Green Family: World Adoption Day/9th Hearing Tonight

Today is World Adoption Day, and tonight while we sleep our 9th hearing will happen in India.

Please pray along with us that we will finally pass court TONIGHT!!

My Monday devotion has stuck with me all week...

"Shattered dreams, broken relationships, tragic losses or unfulfilled longings can make it difficult to feel God's presence, see His hand and hear His voice. However, in my experience, these glory moments are lost when we tune God out in anger. I know that's what happened to me. God stays, but the sadness in our own hearts has drawn the shades and locked the doors to His presence...Even when we complain of God's silence or seeming indifference, God is always working behind the scenes in ways we may never understand...So we fix our eyes not on what is seen (our circumstances), but on what is unseen (God's presence), since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Cor. 4:18)"

I have really come to love the story of Lazarus more and more through our adoption process. It was hard for Mary and Martha to understand why Jesus did not come immediately when He heard that Lazarus was sick. John 11:3 described Lazarus as the one Jesus loved. Not only did Jesus not go immediately to heal him, but finally came 4 days after Lazarus had died. And then Jesus did not immediately raise Lazarus from the dead either. Do you know what Jesus did? He comforted those who were mourning and He wept also! After this Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead by calling out to His Heavenly Father.

One of the biggest things that sticks out to me in this story is from John 11:4, 15. In these verses, Jesus said that it is for God's glory and for you to believe. I pray that those of you who have been following our adoption journey have come to believe in my Jesus, my Savior, my Heavenly Father! Britt and/or I would love to talk to any of you more about this if you would like.

Another thing I love about this story is that Jesus wept for His friend. I had a rough day Monday weeping for my daughter. I'm thankful to those who took time to pray for me that day after asking for prayer. I could feel them! I have an amazing Sunday School class. Go get yourself one! For real! Go! : ) I love Psalm 56:8, "You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book." As Lysa Terkeurst said, "We are seen. We are cared for. We are known. We are loved by the God of the universe." And I know my daughter is too!!

We do not understand what is happening in India. It is hard not seeing with our own eyes or hearing with our own ears what is going on. But we know God knows and we will TRUST him!

Got a little smile when I saw the bottom of this bag...