We Are Expected to Walk

I've been asked about our adoption process, and I've struggled to know what to say lately as our journey to adopt can only be described as a "pioneer experience."

Virginia H. Pearce tells us that to reach "our goal, our journey's end ... to get there we are expected to walk and walk and walk."

And honestly, that's how we feel. We've been walking, and walking...and walking! This journey for us is going to take time, patience, and faith.

I find that it's easy for us to get caught up in the "busy-ness" of life. There are so many things that compete for our time and attention. I am no exception, sometimes I "run around" and hardly take time to breathe and enjoy life. It's easy to stress out and wonder what the heck you're doing!

But in a quiet moment of self-doubt and questioning, the most beautiful answer that I've received is peace.

 The Lost Lamb, image by Del Parson

Peace. It's such a simple concept, yet it's helped me "survive" so much. It's let me know that I am loved so much by my Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ. It's given me a "confidence" that has allowed me to trust that everything is happening in the way it should.

It's calmed my heart, knowing that our children are being cared for while we are being prepared and strengthened and "bettered." (Even though it's easy to take the opposite perspective during these times.) Parenthood is a sacred calling and these children need us to become greater than we are. We need to be ready and willing.

Howard W. Hunter has said, “True greatness ... always requires regular, consistent, small, and sometimes ordinary and mundane steps over a long period of time.”

So no matter how small our steps may seem, no matter how long the journey, step by step, we are going to keep walking!

Sarah

Read the complete Ensign article here