I am part of the team that is organizing a retreat coming up in early June. The theme of the retreat is "We Walk By Faith," and I am so excited to be a part of it. This is my fourth time being on team for an ACTS retreat, and I have enjoyed it so much each time -- it just gets better and better. If you ever have the opportunity to go on an ACTS retreat, I would encourage you to do it because it is really wonderful and you will most certainly experience God's love for you in a very special way. And then be on team, because you will love that too!
It has been so special for me that the theme of the retreat is "We Walk By Faith." I personally did not select the theme, but when I learned what it was going to be, I couldn't help but smile, knowing that God certainly would teach me a few things with a theme like that! And of course He has!!
As you can imagine, this whole adoption is an exercise in "walking by faith." Since the very beginning, it has been God's work. He was the one that started us doing this. He is the one that is sustaining us during the process. He is the one that knows how it will turn out. We on the other hand are walking by faith.
Lately, I have felt a bit of a nudge to make a bit of a change. Nothing MAJOR major, but definitely meaningful. I have been praying about it, and talked to Jerry about it, and he thinks it seems right as well. We have discussed it with our agency rep, who also thought it was something that we should consider pursuing. As it stands, it is in God's hands (where else would it be, eh?). I believe the nudge is coming from God, and I feel peaceful and joyful about it. And the best part about it is that I am walking by faith. Maybe nothing will come of it, but if God wants this to happen, it will happen, I have no doubt. I'm not going to second-guess. I'm not going to strategize. I'm not going to come up with a list of pro's and con's or a cost-benefit analysis or even a regret analysis. Yes, there really is such a thing as a regret analysis. This is very uncharacteristic for me as it seems like my whole adult life I have been one to make things happen. If one way doesn't work, I figure out another way. It is just how I am, and for the work world, it works great. So it has been a challenge for me in my faith life to "Let go and let God," as they say. To figure out that place where I still do my part but also where I just let Him act through me. To know when I need to stop moving and shaking and doing, and just be. I think it will continue to take me a while to re-learn some habits and behaviors, but I am trying. In this area, as in many others, I am a work in progress, and it is certainly fun to have a front-row seat to see what God will do!