"...It's complicated"

"And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness  before him all our days.  And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our Go whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace"  Luke 1: 67-79

What happens when two countries 8500 miles apart try to come together for the sake of children that are abandoned and need medical care?  It's complicated.  What happens when we are one document away from having medical visa's in hand?  It's complicated.  Yesterday, was complicated.  Today has already been more complicated than yesterday.  So many things went right but we didn't get the visa's.  We did everything we could but God said, "Not yet".  To me in my small, simple mind, it's complicated.  But as God has shown me time and time and time again, HIS ways are higher.  He's got this but tonight at 2:00 a.m. our time and 10:00 a.m. Uganda time it's complicated and I am tired.  I've lost track of the days and nights between Uganda and the US.  We are waiting on one document, one man, one travel companion and 2 visa's  so the girls can come to the US.  This really isn't that much but in Uganda, this one document could arrive within the next 5 minutes or the next 5 weeks.  You just never know.  Catherine and Jonathan did everything they could do to get these visa's.  We wouldn't be this close without them.  They were not able to change their flights.  Todd spent the entire afternoon trying to figure out a way that we could change their flights so they could all come home together but we just weren't able to work that out.  Our hope was that the girls would be on the plane home with them Thursday night.  Without the "one document" we could not be given the visa's.  The good news is, the girls will be granted visa's.  This document was not something listed specifically on the requirements.  It was not something that was asked for in the interview.  It was something that was asked for at the last minute.  We will get the document...no worries about that.  I'm thinking that God wants this process to touch a few more lives and I know HE will use this delay to refine my own sinful heart.  He has already brought new people into my path within the last 24 hours that I may have never known and I will use this delay for HIS glory.  The scripture above gave me so much hope as I am sitting her in my kitchen in the middle of the night asking God "why does this too have to be so complicated?"  I felt bitterness and resentment build in my heart thinking all day, "Now these children are finally going to get help and someone who has been a 5 minute boda ride from them wants to know whose been caring for them in Uganda???  Where have these people been during their suffering?  Now they want to protect them from doctors and people who will love them and care about them...Lord, I don't understand."  That was me, making this not about HIM. Those thoughts were me thinking my way was better than HIS.  That is a very good example of what me not trusting in Him and me standing up instead of kneeling down looks like....ugly!  Then God revealed the passage above to me.  "Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit..."  Lord, fill me with the Holy Spirit.  The God of Israel"for he has visited and redeemed his people and raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David...".  He's talking about me.  This is good news.  It's not complicated.  He claimed "we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us".  It's complicated because satan hates what is happening with SOZO and Rays of HOPE.  So, instead of feeling tired and weary tonight, I am going to claim that I have been saved.  Then, my favorite part, "to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days."  I will continue to serve HIM without fear and righteousness before HIM all my days.  I will confess my sinful heart.  Jesus has already gone before me and prepared HIS way, to give knowledge of salvation to HIS people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."  God is shining HIS light though this.  These are HIS children and I know "HE"S got this!   It's not complicated to HIM.

Todd and I were talking today about the girls...trying to imagine if they can even begin grasp the surgical pain they are about to endure but also the different life experiences they are about to have.  S is always smiling.  Her smile is sooooo BIG.  She always looks happy.  When you see her scars, they are horrific.  There's no way to sugar coat that.  I asked Todd today, "how can she always find a reason to smile?  She is in constant pain?"  His answer, "she's alive".  With that statement, God humbled me again and I went back to the foot of the cross.  Please continue to pray for God's will to be done with these children.  I wish I could ask for more specific prayer requests tonight but that's all I think I need to ask for.  It's really not as complicated as I was making it.

Praising God From Whom All Blessings Flow,

Amiee :)