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Rejoice in Hope!

Happy New Year!! We hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday season! We spent time  in Northern California with Chris' family and get to have a few days in Arizona with my family! We rang in the new year with dear friends and had a great time!

Starting off 2015, I'd been thinking about a word or phrase to set the tone for this year. We don't expect much in our adoption as once we're on the wait list (still waiting on immigration to come back) we will just wait....probably all of 2015. I struggle with not being able to do anything or have control of but I'm learning to trust and wait in the Lord.

For the past few weeks I've been thinking about the wait and wanting to wait well and in a way that honors God's sovereignty instead of my control. Advent this year has shown me how waiting isn't futile, it prepares our hearts for what's to come. A few weeks ago Sarah Hagerty wrote: "Waiting, in Him, isn't sitting, it's expecting. It's a heart stance that says, You are both coming and You are here, now." That's the waiting I want. I want to remember that the waiting has a purpose and I have the option to wait with a joyful or

The Lord laid Romans 12:12 on my heart as my theme verse which encompasses this joyful waiting. "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." What a powerful reminder to rejoice, keep a joyful heart while we wait or hope this year. I got this awesome printable from The Olive Tree to use on my phone, print out and put in our house, my classroom etc. I expect to need the constant reminder of how to wait well but what a privilege to have God's word as a guide.



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