Something More
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plan to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Great is HIS faithfulness for great things HE has done!
As I shared not too long ago, God opened our hearts to adoption back in December. Still in the thick of infertility treatments, I honestly believed that God was going to give us at least one biological child and then eventually we would adopt to extend our family.
Turns out God had something more planned.
If you have been following my blog you know that in March we did an IVF cycle that failed miserably because of a poor response to the fertility medications.
Now looking back on a month that was the darkest time of this infertility journey, I know now that God used that IVF cycle to set the stage for the something more He had planned from the very beginning of time.
After that IVF failed God asked me to do something that cut me to the core of who I am.
He asked me to surrender my desire for pregnancy and childbirth to Him.
I’ll be honest and tell you my immediate reaction to this request was, “Are you sure about that, God? After all, You did create me with the desire to experience the miracle of pregnancy and childbirth since I was a kid. So, why don’t you think that one over again!”
The response I got was: TRUST ME.
It was quite possibly the most scariest and exciting decision I’ve ever made in my life.
I knew I had to just trust Him.
Over the past two years of struggling with infertility, God has taught me something that has totally changed the way I look at being infertile.
God’s plans for my life are far better and far bigger than anything I could ever plan for myself.
And so I knew if God was asking me to surrender this deep desire to experience the miracle of pregnancy and childbirth, I had only one choice.
Surrender.
Towards the end of March, I really started to feel an urgency to get the paperwork and family profile ready to turn in to the adoption agency. I diligently worked on filling out paperwork and my mom and I spent many hours doing the family profile.
On Friday, April 3rd, my friend from church who adopted a baby from this same agency told me to call her because she had a lot of information for me.
That night I learned there are four birth mothers due this summer. All of the babies had been placed however there was one adoption that may fall through.
Not one to get my hopes up for unrealistic reasons, I didn’t think much of it.
Instead I focused on my goal to get all the paperwork and family profile turned into the agency on April 7th, 8th or 9th.
On Thursday, April 9th, I had everything ready and drove to the agency.
If I had gotten to the agency five minutes later, I would have missed the lawyer as she was exiting and locking the building as I arrived!
I jumped out of the car, told her I was there to drop off my paperwork and family profile and she opened the door and took me inside.
She knew who I was because my friend from church had told her about me.
We went into the office and as long as I live I will never forget the words I heard next:
“We had an adoption fall through so if you want a baby in June you can have one!”
Immediately I knew I was living a miracle …
Sometime between Saturday and Thursday that adoption had fallen through.
This was why I had felt the urgent need to get our paperwork turned in as quickly as possible.
And, this was why God needed me to surrender my desire for His perfect plan.
I left the lawyer’s office that day in complete awe of our faithful God.
There is absolutely no way I, or anyone on this earth, could have orchestrated all that!
Only a God who had something more planned could do … a miracle!
It’s a GIRL!!!
TO GOD BE THE GLORY,
GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE!
Labels: Surrender, Uncategorized
35 People have left comments on this post
AMEN! We have been on the most beautiful Faith Walk in our lives. God is faithful when we surrender to HIS will and not ours. You have always been a willing vessel! We have seen this your whole life! To God be All the Glory! Love you, Mama and soon to be GRANDMA!
It is amazing to be walking this journey with you and Dave. God is truly amazing! This baby is a miracle.. simple as that! I’m so excited to meet her! Love you guys! Maria
What amazing news! Congratulations! I admire your strength and faith in God you’ve exhibited through this very difficult journey.
Wow! That is so exciting! I am so happy for you guys and cannot wait to hear more!!!!!!!
That’s so awesome! Congratulations!!!!
) It is amazing to read how everything worked out and be able to see God’s hand in it all! Truly awesome!
Elaine! Congratulations. Thank you for sharing your journey.
Congratulations!!! This is SO exciting!
OH MY GOODNESS! I am holding back tears!! I was thinking about ya'll again this morning in my QT… THIS IS AWESOME!!! Will you please let me know if you have a shower & I would DEFINATELY try to drive up for it!!! I am so excited for you & Dave!! PRAISE GOD!!!!
