Prayers for Jada

Jada has already been such an answer to so many of our prayers. Amy has wanted to be a mom since she was like five, and has prayed early and often for this. Jada, to our knowledge, is healthy and young, something we had prayed for. When we’re going is pretty much what we were praying for. God has heard our prayers and once again proven that His provision and His timing are perfect.

If you care to join us in praying for Jada, here are a few things Amy and I have been praying:

· Physical health, of course. Her orphanage is in a heavily industrialized area, and other babies that have been adopted from there have had elevated lead levels. Jada is good on this front so far, but we’ll keep our eye on this. Also, she was left out in the cold during her first three days of life, so if she’s healthy now God must really be keeping an eye on her.

· We wonder how traumatic it will be for her to have a set routine and get to know her caregivers, and then all of a sudden two strange people come in and swoop her away from everything she’s known. She doesn’t know (yet) that we love her to our core. We pray that somehow Jada, when she meets us, would intuitively recognize us, and therefore trust us, that she can feel safe that we’ll be looking out for her and will love her and care for her.

· There will be a lot of logistics involved in this trip. Both our moms are going, we need to get visas, we’re awaiting a meeting with our adoption agency about what we need to bring, we’re going to be nervous and tired and wired and a thousand other emotions. Pray for all the little but important administrative details that will make or break our trip.

· Here in Philadelphia, Amy and I are getting our house ready for Jada. People have generously sent all sorts of gifts and hand-me-downs our way, and we’re prepping her room with a pretty layer of pink paint and other preparations. Usually when Amy and I do big house stuff like this, we end of squabbling, and this time has been no different.

· Finally, I desire for Jada to come to understand the love of God in the form of the Person of Jesus Christ and the greater, universal church. Because we are adopting, it has been easy for me to understand that I am but a steward of this child, that I have been entrusted with a significant responsibility as her parent, and that one of my charges is to raise her into a life of faith. So I have prayed for myself and for Amy and for Jada accordingly.

Thanks, again, for all your prayers. Keep praying!