Slowing Down...Experiencing Peace

I know some of you only check out our blog and I often forget to keep you posted on things here unless they are big. I tend to do mini updates on our FB page. If you don't follow us on FB, please be sure to do that. Here is a direct link to our FB page: McGinty Adoption: 8,568 Miles.

After our last post, I felt hopeless, stuck and confused. I expected no real movement any time soon. In November, there were no referrals. We have been searching other programs and trying to figure out where God wants us in this whole adoption journey. I have cried a lot and expressed my frustration, especially to my husband (poor thing) over and over. I felt like we needed to make a decision and a move quickly or else we were wasting precious time. There was no time to waste!

We both finally got to the point where we felt so overwhelmed with it all. Through a series of events and people speaking some truth to our hearts, we both came to the agreement that God wants us to slow down, stop looking for another program right now and spend a season in prayer, getting back to the roots of it all, HIM! So, for now, we are not rushing to find a new direction. If God presents something, or makes an obvious call to us to move, we will. But for now, we are staying right where we are, and really seeking Him, taking time daily individually, as a couple and as a family to pray specifically for everything involved in this adoption. We prayed before and we prayed individually a lot, but the longer we waited the more sparse it got and to be honest, we weren't really taking the time to have consistent prayer as a couple, which is vital!

As soon as we both talked about it and realized God wanted us to calm down, just sit and saturate in prayer and stop stressing over it all, I felt this crazy sense of peace. I don't know what the future holds. We may feel after a while that we do need to pursue another route. This is a daily walk and we intend to listen for His voice to guide us each step of the way. If he says move, we are willing to move. If he says stay, we want to stay. Right now, we feel like he is saying SIT at my feet and pour into me so I can pour into you.

The morning of December 1st I posted this status update:

It has been a while since I have felt peace. That afternoon we received our monthly update, this time with some good news. Eight children had been matched with families and we moved down the wait list 14 spots (some families did drop out of the program, so we moved a few extra spots)! WOWZERS! That was not what I was expecting! That is the most movement we have seen in a while. We were very encouraged by this news. We are still very far away from a referral as we sit at the top of the wait list inching our way down, but we are glad to see children being matched with their forever families again.

During this season of Advent, we are really focusing on this whole idea of slowing down. In the season that tends to be the most chaotic and stressful, we are making a conscious effort to go against the stream and really focus on Christ and the HOPE that comes along with the birth of the Savior, placing our plans in his hands and surrendering to His voice. We pray that as each of you are dealing with your own chaos this season, whatever that may be, that you will also take the time to just be still, seek Him, give Him the time He so deserves and desires with you. The craziness of life won't slow down. It just doesn't. There is never enough time. There will always be something to do, somewhere to be, answers we want now, things that need to be done. We have to choose to go against our flesh, to be still, and I truly believe he will give us the peace we ache for, the peace that ONLY He can give.