I know I've been quiet on here lately, but that certainly doesn't reflect where my mind has been! In between the moments of daily life of schooling, laundry, and dishes, there is an undercurrent that we're being called to step out. Lots and lots to pray on, ponder, read about, and listen to on living out the gospel and mission of Jesus in everyday life beyond our own walls, and what that will end up looking like in our specific situation.
We're definitely in a time of preparation ~ not just for Abigail, but for the bigger mission that may end up connecting us with her. We have more questions than answers at this point. Lots of spiritual stretching going on as we encounter in writing or in practice some of the things that God is pointing us towards.
On the Abigail front, honestly, there are days when I would almost wonder if I had dreamt the whole thing if it weren't for being able to go back and retrace the steps of the early days and all the moments that have affirmed it since. At this point, I wonder if we're in for a long wait of many years. But we're trusting that His timing is perfect and not jumping ahead where we haven't been released to go.
In an odd way, it feels like both everything and nothing has changed.
Lorri,
ReplyDeleteEvery time I visit your blog I am taken back to the longing in my heart, to the endless "wait" for our girl, to my questioning heart that would ask, "Really Lord, are you going to do this?"--And I am torn, because I feel the ache of your heart in this wait--and in the unknown. Yet, I am encouraged and reminded that the wait was so worth the reward. There were so many times that I doubted His promise, and I would ask Him over and over again . . . and then over again . . . to show me . . . and faithfully He would reassure me (with Teddi's name) that "Yes, He was going to do this." And He did. In His time. Rest assured when you feel as though nothing has changed, He is busy behind the scenes. I am so thankful that you have been documenting Abigail's story--because in it I see His faithfulness time and again, as I know you do too . . . and one day Abigail will see that He had a precious plan for her life. What seems so very "blurry" right now, will one day become a clear picture, and it will be a beautiful thing. In the meantime, I think it's okay to ask Him to reassure you--He already knows that you have "more questions than answers"--just as well as He understands the longing in your heart for Abigail. I love your transparency and your willingness to being "stretched" in preparation for the plans He has for your family. May He bless you as you follow His lead, and may He make your path straight as you trust Him with all your heart!
Blessings~
Tina
Thank you, Tina, for sharing your perspective as one who has waited on His promises and found Him to be faithful. I am so grateful that He brought us together so early in this journey ~ on those days when it seems like I surely must have misheard, your story frequently pops to mind, and I think that if you were able to remain faithful during your long wait there's hope for me, too!
DeleteHello!!! I stumbled across your blog as I was on Tina's blog. :) The name "Abigail" jumped out at me, as we have just submitted on a little 4 year old girl in China, and we are considering naming her Abigail. It's never been a name I've ever considered, but my husband has picked this one as his favorite. And how perfectly sweet with it's meaning too!! Anyway, the name keeps popping up in sometimes the strangest places!! I'm beginning to think that the Lord is calling us to name her Abigail!! We have four bio children and two adopted. One from China and one through our states foster-adopt. The Lord has very clearly called us to this newest little one, maybe we should let Him name her!! :)
ReplyDeleteMany blessings to you!!
Jenn
Nice to meet you, Jenn. How wonderful about your soon-to-be daughter! We're pretty partial to the name Abigail, since God picked it out long before giving us any hints as to exactly who this daughter of ours will be. We see it in the strangest places as well, reminders that He is working even when we're not aware of it. :) May your journey be filled with God's presence and led by His Spirit!
DeleteGod is sooooo cool! Seriously. I visited your blog Lorri and then you visited my blog . . . .my friend Jenn then sees "Abigail" because of your comment on my blog (I squeal, because I didn't know that Jenn and Karl had plans to return to China--we met through blogging, during the wait for our Chinese daughters, and actually both live in SA) . . . (Sorry for the rambling run-ons . . .) So God uses you to point Jenn toward the name Abigail at which point Jenn comes to share an "Abigail moment" with you. I really see our Heavenly Father smiling as He orchestrates all of this--rubbing His mighty palms together like . . . "this is gonna be soooo good". He is so in the details Lorri, SO in the details, it makes me smile BIG! Father's Joy, indeed! xo Tina
DeleteOoooh, I LOVE hearing that side of it, Tina. Sort of like the way He steered me to your blog early on through a post about your older daughter ~ and I had no clue that you had adopted, much less had a name story. He IS in the details, orchestrating all these Abigail moments in my (& Jenn's) lives, rainbow moments in another friend's life . . . thank you for the smile today!
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