In so many ways, the word "trust" has been the anthem of the year. Not just "trust" but "trust in the Lord".
Proverbs 3:5-6 are always verses I go to-----and, so it seems, more and more.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths."
Do you ever just feel like you need to know more about what a word from the Lord means?
I find myself there over and over. What does it mean to "trust in the Lord"?
And so I hunt.
Batach is the Hebrew . . . meaning:
- to trust
- to trust, trust in
- to have confidence, be confident
- to be bold
- to be secure
- to cause to trust, make secure
- (TWOT) to feel safe, be careless
(from NAS OT Hebrew Lexicon)
Trust in the Lord
Have confidence in the Lord
Be bold in the Lord
Be secure in the Lord
Feel safe in the Lord
Be free of care in the Lord
Trust in the Lord . . . with all your heart------every fiber of your being
Lean not on your own understanding---------our knowledge is so limited and many times so skewed, our view so veiled, our feelings are not reliable, BUT our Lord has all things in His hands
In all your ways---all your ways----every way
acknowledge him . . .
Yada is the Hebrew . . . meaning:
- to know
- to know, learn to know
- to perceive
- to perceive and see, find out and discern
- to discriminate, distinguish
- to know by experience
- to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess
(from NAS OT Hebrew Lexicon)
Acknowledge him
Know him
Learn to know him
perceive him
find him out
discern his ways
distinguish him from all others
know him by experience
recognize him
confess him
Acknowledge him . . . in all your ways
AND . . . he will make straight your paths (ESV)
I love the ESV translation of this part of the verse because it makes me think that He can take our twisting, curving, up and down, rocky, muddy paths and make them, as He wills, straight---a little Romans 8:28. The path will not always be straight and well marked. But he makes it straight as he works all things out.
And so . . . Trust in the Lord . . . honestly, it is all I have got to hold on to, and, yet, I am many times begging the Lord, "Lord, help my unbelief!"(Mark 9:24)
I am learning to trust in the Lord--------O, for grace to trust Him more!
My anthem shall remain, "Tis, so sweet to trust in Jesus . . .
"Helplessly, desperately, breathlessly, clingingly, dependent . . . dependent on the strength of the everlasting arms to holds us, to hold our children, and to keep us in perfect peace with our minds stayed on Him. --Rachel Pieh Jones
Isaiah 41:10
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
How 'bout a Cliff Notes version of the last 10 months?
In the spring we came to realize that Ye Chan was having some significant developmental delays.
Further inquiry revealed that Ye Chan may have significant special needs (however, we have not discovered a specific diagnosis, nor do we have any kind of clear picture of what this is really going to look like)-----we continue to pray----------one that Ye Chan may defy the odds---and two being that God will prepare and equip us in our hearts, minds, souls, and bodies whatever the outcome (we know the second miraculous, divine act will happen, no doubt---the first-----our hearts rest in . . . Thy will be done.) (of course, we have many other areas we are praying our way around) :)
We spent many months working to advocate for our child for diagnostic testing and getting therapy started-----well, as much as we could from half a world away----but our agency and the Korean agency have really been diligent on our behalf----the grace of God
August 5th new adoption related laws went in to affect in Korea----and all activity ceased----in regards to getting the last batch of children home for the year.
Ye Chan started physical therapy once a week in late August.
When we got the news that Ye Chan had started therapy, we also got the news that, because of his health needs, it appeared that his homecoming was going to be expedited.
However, given the August 5th laws, nothing moved for a couple of months.
Just this past week---we heard that our EP (emigration permission-----aka---what we have been waiting for----the first step in actually getting Ye Chan home) has been submitted. Actually, submitted several weeks ago.
Now we wait for: the EP to be approved, for our case to be sent to the Family Court (which is the new step per the new law) and be approved, and then for our case to be sent to the Embassy for Visa processing, and then for the Travel Call----then we can make arrangements to go and bring our son home!!!
How quickly will this happen? We have no idea. Will this happen before the end of the year? Initially, we thought it had to---but---given the holidays quickly approaching----we are not so sure.
BUT----wouldn't it be a lovely Christmas gift-----bringing home our son---as we celebrate the birth of God's only Son-----like coming full circle----for it was just a couple days before Christmas 2011 that we got the call that initially united us with Ben Ye Chan Young.
I have to stop and remind myself----- "Trust in the Lord" -------His timing is perfect, His ways are perfect, He knows even though I don't
Ben Ye Chan Young will be 18 months old on November 19th. We received a picture today of him holding on to furniture and "walking". That may sound like not such a big deal. It is a HUGE deal!!! The fact that his little legs are holding him up and he is progressing toward walking is wonderful news.
And we wait . . . preparing for a journey half way across the world . . . and a journey of a lifetime-----My Lord, You are so good to us!!!
(I know, in reading this, you might think it all sounds so matter of fact. Emotion is lost in this form of communication. Believe me, there has been plenty of emotions in the last months. Maybe, you see now how I am learning to trust in the Lord----and why is has been my heart's cry------and remember---I have had months of processing all this----so while it may be new to you---it is not to us----there are so many more details---too many to share here----but may I just praise the Lord and proclaim the excellencies of His grace!!!)
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this is the picture I was speaking of above!!! (this is from our most recent pics)
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How precious is this?! (Notice the family photo cameo--in the orange bag) :) (this is from our most recent pics)
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From his 1st birthday celebration--wearing his hanbok (this was back in May)
This one is from August.
A better look at our most recent family pic :)
Nate and Ben <3
I have to say, it is good for my heart, to reflect on what the Lord has done, is doing, and hope in the future grace that is to come!
Anyone who might read this: We will be traveling to Korea (sooner or later)------Ben has been cared for by a Christian agency in Seoul called Eastern Social Welfare Society. His birth mom was cared for in their unwed mother's home until he was born, he stayed in their baby's home until he was placed in foster care, and now he is in the home a wonderful foster family. We have an opportunity to take with us some donations for this agency when we go to Korea. So--------I thought I would throw it out to anyone who might be interested------we are going to take an extra suitcase full of donations when we go----to give to the president of the agency. While there are many things that they are in need of on a regular basis------we thought clothing and small infant toys would be easy to pack and light weight enough not to be problematic with baggage weight restrictions. So if anyone might be interested in helping us gather together a few of these items-----here are the specifics:
1) New clothes only
2) Sizes preemie to 3T
3) no "footie" pajamas
4) Korea's season fall basically around the same time as ours----so anything available now will be perfect
Thank you! (You can send me a message on Facebook or text or call me if you are interested in helping)
God bless you and keep you
