Green Family: Please pray for our 10th Court Hearing Tonight!

I have been keeping a daily journal since we were matched with Mary-Lynn back in July of 2016. I am almost done with journal number 3! One day I will give the journals to her. But I decided to look back at my entries from last November/December. I really, really thought by this time she would be home! I thought she would be here making memories with her family at the pumpkin patch, the fair, Thanksgiving, cutting down our Christmas tree to decorate, the Hanging of the Greens service where we go as a family to place an ornament on the church tree, seeing Santa, and all the other fun things we do as a family this time of the year. BUT God really has given us a peace beyond understanding (Phil. 4:7). I LOVE Christmas, so I am sure it will be tough, especially since this is our 2nd Christmas without her. But I love this quote that I wrote in Mary-Lynn's journal on 12.22.16 (the day my Granddaddy Head went to be with Jesus)..."Tears do not reflect a lack of faith. Tears are a gift from God that help to wash away the deep pain of loss." Or in our place right now, the empty seat at the table and arms aching to hold our daughter and kiss that little face!! Even in the midst of aching arms and hearts, and the wait that is just too long, God gives us His peace, and we trust Him! God is so good, all the time; His mercies are new every single day!

Some other great quotes written in her journal a year ago...

In His time for His glory!
Waiting gives us fearless trust. Fearless trust only comes when our prayers aren't answered right away. It's when we must remember Who Jesus is and what He has done for us. Waiting is hard. Waiting on the Lord takes strength and courage. But someday the wait will be over, and at the end of the wait we'll receive Jesus's perfect answer.
We don't always have the explanations for certain events and acts of God. He is sovereign. He owes us no explanation. He purposes to teach us to walk by faith and not by sight.
The only way God can show us He's in control is to put us in situations we can't control.
The amazing thing about God is that even a "no" has goodness written all over it.
At Advent, we are invited to immerse ourselves in hope. Biblical hope is not wishful thinking. It is unshakable confidence that God can be trusted. It is the belief that God is always at work for our good. It is the assurance that God's promises are true even while we wait for their fulfillment. Because our hope is certain, we wait patiently, not fretfully, trusting that God is already at work to provide the light we seek, the help we need, and the deliverance we long for.

I have wasted a lot of time telling God what I want, and this would work great for us to go to India now, or begging to let it be done by this date or that one. I have learned to simply pray and trust. Prayer draws me closer to Christ; the One who is in control, who knows all things, knows what is best for Mary-Lynn and the rest of our family, and who is with us through all the wait and the hard giving us a peace we can't even describe to you!

Please continue to pray for our adoption, that we will pass court so we can move on to the next steps, for us as we wait, for Mary-Lynn to be prepared for all the changes that will be coming her way. I am thankful for all of the ones who are following our journey and praying along with us!

Just a few pictures from our Huntsville trip, time with family this Thanksgiving, and Christmas tree hunting (no luck yet!)...