Pray, Wait, Trust - Happy Birthday, Tessa Rose

Today is Tessa's birthday. She is 7. 

I remember her first birthday--but she wasn't with us. She had been placed with Blaine and Hilary in foster care toward the end of October. She had been removed from the home of her birth grandparents due to abuse at the hands of her birth father. She was with us through Halloween, then she returned to her grandparents.

On her first birthday I prayed for her, as I did every single day that she was apart from us. I prayed for her safety. I prayed that her grandparents would be able to care for her. I prayed that her father be prevented from abusing her. I prayed that she receive the food, the shelter, the clothing, the love that she needed. I prayed that if God saw the need, that she be returned to our family. 

On Christmas Eve Hilary and Blaine received a call that she had been removed from her grandparents' home again and they were asked if they would take her into theirs. On December 26 she arrived---permanently this time. It was a tough road to her adoption, with visits with her birth father, the appeal of the termination of parental rights, and the final adoption day when she was 4. But through it all I continued to pray for her and for Hilary and Blaine. 

Now I continue to pray because there are issues that we know had to come from that time she was with her birth family. We know that some of the issues are hereditary. We know she needs help in some areas. But we also know that she needs love. And prayer. 

When I looked at the title of today's devotion that I share with Rhonda in San Antonio, I feel like there is a special message for me. I must continue to pray for Tessa and for Hilary and Blaine as they try to do what is right for her. I need to be patient and wait because the therapy will not help overnight. I need to trust that God will answer our prayers, will walk with her every day, and will give Hilary and Blaine the patience and love they need to lead her in the right direction. With God all things are possible. She is with our family. She has more love than she knows. And God will continue to protect her and work with her as she grows into a beautiful young lady, ready to take on the world and do great things.