While I'm Waiting

Perhaps you heard that we have experienced a bit of a delay in our adoption process. Nothing bad has happened, but after the Chinese government made some changes in international adoption policies and procedures, our original travel target of April or May has been pushed to August or September. Initially this felt like a kick in the gut since we put so much emphasis on the spring timetable, but hindsight being what it is, we see God's hand all over us.

Waiting typically isn't easy, is it? We don't like waiting in line, waiting in traffic, or waiting for someone who is running late for an appointment. When forced to wait we can get anxious, look around to see if anyone else is moving at a pace we'd rather be moving, or even begin to wonder if we are at the right place at the right time. Waiting isn't easy, but some pretty special things can happen in the time we are forced to wait if we open ourselves to the possibilities and God's presence with us through the process. Keeping our eyes and heart open to what God wants to do with, in, and for us can help to mitigate the fatigue and frustration we undoubtedly will experience while we wait.

Isaiah 40:28-31 is perhaps the most well known passage that provides guidance for us in the times we are forced to wait: “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (NKJV)

Interestingly enough, the RACE for the Orphans we participated in, and received a generous adoption grant thanks to everyone who supported the cause, came shortly after we realized that we were going to have to wait a little longer to bring Mia home. It was good medicine for my body and soul as I participated in my first official race. I started off strong, but must admit that I did get tired and thought about walking the remainder of the route just past the second mile mark. Something came over me, though, as I started thinking and celebrating through prayer not only why I was running, but also why I was waiting. Reorienting my thoughts gave me the perspective I needed to channel that inner strength to finish the race and continue to wait with purpose and perseverance. After the race, I was tired and sweaty, but exuberant.

Tiffany and I were afforded the opportunity to meet Christian recording artist John Waller, who was there to perform at the event. As an adoptive father himself, Waller was very interested in our story and he offered his support for the rest of the journey. He asked where we were in the process, and I led off with the fact that our timeline had been pushed back a few months, and he acknowledged that waiting can often be the hardest part. He told Tiffany and me that he would sing his hit song, “While I'm Waiting,” in our honor and as a prayer for us to be faithful to God while we wait.

Honesty, I had heard the song quite a bit, but the lyrics for the chorus struck me in a way they never had before: “While I'm waiting, I will serve You; while I'm waiting, I will worship; while I'm waiting, I will not faint, I'll be running the race, even while I wait.” That last phrase — I'll be running the race, even while I wait — proved to be so inspirational to me after running my first official race while waiting for the word to travel to bring Mia home. It brought the Isaiah passage into the forefront of my consciousness to remind me that waiting is not always a bad thing.

BIG things have happened in the midst of our waiting since that morning in early May. Even though I have gotten fatigued and frustrated with things not going my way, I can clearly see the work that God is doing in our adoption journey, in my family, and in my heart. Admittedly it feels like I'm running uphill at times, but there is power in continuing to serve and worship God in the midst of waiting. So now as we (hopefully) make the turn toward the last leg in this waiting process, I am bearing down to channel that inner strength, and prayerfully celebrate all God has done, is doing, and promises to do for us in order to finish the race. That way, when the time comes to board the plane and soar across the world on wings like eagles, I will not be weary, but rather empowered by our omnipotent God. I might be a sweaty mess by the time we get there, but I know I will be stronger for it.