We Get To Do Hard Things

Our lawyers told us today that they weren’t surprised that Benjamin’s 🇿🇦 visa application was rejected because at least 70% of them are. I had called to understand our options. The options were there was no option except to bring him in this afternoon to the visa processing center to appeal.

We showed up at the end of an already-tricky day and found an over-crowded room that flabbergasted even the center’s staff and our legal representative. I started praying for grace and favor immediately. I’d never been in this setting with Benjamin while he was struggling so much inside himself.

Favor came after I had a very direct mama-bear kind of confrontation with a security guard and then burst into tears when the room began to understand Benjamin was not coping well there. Favor was being sent outside to wait while our legal rep held our spot in line. We timed how long Jam could balance on one foot, and I taught him how to do a wall sit. (His form is terrible.)

It was three hours. It was not fun. All of my nerve endings are charred. But we did it! We can do hard things! We keep doing them again and again because God keeps giving us an opportunity to. We don’t question our calling or the size or our God. We wonder what His presence will look like today.

We are overwhelmingly blessed to serve the God of the universe who lets us do hard things. This temporary world is so easily juxtaposed to His eternal glory.

We get to live here when it’s hard to even get permission to. We get to be seen by God when we can’t get someone to look at our documents.

The Ladd family would love for you to join us in praying for favor for documents for every single one of us. Explaining more publicly would be unwise and dishonoring, but you are welcome to contact us directly.

Psalm 18:32-34
God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect. [33] He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights. [34] He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.