Last Wednesday I met with Ela's orthopedic surgeon. We have a plan to begin correcting her club foot. Next Wednesday we will begin a series of about 6 castings to prepare her for the surgery. Her foot will need to be stretched. Every Wednesday we will go to the doctor, he will stretch her foot and then recast it. The process will most likely be pretty painful for her. She will not be able to walk with her cast.

After her foot is stretched we will plan her surgery. She will wear another cast for at least 6 more weeks. The whole process will take 3-4 months. Hopefully by July she will be walking and able to swim. She will have to wear a brace for a while at night and during the day.

While Ela's foot is being stretched to prepare her for something better, I am reminded of my need to be stretched. The Lord is preparing those of us who know him for something better. Our real home, Heaven. He is making us more like him each day.

" God often takes away our comforts and our privileges in order to make us better Christians. He trains his soldiers not in the tents of ease and luxury, but by turning them out and subjecting them to forced marches and hard service, He makes them ford through streams and swim through rivers, climb mountains ,and walk many long miles with heavy backpacks of sorrow. " C. Spurgeon

"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith- more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" 1 Pet. 1:6

Jesus tells us in John 14 " I will not leave you as orphans: I will come to you " He also says " let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also."

Just like with Ela's adoption we sought her out and came for her. We are going to put her through some stretching, but this will ultimately be for her good. We pray that she can trust us through this process. That she will believe we love her and want to heal her. May we all wait patiently & faithfully as we are stretched and waiting for Jesus to come back and bring us home. May we be believe that he is good and that he loves us.