Pressing On

We are filled with a flood of different emotions and attitudes. Trying our best to maintain a positive, hopeful outlook as we pray for God to do a BIG thing in getting our paperwork processed out of the Ghana Immigration office so that it can come here to Cotonou (where Lael can be issued her immigrant visa). Giving it all we have to act on various leads, make at least 2 daily appearances at our local embassy pleading our case, and doing what we know to do to mobilize friends and family at home to act on our behalf (which so many are…thank you!!!) Our minds are consumed with this task. It is taking every emotion we have.

We pray incessantly in faith. We believe in an All-Knowing, All-Powerful God! Yet honestly, we see very little with our eyes that would give us hope of getting out of here anytime soon. But as we stare into the face of a disappointing reality, we know that hope and faith is not in what you can touch or see with any human sense. In the heavenlies, God is well-aware of our situation and is orchestrating things exactly as He would have them be. Each day rolls on as we wrestle in prayer but battle the consistent message of discouragement launched in our direction. We struggle with anger, frustration, and hopelessness. And yet simultaneously, we throw ourselves at the foot of the throne of the One who knows all things.

We do trust God. We are aware of His Sovereignty. We know He is the One who controls the plans of mankind. He moves mountains that seem stuck. He parts waters that seem as solid as concrete. He opens doors when our eyes see them bolted shut. And best of all, God never sleeps, so He is completely active even when it is nighttime in Benin (and daytime in the U.S.) or when it is mid-morning on this continent and our Senators and U.S. contacts are in a deep slumber. God Almighty is always at work.

We also know that there is often silence from the heralds of heaven. We wait in intense anticipation to hear what the mighty team of God has accomplished. Yet we are not always privy to every detail of God’s creativity as it is happening. We pass each moment trying our best not to be anxious about anything, yet our ears are so attuned to the sound of each cell phone ring in hopes that each call will be the word that we want to hear. But there is nothing. There is quiet.

The only things we do hear are words out of the mouths of human beings that challenge our good attitudes! Some people have a way of trying to encourage yet leaving us deflated. We grapple between the activity-minded-plan-making that is so inbred in our human (American) nature and the command of heaven to be still. God lays before His people His blessings that are often not realized without the hard work and persevering effort of mankind. We would never wish to relent in our pursuit of this blessing if God wants us to persistently track its pursuit. And yet there are times when all the runnin’ around leaves us nothing but fatigued and frustrated. Sitting still and letting God do His amazing work is not something we know well how to do. Where’s the balance?

We thank each and every one of you who pray on our behalf…thank you all so much for your encouraging emails! While the timeframe is His, we wait in anticipation and expect the blessing of God that is soon to be ours.

-Randy