"Off Course"

It's funny to think that we really have a say in our daily schedule. As I said before, I like a plan and back up for my back up.
I'm reminded in James 4:13-15
Now listen, you say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."
I am reminded to say and think, if it is the Lord's will- not my will or effort.
Well, we are being stretched. Emotionally. Physically. Financially. Spiritually. This isn't a bad thing, just a hard thing.
To get you up to speed:
April 2010- Derek attended an adoption summit
May- made the decision to adopt
May- after 2 years of waiting found out we were expecting #3
One week later we lost the baby
June- we decided to move forward with the adoption
July 1st- we sent our contracts to our agency
July and August- aggressively worked on the piles of paperwork
August 26- received a phone call that Rwanda has temporarily suspended adoptions
August 31- deadline for paperwork- {not going to happen in a million years}
September 9- option to switch to Ethiopia
September 14- decision made to switch

We have crammed a lot in to 5 months. I look back and I'm tired. I look ahead and I'm tired. I'm not complaining it is just. Fact.
God has pressed upon my heart a verse that I have gone to many times in the past 2 weeks...

Proverbs 16:9
In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.

We had plans. We saw this going differently. Easier, I guess. We had a choice to make this week. Shift over to Ethiopia or quit. Well, we aren't quitters for one. For another, God is determining our steps and has determined that we are pressing forward. Honestly, we are a bit terrified. We are cautiously optimistic. More waiting. More costly. More unknown. We are not cut out for this. BUT, we serve a God who has it all figured out. Before the beginning of time. He sees the end and we do not. We trust Him. We have to. He has called us to something difficult. Beyond us and our understanding and even resources.

Psalm 62:5-8
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at ALL times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

I was talking with my dear friend, Karen, the other night and she offered some words that I have been pondering all day. She said what have we done in life that REALLY has required the Lord? Yes, we should be relying on God for every decision and task but how many times do we get through the day on our own power and not on Christ's? Unfortunately, too many. Not this time! We have no choice and have no desire to do this alone. We will be stretched and this will be hard but we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
So, we are pressing forward. Not on our power but on Jesus Christ's. He is our Rock and our Refuge.
Please pray for us. Pray for our family. Pray for our son that we long to be with. Pray for all the orphans that have no forever family.
We came across this music video from another adoption blog and wanted to share it with you all. We get it. We just desperately want to get to our son.

*I still haven't figured out how to stop our blog music while you listen to this- so, scroll down and pause our blog music before you play this video*

I don't know, maybe it would be good therapy to paint a piano.
*Don't panic if you see a piano in our yard...we are just passing the time while we wait. :)