Where is my HOPE today?

A brief adoption update:
We are still in Kansas… our kids are still in Ethiopia… and my God is still on the throne! He is still trustworthy… still faithful… and still fully ABLE! He cares more about my character than my comfort… and for that I am truly thankful. As we have walked this road, there has been continuing opportunity of coming to terms with each “disappointment” or delay we have faced. When things don’t go according to OUR plan…we can look to the PLAN MAKER! Why do I always want to have some sort of say or control? Do I really trust You Lord? Where is my hope today?

I can’t imagine doing life without the Holy Spirit…He is our comforter, counselor, teacher, and guide in life… He seems to know just how to break through to me when I take time to listen. Sometimes He speaks so clear to me that I stand and wonder… wow, how did I never put that together before? Not getting what “I want” or what “I think is best” has really brought about opportunity to discover another powerful truth this week. Fresh revelation that energizes me and enables me to continue walking in joy and peace despite things not going according to MY plan. It’s not that I hadn’t “known” these verses before… but there is a big difference between TO KNOW (head knowledge) and TO KNOW (heart revelation). So here we go…

There is a verse in the Bible that says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick”, and we all can see that happen often in the world we live in… but I know that God doesn’t want my heart sick? As I follow Jesus I must ask myself, WHERE is my hope today?? Is it in me getting my way and things going according to my plan? David must have asked himself this question too, because in Psalm 42:5 he says, “Why so downcast oh my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your HOPE in GOD, for I will yet praise Him.” Wow… each opportunity for disappointment in life is really a reality check to expose where I’m putting my hope because His Word promises us that “Those who hope IN THE LORD will NEVER be disappointed”.

The key… keep my trust and HOPE in HIM and I will NEVER be disappointed!! I remind myself that He sees the whole picture… that He loves our kids more than we could in a lifetime… He is all powerful…. He can part the Red Sea…He kept the boys from being burnt in a fiery furnace… not even smelling of smoke…He can open prison doors and set captives free… HE KNOWS the plans He has for us…plans for GOOD and not for evil, to give us a future and a HOPE… and lastly…if God is for us, who can be against us?! Thank you Lord that our hope is in YOU!! I trust your judgment over my own…your timing over my timing….your way is PERFECT… so teach me your ways. I want to mean it when I pray, “not my will but Your will be done”. Every day I can live in the realm of reason or I can live in the realm of confident TRUST in HIS WORD. I choose to HOPE in God today. ~ Mary

A constant reminder…

The puzzle is complete, framed, and hung in our living room serving as a constant reminder that we have not walked this adoption journey alone. There are names on the pieces of our puzzle of people whom we have never met, as well as names of friends and family who we’ve known for years… who all came together to play a vital part of bringing our children home from Ethiopia. Our hearts are so thankful to God for each and every one of you!

“We continually give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we are praying for you,” Colossians 1:3

View of the back of puzzle



The most asked question we are constantly bombarded with is…. WHEN do you get to go???? Good question. When we traveled to Ethiopia and passed court on Nov. 11th, I had met another adoptive mom on the plane that was returning to pick up her daughter less than 4 weeks after she had passed court… I then remember having hopes of a Dec. 7th embassy date. We knew that would take a miracle, so we just figured for sure we’d get to go for the Dec. 21st embassy date…. until we received a sad call and that date came and went.

We were then given the Jan 4th tentative embassy appointment date, tickets and housing were booked, lists were checked off, and with only a few days before we were to fly out, we received the phone call that said the embassy was asking for more documents for each all 6 of the families that were supposed to travel, so we needed to change our tickets. Wow, yet another opportunity to choose to Consider it all Joy and grow once again in a thankful heart in the midst of circumstances outside our control.

So here we are, less than a week from the day we are to fly out again. Two suitcases loaded with formula and stuff to donate to YWAM’s Orphan & Widow homes, 1 suitcase full of stuff for our kids, and then 1 still to be packed with our stuff. Our tentative embassy appointment date is January 18th. Plans are made and airline tickets are purchased again and every time I feel unsure, Clint proclaims to me, “We ARE GOING!” We are hoping and praying that all the additional requested paperwork has come together on that end to satisfy the embassies requests. PLEASE CONTINUE PRAYING for the favor of God to surround our case and that the U.S. Embassy will grant us permission to bring our children home. GOD is ABLE!

Eph. 3:20-21 Amplified “Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, IS ABLE to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams] – To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).