[lifessence]

Lil'bean - today was a day where I needed to read through this thread start to finish. Not because I want to push - not because I don't trust - but because I miss our boys so much and the waiting today was harder than others.

I cried out to Jesus today to wash me clean of jealousy of others getting out that went in weeks after us. I celebrate their OUTS, PINK and BC, etc - as humans that piece of our hearts that is sinful by nature caused me to stumble today.

Heavenly Father, I pray for everyone once again to have strength as we wait no matter where they are in the process. I pray that our children can feel our love and more importantly God's love for them. I pray for the Bmom's and Fmom's that they have renewed patience, kindness, love and most importantly prepare our children for the change about to take place in their lives. I pray for their safety and health. I pray for everyone involved in our cases state side and in Guatemala. I pray for the safety of all traveling for visits and pick up trips. I pray for the love of Jesus to wash us all clean of the hurts, impatience, anger, misdeeds done to us along the way - that we are able to completely forgive and trust in Him to bring our children home. Our dear sweet Jesus, please hear our prayers and be with us tonight. In you precious name I pray. Amen!

[Kathy Pile]

Lifessense your post has moved me in a way none other ever has. You know there are no accidents or mistakes with God. Everything has a reason and purpose. When we see the silver lining of even the hardest times that is where God gives us our greatest gifts.

Not to long ago I had a God experience regarding our son Antony we are adopting from Guatemala; he is 18 weeks old today. I was a crazed mad woman, obsessing and losing connection with my heart because of the lack of accurate information from our agency, i.e. control! God revealed to me in a firm yet gentle way; Antony is not going to be a minute late or a second early. Antony is my son, born in my heart and one day in this life time he will be in my arms to hold for as long as God has planned. Today I get to love him, dream about him, pray for him and leave him in his FM’s and Gods care. God and I will share his care soon.

Love in His Name
Kathy

[lifessence]

Lil'bean and Ana'sMom - Praise God for your good news today!

Praying for you both as your life is about to change forever!

[lifessence]

Good morning - today the kids bags are packed and DH will soon be packed for his trip tomorrow to be with our oldest son and meet Abigail.

Asking for prayers for safe travel and a healthy trip - also praying for OUT of PGN for both boys at the same time to make one trip with our family.

Thank you! Have a blessed day!

[lil'bean]

I will remember your DH in our prayers & that you are released soon out of PGN - your turn in coming in God's perfect timing!!!!

Thanks for the congrats & thank you again for the beautiful posts!!!!

[Oceanmom23]

Wow, you people are so inspiring. I have learned so much since I have joined this great forum! I have become more at ease with the process knowing that God does indeed have a plan for us and that I just have to be patient. I know deep down that my son will be home soon, but for now I am so thankful that he has a great FM. I can tell from the videos that have been sent that she truly loves him as does he. It is a very difficult journey but the outcome will be truly amazing.
Thank you all for being here and lifting our spirits the way you do. God bless

[lifessence]

Ok, only two documents left to do and I am DONE!!!!!!

I will be so happy when this entire paperchasing process is behind me. Each time you mail something off you have to trust it to get there, not get lost and to arrive to you in a timely manner! God is showing my heart to me each day - simply trust me and call out to me and I will make sure everything is ok!

As I sit here putting together the last couple of documents for authentication - I feel a huge sigh of relief - knowing Abigail is one step closer to being our daughter. She is worth every minute of my driving around, paying ridiculous amount of money for papers to have stamps on them and to make sure it is all done correct. Then to find out - you need one more document because the rules have changed. Patience, strength, love and all the fruits of the spirit come to mind today as I walk faithfully in His plan for our life. I have no idea what it is going to be like going from 2 kids to five within a year - nor do I know what it is going to be like to have to fully Spanish speaking toddlers in our home. With that I'm/we are not stressed -there is a peace about our family waiting for it to be completed by children that have grown so deeply in our hearts we can't remember a day they were NOT ours.

Praying for all of us waiting to get out - to get the news soon. I know how hard the waiting is - especially after meeting them twice and now as my DH goes for a third visit - saying good bye will be that much harder on him and our 2.5 yr old. Not to mention walking away from our newest heartgrown daughter!

I praise you God for the work you are doing in our lives. I praise you for how you are stretching our faith and guiding us lovingly all the way.

My heart is full knowing the work is being done for all of us - the perfect plan is being laid out by the King of Kings! Nothing is greater than that!

[Julie L]

Well after reading and re-reading this thread and FINALLY giving it to God yesterday morning. I finally felt a peace come over me that I had not had in a long time. I was able to go about my day.

At 5pm the phone rang. It was my agency (she usually calls with bad news and emails with good news) I immidately started crying (still working on keeping the faith LOL) anyway our birthmom FINALLY got to come in after 13 weeks in FC and did the interviews!

