Lily and Jesus...the rest of the story

Over the past few days, I've started, quit, and then restarted posts about Lily's journey with Jesus.

I'd love to sit and write down everything I've seen Him do since bringing her home, but the words just don't come easily and the time to sit and think just isn't there.

But I do want to share the highlights.

Since our first conversation with her a few weeks back she has been completely captivated by Him.

We've read story after story after story of His miracles.
We've talked about how only He can heal the hurts that she carries in her heart.
And we've prayed that she would come understand just how much He loves her and what He's accomplished for her on the cross.

Though our conversations were daily and her English was growing by leaps and bounds, I still wondered how much of the gospel she was actually able to understand.

Until in a moment of pure brilliance, my husband asked,  "I wonder if they make a JESUS film in Mandarin?"

Ahhh...
I didn't know the answer but I did know how to find out.
I emailed a friend who knew a thing or two about that movie and discovered that they did indeed make a version in Mandarin!  (Thanks Janna!)

So we ordered it and we watched it together, listening in Mandarin while reading English subtitles.

She "ooohed" at some of the scenes while uttering an occasional "wow"  at the miracles and "that's cool"  when He appeared to His disciples after the resurrection.
(My personal favorite was when she said that Jesus had nice teeth.)


And that night when tucking her into bed, instead of Lily asking for Scott and I to pray, like she normally does, for the first time she said she wanted to pray...

"What do you want to tell Him?"  I asked her.

(Are you ready for this?)

"That I love Him,"  she said.

And I knew she meant it.

She's been home with us for less than 2 months so I don't even have a "before" to contrast with an "after" but honestly, she's a different child than the one we first met.  Her countenance, her spirit, it's just different.

And we are amazed.

It's been a few nights since that all took place but even tonight when we put her to bed, once again, she said she wanted to pray.

Unsolicited, unprompted, completely on her own, the little girl who 2 months ago had never heard the name of Jesus prayed, "Thank You, Jesus,  for coming into my heart."