A Pink Open Door

God brought this very PINK picture to me the very day we officially decided to pursue adoption of our Baby Sis.  The timing was so special to me.  So special, that I tucked this picture away as a keepsake to remember the many ways God confirmed for us that our decision was from Him.

Little did I know how much I would need to cling to this very picture.  The picture I totally forgot about until it "happened" to come across my computer again today.  Perfect timing.  Perfect.

Though the route to Sis has taken a few devastating detours, we know that the door is still open.  And no one.  No not ONE can close a door that God has opened!  {in the words of my dear friend, Kylie, "suck it satan!"}

This recent second detour has raised questions for all who walk this path with us.  Someone recently asked me, "When do you stop relying on your faith and start relying on the great mind God gave you to reason?"  This person was wondering if all the detours were a sign for us to step off from this path of adoption.

I respect that perspective and know that the words were meant for my protection and not spoken in judgement.

The question was sincere.

"When?....."

When do we stop relying on faith and start relying on what seems to make sense in our mind??????

I had no words to reply at the time, but after contemplating the question a bit, I quickly found the words to my answer.

"Hopefully never."

"Hopefully N-E-V-E-R."

Never do I want to live within the limitations of my human understanding.

Never do I want to limit God to the boundaries of what my mind can comprehend.  For we know that God knows so much more than we do.  He sees so much further down the road than we can ever hope to see.  He uses our challenges to build us.  Strengthen us.  Draw us nearer to Him.

Living within the means of my own thoughts and interpretations would have left me missing out on many blessings God held in store for me.  Blessings that followed some very challenging times in my life.  Blessings that followed blind obedience.  Obedience rooted in faith.  

Had I lived within the limits of what I could see and understand, I would have missed out on so very much in my life to date.

And so, it is those past experiences ~ living by what we feel is God's guidance ~ that make it the only way we want to live.  Today.  And always.

In reading one of Peanut's books, it talked of a boy named "Halfway Herbert" who didn't know how to do things to completion.  He only knew how to do them "halfway."  And his daddy was teaching him how God wants us to do life completely.  In it's entirety.

God wants us to follow Him in complete surrender.  Always.
Even when it doesn't make sense in our humanness.

The boy's dad went on to teach that we cannot do life wholeheartedly in our own strength.  But luckily, God gave us the Holy Spirit to help us.  To guide us.

The Holy Spirit.

Our Comforter.  Our Guide.

This is who I want guiding my life.  My decisions.  My journeys and adventures.

Not me.  Not my limited perspective.  Not the boundaries created by my human understanding.

And so we choose to continue living life by faith.  Even when the detours raise questions in our minds.  Even when the goal seems clear, but the path to to our baby girl seems confusing.

We stay the course.  

Not because we understand it in our mind, but because we know who is guiding us down the path.  

God seems to be showing us the way, only one step at a time, but we trust this rocky path to Him.  As long as we feel His guidance in this direction, we will walk.  We might do it afraid some days.  And we cannot do it alone.

But we can do it trusting He will lead us to an awesome view from the mountaintop!  

Though we know not what the view will capture, we put one foot in front of the other.  

Trusting.  Hoping.  Believing.

Not in ourselves, but in Him.  

In the One who has repeatedly shown Himself faithful in our lives.