I have been crying with joy all night. Matthew is finally back in the system. There are so many details I cannot share but I had to share: God's timing is soooo right. Why couldn't I learn that 13 weeks ago??? UGGG

LIFESSENSE: you are such an inspriation and I just keep reading your posts to give me a bump in the right thinking and know He has the perfect plan and I cannot change it and why would I want to? I feel such a bond with you and dont know you at all, but I TRULY will never forget you and the encouraging words from you. God placed you here for a reason!

Praise God and I continue to pray for all of you.

Juile
www.petjanitor.com/baby

[lifessence]

Good afternoon Julie,

I praise God for keeping me here for a reason too! He has a plan for my family and we are just holding tight to Him to see us through.

I am glad we met even via a forum and a thread. You can email me privately whenever you want to chat and get to know each other more! I love praising God for the work He is doing in our lives. We often don't understand and so badly want it our way - for a while He lets us have it that way until we see His way is better. All it took was for you to stop - pray - listen - and ask for His forgivenss to be put right back on His path of peace. He is always there waiting for us - it is us that turns away from His love and direction for our lives - NEVER HIM! God is so merciful and we get way more than we deserve - He paid for our sins one time and yet we sin against Him time and time again - and still He washes us clean every time knowing we will do some again and others will be gone forever. I love that and try so hard to NOT do the same sin twice - this adoption has shown me how sinful by nature my heart really is and that is not easy to look at - I am glad to know my Heavenly Father loves me and all of us so much more than I can even comprehend!

PRAISE GOD FOR YOUR FC INTERVIEW BEING DONE!!! YEAH FOR YOU!!!! I will continue to pray for your child's Bmom and the process to pick up the pace with God leading the way all the way home to your loving arms!

Beautiful so beautiful - can't say that enough about what has happened from starting this thread - so humbled and in awe by the power of our Almighty God!

[TerriBB]

I also believe that God Helps Those Who Help Themselves. Early in this process I let the experts work on our case...now...a year later I am angry. I'm not the least bit angry at God - but he has given me the tools to let my agency know how unhappy I am with their lack of progress on our case. I don't want to ask this at the end of the world...and have him say "Child, I gave you the ability to fight for your baby."

[lifessence]

Terri - you are so right God does NOT call us to sit still to be a doormat - He says I will give you all the tools you need - listen and I will show you the way. My word will be a lamp to your feet! So encouraging!

Just think, at least we are not called like Joshua to walk around Jericho 7 times waiting for walls to crumble. We are being called to wait on Him long enough to work things out perfectly for our children to come home.

Your wait, agency and situation are not easy to deal with - what many do is unethical and sinful beyond what we can often bare. That is why crying out to the Lord for instruction and guidance and comfort is so important. He will provide the way out of all situations! He knows what we can bare and what we can't.

He knows the strength He must give you daily to keep you walking side by side with Him to bring your child home! Hang in there - I know your pain and I know our Heavenly Father loves us so much that He will make it right! Glory be to His name!!!

[lifessence]

Once we are past DNA and have PA I will post some pictures of the miracle working right now in our life - our precious DD's adoption.

God has us right where He wants us now. My DH is in Guatemala visiting our oldest DS and DD. Let's just say we see why He lead us where He did and how perfect our newest adoption is for our family. He is such an awesome God who loves us so much more than I believe we ever deserve.

I said good-bye to my sister today (she flew back to Florida) - not by birth but through this journey we call adoption. She came to visit me and my life will never be the same now that we were brought together. Only God knew we would meet and how - the two of us had no idea. My heart is heavy as I sit here knowing it might be months before we are together in the same room again - however, it is rejoicing knowing it will be with our sons home together. God gave me the best gift through the pain of adoption - friends I never expected to meet, sisters in Christ that I adore, and a sister made just for me - just like He has with the children we are adopting. They may have been born to different parents but their hearts have been molded just for our family. My dear sister is worth the pain and so are our children we are waiting some days more impatiently than others to bring home. All of you who pray with me and for us I say thank you. God hears our prayers.

He is watching us now and seeing how we handle what He is giving us even before our children are home. When I said trust in Him and His perfect timing - I was pointing out that not only does He have it all under control His plan is way better than ours ever could be and He does NOT need us to step in to control every detail...He only requires that we are willing and obedient. This is playing out in our lives at this very moment - my DH had to lose self to gain the love he is receiving from our children in Guatemala and the heartache of our DD at home (12 yrs old) that misses him so much she cries. If he was not willing to give himself every day to God there is NO way he could be down there now with two small children who don't speak English and enjoy every minute of it. He has taken it upon himself to learn Spanish over the past two weeks well enough to communicate beautifully with the kids. I am humbled and blown away by the heart my husband has for God and our family. My DH is a gift from God that wants to be the light of Jesus in our life...in our home - funny thing is God had to have all of this happen for me to see all of that about my DH.

God's timing is working right now in your life - how busy are you or worried are you that you can't see it? I know I was too caught up in many emotions for a long time to see all the ways God was blessing me. God wants to use all situations to refine, mold and teach you - to love you and guide you to be closer to Him. I praise Him for loving me enough to let me go through the hurts to see the glory of His precious work for my life and my family.

I ask that you please continue to pray with me.
Heavenly Father, I thank You for who You are! Not for what you do. I thank You for the wonderful friends You have brought together through adoption. I thank You for the chance to learn more about You and myself through this adoption journey. I thank You for the precious time I had with my sister You hand picked for me and the children You have blessed us with as well. I thank You for holding this entire adoption together because I know it would have been a mess if left up to me. I thank You for loving me enough to sit by my side so that I could learn what I needed to come back to You - wanting to only be closer to You. I thank You for the beauty You have created for every family going through adoption right now. I thank You for the visit trips you have made possible and how You have brought so many families happiness. I thank You for the heart of every person that helps bring these families together. I thank you for the people in Guatemala who are working hard on our cases. I thank you for all the things I can't see and don't know about that are happening right now for the good of my life and others. I am humbled by your love and how I can see Your love at work in others and the children we are adopting and my DH that I know can only come from You.

Today I ask that as we begin a new week, that you give each of us waiting somewhere in this process peace and patience to wait on you to take care of things. To listen and watch for your leading - so that we don't miss the blessings you have planned for us each and every day. I ask that you move the process along so that each child comes home on the perfect day the way you have planned for their lives. I ask that you continue to soften the hearts of all the people working on the cases in Guatemala - that they desire to help these families reunite sooner. I ask that you bless the people of Guatemala, the PGN director and all the people who review our cases. They are not thanked enough Lord for the work they do on our behalf - there are way too many who blame them or say mean things about them and I ask for forgiveness for their hurtful words and behavior. I ask you to forgive all the people who do NOT act out of love or kindness when they are in Guatemala. I ask for forgiveness for the people who don't know you and keep pushing things until their case becomes a mess. I ask that you work in their lives and hearts so that your will can be done in their lives. I pray for every family who still does not know you Lord and is about to bring a baby home - I pray that we would find their way to you and raise their children to bless your name. I pray all of these things in your sweet name! Amen!

[buttonroad]

My mom always said to me "God never gives you more than you can handle" and "when God closes a door he opens a window"... I grew up believing this, but am seriously doubting it now.... It is a hard time for all of us currently waiting in PGN or anywhere in the process.. I have been waiting my entire life to become a mother.. This year so far my baby sister had her 4th child, unexpectedly on 8/8 the day we reentered PGN.. My brother had his 6th child in April, he has been married 3 times... And today our cousin just told us she is pregnant... Of course we are happy for her, but none of these people know how we feel.. never being able to have bio children..both my husband and I had cancer.. I had hysterectomy last year and just turned 41... DH is 38... had cancer at age 21.. Our son was referred to us at 1.5 months old and is now almost 9 mos old.. Roadblocks at every step... We are beginning to think we will never get him.. Had to return clothes we bought him, some we gave to relatives.. I have just been sooo depressed and wondering, what does god have planned for us.. Please we can't take any more bad luck... My DH's gramma who I was extremely close to passed a week before mother's day..
How do we keep the faith, when it feels like everything is going wrong... Do we giveup on our son...???
We are on the books with our agency for a domestic adoption also, since we want 2 children at least.. I come from a big family... I became a lot more religious when I got divorce almost 6 yrs ago.. after a 13 yr bad marriage, and met my current DH, who I believe was born for me.. I did believe in miracles... I want to continue to believe in miracles.. I am just soo depressed and upset... And mad that other people are getting out of PGN with younger children 4 and 5mo olds and our son is almost 9 months old.. But I am happy for them.. Mad that we are missing so much of his life.. How can God do this to an innocent child..?? To all the children who's paperwork is caught up in buracrecy (can't spell it)...
After reading your uplifting message, I realized that God just thinks we aren't ready for our son and he isn't ready for us yet.. When it is time, we will be together... We have not gone to visit because neither my DH or I would be able to leave him..
So thank you for giving me some of my faith that I thought I had lost back...

[Ethan2luv]

Just had to post again on this wonderful thread. Jill, once again thank you so much for sharing so much of yourself and your family with each of us; God is using you in a very wonderful way and is truly being glorified in and through your life at this very moment. PRAISE GOD, How awesome to know that you are being used by the very hands of God, how awesome to even be considered worthy and how very humbling at the same time.

