On the way home, our family car decided it was toast. We knew it was coming but had high hopes because it really has been a great, great car. Sounded like the transmission was dragging the ground and by the time we got where we could pull in somewhere we had burnt out all gears but first. The Lord was so gracious. We were in a town with a car repair shop (although it was closed since it was Sunday) we had a great phone signal, only 30 minutes away from friends who could come get us, car full of snacks, cheerful kiddos...who could ask for more?
So after a 4 hour trip home took us around 8 hours, Sunday night we arrived home in a rental car, 200 miles from our Yukon. Monday afternoon we were greeted by an audit from the State for our 2014 taxes. Yep. First time ever...audited. As if getting mounds of fingerprints, adoption paperwork and payments together isn't enough, now this.
And, as each day goes by we miss our Yukon more and more. Fitting 4 kids and pregnant mom into daddy's car is doable, and we are so thankful, but it just doesn't cut the mustard when it's time to shop for groceries!
It's Friday night and our car is still in Flomaton, and we are on car rental number 3. Life must go on and Greg has to work, and it seems that there is some special parents weekend at the local university that has most of the car rentals in Birmingham sold out. The Journey Tree is much slower going than we expected, and we already owe two agency fees. I'm rambling and making no sense and 7 months pregnant. Oh and I think I'm losing my hearing. And did I mention that I have ringworm on my leg? (Laughing hysterically because every bit of this is true!). The enemy just wants to use these things to bring doubt and despair into our lives. But that is not what the Lord wants and that is not why Jesus came. He came to give us life! John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
I'm so glad I documented Fishers adoption journey. I look back and think it wasn't that hard, but reading the blog posts reminds me very quickly that the enemy was at every turn, just like he is now, trying to steal our joy, trying to kill our hope and trying to destroy our faith. But he has been defeated. We are passing through the waters and they are raging rivers. But the Lord is there.
Isaiah 43:1-2 "But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you."
And look how that continues...
Isaiah 43:3-7 "For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
I believe that He will work this all out. I believe that He is able to bring us through what He has called us to. I pray that He will bring our offspring from the east, our daughter from the end of the earth. I pray that He will call Journey by His name and gather her. She was created for His glory. He formed her and made her. I pray for Ryder and a safe delivery and for him to be strong and healthy. I pray the Lord will help us to decide what to do about our poor Yukon, we just can't keep renting cars. And though we are hanging on by our fingernails, when we are weak, He is strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
Weakness...neediness...actually a safer place to be than thinking "we got this". When we think we stand, we must be careful lest we fall.
1 Corinthians 10:12 "Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall."
He is the only One who is able to command the waves to be still. We will trust in Him.
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