He Will Do It!

1st Thessalonians 5:23-24 - The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it. 

Well, it's been a while since I've updated!  This is partly due to the fact that I was swimming in a pile of paperwork in an attempt to complete our dossier as quickly as possible.  Well, the dossier has been officially completed!  And, I just spoke with our agency yesterday, and in their words, we are "high up on the list!"  I can't even tell you the emotions that flooded me as these words were spoken.  The surreal is becoming REAL.  It's been that dream, that "someday."  Soon it will become that "now."  So, in the mean time, we wait, and pray, and wait, and pray.  This part is all too familiar to us as we have been doing it for 2 years now.  Yes, it has been 2 years since we have begun this process.  Wild!  

After this call, the Lord reminded me of the verse above, and I just can't help but smile still :).  Our God is so faithful!  He IS doing it!  I love how he brings scripture to mind just at that right time to bless us even more!  He doesn't have to, but he does!  Love it and love serving a God who uses every detail.  If you know me well, you know I LOVE details :)

I was talking to Cole shortly after getting off of the phone, and we were talking about how random this process and child seems to the world, but how NOT random this is to God.  It has been ORDAINED by Him.  He knew exactly what child He had for us when He first stirred our hearts 2 years ago.  Actually, way before then, but it's so crazy to think about.  Not random.  Ordained.  So glad we are striving to follow the one who knows it ALL, because we don't know what the heck we are doing.  Our job is to simply obey and live a life offering thankfulness and worship back to Him.  Oh, how we pray that He and not we is lifted high.

On to the details we do know right now.  We should have a referral for sure within the next 6 months.  Neither Cole or myself think that it will be this long, but my agency gave me the max time of course.  My contact at the agency also told me that the attorney in Ethiopia just informed her that he will be sending information on many children her way soon to be referred.  She went on to say that if this happens, we would most likely be a family that would receive a referral from this group of children!  Yay!!!   

When this happens, I will receive a phone call.  THE phone call we have been waiting for.  I can't even imagine what that moment will be like, but I'm confident there will be waterworks of joy flowing from my eyes :)  Not sure if I'll be bawling my eyes out in line at the grocery store, at a basketball game, or at home, but for a moment the world will seem to stop and it won't matter who is around.  I can just see Jesus looking down from His throne in anticipation of watching me receive this call :)

Once we receive a referral, our agency will email us pictures, medical records, and as much info as they have on our child.  We then have 10 days to accept this referral.  I don't think we'll even need 10 seconds but whatever :)  The time span from the time that we accept this referral to the day that we bring this sweet miracle home, will most likely be 6 months.  We will travel over for the 1st time for a court date and to meet our child about 3-4 months after we receive the initial referral and then will travel over about 2 months or so later to bring them home as a legal member of the Espenschied fam!  Each trip will last about a week.  Amazing! 

From now until then, I will be posting as the Lord leads and then posting to make you all aware of all of the details of our referral as soon as we know them.  I will definitely post more and more frequently after the referral and will mainly use this blog to communicate everything while we are in Ethiopia. 

I know so many of you are praying consistently!  THANK YOU! The Lord has used so many of you to encourage us along in this journey.  We have been in awe and seen more of His power than ever in the body of Christ.  WE (the body of Christ) not us (Cole and I) are bringing this child home!  What a privilege to play a part in making an ETERNAL difference!  So much to be thankful for :) Happy Thanksgiving!