Oh my. I've said no for a couple of years now. Hoping the desire was a passing phase. But she's soon to be 20 and still the requests keep coming... and I can't squelch her missionary heart any longer. She wants to go to...gulp...India. Her church is sponsoring a trip, many friends in her circle are going...Heck, her passport is ready to go, the Holy Spirit is prompting her....so for crying out loud how can I stand in the way? We teach them about missions as they grow up, they hear missionary testimonies...we think it's great that they're listening obediently to the speaker in the the cozy sanctuary of our church with our Pastor sitting close by, and ME sitting close by with a smug smile. Look at my kids listening to the sweet missionary, isn't that great? Don't my kids have such sweet hearts...paying such close attention. But uh wait a little minute there precious offspring. What? You want to GO on a mission trip? To where? To INDIA? You've got to be kidding. Not kidding?? Well then no. No you can't go. NO WAY it's too far. Too dirty. Too dangerous. Too expensive. Too everything and no, nope, nosiree, uh uh no you are not going. The very idea. But Popdaughter's mind was not wandering to where we would go for lunch all those times she was listening to the guest missionary. No, she was taking it all in and saving it for when she was 20 and her mom can't help but say yes. Yes, yes, honey I'm so very proud of your desire to go. Yes, make your plans.
3 comments:
Ooohh.. It's difficult, but I think that when we hand God our most precious gifts and say..."here - here she is....use her as you will" He is most pleased because He knows the sacrifice is costly.
Anytime I have spoke about Patti accepting her call to be a missionary, I have always said that we all want there to be lots of missionaries, only not our ONLY sister, (or our children). Patti has been in Brazil for 11 years, and she lives everyday looking only to God for her safety, provisions, rent, food, etc. and HE has been faithful, and when you see someone living 100% in God's will, it is a happiness, and an enviable relationship with HIM that is not comparable with anything else. I still miss her so much, and consider it an offering to the Lord. I hope Elizabeth gets a glimpse of the blessing of answering the call, "Here I am Lord, send me".
Bless her heart. That is so wonderful that she has a heart for missions. I'll be praying for her! My mom is having a hard time with the idea of us moving to Bahrain in June (my husband's job is taking us there). But I reminded her of how parents of missionaries feel when their kids move across the world for not just 2-3 years, but possibly for a long time. Very different. But what a wonderful thing to know that you brought that child up to do the work that God has in store for her! I pray every day that I can do that with my kids. It was so easy for me to commit my baby to God the day I found out that I was expecting her. But it will be so hard one day if God calls her somewhere far away from me. So difficult and wonderful at the same time. I'll be praying for you to have peace while your baby is overseas!!
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