I am so thankful for friends who hold us up.

From Exodus 17: "The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, '. . . go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands. . . . As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up - one on one side, one on the other - so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword."

We started our journey of adoption just over 1 year ago, and at that time, I felt certain we'd have our child by Christmas this year. Was that just my desire, or God's? I don't really know. Time will tell. But I've been having to deal with the possibility that it might not happen. Is it still possible? Absolutely. But I've stopped counting on it.

A good friend, and someone who has joined us in prayer almost every step of the way, came up to me this week and told me she and her husband had prayed for us that morning. She knows where I'm at - that I'm giving over my time table and my view of how this would go. But she's still hoping for me that we'll have our baby by Christmas. It struck me how blessed I am to have people to hold my arms up when mine are too tired. So incredibly blessed. Whether God places my baby in my arms by Christmas or not.

God's peace and plan are so good. We're discovering that in whole new ways. This week, one of the things I'll be thankful for is that God doesn't give us what we want on our schedule. He gives us His best.

Romans 9:16 "It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy."