preparing a place...

many of you have been asking about an adoption update, wondering where i am in the process. as i wrote before, i am out of debt and moved into my own rental house.  last week, i completed another huge step,  i turned in my homestudy paperwork and my homestudy interview will be in june hopefully (CRAZY!).  i hope to spend this month getting everything at the house ready and getting my inspections done.

as i was thinking about all of the work that i needed to do (buy furniture for the kid's room, buy fire extinguishers, lock up the medicine, cover the outlets, schedule inspections, get finger prints, etc) a scripture came to mind.

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

(John 14:1-3)

jesus is talking to his disciples here.  he has just told them that he is going to die and that this is the end of his time here on earth. he quickly goes into this encouragement. he tells them not to worry, to not let their hearts be troubled. that things are going to be hard and scary when he leaves. they would feel abandoned, they would be misunderstood, there would be  many unknowns, and they would even endure harsh and horrible circumstances.  but he encourages them that things will one day be better.  he is leaving, but he is going to prepare a place for them. a place in his father's house where all things will be right and where they will get to be with jesus forever and always.  he will not leave them again. but until then he has to go away and do some work, but he will return to get them and take them home.

i could not help but think about whatever child or children i end up helping with foster care and adoption.  they are out there right now, enduring some harsh and horrible circumstances, feeling abandoned and neglected, feeling unloved, fearing what will happen in the future, wondering when they are going to catch a break.  all the while i am over here working furiously to prepare a place, making sure that they have a warm bed, food to eat, a clean toothbrush, clean clothes, and cool pajamas. a place  that they can't even imagine or understand with a mama that is never going to leave them.  perhaps they have given up hope that a place like this even exists for them.  but it does, and one day when the time is right and the work is done, they will be home. i wish i could i hug them and whisper in their ear, "don't worry, i'm coming back for you! soon you will be in a better place. a much better place."

now my house is no heaven and i am no jesus, but what a beautiful picture of hope. what a reminder that my savior is working and getting things ready. he is coming back to get me to take me to a place of rest and worship which he has been preparing for me. i cannot wait to give this child a clean, safe, warm place to sleep. to give them a place where they feel loved and cared for rather than abandoned and alone.  and something tells me that my heavenly father has the same desire for me.