What We Don't Know Won't Hurt Us?

I had an interesting conversation via E-mail with another POM this week. We agreed that sometimes we don't want to know how bad it is for our kids.
This week when Erik told me what good care he got at the hospital, but then went on to tell me that there was no toilet paper or hand soap available I found myself wanting to ask how clean was the operating room and the instruments that they used, but instead I laughed with him and told him to STOP, and not tell me anymore details.
I was going to choose to leave it with God and be thankful that he received the emergency surgery he needed and focus on the miracle of the whole thing.
Sometimes it's just painful to hear the details about their hardships. I want to hear so that I can pray specifially, but sometimes it is just hard.

The Lord Has Made Himself Known Ps. 9:16

Ten mins. after posting my last entry, I received a call from Michele that Erik was so sick with high fever and pain that they were flying him out to the city of Port Vila for possible surgery. They were thinking that it was his appendix.

Any panic I had was set on finding others to pray for them. I always do better when I do something, and God's peace seemed to carry me through the night.

In the middle of my night,they ended up doing and emergency appendectomy.
With a phone call this morning, I heard his groggy voice tell me,
"I'm okay mom, the fever is down, and the pain is better."

As I sit at my table this morning praying, my heart is filled with gratitude.
I am thanking God he got out in time.
I am thanking God for the medical care he got, truly I'm amazed at this.
I am thanking God that Michele is back safely from the village,she only got stuck 3 times on that wet slippery road, but there were people to help get her out, and that she plans to fly to Erik sometime this afternoon.
I am thankful for the other missionaries who sat with him, watched over him, prayed for and with him, and loved him.
I am thankful for the many prayers prayed on his behalf from family, friends, and strangers.

I know that there is much healing to take place.
I also recognize we need to see how it goes with this healing, but for now I'm a thankful mother praising God for His goodness, power, and protection.

"The LORD also will be a stronghold for the oppressed(crushed,injured, afflicted)
A stronghold in times of trouble;
and those who know His name will put their trust in Him,
For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You." Ps. 9:10-11

Missionaries are Special People ...

A few years ago my niece ,who was 18 at the time came to me and asked if it was okay if she didn't want to be a missionary. She had just come from a 3 week missionary trip in India and had not enjoyed it at all.

This girl really loves the Lord, and she was feeling very guilty because at that point in her life, missionary work was not what she wanted to do.

"But I've been told that God needs missionaries, and we need to answer his call, " she said.

"Not everyone is called to be a missionary, my dear girl. It is a special calling, one that not everyone can do. Yes, we are all told to preach the gospel in season and out, but we are not all called to do this on the missions field, " I told her.

Missionaries are special people. They live hard lives. They live in dangerous places, some in places where their lives can be in jeopardy. They live with disease and illnesses. Diseases that can be easily diagnosed and treated in this country, but not where they live. Some live without electricity or running water. They have to learn new languages and gain an understanding of the country and cultures that they are living in, and then adapt to the culture while showing the love of Jesus to those that they serve. They are in the trenches for Christ and their lives are hard.

Missionaries are special people there are no accolades every time that they give a speech, preach a sermon, or write a book. I wonder though if accolades are being collected in heaven and being turned into crowns for the missionary to throw at Jesus feet.

Missionaries are special people. Not everyone is called to be a full time missionary, and I think that it is important that while we should encourage missionary work we recognize that not everyone is called to be a missionary.

I am blessed watching their endurance and perseverance as they serve Christ.
I am blessed watching God work in their lives. He is good to meet their needs and help them through difficult times.
I am blessed to be a part of it by being a missionary mom.
I am blessed as I grow in faith because I choose to give my family to God over and over again.

I am thankful that God loves me and my children.
I am thankful that God is Sovereign and nothing happens to me or my children that He doesn't allow.
I am thankful that because of the finished work of Jesus that I can draw near to the throne of grace, and when I don't know how to pray that Jesus sits at the right hand of God interceding for my missionary.
I am thankful that all things work together for good to those that love God and are called according to His purpose.

Missionaries are special people.

For those that read this blog, please would you pray for my missionary son.
He is really really sick again and they aren't sure what is wrong. His computer is still down, but we did hear from him as he wanted us to pray for him.

Joy To The World....

I was just watching the T.V. show "Monk" a special Christmas episode.

"Joy is a trick, a diversion, it is not real," said Monk.
That's pretty extreme... it made me stop and think.

I know that joy is real and not a trick because the JOY of the Lord is my strength.

But how can we still have JOY during this holiday season when we are missing our kids, and not feeling very joyful?
Start by keeping our focus on the "Reason for the Season", Jesus our Saviour.


I love the scripture in Philippians 2:5 that tells us that Jesus gave up His throne to come to earth and save mankind.

"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross, for this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name. so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow."

Matthew's Gospel recalls Isaiah's prophesy that applies to Mary and Jesus.

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,and they will call him Immanuel- which means God with Us"

"In Jesus, God would succeed in a unique way, becoming a man in order to save the world not from the outside, but from the inside Immanuel, God with us, to rescue, redeem, and restore our relationship with him." Ann Spangler

It is the truth of the Gospel that we can focus on this holiday season that will bring us Joy and Peace.
It is the truth of the Gospel that motivates our children to serve Him in full time service.

Another Way to Fill our season with JOY is to
spend more time in prayer for our kids.
We are apart, but God is with them.
My prayer is for much blessing on them during this holiday time.
That they will not be to homesick, and that the people in the village will see Christ in them.

Finally I find that if I try and focus on being thankful it helps. Thankfulness seems to put the sadness in its proper perspective, and fills my heart with the JOY of the Lord. He has been so good to my family, and I praise Him for that.

Thank you to those who have left messages of encouragement and for your prayers. It blesses me that we can support one another, and that as missionary parents we have something in common. When my children first left it was very hard to find any one that understood my pain, over the years that has changed and I am thankful.