Hey everyone! So. First things first, I’m now officially fully funded! God has taught me so much during this season of fundraising, and I am absolutely blown away by everyone that’s supported me. I literally would not be on the field without all of you, and I continually appreciate the prayers and encouragement sent my way from everyone at home.
Speaking on this, two of my biggest supporters during this whole crazy journey are my parents. I’m blessed beyond words by the way that they’ve raised me, loved me, and lifted me up. I asked them to write this blog to share a little bit about what my trip to them has meant as parents. I hope you all enjoy!
I’ll admit, with Maggie being our 7th out of 9 to leave our proverbial nest, believe it or not, it wasn’t TOTALLY devastating to hear that she was strongly considering spending 9 months on an overseas missions experience rather than follow the typical path to college after her high school graduation. Her dad & I had already watched 5 of her older siblings move out of state for school, work & even the military. Not that the good-byes get any easier, but we’ve come to realize that the sooner we let our children loose to follow the path that God’s calling them on & relinquish our control over them & their choices, the better off they & we will be. We really can trust God & His plan for them! Even when they’re not seeking Him, but that’s for another blog!
Disclaimer: Maggie’s dad & I pulled this same stunt on our families. Granted we’d been married almost a year, but the news that we were leaving established career paths to spend a year as missionaries in Austria threw our loved ones for a loop. They weren’t quite sure what to think about it…except that it was the most absurd, crazy thing they’d ever heard!
But just as we had, Maggie had spent ALOT of time praying & seeking the Lord about her decision. It soon was confirmed that Adventures in Missions’ World Race Gap Year was for her. She literally just googled “gap year” so how she ended up at their website was truly a God thing. It’s a wonderful Christ-centered, Bible-based organization, & we’d highly recommend it for any 18-20 year old looking to experience a faith-filled 9 months!
But where did Maggie’s decision to join up with this organization leave us, her parents? Do we point out all the things she’d be giving up, or the fact that she could come down with any number of illnesses, or that we’d have to celebrate holidays without her, not to mention how in the world could she raise that amount of money to go? In this blog we’d like to encourage you parents out there to let your kids make “crazy” choices, ones that may not make sense to you, but ones that they need to make for themselves. Yes, it may be difficult, they may suffer at times. But it’s in those times they will also see & experience the love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, kindness, gentleness, healing, etc of their heavenly father who loves them WAAAY more than you or I ever could.
At home Maggie had struggled with a seemingly insurmountable pile of stress, self-doubt, hurt, etc., & our encouragement to “lean on the Lord” just didn’t seem to help her be able to get over it. Fast forward to last week as Maggie shared with us how she’d had a rough time, experiencing a time of anxiety-induced panic. And as difficult as it is to hear our sweet girl is struggling as she’s half a world away, I had to praise God as she quickly added that “it was just a short time & I was fine.” WOOHOO!
Not that one needs to go overseas to experience growth like that, but in Maggie’s case I think she needed to get out of her comfortable, cushy home here in the Midwest to really seek after the things of God without the distractions we all face every day. To learn to trust Him on her own. Nothing like walking into a village where you don’t speak the language, asking God to show you who you need to speak to & then spending precious time praying for & sharing Jesus’s love & healing with someone!
Needless to say Maggie’s faith has grown by leaps & bounds, & we would never have wanted to discourage her from experiencing all that she has…good & bad. Because God is using & will continue to use it all for His glory! When it comes to our children, those many of us held in our arms as babies at their dedications, giving them up to the Lord & His plan for them, we would do well to remember the once popular saying “Let go & let God.” He is faithful!! God bless you all on your journey with Him!
