Lamentations and Adoption

To the many people who have loved us through our Adoption journey, we thank you.  We have not done a good job of communicating over the last few months about where we are in our journey, mostly because it has been a frustrating and disappointing season.  So, here we go, updating the many of you who ask and those afraid to ask:

I (Brad) have been studying one of the more underrated books of the Bible: Lamentations.  It’s a heavy piece of scripture, but it’s relatable and relevant.  Many are familiar with this small portion:

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. – Lamentations 3:22-23

These are very encouraging verses of Scripture.  They are true and right, but little is known about the context of these famous words.  They are written by an exhausted, frustrated and discouraged Jeremiah.  They are the qualifiers – hopeful, faith filled qualifiers in the midst of a long lament.  The very next words from Jeremiah’s God inspired words give you an idea of what I mean:

The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him; let him put his mouth in the dust—there may yet be hope … the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men. – Lamentations 3:25-33

You don’t hear many sermons on those verses.  They don’t inspire big offerings or Twitter followers. They don’t sell many book.  In God’s sovereign and wise rule, it is good to wait.  It’s good to wait a long time.  It’s good for a young man to bear heavy burdens.  To be brought to his knees.

Good?  Really?

@#!$%^!

Let’s be honest.  That’s how we feel about that.  That’s how Jeremiah felt too.  It doesn’t mean it’s not true.

But there is hope in the God caused waiting, sorrow, pain and journey.  We can ‘count it all joy’ and remain steadfast in the journey of obedience.  The Cross is the ever present and glorious reminder that pain and suffering is not the end.  It is also the ever present and glorious reminder that hardship, trial, disappointment and suffering isn’t evidence of a lack of love.  No, it is the evidence of abundant love. (Romans 5:8)

SO, we HOPE.  We TRUST.  And we WAIT.

We thought or boys would be home a few weeks after we visited them in May.  5+ months later we are still waiting for legal processes, red tape, US Embassy appointments, DNA tests and a host of other unforeseen extra steps to take place.  The ball is moving down the field, just much slower than we had anticipated.  SO keep praying for us.  BUT, would you pray more for Andrew, Kato and Simon?  This journey isn’t about us!  It’s about the Father’s work to uphold the fatherless.  This is about them.  We love them and can’t wait to hold them in our arms and tuck them in their beds.

May it be soon!

Hoping, Trusting, Waiting,

Brad, Julie and Rylee