United we stand

After sending out the latest updates last week about this week's adoption hearing, we received the following email from my aunt Jackie. I wanted to share it with you all and invite you to consider fasting and praying with us.

As you prepare for the Friday hearing I want to commit and invite others in the family to fast and pray on Thursday in preparation. While we can certainly pray without the fasting, it is a good remembrance during the day as hunger alerts set in to pray specifically for the situation. I would even encourage you to invite your prayer warriors to do the same.

In those prayers I would specifically ask:

• That God bathe you with His peace in the midst of the emotional storms that Satan prefers you to have
• That God will allow the judge to hear only what is beneficial to the children
• That God will bring you and the children closer to Him and to His will
• That God will express His love to you in a clear and felt way.

"Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns,once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. I Peter 5:7

The only prayer motive I am personally adding to the above list is that the judge make the decision to finalize everything this Friday. There is no reason he cannot do this. It is simply his decision.

For us, this is one of the bigger (if not the biggest) spiritual battles we have faced. That said, know that we cannot express enough the gratitude, appreciation, and love we have toward all of your who are battling through this with us. I read this passage a few weeks ago and again Sunday morning, thinking about all of this:

In times of trouble, may the Lord respond to your cry.
May the God of Israel keep you safe from all harm.
May he send you help from his sanctuary and strengthen you from Jerusalem.
May he remember all your gifts and look favorably on your burnt offerings.

May he grant your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans.
May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory, flying banners to honor our God.
May the Lord answer all your prayers.
Ps. 20:1-5

I look forward to this all ending. I look forward to shouting for joy when we hear of His victory. I look forward to flying banners to honor our God before an unbelieving world!