How We're Praying

First off, I just want to share that last night my competitive side reared its ugly head. But it was so much fun. Paul and I are on the YoungLife Beyond team at JMU. Beyond is focused towards college students (mostly freshmen) who are just getting involved with YoungLife. Paul and I are both leading small groups and having a great time working with these college students. I've spent more time on JMU's campus in the past month than I have in the 6 years since I graduated.

Anyway, last night we had a scavenger hunt around campus. Somehow, I ended up on the way hardcore team. We ran. and ran. and ran. and ran. We ran up the steps of the parking garage. We did pyramids, cartwheels (well, I didn't do a cartwheel), and stood in a fountain. We rearranged a dorm room, climbed in a closet, and gave piggy back rides. We collected lots of sticks and borrowed febreeze, shower shoes, a giant purse and a freshmen map. We sang and danced to "Bye Bye Bye." And thank goodness Jillian Michaels has been been kicking my butt regularly (in our very own living room thanks to the power of DVDs) for a while now, or else I would have died. My team was awesome sauce, and yet we didn't win. The team that did win racked up a ton of bonus points by going above and beyond at one of the items on the scavenger hunt, but in its purest form, we should have won. I was really surprised my heart's little pouty attitude. It was kind of hilarious, but also it kind of bothered me. So I feel like this is something I really need to work on - and my family, husband, and anyone else that I've ever Wii bowled against would probably agree.

On to the actual point of this post. I wanted to share with you how Paul and I are praying right now about our adoption so that you can join us. Here we go:

• We are super early into this process. We are praying for the paperwork process and also for the waiting. We know that we have a lot of waiting ahead of us, and I am not generally a good waiter!
• We are praying for our baby - part of me believes that our baby is out there already and growing and forming in his mother's womb. This really causes Psalm 139 to come alive to me in a new way, and I have been praying these words over our baby.

  ¹³ For you created my inmost being;
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
   when I was made in the secret place,
   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
   all the days ordained for me were written in your book
   before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
   How vast is the sum of them! 

 

• We are also praying for the birthmother. I cannot begin to fathom or imagine the struggle that she is facing and the very real grief and sorrow that will come because of her decision to choose adoption for her baby. My prayer for her now is that the Spirit is strengthening her, empowering her, and reminding her that Jesus will never leave or forsake her. 

Would you join us is praying for these things?

We are so grateful and overjoyed by all of your responses and excitement about our news! Have a great Wednesday!