Faith to Wait

We didn’t pass court…again.

The first time we didn’t pass court, we were somewhat prepared. Our adoption agency had told us that many don’t pass the first time around. They also told us that many have several court dates before they eventually pass.

Hearing that we didn’t pass this time was a tough pill to swallow. In a way, there has been a real sense of grief around our house tonight.

Again, an Ethiopian agency didn’t meet their deadline to turn a letter in to the court, and we are finding ourselves paying the consequences. We have to wait another two weeks—March 23—for our third court date. Another two week wait? Surely, the third time will be a charm.

To be honest, we are disappointed. We’re seeing more and more pictures of Benjamin, and with each picture our hearts are being knitted closer and closer together. We are more than ready to go get him. We are more than ready to bring him into our family.

There is absolutely nothing we can do but wait. We started this blog because we thought we’d soon be in Addis Ababa and that we’d be posting pictures of our newest Brady boy. But this blog is currently being used as a venue for us to share about the unplanned stops along the way.

Now, we are being told that if we pass court on March 23, we probably won’t travel until June—much later than we had expected. Until then, our desire to go get Benjamin will only grow. With each passing day, we miss him and feel as though we are missing out on precious and valuable time.

In his excellent little book, Humility: True Greatness, C. J. Mahaney says “It takes faith to wait tranquilly for something for which we have a promise from God, but no date. Waiting is not resignation; waiting is active trust in God to provide fulfillment in His perfect timing, according to His ultimate purpose of glorifying His Son.”

We keep having to remind ourselves that this is not about us. From the beginning, we have been motivated by a desire to join God who sets the lonely in families.

Sometimes, setting the lonely in families takes a little longer than expected.

We need God to give us faith to wait.