Impossible?

The past few weeks have been incredibly difficult. Some of the most difficult we have faced yet.
I cannot go into detail but I just want to ask you to PRAY.

We are at a very critical point right now with this adoption. I cannot even post these words without crying.

All I can say is that it has been 7 weeks and the children have not been moved to another orphanage yet and it is not looking promising.

We are now being told that it may be impossible...

IMPOSSIBLE.

That word stirs so much fear in me and it threatens to completely knock me down and steal any joy that I have. I know that it is not the word in itself, but the enemy behind it who wants me to just back down and quit everything all together. To just accept the lie that it is just too hard and too complicated and that there is nothing else left to do. That it just is not going to happen.

IMPOSSIBLE.

This is certainly not the first time I've heard these words...

15 years ago as we faced an unexpected pregnancy at the ages of 16 and 17.
14 years ago as we married and heard all of the statistics of divorce rates among teens in our situation.
13 years ago when I went back to high school, married with a one year old child, but still very immature.
11 years ago as I was about to have my 3rd son at the age of 20 and was a complete wreck.
10 years ago as we struggled and went through some very dark times in our marriage.
9 years ago when we pulled our Austin out of school because of some major learning disabilities.
7 years ago when God first put adoption on my heart.
5 years ago when Austin still couldn't read & we moved our family for 3 months to take him to a special school.
4 years ago when we were dealing with a child who severe anger issues and found it hard to see hope.
3 years ago after we took Perspectives and felt God calling us to global missions.
2 years ago as we held a sweet baby girl in our arms who had some very serious delays.
1 year ago as we sat at the Orphan Summit in tears and prayed for God to do something radical with our lives.

And 8 months ago we heard that word spoken to us as we left two amazing kids behind in Africa that we loved with all of our hearts.


Yes, it's true. We have heard the word IMPOSSIBLE many times throughout our marriage.

But our God is bigger than even the impossible.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.   He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:37-38

And so we sit and wait for Him once again to do a miracle. If you've read this blog for awhile, you'll know that He has done great and mighty things over and over in our lives. If God is for us who can be against us? We are not giving up and we want to walk by faith and trust that He is in control, even when it seems like we are all alone.

I read this post "There is no such thing as adoption without suffering" on the Together for Adoption blog and it just resonated with me, especially in light of what we are going through. Powerful stuff and a timely reminder that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18)

The entire chapter of Romans 8 was such an encouragement to me today as well. As I wanted to take just one verse to quote at the end of this post, I found it to be, well... impossible! :) I wanted to quote the entire chapter!
This passage spoke to me especially as we are praying and really don't even know what to pray for:



Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Romans 8:26-30



Please join us in praying for God to once again move mountains...