GOOD FRIDAY

Tomorrow is GOOD FRIDAY, and I can't pass up the opportunity to tell another aspect of Zane's referral story.

I hopped into my car at approximately 2:45 on Monday, April 18th to leave from work.  Becky, my partner teacher, can verify that we NEVER leave this early.  Since it was a short work week (we are off for Easter Thursday - Wednesday), we had little to prepare for after school.

Really, as I look back, it was the Holy Spirit prompting me to get to my phone that I ignorantly left in my car all day Monday.  I rushed to check my email because every day AWAA friends post any news they may have received on a Yahoo Group I'm a member of.  Monday, I didn't even have to open the Yahoo app because I had a "703" area code glaring at me in the missed calls window!  I vaguely remember Kim, my AWAA buddy, said that she checks her phone every day for a 703 area code.  I didn't even know their phone number!  That shows you how unexpected this referral was!  Of course, I immediately called the number back.  Sure enough, it was Caitlin with our referral call for sweet little A (can't share his whole name online until we pass court).

As soon as I got off the phone with her, I called Mark and shared the exciting news.  It was then that my mind  turned to the radio.  I wanted to remember every moment of the call so I could share it with Zane later.  Music is so important to Mark and I, so it was on my heart to remember the song on the radio when Caitlin told us we had a little boy.

I nearly cried when I heard this song (below) playing.  I blared it and struggled through a tight throat to sing it aloud as I drove home.  It is a song of hope, deliverance, and most importantly, salvation.  Good Friday is "good" because it is the day that God made us right with him through the death of Jesus.  It is the day that God made the way for us to be adopted as His sons through Christ.  Without Good Friday, we would be Fatherless, struggling to spiritually connect to a God that we could never measure up to.  Because of Christ, we have been made righteous, pure, and clean children of God.

The second verse of the song is the part that I tuned into as I turned on the radio Monday afternoon.  I believe God spoke this to me about my son, who so desperately needs to know Jesus is with him even now.
It says, "The weak find their strength in the sound of your great Name.  Hungry souls receive grace at the sound of your great Name.  The fatherless; they find their rest; at the sound of your great Name!"  Praise you, Lord!  You are with Zane when we cannot be!

Listen to the words of this beautiful Natalie Grant song and praise His GREAT NAME with us!

REFERRAL!

My last post was to announce that we had been waiting 6 months for a referral for a child.  Well, after 6 months and three weeks the wait is OVER! (For a referral anyway...)  I was almost ready to use my number 7, which would have looked like this cute number...

BUT WE ARE HAPPY TO NEVER USE THE GOOD 'OLE NUMBER 7 WHEN IT HAS TO DO WITH WAITING!

We are so excited to end this phase of waiting and announce that we are pursuing a 17 month old baby boy from east Ethiopia!  He's got the biggest brown eyes and the sweetest face you've ever seen.  I can't wait until we pass court so we can officially post his picture and information to prove to all that he really is the most attractive, talented, and smart kid alive.  (Just kidding...sort of...)

One cool feature he has is a dimpled chin.  Can I just remind you that Jacob (Taylor Lautner) also has a dimpled chin?  Just saying.

We are amazed at God's timing and the beauty of receiving our referral during Holy Week!  God has been gracious!  He caused the death angel to "pass over" the Israelite boys two and under on Passover (which officially began at sunset on Monday, the day we received the call).  It was a great reminder that God is protecting our little one and that He is the King of Kings.  No matter what Kings and Presidents decree, God will trump all authority and defend the cause of the fatherless.  

It is no coincidence that God impressed on us the name, Zane, as it is Hebrew for John and means "God is gracious."  Grace is the unmerited favor of God, the unconditional love He gives expecting NOTHING in return.  That is what Easter is all about!  Jesus taking on the sins of the world, so we wouldn't have to.  Why?  Because we are indescribably loved by God.  Zane's Ethiopian name (which remains electronically confidential until we pass court) will be kept as his middle name because it means "the new one".  There are many implications of this.  First, he is literally new to all of us.  He is our first child and the first grandchild on both sides of the family.  Second, he will physically take on a new life as he moves from the transition home to a new family in a different culture.  Third, and most important, our prayer is that one day Zane will be made "new" in Christ as he chooses to have a relationship with Him and make Him the most important thing in His life.  When he gives his heart over to Jesus, God will make all things "new".

The situation Zane is in is still very foreign.  Pray that even now, Zane's heart will be refreshed with the new things God is doing in His life.  Pray that he will be comforted by the arms of Jesus and recognize His presence even now.  Pray that he will learn early that only God satisfies the deepest longings of his heart.  And pray that God will fill him with the peace that transcends human understanding.

Thank you for your prayers!  We are blessed to have wonderful support and encouragement through you!