This is Kyle’s Mom. I wanted to share with you a little of what I have been going through lately as a parent of a World Race Gap Year participant. I’m not one of those parents who is really worried and anxious to have my child go on this 9 months of adventure. I’m maybe a little overboard the other direction – I am SO excited to see him head out on this journey. I have read many blogs, the whole parent section of Adventures in Missions, watched hours of vlogs and am borderline obsessed. Maybe it’s because I wish that I would have done something like this when I was his age and I’m living vicariously through him. Maybe it’s because he wants to go into “missions” and that seems vague to me, I’m hoping for some clarification on that calling. Maybe it’s because I want him to taste freedom, to own his faith and his future so that he doesn’t end up being content to live with his parents until he’s 40. Sometimes I feel like I’m more excited than he is, but yet I know that this is his desire.
The other day I was thinking about the fact that time was speeding along and it seemed there was still much to be done. I feel a little overwhelmed every time I think of how much money Kyle needs to come up with to make this all happen. I was worrying that he isn’t doing enough and started feeling like taking control – even though I know better. This is Kyle’s deal from start to finish, somehow I need to encourage and support him without doing things for him… tough job after being a Mom all these years. I realized that I was really anxious and unsettled. I was questioning if this was just some grand adventure of fun that Kyle wants, or worse, me pushing my son out of the nest. Either way it was lacking in the fact that I wasn’t sure if this was God calling my son or us just wanting it.
It scared me to think of my son going all over the world without being in God’s will. I needed to know for my own peace of mind, so I prayed. I prayed specifically that God would give Kyle a certain amount of money in his account by the end of the week (it was over $700 and we were already partway through the week). I also asked that God give him $1000 a week until he is fully funded… which I thought was too much so I took it back. On Saturday evening we still had $300 to go – not that anyone else knew this – Kyle went out to get the mail and there was a check for $300 from a sweet woman at church that we casually know. I got teary eyed thinking how I didn’t deserve to have this affirmation but God knew that I needed it and He wanted to bless me (as well as Kyle). The next morning at church a very generous man handed Kyle a check for $1000! God is extremely generous and wants to answer our specific prayers. I loved how the Holy Spirit prompted 2 people that aren’t in our inner circle of family or people we may “expect” to receive gifts from in order to answer this Mom’s prayer. Every dollar that has been given to my son towards this trip has encouraged my heart knowing there are so many precious saints partnering in prayer and giving towards Kyle’s part of furthering the Kingdom of God.
Thank you and God Bless!
