God is in pursuit

Recently we received a letter from WACAP (our international adoption agency) stating that fees will be going up. If we aren't finished with our homestudy by September 1st, we will have to pay the higher fees.
This letter got me thinking about why God has clearly directed us to the Russian adoption program, which at the moment, has some of the highest adoption fees. When all is said and done, the total cost should be somewhere between $40,000 - $45,000. Now, I am not saying this so that those of you who read this blog will cut us a check. I am saying this because God's answer to my question of why Russia?, was "so you (and everyone who joins with you) can see Me work." What a testimony that will be because He is going to have a lot of work to do!
This reminds me of a passage that our pastor spoke about on Sunday, Acts 16:16-40. In this passage, Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison, having been accused of causing an uproar and advocating unlawful practices according to Roman customs. What is curious about this is that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, making it unlawful for them to be beaten without a trial. However, Paul never spoke up about his citizenship before or during his beating, but instead remained quiet. That night, when Paul and Silas were in prison, there was an earthquake so strong that the prison was shaken, the doors of the jail came open and everyone's shackles came loose. When the jailer (who was commanded to guard them carefully) awoke and saw the prison doors open, he prepared to kill himself because he thought they had all escaped. When Paul told him that they were still there, the jailer fell on his knees and asked how he could be saved. That same night, the jailer and his family were baptized.
Our pastor told us this story and how he found himself wondering why Paul didn't reveal his citizenship and spare himself the beating. God's response to our pastor was "I wanted the jailer." If Paul spoke up about his citizenship, the jailer never would have been able to see God work.
God knew that in order to gain the attention of the jailer, Paul and Silas would have to be beaten and jailed and then an earthquake would have to literally shake them free, only to be found by the jailer, still in their jail cell. I find it amazing to see God's love for us in the way he pursues each of us, just as he did with the jailer.
I can see myself as both Paul and the jailer during this adoption. I am Paul, because I am having to lay down my fears of adoption costs and the emotional health of our daughter and put my trust in God. I am the jailer because God has been pursuing me and revealing himself to me in ways I never would have seen, and He does it in His perfect timing.
Thanks for joining us in our journey!