This is one of the coolest, greatest testimonies I’ve heard in quite some time. Just plain awesome and such an inspiration on what it truly means to let go and let God! Congrats to you and your husband on your little one!!
~Cathy
I’m so happy and excited for you! What an amazing answer to prayer. You two are going to be wonderful parents.
~Melissa Chambliss
Wow…this is just incredible. I am so thrilled for you. God works in amazing ways.
I stand amazed at what God has done. I can’t wait to see the rest of the story unfold as you bring home your little girl. God is so good!
Oh! I’m so excited for you!!! I knew in my gut, deep down in the fall and winter of last year that God was preparing you to do something REALLY big. I even made a comment about it on a previous blog. My heart just broke for you when everything failed with you IVF, but I STILL knew that God MUST know what He was doing.
I know that adoption isn’t how you imagined it to be. And I know that it’s not a fix-all solution when it comes to dealing with infertility emotionally. There are still ways that you have to process not physically carrying a baby at this point or having a child that is biologically yours right now. However, I also know that adoption can be a beautiful picture of God’s love for us.
I love the idea of being “chosen”. That word means a lot to me because it says that someone saw something in you that was worth picking. I think that’s why it hurts to be chosen last for the baseball game (for example). It makes you feel like you weren’t important enough- fast enough- strong enough- good enough. I think that’s why it means so much for someone to ask you to marry them. They are saying that there is something SO special about you that they want to live with you and only you for the rest of their life! What a huge compliment!!!
So, when God chose us, He saw something in us worth saving- worth loving- worth spending eternity with. And when you choose this baby, you are saying that of all the babies I could’ve had, I wanted you- I hand-picked you to be mine forever. To be a part of my family as God adopts us to be a part of His family. They become your heir and carry your family name just as you carry His. It’s beautiful!
And, now you are having a baby! A GIRL! And you’ll have her even before I’ll have my baby!!! I am stoked beyond all get out for you! Can you tell?!
So, are you going to choose your own name for her? Any ideas? I’m ready to start talking baby with you!
While I haven’t commented on your blog I have been following it. God has used you to bear witness to a great many people about his faithfulness. Thank you for searching for His will in all that you have done. I am thank full that you and Dave will soon be parents to a child who needs loving Christian parents. god is good.
Love in Christ, Judy Schultz
I don’t think we have officially met, but I know Wesley and you probably know my husband, Kyle Peterson, or his mom, Gennell.
I have been following your journey for awhile now. I am SO happy for you to meet your little girl in June! Congratulations on your pending adoption.
I will continue to pray for you and the health of your baby-to-be!
Elaine, It’s amazing to see how God is leading you. Just keep following him wherever he leads.This baby is truly a miracle. I’m so excited . You are in my prayers. God bless you.
D
Elaine, I am completely “tickled pink” for you!!!
Congrats!! It is so amazing seeing God’s hand at work in your journey to become parents. I am praying for y’all, and praising God for the Great things He has done!
OMG I am bawling and crying for joy for you right now and the amazing ways the Lord speaks to us…please read my most recent post to explain…PLUS I feel like seeing this and reading this is ajust another sign pointing us to adoption!
http://www.wondrafulbaby.blogspot.com
Could you please email me at ANGEL8443@aol.com and share more! Whatagency did you use? I don’t know where you live but any tips advice anything would be amazing…
I am so incredibly happy for you and can’t believe the way the Lord speaks!!!
OMG I am bawling and crying for joy for you right now and the amazing ways the Lord speaks to us…please read my most recent post to explain…PLUS I feel like seeing this and reading this is ajust another sign pointing us to adoption!
http://www.wondrafulbaby.blogspot.com
Could you please email me at ANGEL8443@aol.com and share more! Whatagency did you use? I don’t know where you live but any tips advice anything would be amazing…
I am so incredibly happy for you and can’t believe the way the Lord speaks!!!
ELAINE! I had chills the entire time reading this..Still have them! I am beyond ecstatic for you. What an absolutley amazing story.
A Girl? And in June? That is SO soon! I am aching for more details, but will wait unti you are ready.
Congratulations, Mama!!
PRAISE THE LORD! We are so happy for you and Dave! Wish we could be closer, but am glad we had that time with you all a few weeks ago.
Much love, Cristina and Marcio
Praise God!!! That is the most amazing story I have ever heard. It is so true that when we let God control our paths that the end results are better than we can ever imagine. Who could have thought that after a failed IVF in March 09 that you will be a mother three months later. God is so good. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
I’m shouting from the rooftops!!! I’m sooooo incredibly happy for you!!! That is soooo awesome!!! That is not long at all…I can’t believe that in a couple of months you will be holding your baby girl!! GOD IS AWESOME!!! By the way, when I was reading your post I thought of my old preacher’s wife. She tried and tried to get pregnant but was not successful. They ended up adopting 3 children withen 3-4 years. When they finally said okay God you have blessed us enough…he said “I have bigger plans for you” She got pregnant even though they thought she couldn’t and now they have 4 children!! God really does have a greater plan for us than we could ever dream for ourselves!! ((HUGS)) CONGRATS AGAIN!!
That’s just so awesome! What a God!
HOW EXCITING!!!!!!
I am thrilled for you!!!!!!!!
again, what an amazing story God has woven for your family. for me it’s just nice to see God answer someone’s prayers. in the last month i’ve watched 3 friends get pregnant doing IVF and now you get your miracle daughter. it’s a nice reminder that God has not forgotten us. can’t wait to see her.
Elaine,
I am SO, SO excited for you and Dave!!! You have been so faithful through this whole process and have allowed God to use you to witness to more people than you will ever know. I can’t wait to hear more,
Robyn
God is faithful! We are so happy for you and Dave. We continue to pray for baby Sheldon and the adoption process. Thank you Lord for this precious life.
Love you so much! A. Naomi and
U. Jay
I remember getting that great news like it was just yesterday. The timing of everything and your obedience is such a sweet example of God’s perfect provision and faithfulness. What an amazing story you will have for your daughter.
Congratulations!!!!
Elaine & Dave:
This is so amazing! When you guys called me on yesterday to tell me the news…I was speechless! I have never heard of anyone adopting a baby that fast…Praise God! I can't wait to meet your daughter and will have to make a special trip to Florida sometime this summer!
We love you guys and are constantly amazed how God makes His presence known in your lives! Blessings to you and your growing family! We will pray for a smooth process and a healthy & safe delivery in June!
Mari
PS: I guess this will make me a "grand-aunt" to your daughter!
Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
God is so good! I’m SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO happy for your Elaine! Keep us updated!
this is so exciting congrats!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! What an amazing testimony you have! I have been praying for your family since following your blog. You have such great strength & faith! It just proves when God wants it done He will get it done RIGHT NOW! I am so excited for you! Have you all thought of any names?
Sorry this isn’t related to your post, but I’d love for you to read one of my most recent blogs (A Shout-Out) and comment on it. You’ll see why when you get there. Thanks!
You are so vivid in expressing your emotions and that I read them, I just simply identified with every of your emotions. I thank GOd that I dont have to feel alone and know that many of us out here struggle similarly in our emotions though our circumstances may vary. If GOd is not real in our lives, I guess we will just pursue what we want how we want it. But because of our precious Saviour, we know our lives are to be lived in submission to HIm even when we dont understand why things happen to us the way they do.
I am in the midst of my 2nd IVF ICSI cycle due to sperm issues. I struggled so hard to decide about doing IVF and wondered if I am taking things into my own hands doing it. OUr first IVF treatment in 2009 yielded 4 embryos but they did not become pregnancies. I gave up after just one cycle. Now, I am already 37 and last year our Christian OB told me I have low ovarian reserve and IVF is still our best bet! Another blow. So here we go again. I feel more excited this time to do it. I guess if I met an infertile couple, I would recommend IVF but how come I struggle with whether it is GOd’s will for us to go for it? It’s strange.
This time, I am going to trust GOd has our best interests even if it dont work out. It is hard but indeed He has given us HIs Son, what more are we asking for? Pursue my dream but utlimately submit to HIs will.