it won't happen right away...

As we drove the winding road to church this morning for the easter egg hunt, Matt said to me, "it feels like this is not ever going to happen."  I agreed, and sarcastically said I didn't think it would be the last time we felt this way. 

There's been moments where we're being propelled forward in this adoption process, unbelieving that we're suddenly moving forward...only to be slowed to a tortise like pace at the next stop on our list of to-do's. Currently, we're waiting for our homestudy to be written and delivered to us so we can move on to the next peice of necessary paperwork. We turned in our paperwork for it months ago, and finished our homestudy visits 5 weeks ago. I never thought this part would take this long, but what really goes according to MY plan in this process?:)

We've both been trying to occupy our minds with other things as we wait, knowing we need to perfect our waiting skills for the BIG wait on the wait list, and the even bigger wait once we see Miss Lucy's face and can't yet go get her. 

Today I was blog hopping my adoption blogroll, and I was moved to tears by an article by Laura Byers over at Jesus Lovin' Momma.  She was recently published in the Huntsville (alabama) Times with an article about bringing her little Mercy home from Ethiopia. (read it here)

Here's a clip of the story that brought tears to my eyes...Exactly what the Lord wanted me to hear today:

"As I waited in a little room for the adoption agency staff to bring Mercy to me, I remember feelign so overwhelmed by God's faithfulness. I thougth back on the first piece of paper work we completed, and how we wondered where the money would come from for these adoption expenses.

God provided everything we needed, every step of the way to get to that moment where I would be meeting my daughter for the very first time. I remember one of my favorite verses, Habakkuk 2:3: But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the tiem approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed."

Wow. Tears and tears. I can picture myself in that exact moment, the emotion of God's faithfulness flooding over me, seeing the completion of his vision in our hearts. That verse meant SO much to me. This is a slow process. Many delays and setbacks. But I loved the part that says, "For it will surely take place. It will not be delayed." This really is God's vision. God's plan. There are NO delays for him. He is bigger than all of it. He is more powerful than any paperwork setback. I get teary again as I think that His mighty plans cannot be delayed. He is not affected by this world's delays and setbacks. If he wanted us to be setting our feet in the soil of Ethiopia today, you can bet there would be nothing keeping us from it. Not money, not paperwork, not visas or adoption decrees. He has a plan already in motion. I need to put my faith in His mighty hand. As if He is my traffic flagger. You know, those guys in orange vests on the side of the road, flagging you through the construction? I can see Him standing there, with his hand up , saying "not yet". He will flip that stop sign around to flag us through when it's safe to do so. When it's His timing...

Now, I just need to keep my focus on that and not let my eyes wander off my flagger, who will flag me through in His perfect timing. My faith has to be as big as my Mighty God. 

Thanks, Laura, for that verse. It just moved to my #1 favorite.