“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be the glory.”- Ephesians 3:20-21a
Currently, I am the only one awake in the Cheek house.
It is quiet; the kind of quiet that causes your soul to breathe in a little deeper. The kind of quiet that urges you to speak to the God of the universe; and, more than that, to listen.
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.”- Psalm 19:1-2
Currently, we are battling a respiratory illness in our house. It’s the first true illness we have had in almost a year, which makes me feel nothing but gratitude. After giving Ally a breathing treatment around 4:30, my heart was stirred to wake up and look at the sky. He places the stars exactly where they need to be. He also, might I add, places the orphans in homes.
“…in Your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”- Psalm 139:16
These words. These words are much more than that; and they are seared more deeply on my heart than even the tattoo that reads it on my foot. This verse has carried our family through long days and even longer nights. God has revealed Himself to us through His promises, and we have seen His faithfulness. In light of that, we step forward into this new assignment He has given our family.
As I spoke this weekend at the Connecting Women’s conference, the Lord laid Ephesians 3:20 on my heart. I spoke of God’s abundantly more versus our abundantly more; and how His is always greater and yet mysteriously different than we could have written. I talked about Hebrews 11 and the women and men of faith whose lives were not easy or comfortable and yet whose experience of God was intimate and satisfying.
What I am about to share with you was on my heart and mind the entire time.
One day, we might give more details.
One day, there will be room for sharing all the ways that God made His paths abundantly clear to both Hugh and myself.
Yet today, I simply want to tell you this:
“Oh, the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways!”- Romans 11:33
Inscrutable.
Impossible to understand or interpret.
Unexplainable even. These are His ways- not our ways, not our thoughts.
Yet perfect.
“As for God, His way is perfect.”- Psalm 18:30
And here is a promise for us to cling to:
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”- James 1:5
He told us to ask, so we did.
He made His intentions abundantly clear to us; so much so that there was nothing we could do but step forward in faith.
God places the orphans in families, and, by the grace and God and the will of the Lord, as of yesterday it is official:
Hugh and I have a six year old son who currently lives in China.
Ally and Bailey Grace are not going to be big sisters; they are going to be little sisters.
A few months from now, we will travel to bring home the little boy who God has known was ours since before the beginning of time.
His paths untraceable.
His plans and purpose so very good.
We are overjoyed, excited, and yes, in our flesh, nervous.
We will spend approximately two weeks in China while Ally and Bailey Grace patiently wait for us to come home with their brother.
Have we ever left the girls for more than two nights? No.
But God?
He is faithful.
So we trust Him and cling tightly to Immanuel, the God who is ever and always with us.
He knows the way we take; and even when we are thrown off-guard, His heart is set and the journey is sure.
We do not know much, but one thing we do: He can be trusted.
At all times.
In all things.
To Him be the glory.
Seeds and Leaven 