When the Lights Go Out & We All Go Home

I promised you an update about how Summit 9 went, and well, it's been a week since 3,000 plus people piled themselves into a not so tiny church, sharing a heart for God and a passion for reaching the fatherless.

It was awesome.

Not the type of awesome where I'm giddy, feel like typing the word in all caps, and then ending it with 5 exclamation points. But awesome in that I felt so much delight in God that He blessed me with the opportunity to come together with so many like-minded believers, where we worshipped side by side and my insides were flooded with so much knowledge and inspiration that it was almost too much to hold. More than one moment was spent with silent tears sliding down my cheeks, some a testimony of joy and others sorrow. Either way, I didn't feel the need to wipe them hurriedly away in the hopes that maybe no one saw, but I was perfectly content to sink into each and every emotion.

So, I'll give you a few highlights of just what you missed out on if you weren't in Brentwood, Tennessee last Thursday and Friday:

• "The pain of losing a parent is not as great as living without one." - testimony of Stephen Ucembe, a young man from Africa who grew up in an orphanage from the age of 5 to 18 after his mother was brutally killed by his step-father. This was one of our opening speakers, and wow, if you want some reality, he'll give it to you. Amazing sharing.
• These children are NOT a project or a cause; they are a reality that exists in the community of God. We need to go in eyes open, understanding what this means. We must recognize the value of a life, that every child bears the image of God. We often don't see children as blessings themselves, but as a burden to be managed. We need to stop talking about them as a "foster child," "special needs child", or "HIV child," but as inheritors of the promise. - Russell Moore's talk about the challenges to the orphan care movement. I was so glad I sat in on this one. (Even if he sometimes goes so fast I can't write it all down)
• Stephen Curtis Chapman - what a talented musician, funny, and just makes you want to adopt him as your uncle in hopes that he'd show up at the Thanksgiving table and share a few stories
• By the end of the first day, Lucy had certainly left one exhibitor speechless as he kindly patted her on the shoulder and busied himself elsewhere. Needless to say, it became our running joke for the rest of the weekend.
• Free T-shirts!! Yippee!! I was a happy girl sporting my new duds that didn't cost me a penny.
• To prevent burnout, focus on one child at a time. Remember the ones you have helped & don't sink under the overwhelming statistics. - great advice from one panelist in Successful Models of Church Orphan Ministry
• Nicole C. Mullen rocking the house Friday night. Girl is in shape, hip hopping her way all over the stage and belting it out along the way. I was exhausted just watching her, but she is tons of fun. If you get a chance to see her live, go, it's worth the price of admission.
• David Platt is always good to listen to, and we all giggled as it seemed for a moment there he had lost control of the evening after speaking the first thing that came to his mind. Much laughter ensued.
• Kids, kids, and more kids. What a mish mash of God's artistry filled into one place. 49 states and 25 countries under a single roof. I talked with so many people I've never met before, listening to their testimonies of adoption, foster care, and missions. If satan ever tries to whisper in your ear that there is nothing that can be done, you ignore his deceiving words. There is plenty to do and you are not in this thing alone.  

Now the seats are empty and we've all packed it up and headed back to our little corner of the earth. As for myself, even though I was completely exhausted Saturday night, I could not get my brain to shut down. I sat at my computer Sunday afternoon as the rain fell with a cup of hot tea and put my thoughts to paper. We're formulating a plan, Lucy, Ethel, LA and I. Trying to not leave Summit9 in those pews, but bringing it to the people here in Bardstown. I'm jotting downs ideas on scraps of paper, so they don't fade away in the midst of the busyness of my days. You keep praying for us and for all the many people who joined us in that church house.

As one speaker said, this is spiritual warfare. We fight against the darkness and it is dangerous. But seeing as my God is so much bigger, after hearing from so many children whose lives were changed, I'm ready and willing to step out.