Ask, Seek, Knock

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

Today was the official day of making the switch over to a domestic adoption. Will is traveling again and I had the opportunity to go over and meet with our case worker and tie up a loose end on our home study. Or so I thought and had planned. I am reminded again that God's timing and Kristin's timing are two completely different things! I love that God keeps me in line and that He speaks softly to me - "wait". He knows I have difficulty waiting...I am one of those I want it done yesterday and He slows me down and I am sure tests my obedience at the same time. So, my little checklist for the home study is in shreds.

I met with our case worker and received all of the paperwork that we need to complete for a domestic adoption. There are only two items we need to complete, one is the services plan that outlines the costs and fees for the domestic adoption. I looked at it - there is was staring me in the face...I nearly fell off the sofa I was sitting on. My heart leaped when I read the amount - it was half of the amount we were looking at originally for the international adoption. We feel like this is another door God is opening and making way our path. Though nothing is too big or too great for our God, He will provide no matter what the amount is. It's great to feel the peace when you know you are walking through the correct open door. I love the saying, 'God doesn't call the equipped, he equips the called' and He proves over and over His faithfulness.

Our conversation moves on to the meat of why I am there - tie up those loose ends of the home study. The brakes are slammed on - and I can hear tire screeching in my head. Our home study that we submitted was for an INTERNATIONAL adoption - we need to have a DOMESTIC home study. Our case worker asks me how old our home study is that we did for E's adoption...it is 2 years old. My brain starts whirling - we just spent 3 months getting this home study done - is it for nothing? Do we have to start all over? What about the money we've spent for all of the tests, reports, etc...etc...do we have to do all of that over? She stopped my brain and suggested we could contact Jon with Adopt Florida Home Studies who did our original home study and possibly pay for it to just be updated (guessing a couple hundred dollars or so), or have Bethany do the whole home study and our charge would be $1,000. So I quickly made a phone call to Jon and talked about updating our home study. We are able to use parts of the international home study like the background checks, finger printing, doctor's visits, a few other affidavits that are required for the update, and save money. Another door just opened.

A side note here...Our case worker and I talked about a project that our ministry, Passion1.27 ,will be working on with Bethany Christian Services this summer - a project called families helping families. Head on over to the blog and you can read more about the project in a few weeks.

Our prayer has been that God would use us in our adoption journey where the need was the greatest to bring Him glory. As I was leaving the meeting, our case worker told me that the domestic adoption process would be a lot "easier" in terms of less paperwork - she also said that there is a huge need for families open to African American and Biracial babies...she said it is a great need right now and we are praying for families to come forward to give these American orphaned babies a forever family. Her words resonated with me and I was reminded of our prayer - "use us where the need is greatest". The door was open for us to walk through.

So though it feels like we aren't progressing forward, we are being patient, and waiting for God. His timing is the most important and we can't rush Him or help Him...He knows what is best - we need to wait. He has ordered our steps - and it feels like a dance right now. John Waller has a great song about just that..."While I'm Waiting". We will serve Him while we wait, we will worship while we wait. We are waiting on you, Lord.

Be blessed - and wait for God. Abba Father does know best.

Enjoy the dance!