Waiting!

We are currently in a big season of waiting. In our first adoption, we were amazingly blessed with a short wait. The whole thing took 7 months from the first phone call to picking him up in Ethiopia. We've been on the waiting list for 5 months and have officially moved from # 100 for a girl to #68 but really for a older girl there are only a hand full of families in front of us which gives us the false hope of a quicker wait. There haven't been many referrals in a while and it really makes the wait seem longer.I've done lots of waiting in my life time but not really thought about the process much! Have you? Waiting is annoying to most of us and I act as if I'm too good for it sometimes, like waiting in a doctor's office or in line at the store.

But really waiting can have it's purposes. I've decided to list some:

1. sometimes it gives us a moment to reflect

2. gives us time to rest if we take it

3. helps us to look at others around us

4. helps us to stop and listen (sometimes to God)

5. sometimes it slows us down when we need it and wouldn't do it ourselves

- i know of times when God uses this to speak to us or even save our lives!




I'm learning that when God asks us to wait

1. It can be an opportunity not just a nuisance

2. we are to serve in our waiting and not just sit around - I'm so good at this (sitting, I mean)

3. we usually need to be removed from the waiting to see the reason for the wait

4. God will teach me during my wait if I ask him too (not really good at asking)

5. Still learning about waiting and will continue to do so.

6. That waiting for something a second time is a bit easier cause you know that it does come at the end of waiting no matter how LONG the wait is.

Please feel free to share your lessons of waiting. It may help someone else today - like me!

Habakkuk 2:3 (Good News Translation)
"Put it in writing , because it is not yet time for it to come true. But the time is coming quickly, and what I will show you will come true. It may be slow in coming, but wait for it; it will certainly take place, and it will not be delayed."