Waiting on a child is hard, and I’m sure waiting on a child during the holidays will have its high and low moments.
I think back to Mary, the mother of Jesus. I’m not Mary, not even close, but I think there might have been times when she anticipated what was coming.
Imagine with me: Mary (a very pregnant Mary) traveling from Galilee to Bethlehem on a long, exhausting, and perhaps uncomfortable journey. Traveling with anticipation.
She has been waiting on this moment. She has been waiting since she was visited by the angel Gabriel. I wonder what her wait was like.
Did she shed tears? Did she think this idea (even though from God) was crazy? Did she wonder if everything would work out? I would imagine waiting for Jesus to be born was thrilling to say the least! I can just envision Mary pondering what her little boy would be like, being both God and man at the same time.
My wait doesn’t come close or compare to Mary’s wait (let’s face it, she was waiting on Jesus, THE Christ). But like Mary’s journey, my journey has been filled with anticipation. This adoption process is filled with good days but also days that are long and uncomfortable—days of laughter and wonder and days of tears rolling down my face (ugly crying).
But tonight, I’m thankful for Mary’s journey. Her journey reminds me about the plan of God unfolding—in God’s way and in His good time.
My prayer is that God would continue to prepare me for His plan (not my own). Just as Mary did, I have to put my faith in the promises of God. My waiting during this journey, in prayer and reflection, has the power to transform my heart. So Lord, transform me and prepare my heart as I wait . . . much like Mary.
Julie Adams began her adoption journey in 2017. After experiencing heartbreak in her original program, she received an email with the profile of a waiting child—a 2.5-year-old little girl in Bulgaria. By God’s grace, she will travel later this month to meet her daughter for the first time.