Orphan Sunday Recap

Finally!

Orphan Sunday!

Beginning of Revival!

It worked out that revival began on Orphan Sunday. 

God worked it out that revival began on Orphan Sunday.

It was a wonderful day!  We had a full house and although we only had a few minutes to share, everything about it was wonderful.

What did I say? 

I don't know! 

If anyone was there, please tell me! 

I always get up there and act like a blubbering idiot!

Renea and I had made a video and our plan was to speak for a few minutes and then have them play the video.  Well they started the video as we were making our way to the front, so we just sat on the front pew while it played.  This video shared some personal moments of our adoption. 

We shared Jia's referral photo ( I call it my 'love at first sight' picture), a clip of her still living in the orphanage and the actual first moment we saw her!

We sat there, both of us sobbing, sniffing with contrite hearts.  And we still had to get up in front of everyone and speak! 

It's so hard to put into words what adoption does to you.  It changes you.

You are never the same after that.  You can't go where we've gone, see what we've seen, experience in your heart what we've experienced and ever be the same again. 

You come out on the other end of an adoption changed.  Crushed. 

I shared this verse:

Don’t excuse yourself by saying,

“Look, we didn’t know.”

For God understands all hearts, and he sees you.

He who guards your soul knows you knew.

He will repay all people as their actions deserve.

Proverbs 24:12

As it turns out, our Sunday School lesson and morning sermon were all about service.  And to me, Joint Heirs Adoption Ministry is my service.

God has shown me His heart for the Orphan. 

I have read His Word.

I know what it says about caring for the least of these.

I believe it.

I can no longer say "Look, I didn't know."

I do know.

He knows I know.

And I can't shut up about it.

It's sort of like sharing the Gospel message, if it causes just one sinner to repent, it was all worth it.

Well, if all my blabbering about adoption causes just one more child to find a home, then it was all worth it!

I felt convicted to share the most personal moments of our adoption with our church family because they all see Jia as she is now.  She is a wild woman at church.  She loves to go to church!  She says "everybody loves me!"  She knows it and she's right!

They see this vivacious, onery little girl running up the isle for childrens message, shaking hands, hitting her brother... etc.  But they hadn't seen the lonely, stoic, sad little girl in the orphanage with an expressionless face, waiting for a family to come for her. 

We see the images on TV and I don't think we believe that they're real.  Until we've seen it with our own eyes, we think they're made up or that they're embellished.  When if fact, they're toned down.  They don't show you the really bad stuff. 

Something very important to Renea and I is to be real.  To be honest.  The truth doesn't need to be embellished.  We aren't out to tell sad stories and pull on people's heart strings.  We're out to share the TRUTH and convict them with God's word:

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this:

 to visit orphans and widows in their trouble,

and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

James 1:27

'Nuff said!

Next post will be about the childrens message we shared.  The worship leader said it's a good day in church with the children's message convicts you!

Renea designed our very own JHAM Orphan Sunday shirts and everyone was so excited to wear them!  Even our Pastor and his wife had one on!

Trying to hold it together and still get across some important points.

JHAM with Sassy Pants

Jory sneaked his new camera into church and I guess I"m kinda glad he did or we wouldn't have these pictures to remember the day! 

He wanted to wear his shirt so bad!  It was all I could do to keep it off of him until Sunday so it would be clean!  I love you Jory!

Jia giving us her 'Grandma smile'!

My beautiful daughter.  I can't believe I"m so blessed to call her mine and see her smiling face everyday!