A surprise blog I found in my mailbox by loving boyfriend and even more loving parents, enjoy!
There are challenges that life brings that will stretch us, and we can either learn from those things and grow, or we can run from them. As you’ve read in Vanessa’s blogs, with everything, it’s a choice. However, the World Race can be a catalyst for these choices, pushing you toward that make or break moment with God.
And so, below is a list of 7 things that we—Vanessa’s parents and I—put together that we could categorize as “things you probably wouldn’t do, experience, or learn quite as easily, without a loved one on the World Race”.
Mr. and Mrs. D:
1 – Trusting the Lord TOTALLY with Vanessa no matter what goes on in all these countries.
2 – Waking up in the middle of night and praying for her, even though I don’t know what’s going on in her life. (Mrs. D)
3 – Waiting patiently for the day we will see her again and hug her.
4 – When it has been 3 weeks without hearing from her, anticipating the next time I see her face or hear her voice. Then, when we do talk, I’m loving every minute of it. Then, it’s sad when we hang up. (Mrs. D)
5 – We learned that we can’t protect her during these 11 months, but Jesus is always protecting her.
6 – We didn’t like the change in our lives of her leaving, but change makes us grow.
7 – We have learned and appreciated that even though this world is so big, we have the privilege of being able to communicate with her. That has helped us get through these 11 months.
Eric:
1 – Suddenly dropping everything because you’re getting a call or a text from Vanessa because you learn to never take an opportunity like that for granted. I have an even greater appreciation for communication.
2 – God is far better at taking care of her than I ever could be. I was secure in my ability to keep her safe and needed to get over myself.
3 – Finding ways to include Vanessa in what’s going on back home but finding a balance as to not distract her.
4 – Some people will ask me how Vanessa is doing more than they ask me how I’m doing.
5 – I learned real fast what it REALLY looks like to trust the Lord completely. Pray. Pray. Pray. God shows up every time.
5b – Patience. OH so much patience.
5c – Fear gets really tiny and weak once you’ve dealt with it at this level.
6 – Waking up at 4am everyday to make sure there’s an opportunity to talk when there’s an 11 hour time difference.
6b- Acute awareness of the current time and all things time zones in foreign places.
7 – Never-ending “I could never do that” comments create an extra opportunity to share the wonder of Christ with people.
We could all say more, but we’ll stop there for now. Having Vanessa away on the World Race is such a beautiful thing. Vanessa and her squad are on a magnificent journey sharing the love of Christ with broken, hurting parts of the world, and we, in our own way, get to share in the growth during this season. It’s a lot like being placed in a pressure cooker; our patience and our faith is put under the gun. We have all grown in the things of God, and we have a trust in Him that is so much stronger because of this journey.
Romans? ?5:3-5? ?TPT??
But that’s not all! Even in times of trouble we have a joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures will develop in us patient endurance. And patient endurance will refine our character, and proven character leads us back to hope. And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us!
Sending a loved one on the World Race is no joke and no picnic. It will strip you bare and show your true colors. There will be tears and there will be battles, but God is always faithful, and He loves us endlessly!
If someone you know and love is called to go on a missions trip where nearly everything is out of your control, trust us when we say TRUST GOD! Jesus will care for them, and you will see a wonderful transformation in their life. If you let God be God and lean into Him no matter what, you will see transformation in your life, too!
-Parents & Eric
??1 Chronicles? ?29:11? ?NLT
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.??
