Power in Prayer

In my Bible readings the last couple days, I feel God pointing me to verses about the power of prayer.

"And their prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make them well.  And anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven." James 5:15

"The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results." James 5:16b

"I cried out to the Lord, and He answered me from His holy mountain." Psalm 3:4

"Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.  Each morning I bring my reuests to you and wait expectantly." Psalm 5:3

"The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord will answer my prayer." Psalm 6:9

Some of you saw my post last week about my conversation with our caseworker.  I asked her for her honesty in regards to the timing of bringing our Lil Miss home.  As any adoptive mother would understand, I don't want to get my hopes up for an unrealistic timeframe and be crushed with disappointment when my "goal" date passes us by and Lil Miss is not yet home.  But even after that honest and heartfelt conversation, I still can't give up that hope that we can have her home by the end of this year.  Yes, its possible...but highly unlikely.  And yet here I sit...hopeful.  I don't know if that is just some desperate part of me holding on to my sanity...or if that's God...but regardless, its there.  When people ask me what our timeline is, I tell them we are expecting a referral in December and home possibly by early Spring...but I REALLY feel in my HEART that it will be earlier.

With all the movement we've had on the list in the last couple weeks (I want to say it was 9 spots in about 3 weeks?!?) it has sparked an excitement on me.  But that being said, we just got word that the courts will be closing for the rainy season and are scheduling court dates now for OCTOBER!  This has taken SUCH a toll on those families who have recently received a referral.  Realistically, without court dates, children won't be moving out of the beds at Hannah's Hope and coming home to their forever families...therefore new beds won't be opening at HH.  Most often, this causes a slow down in referrals during the summer.  And yet here I sit...HOPEFUL!  I seriously don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing.  =)

Ultimately this whole situation is completely out of MY control and in GOD'S hands (thankfully, because He knows whats best for me).  But I have been convicted to pray like I haven't prayed before.  Earnestly.  In faith.  Every day.  Expectantly. 

I am praying that this court process will go unexpectedly quick for ALL families...to the point that we all laugh at our fears and uncertainty about the two-trip process.  I am pleading that referrals do NOT slow down this summer, and in fact that they SPEED UP and God just blows our socks off with His timing.  I am praying that we can be HOME with Lil Miss before the end of the year and be united as a family.  But ULTIMATELY, I am praying for HIS perfect timing and the LORD'S will be done.  And I pray with expectation that the Lord will answer my prayer...whether or not He answers the way I want Him too, I am confident that His perfect timing WILL blow my socks off.  Every piece of this adoption story has so far, and I can't wait to see how it will unfold before our eyes!