Preparing for the unknown

About a week ago, Trish and I were living life. I suppose you could say we were content. We were talking about vacations, budgets, and how to not waste Tricia's unemployment. Then, we got the call about the baby. Life became even more unknown.

It's interesting that even though all of life is full of the unknown, it becomes all the more apparent when you begin to think about how to prepare for the unknown. This adoption could go one of many ways. Any number of these scenarios in theory ends up with us being parents. Any number of these scenarios in theory ends up with us not being parents. How do you prepare for that?

Honestly, I have no clue. But, I do know a few things that will help us prepare for whatever lies ahead.

#1. God is Sovereign and interested in His glory. The gospel is a story of adoption. It is the story of how we all rebelled against God, and in His kindness, he adopts back. For the believer, you are adopted into God's household, and given all the benefits of being a born heir. This brings God glory. God cares passionately about adoption... passionately enough to send His one and only son to die a horrific death on the Cross to make the adoption of sinners possible. This is amazing news. Our pursuit of this adoption is not as much about us being parents (though that is something we're excited about), as it is having the opportunity to show a little girl the extent to which God went to adopt sinners like her mom and dad.

#2. "He who did not spare His own son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things." That's a lot of Him's and He's, but it speaks of a God who provides everything needed for a task to which he has called someone. As Christians, we have been called out of the darkness of our sin, and into the light of the Glory of God. We are essentially in conflict with the world around us, and even to some degree ourselves. But, God promises to give us everything we need for life and for Godliness. I am convinced that if He has called me to be an adoptive parent, that he will "graciously give me all things" I need to accomplish the task of parenting to His glory.

#3. The details. As I have said, any number of things could happen, and this adoption could fall through. I'm OK with that. Of course, my preference is that it wouldn't - that it would be a smooth process. But this is messy. That shouldn't scare us off. God brought this opportunity to us. Our job is to be faithful and see where it goes. It may go nowhere. But, it would be wrong of us to ignore it. We may get our hearts broken. That's OK. It'll be an opportunity to grow.

All this to say... we don't know what will happen. But, we know the one who does. And we trust that He will make this crooked path straight.

Thanks for reading.