Twas the Night Before….

It's been a whirlwind of activity and emotions the past few days. 

Only now - in the quiet of the night, can I sit and be with my Lord God and reflect on what will happen tomorrow morning. 

If I was clever, I would have a cute little tidbit here about "twas the night before meeting day and all through the hotel, not a prospective parent was sleeping…." and it would all rhyme and be clever and fun - but I am not! 

Without a doubt, life changes BIG TIME tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 pm for our family. There is little to bring that point home than to reflect on the previous "night before's".

Fourth time through - and each time is different. Profound. Life changing. God moving and earth shattering and "knock the wind out of you" powerful.

I took a few minutes to go back and read my "night before" posts for each of the girls. I needed to remember God's faithfulness as the enemy prowls around looking to devour. 

Becky - 29 months of anticipation. I was a nervous wreck so it was nothing profound - just something for the stalkers. (Can I just say how awesome our God is that some of the same ones who were stalking then are stalking now….I would never mention them by name, but Tara knows who she is!!) 

Katie - God spoke. Perhaps of all our children, this night before was the most prophetic in so many ways. Her arrival into our lives - brought Jesus closer to us. God's voice was so loud and clear that day and the 17 days of that trip - through Lisa, for without whom we would not be sitting her tonight. 

Waiting for Cami, I was alone - and I could fully focus on her. I could pray for her needs and her heart. Tonight as I re-read those words, I have a heart filled with gratitude that every prayer I uttered then has been answered. 

Every single one. God left nothing undone or incomplete. 

Julia Xiao Bai - as I sit here, the overwhelming, over-riding place I keep coming back to is peace. Deep and abiding peace. I look back to when this journey to you started and I know unequivocally that God has been preparing our hearts for you - we didn't know it.

But we didn't have to know - because He knew.

The ONE whose ways are not our ways knew it. The ONE whose thoughts are not our thoughts - had a plan for you. A plan to give you a future and a hope. 

So tonight….

Twas the night before meeting

All thought my heart

Dwelt a peace deep not fleeting 

what a wonderful start

The children were nestled 

all snug in their beds

while visions of their new sister 

danced in their heads

That's all I could do - and it took me 30 minutes. 

Let's try this instead - 

So tonight - we will praise the name of the One who brought us here. Along a bumpy and convoluted road to our eyes - but the perfect plan to His. 

The One who provides a peace that surpasses all understanding.

The One true God who never leaves us nor forsakes us. 

The One who is always, always faithful.

He places the lonely into families. 

To HIM goes all the glory and praise and honor! 

Thanks be to God.