It could be the fear of striking out that keeps us from playing the game.
It could be the fear of beginning a relationship that could result in heartbreak and regret.
It could be simply trying a new recipe might result in wasted time, and disappointment.
It could be that the fear of the unknown is too much, so we revert to what we know - to what is comfortable.
God didn't create us to be robots. He intentionally gave us freedom to choose which obstacles were worth it, which weren't, and which we could only dream of doing with His blessing.
When we decided to adopt we knew there would be obstacles. Any kind of adoption comes with obstacles and risk. International adoption is loaded with them. I can tell you that never in my life before, never in our marriage, never in our family's history have I experienced God at work more in each of us than I have in these last 6 months...and we're just getting started.
When we decided to adopt we discussed selling our house and looking for one with extra space and a 4th bedroom for Grace. We knew there would be significant obstacles to selling our house.
But after a pre-listing inspection - there were even more significant obstacles. Some seemed like mountains - and at one point I told Robert that I felt like we were Frodo and Sam setting out on a trilogy of 3 hour-long epic movies wondering how in the world we would ever get to the end of the story (if you have never seen "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy you've no idea what that means...)
The obstacles we have met and thus far are the kind we know we couldn't have overcome without God's blessing.
We prepared our fields for rain and waited with expectation for God to make it rain.
(Translation: We left our comfort zones, fixed many things in our house, put it up for sale believing that God would level the mountains and clear the obstacles if it was His will for us to do it at this time...)
There was about a 48 hour stretch of time between having accepted an offer on our house in which we agreed to move on August 30th, and finding the new house. During those hours we didn't have much hope of finding a new house because we had looked at them all. All but one.
It was scary. I cried. I cried several times. It wasn't just the two of us we had to think of - our children were watching...and listening...and wondering where they were going to live. These are moments and days and events that they will remember forever. This is all they've known and they really didn't want to leave it all behind. I cried some more. We prayed a lot. We had to believe that God had this in His hands and we had to rely on what we know about God - He is faithful. He is true. He goes before us.
Then we went and saw one last house. It wasn't the fanciest one or the newest one - but there was something about it that made me smile. I smiled all the way around the house. There is something about it that feels like home. So we offered to purchase - and it was accepted.
Then there was a little matter of home inspections. By the grace of God we made it through both without any significant surprises.
Then there was a not so little matter of appraisals. We learned earlier this week our house appraised at the accepted offer price. Which blew our minds because in March it appraised for a refinance at $35,000 less. We did no such work to account for that increase. Trust me.
Yesterday we learned the new house appraised at the accepted offer price too. That means we're moving August 30. One month and four days.
And just like that the mountains of obstacles vanished.
"I will go before you and will level the mountains ; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron." Isaiah 45:2
Last night I managed to fall asleep not too long before it started to rain. It actually was raining SO loudly I woke up. I almost always sleep through storms and rain. Not this rain. It sounded like the raindrops were the size of tennis balls.
As I rolled over and fell back to sleep one thought flashed through my mind. We have waited for it to rain literally and figuratively and boy, did it ever rain.
What are you wondering about? What is God asking you to do? What mountains are in your way? Is it worth leaving your comfort zone to dance in the rain?
Yes. I believe it is.
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