INSANITY on the "Adoption Highway"

To get the full impact of today's campfire story, a few things bear repeating.

• We are a middle-aged couple, parents to three fantastic children, traveling down the "Adoption Highway" in a vehicle with the license plate S-U-R-R-E-N-D-E-R.  Plastered to the bumper are the stickers of F-A-I-T-H and T-R-U-S-T.
• Two little boys, Thunder and Lightning, living in a Honduran orphanage are awaiting our arrival.  We are their parents and we will be bringing them home.  God has written their names on our hearts and prepared a place for them in our lives.
• By now, miles and miles of pavement have passed beneath our wheels.  We have experienced STOP signs, detours, lane changes, scenic views, and pit stops.  We've been jostled by some pot holes and come face to face with an enemy that prowls around like a lion on the highway.
• To navigate the perils successfully, we have clothed ourselves in the armor of God and devised a battle plan of Dynamic Immersion.  We are standing firm and praying in the Spirit on all occasions.

Then one day, cruisin' down the highway, destination Honduras, the enemy launched a surprise attack!

Our dossier had arrived via a FEDEX courier from our agency.  Holding the package in my hands, I grew faint.  I became nervous...defensive...possessive.  I lost all perspective.  I let my guard down, pieces of armor fell, and I failed to stand firm in the shadow of His protection.  

Hence, INSANITY on the "Adoption Highway".

Inside that box surrounded by bubble wrap was a beautiful aqua blue file folder cradling every document that along with our CIS approval letter and letter from the Honduran Consulate would be called our DOSSIER.  To this mother, my sons were in that box.  Thunder and Lightning were packaged between every page of that dossier.  Their homecoming depended on the safe delivery of that box to the attorney in Honduras and then a safe delivery from the attorney to the people of IHNFA.

This mother's protective instinct was raging!

We were going out of town for the Memorial Day weekend.  What was I going to do with the box?  Fear overwhelmed me.  What if something happened to the box? 

What was I going to do with the box?

1. Leave it in the cabinet in my office above my desk?  NO!  We have an enemy.  The house might burn down.
2. Bring it with me and stash it under the seat of the car?  NO!  We have an enemy.  The car might get stolen.
3. Put it in a large ziploc bag and duct tape it to me?  NO, of course not!  We have an enemy.  I might walk out the door and get hit by a bus.

INSANITY on the "Adoption Highway"!

It didn't take but a few minutes of my ranting and raving before Knight-in-Shining Armor took me firmly by the shoulders and shook me.  Fair Maiden L.K. and Kind-Hearted Warrior S.T. stroked my arms.  True Princess G.A.  wrapped herself around my waist.

"ENOUGH!", they said.  "Enough."

In that sobering moment, I stood there, cradling that aqua blue folder in my arms, gazing upon its cover. 

A yellow sticky noted was adhered to the front:

"FRAGILE:  Handle with care  prayer :)"

How could I have forgotten?

The answer was faith, not fear.  Believing in the character and nature of God to do what He says He will do in His perfect timing was the answer.  Prayer was needed to conquer the fear.  Prayer would draw me closer to the truths of His word.  Jesus is my savior, shepherd, and friend.  He paid a huge price for me and for you and for Thunder and for Lightning.  His love is radical.  His protection is sure.  He is in control.  

In fear, I had allowed the enemy a foothold.  In fear, I took my eyes off Jesus and tried to take matters into my own hands.  I had forgotten who the author of this story was.  In fear, I doubted his protection.

Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9

So, strong and courageous, I took the aqua blue file folder, repackaged it in bubble wrap, slipped it into the small box, and put it in the cabinet above my desk.  Armor in tact, His protection reaffirmed, I adhered the yellow sticky note to the cover of my Bible and we set out to dynamically immerse ourselves in the holiday weekend.