Praying for Grace

This morning the Berryman family was up at 3 a.m to pray for our adoptions.  Why 3 a.m.?  Because that was precisely the time that the birth mother interview was scheduled to take place in Liberia.  Our dear friends, Jeremy and Anouk Scott came over to our house last night to help with some odds and ends (specifically, helping us move some furniture and assemble beds for the girls' rooms) and also to stay the night so that they could be up and pray with us in the morning.  We've also heard from other friends and families at our church who were getting up to join us in petitioning God for the adoptions. 

Our prayers hit on a number of topics.  Certainly the birth mother and her willingness to continue with the relinquishment.  We also prayed for Lovette and Yekekou, that they would understand what is taking place and that God would help them to absorb all of the changes that were about to occur.  We prayed for the consulate, that this person would be discerning and make right decisions about whether to approve our petition to bring the girls into the United States.  But mostly, we prayed for grace.  One of our prayers observed that we all need grace, and that through this process we are all going to need an extra measure of grace.  For the birth mother, she may be seeing her daughters for the very last time, knowing that this sacrifice will bring them a better life.  For Lovette and Yekekou, they will be going through countless changes (environmental, climate, family, time, etc.)  For our family, we will never be the same again.  After we leave for the airport on Saturday, we will never be a family of four.  Peyton and Reagan are giving up their parents for a week, and then will share them for the rest of their lives with two girls they haven't met.  They will be sharing rooms.  We will be a conspicuous family.  That will take grace.

Finally, Lacey and I need grace.  Lacey will be dealing with four children at home now, two of whom will be adjusting to completely new lives.  I will be supporting a spouse and four children, and become a father to two girls who have never had a father figure.  Or, on the other hand, God may choose to prevent this particular adoption from occurring.  While that would not be the answer that we were hoping to receive, we recognize the possibility that He has something else planned for us.  In that event, we will need abundant grace so that we can respond appropriately to the disappointment that we would naturally feel.  Fortunately, whatever the outcome, we know that God's grace is sufficient, so we pray for grace as we await news from Liberia.  Stay tuned for a post later today.