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."

Lily and Jesus

If I read the Joshua Project data correctly, there are over 2.8 billion unreached people in the world today. 

Over 2.8 billion people who have never heard the gospel. 

2.8 billion people who have
never
heard
His
name.

Not over the past x number of years.
Today.
Right now.
This very minute.

While that number is staggering in and of itself, it became even more weighty when, having recently returned from China, I realized that one of those precious people, created in the very image of God but having never heard the story of His redeeming love, was
my
own
daughter.

In time, I will try to recount what has transpired in the life of my little girl over the past 2 months.

But for now, pray for the 2.8 billion who have never heard.

And rejoice with me because tonight, there is one less.

"Focus."

It's Lia's new favorite word.  And she wields it with much power and precision around here.

Like when Michael is pouring her a bowl of cereal and gets lost in conversation with his other sister.

"Michael, focus!" she tells him.

Or when putting a puzzle together with her daddy who simultaneously is checking some of the latest football scores.

She reminds him not-so-subtly, "Daddy, FOCUS!"

It is certainly a reminder I need all too often these days. 

In a few minutes we will leave for our last Christmas road trip.  Then home again to de-decorate, finish the last bit of preparations for Lily's arrival, begin to seriously pack for China.  And there's also this schooling thing we've got going on too.

In the midst of all that (and really on any given day, not just this particular season of life) it's very easy for me to lose focus and get distracted by the unimportant things.

And I end up like Peter sinking in the water because I have lost sight of Jesus.

There is much joy to be had in this journey even amidst the hardships but it's a battle to maintain it when so many things desire to steal it away.

So today, by His grace, I will heed the wisdom of my pint-size preacher...

...and remember to keep my eyes focused on Him.

How High The Heavens

For as high as the heavens are above the earth...




so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him...Psalm 103:11

His fixed, unchanging, steady, firmly loyal, constant, unswerving love.

Francis Chan: The New Middle Road

Pressing On

Philippians 3:12~

"I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me..."