Throwing Ebenezer Stones

I feel like that is what God was doing last Tuesday. They were falling all around me at record pace! Really one of the coolest days that I have experienced in a long time. One of those days where God just keeps showing up and saying "Here's your Ebenzer stone. When you ever start to doubt me and my goodness, look back at these."

Sunday's sermon was all about rest. Resting in God's grace and sovereignty. Bible study was all about rest. Resting in the fact that God is loving AND able. Ok. So I get the message. The past few weeks with Collins paperwork and the wait had been really tough and it was showing. I would lie in bed at night and think of people I could call, emails I could send, things I could do to make the timing for her workout just right for us. It was exhausting and in my mind I couldn't really come up with anything that would work. At least not work based on the timelines I was seeing.

I woke up Tuesday morning and sat down to do my Bible study homework on rest. Scripture after scripture just told me to stop. Stop planning, stop fretting, stop wrestling. Stopping is the hardest thing to do, but I finally gave in that morning. I mean either God is big enough or he's not. Bottom line. Did I really believe that? I told God I did and laid it down. Crap. This isn't fun but there was freedom there.

My stomach had been yucky that morning so I laid down with Jeb for awhile. Decided to go for the second half of Bible study. As we were walking in (right before we got to the spot in church where I lose coverage) Karla calls me and says we got your TA. What?! This was 2 days after we had submitted our Article 5. No way! This is what I had prayed for and stayed up countless nights trying to make happen and then there it was?! Karla didn't know how, but it came. Ok. I'll take it.

After Bible study I head home to find out that a sweet new friend had offered us her frequent flyer miles AND my mom did too. Uh. Hello. God just sent us little angels that saved us $3000!!!! Praise the Lord! Oh, and Sharon sent me new pictures of Collins and her daughter who is her best little friend!

That night was Collins baby shower. Everyone brought clothes and gifts for the orphanage children. Such a sweet night. Everyone was so gracious and supportive. What a great group of friends and family God has given us! So many wonderful things to take to Doctor Li and the kids.

As I walk in from the shower, Karla calls again. We got our consulate appointment of October 25th! Oh my gosh! Really???!!! This is crazy! God does take care of us and when GOd wants to move he moves! TA and CA in record time! AND before the holidays. This is perfect. Jerod's trading time is the first week of the month so if we had not gotten our CA the end of October we would not have been able to leave until mid-November. I couldn't have made it another month without her. Who knew? God doesn't need me.