Cast your Net!

Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias.  It happened this way:  Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.  "I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you."  So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the discipes did not realize that it was Jesus.

He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?"

"No," they answered.

He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some."  When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

John 21 1-6

During the same time God was asking me to let go, I continued seeking God for answers to some pretty tough questions.  I had been wondering why I must carry this burden for adoption and even wondered if my desire for adoption was simply mine or if it was God's.  And beyond all these questions I looked at all this paperwork we have invested in and pleaded with God "please don't let it go to waste".

"Cast your net", God said to me.

I didn't understand this command God was telling me.  Did I hear Him right?  If so, what does it mean?  And so I have been "camping out" on this passage, and the scriptures that follow for the past couple of weeks.  I was seeking what God was trying to tell me. 

Through much prayer and process of letting go, we "casted our net" by simply telling every contact we had (that has to do with adoption) about our journey and that we are paper ready.I appreciate our church and the pastors there.  As I sought counsel from one of our pastors, God showed up. 

I remember my pastor telling me that he believed we weren't going to spend one more dime for our adoption.  My spirit stirred.  But my mind couldnt' grasp it.  I remained in confusion.  However, no matter what state my mind was in, my pastor confimed something in my heart:  that adoption was the heart of God's and He has given us this burden.

We were currently casting our net looking into Colorado foster/adopt kids, other state foster/adopt kids, Ethiopia and Ugandan children.  These were all our connections. and we were lost as to the direction we were to go. 

Eithiopia was the most promising in my eyes - as our home study agency were extremly supportive and willing to give us grants.  We continued to run into closed doors with the Colorado and other state foster/adopt kids.  Duane sensed we were to seek here and I believed Africa was still our direction. 

I continued to ponder the passages in John, and what stood out to me is that the net was so full they couldn't bring it into the boat.  There was more than enough.

As we were decorating and making preparations on Thanksgiving weekend, I had a knowing in my spirit:  there was going to be a rush for whaterver child comes into our home - whether it's Elijah or another.  It just didn't make sense...