When God's plans are not our plans.

As I continue to heal and God is absolutlely healing from the surgery, I felt led to write out what I am learning spiritually from something that has been difficult with this sudden change in our circumstances.  Many of you know we have been working diligently for almost a year pursuing adoption internationally.  We committed to adopt a young girl from Colombia and were super excited to learn who that would be in late August.  Her name is "Ali" who just turned seven.  She has been in an orphanage since two years old.  The overwhelming myriad of paperwork, home studies, medical and psychological studies had been completed.  International adoption is pricey and God has provided.  Through our own savings, selling some things, two massive yard sales with donated items from friends in North Carolina last summer, churches graciously partnering with us in love offerings, adoption grants and most importantly family and friends who donated sacrificiously we have nearly met our goal of $30,000!!!  We have seen God affirm and bless and help us knowing that He is a defender of the fatherless.  We were possibly only two months away from traveling down to Colombia to get Ali. 

This is where I must learn humility knowing that MY plans do not carry universal authority and are obviously trumped by God's plans and his sovereign rule and power over all.  Reading the verses below puts things in perspective and I have often quoted these to others in ministry down in Mexico.  They now are applying and speaking to me.

Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
 neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
 so are my ways higher than your ways
 and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man plans his way,but the Lord establishes his steps.

It is easy for us to plan our ways and we “think” we know better and lose sight that his ways are so much higher then our ways. 

We spoke with our absolutely wonderful adoption agency “A Love Beyond Borders” last night and they have been so supportive and prayerful walking through this with us.  Their counsel and our desire is to place a freeze (not terminate) on our adoption until we know better into next year about future treatment and plans.  We are at peace with this but understand that Ali would now be open to other adoptive parents.  We already considered her as a part of our family and even had a birthday cake in Mexico last week to celebrate her 7^th birthday party as we hoped she had one as well in Colombia with her friends. 

God’s ways are perfect and better so we now look for something new and unexpected in all of this and a better more perfect blessing.  Would you pray for Ali this Christmas season that God would direct her to a perfect loving family that every child in the world deserves.  That still may be with us way down the road but that we would be humble trusting that his step and plans are perfect.

Blessings,

Greg