God is SO Faithful!

God has been so incredibly faithful this past week to show Himself to me through His Word and through circumstances. Each day I have felt His presence and His “kisses” that have spoken to me that He is with me and to keep running this race.

The very afternoon that we found out about court, I was on the phone crying with my mom. A friend pulled into our driveway and I asked Kevin to answer the door, because I was on the phone (and I was a mess!) After she left, he came up to our bedroom and handed me a bag of formula she had brought for us to take to the orphanage and a check for $1,000 to help with our adoption. I just sobbed at how good God was to give me this confirmation in the midst of our pain.

Just minutes after that, another friend stopped by to bring a card and gift, as she had not been able to come to the shower for the kids. Neither of these friends knew about our court hearing.

The next day, Wednesday, we received a phone call that we had been awarded a grant we had been waiting weeks to hear back on.

We also had appointments on Wednesday to get our yellow fever shots, which were going to cost around $500 out of pocket. Due to the delay in travel, we were able to reschedule these shots for January 2nd, which means we will be on a new calendar year for insurance, and these will be covered in full.

Thursday I received news from our travel agency, that we would receive a refund on the difference between the air tickets we had booked to travel the week before Christmas and those we will book when we get new travel dates. I wasn’t expecting this either. I thought we would just have a credit with Ethiopian Airlines.

Friday, three of my friends “kidnapped” me for breakfast. I was in the shower and heard banging on my bathroom door that was too obnoxious to be my children (hahaha). And when I peeked out, there were three of my friends, complete with a Santa hat, coming to whisk me a way. What a blessing!

Saturday I helped give a shower for another friend who just came back from Ethiopia two weeks ago with her baby. (Who happened to be in the same home as our children in Ethiopia.) I had such a delightful time decorating our house in pink and leopard. And I was able to decorate a little African Christmas tree that was definitely “therapy” for my soul.

On Saturday we received a reimbursement check from that State that I wasn’t expecting. (Can you see a pattern here with God’s provision?!)

And on Sunday I was able to “run away” for an overnight of refreshing in Chicago. Kevin was up there for a four day conference from Saturday until Tuesday. And I was able to just spend some time processing through these last few days of our journey.

God is so faithful to have covered me with kisses from heaven this week. I feel my strength growing. And I am so thankful we have this joyful holiday season (my FAVORITE time of the year) as a great focus for the next several weeks. God is SO faithful and I am so humble that He cares so deeply for me.

Lamentations 3
19I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.
20 I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.
21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD