Encouraged To Celebrate

I've posted before about my "heart monitor", my way of protecting myself from getting hurt or disappointed through our adoption process. Recently, God spoke to me about this. For a while now, I'm been holding onto the verse, "the joy of the Lord is my strength." So, the other night I decided to look it up so I could write the verse and its reference in my notebook. Well, my guess was that it was in the Psalms, but I was wrong. It is in the book of Nehemiah, and it is the second half of a verse. It comes after the Israelite exiles have returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt the walls of the city, and the priest has read to everyone the laws given to Moses. The people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. Then Nehemiah says, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." It goes on to say that the people celebrated with great joy.

I was so encouraged about this, because I often really hold back from celebrating our baby girl. I try to keep my heart so closely monitored, instead of full out celebrating what I believe will happen. I want to whole heartedly believe that God will bring our baby girl to us, and excitedly anticipate it. I was explaining it to Ryan and said that it's like when the Chicago Cubs win the World Series - for fans like him and me, those victories will be super sweet because we have hung in there through some very tough times with the Cubs (we've both been fans since we were kids). But, in the midst of their run for the title, there will be bandwagon fans, who, when it seems apparent that the Cubs are going all the way, will be saying, "oh yeah, we knew they could do it!" I don't want to be a bandwagon believer - celebrating and believing once the victory is finally within reach. I want to celebrate and believe even when it seems impossible, which is where our adoption resides right now. I look around me and nothing implies that this baby will be in our house for sure in the next 2 years, if ever. Nothing except one - GOD! And what HE says, I will trust. And when He gets her here, how much sweeter it will be because we had faith all along that it would happen. Thank you, Precious Lord! I will faithfully trust, come what may!