I need you to GO...

I will not leave you as orphans...I will come to you... John 14:18

In January, I had the opportunity to attend the Created for Care conference in Atlanta with 500 other adoptive/waiting/praising/Jesus-lovin/COOL/fun mama's from around the country. And while this blog will not be about all the Lord showed me there, it does play a part in the story that leads me to where I sit today.

I'm just gonna say it.

The Lord very gently told me that we were done bringing kids home.

He had been working that in me for some time, but that weekend He confirmed it.

In His Word, and through the Holy Spirit.

And I was a mess.

A snotting mess.

For a few days, I grieved. My mama heart wanted to mama more, but I knew I had to be just as obedient in THIS as I was when He said, go....so I sucked it up, dried the tears and asked the Lord what was next. Little did I know :)

About 2 weeks later the opportunity came to lead a mission trip to an orphanage in China.

*ARE YOU KIDDING ME????* *insert shock face*

After prayer and prayer and prayer and digging into the Word, I knew the Lord was saying this was my opportunity. And even though we were done bringing kids home, He had a new plan...and He LOVES ME SO... that I'm not kidding when I felt like He whispered to my heart..."I know your heartbeat for these children, because I gave it to you...(Psalm 37:4)...and I'm not done with it...so here's a little gift..."

*insert sob face*

So....

This is where YOU come in. I need a team. 

I need people to come with me to love and hold and pray over and serve the least of these in a very far away place. Nobody is going to clap for you. You won't get recognized and praised for your good work. But you will gain a glimpse into the Lord's heart that I can guarantee you would not have had otherwise. You will experience Him in a way that will blow you away!!!

I need some line jumpers.

People who get to the line of status quo Christianity, and don't just get comfortable there. 

People who aren't content to just wade and splash in the shallow waters of what He has for them...but are willing to go take a swim in the deep end. 

"They have seen the works of the LORD, And His wonders in the deep."

Psalm 107:23-25

People willing to jump right over that big white line that hundreds of Christians are sitting behind living boring, mundane lives....and just trust that the big old net of Jesus is going to catch you.

And here's the deal.

Jesus didn't call us to adopt all the orphans. You will never hear me say, "All Christians are supposed to adopt, that's in the Word" like you hear people-who-aren't-in-the-Word say. Because it doesn't say that. What it does say, is that we are to "care" for orphans (James 1:27 and dozens more). How that looks for your family may be totally different for my family....so how is your family obeying that call?

Now what's on your calendar for June 27-July 6th?

Yes, I know it's $4,000. Yes, that may seem like a lot of money. Nope, you won't get much sympathy from the girl who watched the Lord GIVE her family $50,000 to bring two kids home in 3 years.

I know if you're a parent, it's hard to leave your kids for 10 days and go across the ocean. Trust me...any fear you have, I've already experienced....and I'm begging you to just try Him....Psalm 34:8

The Lord FUNDS WHAT HE FAVORS. And He HIGHLY favors orphans. And He HIGHLY favors willing people. And He HIGHLY favors line jumpers. AND HE WILL FUND THIS.

I'd love to talk to you.

I'd love to pray with you.

I know the Lord is speaking to someone right now about this and saying, "trust Me......"

My email is emilysflynt@gmail.com and my cell is 229-449-3184

Let's go love on some babies and be the hands and feet of Jesus together friends!!

Trip Details:

http://www.awaa.org/ACT/trips/China(Guangdong)/default.aspx

Matthew 9:37

"Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few."

Natalie Grant: You make me cry every.time.I.hear.this.song

Lost are saved. Find their way. At the sound

of Your Great Name

All condemned feel no shame,

At the sound of your Great Name

 Every fear has no place

At the sound of your Great Name,

The enemy.... he has to leave

At the sound of your great Name

All the weak find their strength

at the sound

of your great Name

Hungry souls receive Grace, at the sound of your great Name

The fatherless...... they will find their rest.....at the sound of your Great name

 The sick are healed, and the dead are raised

At the sound of your great Name!!!!

Redeemer, my Healer

Lord Almighty

Our Savior, Defender, you are my King

Jesus

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain for us

Son of God and man

You are high and lifted up

and all the world will praise your

GREAT NAME!!!!!

Walking Away: 2 years later

2 years ago today we were walking through the halls of what had been Asher's home for 23 months.

Still in shock over being handed a 17 lb 23 month old who had never had anything solid in his mouth.

Who wasn't walking, talking, or even crying. Whose spine I felt every time I held him.

