Our Circle Maker

Ethan has had a bit of a struggle going to children's church through the years.  It seemed every time he would start going really well, we would have a loss and he wouldn't want to be separated from us.  The first was right after we lost Shyla, then he started going back to the nursery at church well again about a year later.  Then we lost Jakin and he did the same thing.  After Samuel's failed adoption, Ethan finally had words to explain why he wanted to be with us during church.  He told us that he thought he was being punished if we forced him to be separated during church.  So we told him as long as he could sit still and listen well in big church, he could stay with us if that is what he really wanted to do.  We also encouraged him to try-out the nursery and/or kids church every couple of weeks.

Last Fall, our pastor was preaching a series on Mark Batterson's book, The Circle Maker.  The story of Honi and of bold specific prayer really encouraged us.  Little did I know how much it was impacted Ethan as well.

We had been hearing more and more about the changes in the process of South Korean adoptions.  After talking with our agency and advocacy groups, we learned it may be even harder for us now due to the fact we have a biological, non-Korean child in our home.  We did a lot of praying and searching. 

Secretly, my prayer the first week of November was that we would see our child's face. Specifically, I prayed for a daughter.  Which is selfish, but, I wanted to pray what I thought was a bold, specific prayer.

Ethan's Prayer

On Monday, November 5th, Ethan came to me and we had the following conversation:

"Mommy, I just went up in my bed and prayed."

"That's great Ethan!  What did you pray about?"

"I prayed for a baby."

"Oh, honey, we are all praying for a baby."

"No, Mom.  I prayed for a baby by Sunday or Monday."

I stopped loading the dishwasher and just looked at him.  I wasn't sure what to say.  I tried to explain that with God anything is possible.  And God could do it.  But, if He doesn't, we were going to love him and praise him anyway. 

Tuesday, November 6th, while talking about what we were thankful for, Ethan told me "A Baby."

The rest of the week was more of the same.  He told me that I better be packing our bags for the hospital.  He told me I needed to get the nursery ready and he even went through his stuffed animals and took some of them to the nursery "for the baby".

He so inspired me, that I pulled out the quilt top I made a year ago from my maternity shirts and I finished quilting it for our soon-to-be-baby.

 

He prayed every night and every meal for "Our Baby".  He constantly circled her in prayer.  He believed with all his heart we were going to have a baby by Sunday or Monday.

 

Friday morning I couldn't sleep.  I got up early and read my daily Bible reading and decided to check my email.....

 

 

To be continued....