All is grace

The Lord is ever present in this journey and has today closed a few doors for us in the financial aspect of this adoption. We received a note today in the mail that we were not awarded a grant from Shaohannah's Hope. I also received an email back regarding some questions I had about a new program at UNMC where they hook up pharmacists to work from their homes for rural hospital pharmacies...being a hospital pharmacist is something I love so I sent a few questions to the head of the program to see if it would be a good fit for us. It is the nature of pharmacy that even simply working 1 day/week would bring in significant income. It looks like the program requires you to work at least 20 hours per week which is more than I am willing/able to stretch myself right now. Maybe someday, but it is clearly not for us right now.

Where do we go from here? Often times when people pray they will ask, "Lord, what do I do? Could you please just give me a sign?" I remember doing this on more than one occasion. All this is done as we forget that the Lord has revealed His will to us in His word. We have just to look to the Bible to find what we are to do. It is not quite so mysterious as I used to make it :)

It is tempting to let myself wallow in discouragement.
"Why are you cast down, O my soul. and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God..." Psalm 42:11

This is what I know to be true tonight:

So far the Lord has NOT closed the door on the adoption, so we continue pursuing the work to which we feel called.

We still need approximately $5,000 for travel costs.

The Lord is able to supply all that we need.
"...for the world and its fullness are mine." Psalm 50:11

The Lord has sovereignly ordained that these opportunities NOT be available to us.
"Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the Most High that both good and ill go forth?" Lam 3:37

We trust that the Lord has been kind to us in the place He has us.
"The Lord is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His works." Psalm 145:17

We are to rejoice in our God and the Salvation He has given.
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thess 5:16-18

All is grace. We have been saved from the wrath of God, the wrath we richly deserved for our sins. Thank you Lord for your salvation in which we can rejoice even when worldly prosperity is absent.
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the father, full of grace and truth...And from His fullness we have all received grace upon grace." John 1:14,16