I was angry. The other child that was adopted from this place on the same day was healthy, chubby, running all over and babbling all kinds of Chinese. And was younger than Asher by a few months. I was anxious to see just what kind of place this was and try to put the pieces together of a very, very fuzzy puzzle.

It was cold and dark inside the building. Colorful but sterile. The staff were sweet, smiling at us, and welcoming.  A nanny walked by with a basin of bottles, with large holes cut out of the nipples so the kids would drink fast and be done so the next chore could be done. Strangely quiet for being "home" to about 100 children.

We didn't get anymore answers to our fuzzy puzzle. All we were told was that they had tried to "fix" his hands, but that "it didn't work." (how exactly you fix missing fingers is beyond me)

*taped to his crib*

But then our time was over. We said our goodbyes. And we participated in one of the greatest miracles I believe I'll ever be a part of:

We walked out of that building with our son.

That my friends, is a miracle.

The Lord had His eyes on this child when he was abandoned in a box. In His Sovereignty, moved the heart of a man to find him, take him to the police station, and then to an orphanage that participated in International Adoption. In a city of 7 million people.

7.million.people.

And we got to be a part of that plan and participate in the miracle. I'll tell you one thing, no one ever struts when they are adopting. Adoption has been the most humbling experience of my life. Hands down. If there's ever any pride in this process, the Lord is not in it. Saying yes to this calling ought to make us fall on our faces to the ground and just weep over how BIG God is and how GOOD He is and how SOVEREIGN He is. And BEG Him for wisdom and understanding on how to love and parent these gifts He's given us.

We got in the van, and drove away that day. Feeling more guilty than I ever have in my entire life that I only had ONE child in my arms. That 100 were still in that place. It did and does still feel, like not enough.

Today, there is healing.
There is eating and running and singing and giggling.
There is peaceful sleep and security.
There are lots and lots of hot wheels.

Revelation 21:5

And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

The miracle is still unfolding.
Happy 2 years home, Asher Stephen.
God's gonna use you BIG, buddy.
You are indeed fulfilling your name.
Happy and Crowned.

Love,
Mama

The last drop of summer.........

I have a LOT to catch up on, but we're savoring the last few drops before school starts back around here! (and counting down, not gonna lie:) So we had our last, quick over night trip to the beach this week, just because we love it so much! Naming picture folders, "lastbeach2012" makes me sad!! So next week, I'll catch up on our summer......as soon as we get all the sand out of our hair......and eyebrows....

4 Years

4 years ago today we got that phone call every adoptive parent longs to receive...."Jay and Emily, we have a file of a little girl we'd like for you to consider..." I will never forget a single thing that was said in that conversation for as long as I live!!

Our dossier had been in China for exactly TWO WEEKS and we weren't expecting a call like that for several months. But God.

And I'll be transparent...I didn't see her picture and melt and say, "that's the face of my daughter!!"

I was scared. Phrases like "never walk" and "never potty trained" are just scary. Period.

So we made some phone calls. Got some wisdom. And one of those calls was to the only person I had met, and had any longer than a 10 minute conversation with, about adoption. She lived in Fl. All I could get out when she answered was, " I don't know what to do....*tearssss*"

She listened. She prayed. And then said, "Emily, out of the millions of baby girls in China, God has chosen her for your family...." And as she said those words, I got a peace from head to toe. Jay and I prayed with our faces on the floor, as my heart rate slowly returned to normal. Then we began frantically getting paperwork together to fax to our agency.

4 years and many miracles later, she's our beautiful, amazing, Ashley Mei!

We love you to the moon and back, sweet girl!!! You are a vision and a promise, fulfilled by the Lord. And He has great.big.plans for your life. It was and is a honor to be chosen as your family.

Psalm 139:16

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.


"Mama...HOW did they get that picture all the way from China? WHO sent it? Why did they send it??" 
*whole new era of adoptive parenting here, folks!*

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASHLEY MEI!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET GIRL!!!! I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU ARE FIVE!!!!!

Would love some feed back...........

Background: He came home a few weeks before his 2nd bday, and could not take but 2-3 steps on solid ground. He could run on the bed mattress, and obviously was left in his crib 24 hrs a day, hence the reason he could walk so steadily on a soft surface (other facts point to the 24/hr crib thing, but that's another post). 

So.

I've been noticing how bowed his ankles and feet are.....(and he walks with a "different" gait as well..again, could just be from the way he learned to walk??? or something else?.)

Headed to the Dr soon....appt is made....but any thoughts? We pay a lot of attention to feet here, Ashley has a teathered spinal cord due to spina bifida, so I watch hers for bowing consistently.....and his are much worse than hers! When he walks, it actually gets worse, not better.