can’t help but think of the season we are in: Advent.  This is a season of waiting as we await the celebration of the birth of Jesus AND await Jesus coming again…to bring us home.  It’s an anxious waiting and an exciting waiting.  But the difference between this waiting and our adoption waiting is that we have Good News to share right now:

Jesus has come.
Jesus will come again.
Hallelujah!

So we wait patiently and expectantly, knowing that our faithful God will come through for us.

So when I get that “Any news yet?” question maybe I should say, “Yes…there is Good News.  Jesus is coming.” And then say, “But we are still waiting.”

Waiting together.

So please keep asking the questions.  We appreciate your support and prayers.  And soon (God willing) I will have some “other” exciting news to share with you…but all in God’s timing.

Happy waiting and praise be to God 🙂

The pastor -|—

Roller coasters

/ The Pastor

The appeal about roller coasters for me is the:
speed
quick turns
anticipatory climbs
sudden drops
and the upside down views.

The feeling of exhilaration is so much fun.  I especially like those roller coasters where you can’t see what is coming next – like Space Mountain at Epcot Center.  That is a fun roller coaster.  It took a lot of convincing from my dad to get me to try it when I was young, but once I did I didn’t want to stop.

Roller coasters are fun.

But when you are on that proverbial life roller coaster then those things that once held appeal for the real thing become heart-wrenching and hard.

I am not a fan of those “roller coasters”.

But praise be to God that I am not riding this one alone.

edh -|—

Waiting and patience

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

imageWhen I need to get away and pray, one of my favorite spots is the sanctuary at Salem Lutheran Church (one of the congregations I serve).  Last week I found myself there; staring at these stained glass windows.  The room was dark but the sun light was pouring through these colorful windows.  Even through I was squinting my eyes I couldn’t seem to look away as I poured out my heart to God.  It may sound like a cliche but it seemed like God was pouring himself out upon me through those windows.  It felt comforting during a time of chaos and impatience in my life.

Impatience?

Yup…impatience.

My wife and I are in the adoption process and I am growing more and more impatient as I wait.  We are excited about growing our family…and we want to do it now.  We have filled out the adoption paper work and now are filling out grant applications.  We are doing what WE need to do.  The faith issue I keep having is that I expect God to follow though…NOW.

I need patience.

So I find myself in the sanctuary (a number of times); away from my phone and email, staring at those windows ~ praying.  I am asking God to:
~ Calm my heart
~ Strengthen my faith
~ Increase my trust that God has a child out there chosen for us

I know God’s timing is often not my timing (which is hard) but God knows what God is doing.  I keep thinking that God is molding and teaching Connie and me.  I just wish I knew what God was up to ~ but I guess that is where the praying comes in.

So the waiting continues…

and…

the prayers for patience continue…

God…continue to pour your light and love upon Connie and me as we wait.  We look forward to meeting the child you have chosen for us.  Strengthen our faith that you may be glorified in all we do.  In Jesus name, Amen!

edh -|—