Peace that Passes Understanding

First, let me say thank you for praying for all of us today. We were blessed in many ways as we walked through the day. We had asked a few of you to pray that our case would be heard quickly, because time in the waiting room is not often pleasant. Today, however, we were thankful that the Lord's plans are not our plans. We sat in the waiting room for three hours talking with the boys' extended family and building a very cordial relationship with them. Without breeching confidentiality issues, we were able to clarify a lot of things and God granted us favor and peace.

Inside the courtroom, there were moments when we questioned whether Eden should stand and speak or not. In the end, she did stand and speak, and it was very well-received. We were able to advocate for the boys, expressing the reasons we believe the boys are thriving and what we believe are there needs going forward - namely stability and attachment to a committed parent. In the end, it was pretty clear that the case will, in fact, continue to move toward this family placement, but we know that our words made an impact on all involved. The judge gave a sincere, "Thank you." There were others, including their mother and extended family, who cried. Their mother caught Eden's eye in the end and nodded kindly. We were blessed to be used by God to speak out in favor of justice for these two children. We were also blessed by the opportunity to show a room full of jaded people something different - a sincere love for our boys, a sincere love for their family, a passionate desire for justice, and yet peace that could only come through faith in a good and sovereign God. 

In the end, we do have peace. We were somewhat encouraged by our conversation with the family. We also realized that much could still happen to prevent the boys from being moved at all. It's unlikely, but it's possible. At this point, there are a few remaining variables, so we're unsure about the timing of everything. We are grateful that we were heard and that we will likely continue to be able to support our boys after (if) they move. Please continue to pray for the home study process - that it would be thorough and that the evaluators would show much scrutiny when choosing whether to approve this placement or not. Praise God for giving us peace. We are, as always, overwhelmed by the blessing of the Church. Thank you for praying with us today!