22 months. That's how long it took for the cabinet of Kentucky to go through trial and error with Rebekah's birth parents, to decide that she would have the best opportunity for growth and safety if she were permanently in our home, and for us to get a court date to make her adoption official. Those months were long and hard. Emotionally, they were draining. But, being on the other side of those months, we wouldn't trade them for anything. The God who created Sam and I knew exactly what we could handle. He knew how to use our circumstances to press us and mold us. He used the trials of those months to grow us and conform us more into the image of His Son. The author of the book of James reminds us of how a Christian should approach trails in our lives:
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
James 1:2-4 ESV
The Lord used our trials to produce steadfastness. He showed Sam and me the ability that we had to care for and love each other. Though those months were difficult, we're thankful for them and better people because of them. Adopting Rebekah doesn't mean that our struggles to grow our family have slowed by any means and I'm thankful for our past experiences to look back and learn from, remember, and be encouraged by God's work in our lives.
Each year, on our wedding anniversary, Sam and I take time to review the last years events, remember the Lord's faithfulness, and ask each other how we can be a better spouse in the upcoming year. Well, I wanted to take advantage of this day to list the links to the blog posts that I wrote last year telling the story of Rebekah's adoption. If you are new to our blog, I hope you read these posts and see God's faithfulness to our family in light of difficult circumstances. If you've followed the blog for a while and know the story of our struggles with infertility, I hope that you read these posts and remember God's steadfast care and provision for His children.
Post 1 - http://samandlindsaycrosby.blogspot.com/2011/02/beginning.html
Post 2 - http://samandlindsaycrosby.blogspot.com/2011/02/shes-beautiful.html
Post 3 - http://samandlindsaycrosby.blogspot.com/2011/01/in-nurture-of-lord.html
Post 4 - http://samandlindsaycrosby.blogspot.com/2011/02/sad-times.html
Post 5 - http://samandlindsaycrosby.blogspot.com/2011/02/sweet-rebekah-love.html
Post 6 (Written by Sam) - http://samandlindsaycrosby.blogspot.com/2011/02/new-fathers-perspective.html
This Psalm is such a great reminder of God's steadfast love for His children, His reign over His creation, and His infinite faithfulness. I read this morning and it led me to praise our God for His character.
The Steadfast Love of the Lord
Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous!
Praise befits the upright.
Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre;
make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
For the word of the LORD is upright,
and all his work is done in faithfulness.
He loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap;
he puts the deeps in storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the LORD;
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.
The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
the plans of his heart to all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!
The LORD looks down from heaven;
he sees all the children of man;
from where he sits enthroned he looks out
on all the inhabitants of the earth,
he who fashions the hearts of them all
and observes all their deeds.
The king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
and by its great might it cannot rescue.
Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
that he may deliver their soul from death
and keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waits for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.
For our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name.
Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.
Psalm 33:1-22 ESV
You didn't think I would leave this post without pictures did you? Though these aren't from this month, they are some of my favorite pictures from the last year (taken Oct. 2011) and totally embody Rebekah's personality.
