Through the valley

Wow, what a year this has been. When we started this blog over a year ago, its primary purpose was to keep you informed of our family's adoption story. Which, at the time, we assumed would be pretty straightforward--complete home study, raise funds, apply to agencies, wait for a match, drive/fly to meet child, bring child home, finalize adoption. Our time frame, we expected, would be around a year.

About 1.25 years later now, we are sitting on an expired home study, simply waiting out our agency's mandatory "wait" period before we can resume paperwork in March due to our unexpected little Zoe entering the family in June. We love her to pieces and can't imagine life without her--and we also think our agency was quite wise to require us 9 months to adjust to this little bundle of spunk, energy, activity, loudness, hyperactivity...well...you get the picture. Her name means "full of life." So she is.

In the past year, the Lord has walked me through some deep lessons of faith and obedience and has taught me that God is who He says He IS, not just what He does. My view of God has been deepened so much to see that His character, at this present moment, is so incredibly AWE-some. HE is worthy of worship, not just His acts. I have come to love an awesome GOD, not just His awesome works (and how awesome they are!!!)

I have wanted so desperately to relish in this recent faith lesson, but the Lord does not allow us to become content after periods of growth. Instead, He continually draws us into a deeper walk with Him. Most recently, the Lord is taking our family into new territory of faith and trust--through the valley of grief.

Last week, my dear sister Bethany had a routine ultrasound, and suddenly things became not so routine. Her doctor believed there was something called a cystic hygroma growing on her baby's neck--something that could indicate a range of things but could likely cause an early miscarriage. This news was so sad, and she was scheduled to see a specialist last Thursday to get a more exact diagnosis.

On Thursday, they received some of the worst news a parent could hear: their baby will grow to full term and be delivered straight into the arms of Jesus. There was no cystic hygroma as originally thought. Instead, their child is not developing a skull and will not survive outside of the womb. In the best case, they will have a few brief moments to meet their son or daughter before having to say goodbye.

So here our family's faith journey enters a deep valley--a valley full of heartbreak, sadness, and loss. Yet a road covered completely in the peace of Christ and the hope of eternity! A road that we know ends in renewed faith, steadfast hope, and a deeper love for our God who will carry us through. Are we praying for a miraculous healing? You bet! Our God does the most amazing things EVER! Yet we pray that through the circumstances He's allowing, others will see His deep love, peace, hope, and comfort displayed.

Please pray with us in these days. Emotions are running high, yet the unexplainable peace of Christ has been guarding our hearts and minds each day. In all that happens in the coming months, may His great name be lifted high and be praised in the lives of all!

-Mae