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“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
Luke 11: 9-13
Looking back on my childhood Christmases, I remember some years where certain gifts were so popular that they were sometimes impossible to get. I keep hearing of these Hatchimals, and I can’t help but remember the three years in a row when I asked for a Cabbage Patch Doll. The first year I got a homemade doll that was a third of the size of a Cabbage Patch doll; the next year I got a Cabbage Patch Preemie (apparently, they were not as popular as the full-term babies), and then finally I received a full-term Cabbage Patch doll the third year - a bald baby boy who I named Michael Joseph.
Some parents are so determined to get what their child desires, they sleep outside a store to be first in line when it opens. Some parents drive over 2 hours to buy that much wanted gift. Some parents pay well over the retail price to make sure it’s under the tree for their son or daughter Christmas morning.
Was there a toy you asked for in your childhood that was that popular?
The point is – whether your parents did or did not drive hours to find you that coveted gift – the love your parents had for you does not compare to our Father in heaven’s love for you. His love for you is greater than the parent’s love for a child that goes above and beyond to get that “ungettable” gift.
You may wonder, “then why am I still waiting?”
God knows why – literally.
God isn’t going to give you “any baby” – God is going to give you YOUR baby – YOUR child.
Don’t stop asking.
Don’t stop seeking.
Don’t stop knocking.
Have faith in your adoption journey.
And most of all, don’t stop praying.
Don’t stop believing in the magic of Christmas or the miracle of prayer.
When we worry; we solve nothing. God hears your prayers. God loves you. Be as patient as you can and trust Him.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:4-7
Sometimes, we have a hard time thinking of things to be thankful for – and that is okay. If you are having a hard time right now, try using your sense of humor and thank the Lord you are not waiting all this time for a snake, a fish, a scorpion, an egg, or, dare I say, a Hatchimal?
The Lord hears your prayer for a child. Don’t give up. Keep praying. He’s going to give you the greatest gift anyone could ask for; a child to love and the gift of parenting.
Merry Christmas! I pray your bundle of joy comes sooner than later!