Praise Him in the Storm

Today's church service really impacted me because I am finally able to look BACK at the storm and realize that God has seen us through it. I don't know if I'll be able to verbalize what I mean by that, but here's a try...

In April of this year, I was in one of the hardest places emotionally that I've been in quite a while - John was temporarily out of a job, we had to put our adoption process on hold, we were wondering why God had brought us to TX - my heart ached for a child and it seemed like that just wasn't in God's plan for us. So, when I would sing praise songs at church, my eyes would well up with tears, because I so wanted to mean what I was singing and I truly wanted God to be in control of my life, but my life wasn't where I "wanted" it to be and it was so hard to see what God had in mind. So, it was hard to sing things like "blessed be the name of the Lord...He gives and takes away..." because, was I really willing for Him to take away my desire for a child? NO! I wanted him to grant my request. But that's why it's a sacrifice to praise Him sometimes, especially when we understand that God's promise to us as believers is not that we will be free from pain, but that He will walk through the pain with us.

Here's an excerpt from a Casting Crowns' song called "Praise Him In the Storm" that we sang at church today:
"...I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm..."

So, that was my "storm" (or one of them, anyway) and now, as you can see by this blog, God has granted us our desire for a child. When I look at Elijah, I can see a tangible answer to prayer. And, yet, it required sacrifice and loss on the part of his birthparents...we know that He has a plan for their lives as well and we now have a role in their lives as they have a role in ours. So we will continue to trust that He will walk beside us as we continue our journey this side of Heaven. Thank you, again, to all of our friends and family that helped us push through - you cried with us, encouraged us, rejoiced with us and witnessed God's hand in our lives.

There's my sermon for today. ;-)

Oh, and look who found us in Texas!