Oceans in the Desert

By Kathi Pelton

As I was unpacking the last of our boxes in our new home, I came across the Bible that I used when I was in my 20’s. In those days, my husband and I were going through years of infertility and it was a deep pain in my heart because we longed to have children. I would pray and stand on the Word of God— waiting eagerly for the promise to be fulfilled.

Today, as I opened that well-worn Bible from that time period, I opened directly to Romans 8 where I saw many highlighted verses and scribbled notes. One was dated 1/27/88 and I had written, “Desiree (children)” I was immediately brought back to that time. A month earlier we had heard about a four month old baby girl that was in foster care and needed an adoptive home. The Lord had clearly spoken to my heart that, “This is your daughter.” But it was impossible because we hadn’t had a home study, we did not live in the county where she was placed and had no blood ties to her— just a name and a “hope.” Both her social worker and the judge residing over her case told us that it was impossible for us to be eligible to have her placed with us. The judge even went as far as telling me this, “If you were the last people on earth, you still wouldn’t have a prayer.” But I had heard from the Lord that she was our daughter! I was only in my 20’s but I knew the voice of my God! I responded by saying, “Prayer is the very thing that I do have!”

Romans 8:24-25 was what I holding onto because my hope was not in man, but God.

“We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)”
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Doctors and fertility treatments had not produced children for us, social workers and judges had ruled against us— but our hope was in God alone. In January 1988 we stood, facing the impossible— but we turned our faces toward the One who is forever faithful and walked against the wind of adversity toward that promise.

Through both painful and even agonizing months ahead— we persevered with eager hope in God alone. We had heard his voice and we were not letting go. After many months of daily waiting upon the Lord for His wisdom and instructions of how to move forward (in the midst of opposition on every side), on July 20th, 1988 we received the most unexpected and shocking phone call from the supervisor of Human Resources in the county where Desiree’ was in foster care, saying, “Come and get your daughter tomorrow!”

The very next morning, we drove the five hours to where she was and our beautiful eleven month old daughter was placed in our arms for the first time. We had never seen her, held her but we had a promise in our hearts that God had put there and now the unseen was seen and in she filled our arms. Desire fulfilled filled our hearts and arms in the form of a little girl named Desiree’. And…as it turns out— I was also pregnant! It had been prophesied over us that we would receive double.

I am sharing this because as I opened my old Bible and saw the verses highlighted and my scribbled words, “Desiree (children)” I immediately felt that the Spirit said that there are many who will read this that are eagerly holding onto “hope unseen” (since hope that is seen is no longer hope but desire fulfilled) and they need encouragement to persevere until they see the promise come forth.

He is not a God that he should lie! When God spoke to us about this baby in December 1987 we were invited to partner with him on a journey through the “impossible” to see how he is able to do what no man can do. This would be the first of a lifetime of facing the impossible and seeing his faithfulness come forth. We had many opportunities to give up and let go but no matter the obstacles, we were given the grace to persevere. Her birth mom had named her Desiree’, which means, “Longed for and deeply desired one.” Her middle name, Renee, means, “Reborn.” What a gracious and faithful God!!

Exactly one year and two days after I scribbled those words in my Bible I gave birth to a baby boy with Desiree’ in our home and arms. Hope was turned to “a promise of double” fulfilled.

What are you eagerly hoping for? What has the Lord given you a word and a promise about? HOLD ON AND DO NOT LET GO! EAGERLY AND ACTIVELY HOPE!

“This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.” Habakkuk 2:3

Persevere and wait patiently. It may be painful and it may be greatly opposed— it may even be impossible— BUT GOD! Follow his steps and his leading. Don’t sit passively but each day ask him to lead you in any steps that you need to take as you partner with him. Prophecy the promise over your life, pray his promises and eagerly HOPE! He is faithful and will perform it.

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