Wow - Our Journey

I've been running this post through my mind for awhile but realized we are only guaranteed right now and it's too important not to share. There are many of you that follow now that didn't follow back in the day. So, without further ado...our journey. 

We started trying to have a family in 2007.  Struggled with infertility, went through some procedures, became pregnant and miscarried early on and got pregnant again in May 2010. This time everything went smoothly until our 14 week checkup. No heartbeat was found. We were absolutely devastated. We didn't understand. Our due date would have been February 19, 2011. 

Rewind several years and I had read a book called, "Adopted for life: The priority of adopting for Christian homes and churches" by Russell Moore. I had told Barry I wanted him to read it and placed it on his bedside table. Where it sat for several years. I never wanted it to be me that convinced Barry to adopt, I wanted the Lord to convince Barry if adoption was His will for us. He picked it up after  the miscarriage and by the end we were  contacting an adoption agency. 

Fast forward to May 2012 (a ton has transpired...you'll have to read old blog archives for more details) we're on our first adoption trip overseas sitting behind the orphanage social workers desk. We're shown Elijah's birth certificate and...HE HAS THE EXACT SAME BIRTHDAY AS OUR DUE DATE!! February 19, 2011. God knew from the beginning of time that Elijah was ours. He had a plan. A purpose for allowing the infertility and miscarriages. 

One thing I definitely learned was that the devil hates adoption. We missed my only brothers wedding, received a nasty email from our parent agency because of a misunderstanding, almost missed the notary office because they randomly closed early on a Friday (we may or may not have broken some Russian traffic laws). We waited 5 months with only one update to go back, I suffered a stroke 2 days after getting back home from that trip where I was not expected to live. When Barry and my parents went to pick up Elijah, the judge was sick the day they were supposed to pick him up causing a huge delay in getting him out of the orphanage. There was a passport mixup that landed Barry in border control at the airport. Then all adoptions from Russia to US were shut down less than a month after he gets home. 

Through ALL of that spiritual warfare, God was/is faithful. From allowing Barry and I both to go on trips 1 & 2 that require both parents (3rd trip didn't require both parents) to getting Elijah here before the ban, God's fingerprints are all over our journey. So much more than I have space to write. 

It is such a good feeling to trust God. To know that I love Him and He loves me. That everything is for His glory. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28). 

We all have sinned, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23 NIV). And "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23 NIV). He loves us so much that He DIED for me...for YOU.  "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 NIV)

"If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9 NIV). Wow. What an amazing gift. Freely given. He has forgiven me!! To accept this gift and ask Jesus into your heart you just have to pray something like, "Lord, I know I have done wrong, I've sinned. Thank you for sending Jesus to die for me so that I didn't have to for eternity. Thank you for raising Him from the dead and conquering death! I believe in you Lord and I surrender my life to you. I want to live for you. Amen,"

And that's that! If you've accepted His gift - yay! Email me (lhwilliams812@gmail.com) and let me know so I can be praying. Accepting Jesus and asking Him to be Lord over your life is life-changing!