"During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw Him walking on the lake, they were terrified. 'It's a ghost' they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: 'Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.' 'Lord if it is you,' Peter replied, 'tell me to come to you on the water.' 'Come,'He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walking on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!' Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught Him. 'You of little faith,' he said, 'why did you doubt?' And when they climbed back into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." -Matthew 14:25-3
In January God called our family to get out of our (comfortable) boat and begin the journey of adoption. I will admit that we "cried out in fear"--what a journey this could be. God, in response, called, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." And so trusting we obeyed, beginning on a road ending in Ethiopia and then taking a sharp right on a road leading to a precious little girl from Taiwan. Well, like Peter, the wind stirred up a wave: yesterday, we received word that this road is closed for out family (the birth mother did not choose our family). We were crushed and began to sink . . . just like Peter . . . when we took our eyes off Jesus as we mourned our loss (I wanted this little girl!). Oh how thankful we are that Jesus in His great love and mercy reached His hand to us to catch us. Look to me, I have called you and I will be faithful, I know the end and you can trust Me. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts. neither are your ways my ways, As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher that your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9) As hard as this is for us, we do rejoice that this little one has found her forever family but more rejoice that we can trust God. Yes, we are sad (please pray for the healing for all of our hearts), yes, we wonder what is next for us (please pray that God will guide us and we will trust in His promise), yes, the waves are rocking our family's well-being (please pray for the core of our little family that we would stay strong on Jesus and stick together)--yet there is HOPE. I can not imagine this journey without trusting in a faithful God who knows the end . . . at this point I do believe on our own we would sink (and give up). I think by no mistake Friday's Dance Recital theme (if your local--do join us--7:00, Springs of Hope Church!) is "Get Up!"--lift your eyes up to Jesus and He will give you the strength to stand on water! I am "confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6) That said . . . we are not giving up, just once again trusting!
We're still selling hair bows (can we earn enough here to buy the girls airplane tickets?), the boys are collecting cans and doing odd jobs (have a job for them?), Kyle is working on a web-site to promote t-shirt sales through Show Hope (A Steven Curtis Chapman adoption support organization) and the yard sale is scheduled for the second weekend in June (bring on your stuff!).
Thanks for following, your prayers, understanding and support as we travel on this journey. :)
~The Hardee Crew
