Jesus is Longing for our Adoption

This past spring I wrote a song for our baby. I call it Waiting. The first verse says, "I'm getting ready for you. Making a place just for you, and waiting, wishing that you were here." As I sang those words at my keyboard I was overwhelmed with a sense of God's longing for us to come home. Overwhelmed at how different we are from Christ and yet he gave his life willingly for us and he is getting ready for us. He is making a special place just for us. The words, "I go to prepare a place for you. And, if I go I will come again and receive you to myself" rang in my head. Jesus is longing for our adoption. He cannot wait until we are home. He really, really wants us. He is not passive. He has feelings and longings for His children. WOW! As Junie B. Jones would say, "WOWIE WOW WOW!"

You can hear Waiting at www.myspace.com/bethbrodine

Update from His Hands Taiwan

Not sure why this is showing up like this. But, if you click on the underlined stuff below you can view the latest newsletter from His Hands Taiwan.

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2 Things You Can Know For Sure When Adopting...

My friend Janet Bailey who adopted a little girl from China has a saying, "Two things you can know for sure when adopting...

1. You will get a baby (or a child).

2. There will be delays."

Things We are Praying For

His Hands Taiwan is located in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. This past weekend a typhoon hit there.

Everyone is safe but they are facing hardship. They are without running water in the buildings. People must go out and haul drinking water into their homes. The city is hoping to have water restored within the week.

This jogs my mind to our time in Sudan. We were often without water and/or electricity for one reason or another. And, on those days the battles for contentment and against homesickness raged. It was hard to lean on Jesus and say with Paul, "I have learned the secret of being content whatever the circumstances. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Please pray for the Muirs and the Campbells, the missionary families that we are working with, that the Lord will encourage them and that they can receive His encouragement and have the strength hope in God and joyfully give to others.

Also, please pray for Mary Joy. She is the nanny at the House of Hope who takes care of the babies. Her arms are full right now. They are looking to hire another nanny to help her. Pray that the Lord will bring just the right one. Pray that Mary Joy will have physical strength, health, and emotional reserves as many young babies are depending on her.

A Bunny for Baby

Last week our family went on a little vacation to Omaha, Nebraska. Omaha is about 3 1/2 hours from our house. On our final day there we went to Build a Bear Workshop and made a special bunny for our baby. We hope to mail it in a care package when the time is right. Each member of our family put a heart into Snugglebunny so that she would be full of love for baby. And, we purchased a voice recorder and all spoke a special message of love for baby. Building the bunny was emotional for me and enjoyable for all. We hope baby will love Snuggle the bunny.

2 Sides to Every Story

I feel like blogging, I guess. Sharing only about my "excruciating wait" is narrow-minded and not the only side of this adoption story. I desire to be patient and hope in God's perfect timing because I know it will be perfect and there are 2 mothers involved in this story. My gain, my joy will be another woman's deep loss. Who is she? What is her story? It must be one of some deep pain and struggle.

I have been reading Dear Birthmother. I checked it out from the local library to help pass time as I wait. Somehow reading helps. I am learning and taking steps to be connected to my child who is on the other side of the world or about to be. The first chapter addresses a myth that women who give up their children for adoption must not care about them. A birth mother remembers the day her child was born. She will never forget. She will remember them all of her life. May the Lord bless the mom of our baby and lead her to Himself. May the Lord give us grace in learning how to relate with her when the time comes.

The Wait is Excruciating

I suppose that the unknowns of adoption are what make it so difficult. We are at the point in our adoption that it could be any day, anytime, or it could be months. It is hard to keep a balance between being hopeful and letting the desire to adopt consume me.

In some ways our adoption process is going very quickly and I am so thankful. The Lord opened a door and made the way at just the right time. In other ways this has not been a quick process. It has been long. I have been seriously considering it since college over 10 years ago now. I started researching after our first daughter was born.

There have already been many ups and downs along the way. If this dream were not so deep in my heart I would have quit by now. But, the Lord places orphans into families... and, we have been praying that the Lord will place just the right child into our family for years... and, our hope is in Him.