Thoughts on... packing for China!

So it is finally here... we are going to China to finalize Sarah's adoption!

We are so excited about the last and final leg of our journey to adopt Sarah. In a way, I will be sad to see it end as during the past year, we have been blessed to witness God work in ways we couldn't have imagined. For some silly reason, I start to think that now we are all connected, we will no longer see Him work in such amazing ways and it starts to make me sad. Why? Because, when you witness things you know are not man-made - man-induced - man-generated... and are way too coincidental to be anything but God-created... it takes your walk with God to a whole new level! You are infused with hope, confirmed with love, and enveloped in such an elated sense of wonder. How Great is our God!

As I look back, I see nothing but brokenness in both our situation and in Sarah's situation.

I see a little girl who had little hope, but so much promise.

I see a couple who had little promise, but so much hope.

I guess God must have thought we'd all make a good fit - three broken people, pieced together by God's perfect design. And so, here we are today, going over packing lists and travel plans, getting ready to bring this part of our journey to a happy and celebratory end.

So, I go from looking back and reflecting to looking forward towards a future that is unknown but I know has been earmarked for something special. How do I know that? Because I believe all our lives are earmarked for something special.

Granted, God never promises us that our lives are going to be easy, and I know our lives... especially Sarah's life, is going to have it's share of ups and downs, but that's ok because God will always have us in the palm of His hand. I know that when those hard times come... and I know they will... there is nothing that will "get past" God. He will know and have approved every circumstance in our lives, good and bad, He will know each and every heartache even more intimately than we ever could. I know He will never give us more than we can handle and although we may not see God, or audibly hear God, or physically touch God, we will know He is still there... because of what He has done for us.

So dear friends, as I write on this Thanksgiving Day, I pray your day is filled with the love of family and friends, but more than that - I hope you find your day is filled with the love of a Savior!

Happy Thanksgiving!