10 Days: Waiting

A week ago my good friend Catherine sent me an e-mail with the song "While I am Waiting" bu John Waller. That same day my friend Dora has sent me a message saying she had heard the song and had thought about us.

I’m waiting
I’m waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I’m waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience

While I’m waiting
I will serve You
While I’m waiting
I will worship
While I’m waiting
I will not faint
I’ll be running the race
Even while I wait

I’m waiting
I’m waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I’m waiting on You, Lord
Though it’s not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait

I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting on You, Lord

Today, our 10 day waiting period is over. It is over, but we are still waiting. I still have to wait 2 more days to get Nina out of the orphanage, and I have to wait to have all our paperwork done so that we can come home.

No, waiting is not easy, adoption is not easy. The roller coaster of emotions has taken us on the ride of a lifetime. At times it has been exciting, at times it has been scary. At times we have wanted to stop the ride altogether, and at times we enjoy the wind on our face as we flip and turn. But all along, our emotions have been tender and there have been many tears along the way. Sad tears, frustrated tears, and happy tears.

There are many children in Nina's orphanage. Many hearts that have been forgotten. Many souls that long for love, for a family. Their faces will forever follow me, they will visit me in dreams and they will sit on my lap as I pray, so that I remember them and lift them up to the Father. It is so hard to leave them behind.

Jeremiah 49:11 says, "Leave your orphans; I will protect their lives." Today I find great comfort in those verses. No, it does not mean that no hardships will come their way, and it does not mean that in this world they will find love, but it does mean that the Lord is with them, that their lives are precious to God. He created them, He loves them, and His heart breaks for their lives and the brokenness of this world that has landed them in an orphanage, to be left alone. But they are never alone.

But there is one orphan girl. One sweet child that I get to take home. One little girl that will know that she is loved, that her life has great value, that her life is worth living. She will know that she is wanted.

I listened to Chris Tomlin's song this morning, "Amazing Grace" and the choirs made me stop.

My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love, Amazing grace

On Tuesday, I will walk out of the orphanage with Nina in my arms. We will walk out and we will not look back. Her chains will be gone! She will be set free! We have followed God's calling, and we have come across the world to take a child that seems broken to the world, to take her and make her our own. Much like Christ did for us.

Yes, there have been sacrifices along the way. But they are worth it, her chains will be gone, she will be set free. And she will know about Jesus, she will know about her Savior. We can give her love, we can give her a family, but what really matters, what we really have to give...is Jesus.

And while we wait to come home, we will worship Him! We will worship while we are waiting, because of what He has done.