Ash Wednesday and More

Hi friends,
Well, I grew up in the Nazarene Church and participating in Lent was a big part of my faith growing up.  I always looked forward to the challenge of giving something up to help me keep my focus more on my Lord. 

This year I have decided to participate again but in a different way.  My goal is to blog every single day for 40 days about what God is teaching me.  It's going to take some sacrafice (time, mostly) to do this but I am at a point in my walk with God that I need to re-focus.  I need to get my eyes back on Him so that I can grasp what He is doing in my life.

We have had a very rough week.  Let me back up.  About three weeks ago we got THE CALL that we had been waiting for.  We had been matched with a child that was potentially available for adoption.  It was a 15 month old boy.  We went in for Full Disclosure to learn everything about the case and came out with a two visits planned for that weekend.  A hearing was set for March 8th which was hopefully (for us) going to terminate the birthmom's services so that the termination of rights hearing would be set.  We continued on having two more extended weekend visits with him coming to stay with us.  It was amazing.  This little boy was all we had dreamed of, such a sweetheart and actually looked like he could have been biological siblings with our daughter.  We had so much hope, so much faith, so many people praying for us. 

Let me back up a little farther... last year we had a foster adopt son, about the same age, that we had for four months and then was reunifed with his birthfamily.  It was devestating but we had hope that God still had a child planned for our family.

And that brings me to yesterday.  We got the worse news we could have recieved.  The court ordered a continuation of services to the birthmom for another 3 months and set a plan for reunification.  We have to say goodbye and the little guy will be leaving us tomorrow most likely.  It has been a devestation beyond anything I have experienced.  Even though it was a short time we fell in love with the little guy.  We don't know why God is doing what He is doing but we are trying, trying so hard to find peace and hope that there is another child out there for us. 

If you have a scripture verse or quote that you think would encourage us in this time, please post it in the comment section below.  I usually come here to encourage others but I could really use the encouragement myself right now. 

See you tomorrow.