Beth, my heart just bleeds when I read your post.............there are many, many, families out there who are sitting and struggling just like you; you are not alone, we all feel some of your pain. I received my baby at two days old, he is now 13 months old and we still do not have DNA...............which is a long, long, story, but the Lord has brought me to the point that I am totally relying on him; we must remain focused on him and him alone. Do not listen to what the voices in your head are saying, to what your well meaning friends or family may be saying, listen to what the Lord is saying to you through his scriptures. He says that he will never leave you or forsake you, he knows the number of hairs on your head, you are precious in his sight, you are the apple of his eye, you are special and holy and were chosen before the foundations of the world to have the honor to not only follow him but to glorify him with your life, he promises to take care of you, to lift you up, to encourage you, to bless you, you are a member of a royal priesthood, you are entitled to a wonderful inheritance that will endure forever; he has prepared a special place just for you; he is daily molding you and shaping you into the imagine of his son, Jesus Christ. And if all of that were not enough, you have your own personal, intercessor, that sits on the right hand of God that daily petitions the Lord on your behalf, he cries out "Beth, Beth, oh, how I love you, I will protect you, I will sustain you, and I will indeed bless you." The scriptures tell us that the Lord himself speaks blessings over our name, can you even begin to imagine, God himself, speaking your name "BETH, BETH,,,,,,,,,let alone, blessing you. He knows your name, your name, none other, he knows you, everything about you, every thought,, every action, every move you make, so please dear one, remember that if our God knows all of this, you are truly blessed and if that were not enough, he cares about your precious baby so much more than you can even imagine, he made every tiny feature, every toe, every finger, every heart beat, he made and designed with you in mind................and he alone knows the exact time, the second when he, himself will place this little one in your arms. He wants to make sure in the meantime that you are prepared, that you are ready, so he is molding you, he is making you into what he knows that you will need in order to bring this little one up in the wisdom and knowledge of the Lord.

So, I ask you, are you ready to receive this wonderful blessing, are you ready to make any sacrifice, scale any mountain, fight any foe, on behalf of this awesome privilege.............I know you want your child, I know that you love your child, but only the Lord God knows exactly the condition of a heart, and when he speaks, Isaiah says that even the beasts of the earth obey, the mountains cry out, when he says that it is time; and remember, he is master over even time itself; he can make is stand still, he can reverse time, time holds no power of the Lord, NONE, he is the maker of time; so we humans are so limited by this thing called time, it makes us hurry, it makes us inpatient, he even makes us old before our time, because we are hurrying our lives away; but the Lord does not suffer time, he is over time, he is above time, and he is not limited by time.

One more promise and I will let you go, the Lord is also our kinsman redeemer; meaning when the devil trys to take away something from you, because he wants to rob you of your blessings and joy, the Lord can come in at anytime (remember the time thing) and he can redeem your time back to you; we have all lost time, so to speak with our babies, the Lord says in his word that he can and will restore back to us the that which the locusts have ate away, and he will give us double for our trouble, which is a double promise. If you have been hurt, rejected, lost love, lost relationships, time with our babies, he will restore back to us that which was lost; we only have to claim it. So this I will do for you this very minute.

Dear Father in Heaven I ask you in the name of your beautiful son, Jesus that you restore back to Beth, that you restore back to all of these hurting families the time that has been taken from them. The time that they have missed with their babies, with the children Lord, the precious children that you have given each and every one of them. You know every family, you know every situation, every circumstance, you are Soverign Lord, you are our master and our redeemer, I ask that you redeem back to us our time, to grant us double for our trouble, a double portion of your grace, of your blessings, we ask this of you, and none other, you are the only one we adore and the only one worthy of our praise and love; we believe you when you say that we are the apple of your eye, we ask dear God that you speak, God speak over each and every child's name, speak their name, say their precious names, let all of heaven proclaim that this is the day that the Lord has spoken, he has set down his decree and no man can stop it; Daddy we ask you to move on behalf of the children, can you hear then, can you hear them, they are crying out to you, they want their mama's, they want their daddy's, can you hear them, let the heavens thunder with their cries let it fill up the skies and flow through to your very throne, MOVE, LORD MOVE, SPEAK, RAISE YOUR HOLY HAND, we bow down and worship you, we bring you honor and give all of the glory to you this day, and with one voice, we are united, read our hearts, bring our babies home. In Jesus name,
AMEN

[lifessence]

Ethan2luv, I am humbled to know you by name and to call you my Sunshine!

God is blessing you and all of us right now because you stood bold for Him today and shared His heart with all to read! Glory be to His name - most High!

I love you and I know He has big plans for your life and Ethan's. I know He will not forsake, no not one of us - call on Him and He will answer. The time is now - are you ready for His blessing?

Today He opened heaven just a little by giving us a slice - our OUT with Joshua. Waiting on Him for Jonathan!

Sending our prayers to the pearly gates - you are so special to me and now have become a blessing to all that read this thread.

I am praying for you and with you all!