Labor pains?

I think one of the hardest parts about adopting is the lack of something tangible.  When we had our children there was evidence that they were coming.  My wife showed that there was life in her belly.  I could feel tiny feet kicking if I rested my hand on her.  There were sonogram pictures and sounds of heartbeats.  We knew a child was coming!  There was proof.

Right now there is no proof.  There is only hope.  I have no pictures of the child that is coming to me.  There is no physical evidence that I am going to be a dad again.  The best I have is a folder of paperwork that suggest the potential for new life.  It makes it hard not to grow discouraged somedays.  I would like just one concrete thing to hold onto.

Then I open my bible.  It tells me that faith is evidence.  It tells me that hope doesn’t disappoint.  It reminds me that God is so in favor of adopting that He took it up Himself.  It tells me to act like Him.  So even though this can seem hard and it is work to push forward in the process despite discouragement, I can have confidence that it will be worth it in the end.  Maybe days like these are just labor pains.  Last time I checked, that is evidence that a child is coming.  I feel better already!