In roughly 8 hours, we will meet our daughter Rebecca Fei for the very first time. In some ways, Becca joining our family will not be unlike a child joining one's family through birth. We have dreamed of holding her for many long months. We have prayed for her. We have wondered at the future plans God has for her precious life. We have prepared our other children to welcome her into our family. We have prepared a room for her in our home. But in other ways, her story is completely different because she is joining our family through adoption.
Her story began with tragedy, as all adoptions do. Becca Fei has not known the love and security of a family for her first 3 1/2 years. There are so many things we don't know about her past and may never know. We don't know why her birth family was unable to care for her and her medical needs. We don't know what desperation they must have felt. We don't know their family traditions or even what they look or looked like. But, we do know that she was found, and we are so thankful that her little life was preserved. We know that God has a plan and purpose for her life, and He has chosen us to play a part in her story. It will be her story to tell, but we hope and pray that she will see God's hand on her life; that she will see His good plans and purposes for her; that she will see the love, healing and beauty that only our God can bring from brokenness. HE is the only hero here.
Josh and I marveled again on the plane ride over at how much you can fall in love with and yearn for someone you've not yet met. Oh how we've missed her since we first saw her face!! We know the road ahead may be long and bumpy. She will grieve. She may fight. She will struggle. And, we will not be perfect parents, but we will choose to love her. We will come to Jesus each day in our brokenness and ask Him to make us whole. We will look to Him as the ONLY one who can rescue, the ONLY one who can love perfectly. We will draw from His well for strength, compassion and love. Because, we simply cannot do this parenting thing (or anything else good or worthy) on our own.
I woke up this morning at 5AM China time, and there's no way I'm getting back to sleep! I had brought a book with me called Praying the Scriptures for Your Children, and began reading it, along with Isaiah 40. I am praying the following verses for Becca Fei, and I would love it if you would do the same.
(10) Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and His arm rules for Him; behold, His reward is with Him and His recompense before Him. (11) He will tend His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms; He will carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. (12) Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?...(26) Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of His might and because He is strong in power not one is missing. (27) Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel: "My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God"? (28) Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable. (29) He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength. (30) Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; (31) but they who wait for 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.
Lord, You promise to tend Your flock like a shepherd. Gather Becca Fei like a lamb in Your arms and carry her close to Your heart. And, just as You promise to gently lead those that have young, teach us, as parents, how to love and guide and care for Becca Fei.
