Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints … Ephesians 6:10-18)

In a week and nine hours from now, I will forever more be with my children. By the timbre of my articles this past week, you know that we are beside ourselves with joy and anticipation. Paradoxically, we are nervous, feeling unready, and a host of other contradictory emotions!

Then yesterday, in my daily updates from our social worker, I learned that there were a few wrinkles on the horizon. A bit of a health concern has come up. Nothing major, but a concern nonetheless. So here I am, some two thousand miles away, churning away about the whole thing.

We’re admonished not to worry, but rather:

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. (1 Peter 5:6-9)

I am supposed to “cast all my anxieties” on God. I am to do this because He is the only one equipped to handle these issues, and, as the verse continues, He loves me. I am also told in these verses that Satan is busy, too. Just as I have been rushing around this week, Satan has been on the prowl as well.

So, when searching for a way to share with you my little “worry cloud” on the happy adoption horizon, I came across the verses in Ephesians. This week, I’ve been putting out pan fires with my bare hands! I need the “full armor of God” to protect me from the devil. He’s pictured as a roaring, hungry lion, waiting to pounce on me in my fears! That’s a pretty graphic picture, and one I thank God for, because it helps me to see what I am up against. But God gives me hope as well. He tells me I can overcome this adversary by being prepared with the necessary “spiritual warfare” gear, as well as actively praying in faith.

The verses also tell me to put this “spiritual skirmish” in its proper context: There is a battle being waged around me that I am not even aware of. God and Satan are battling it out for souls of humankind. Satan wants to discourage me. He wants me to pull a “Bad News Shleprock” and cry, “Wowsy, wowsy woo woo – oh no - we’re doomed!” Sorry to go all 70’s on you with the cartoon references, but in essence, Satan would do a happy dance if I would just give up now at the eleventh hour and just walk away from this whole thing!

So, God is giving me fortification through His word and telling me not to forget I’m in a spiritual battle in a bigger war. Not first parents against adoptive parents – nope, sometimes adoption is necessary, as many here have blogged, – but rather, the bigger battle for my soul. Satan wants to trip me up in any or all of my life choices, so misery can have some company in that “Lake O’ Fire!”

I need to pick up my armor - that shield of faith to extinguish those fiery arrows – and all of the other pieces of equipment needed to help me through this situation - and the many more I will face in life - with my adopted children, and in my spiritual life as a Christian.