Do you think they're thinking about us as much as we're thinking about them?

Actually, I hope not--I mean I know they probably think about us maybe as they're drifting off to sleep. But I'm praying that their heads and hearts are so full of what is right in front of them, right in the moment that they are just responding, feeling, being blown away by God's goodness! When the girls were little and we were in the car (never for very long even) and they would start asking about when we were getting there and what would we be doing and who would be there--I would chant to them "Be in the moment, be in the moment..." Still now, when they start to get too far ahead of today, I'll start to chant and they'll say, "we know, we know--be in the moment!" What a moment they are experiencing--don't you wish you could be a fly on the wall? I imagine hands being held and little ones be twirled around and someone offering to help another and people laughing with each other over mangled English words, Spanish words and I imagine Jesus in the middle of it all--his head back laughing with pure joy at these children of His!

So, sisters & brothers--let's be in OUR moments--right here back on the homefront. Don't let Satan take you to a place of worry or fear or uncertainty--be in the moment, be in the moment...

We're not in Nicaragua, but...

We're not in Nicaragua, but I like to think we are still on a bit of a journey ourselves. For those of us who haven't sent a child on this mission trip before it is definitely a time of learning to relinquish control, to let go, to trust young adult leaders with our babies' very lives--to trust GOD. And even though we haven't gone anywhere physically, don't we go out every morning into a mission field? Our kitchen, the grocery store, the car repair shop, the workplace, a classroom, a neighbor's backyard, a friend's hospital room--all mission fields, where we are missionaries or can serve the missionaries. Tonight our mission field was a swimming pool, where our small group hosted a pool party for one of my most favorite missionaries--Ben Conner, the Young Life Capernaum leader in Williamsburg and his band of 20+ special needs kids and their parents. Watching the kids play in the pool, the parents sit & relax & chat with each other was a a little slice of heaven I think. Everyone accepted for just who they were, relaxing, trusting, laughing--lots of laughing & splashing.

I closed my eyes & imagined our Alexandra laughing and playing with some Nicaraguan kids. Can you picture your kids? Can you picture us all in our various mission fields? We're not in Nicaragua, but...we can stand by them, work with them here, now in our mission fields...

Just such a time as this...

I've been thinking about the book of Esther from the Old Testament--the only book in the Bible where God is never explicitly mentioned. And yet, His hand, His providence is everywhere in this story of a beautiful Jewish girl who becomes a queen and ultimately saves the Jewish people living in Xerxes' kingdom from annihilation. Mordecai, Esther's cousin, sends word about the plot and she at first refuses to go to Xerxes, knowing it could mean immediate death for her. Mordecai sends this reply back to her, "Don't think that just because you live in the king's house you're the one Jew who will get out of this alive. If you persist in staying silent at a time like this, help and deliverance will arrive for the Jews from someplace else; but you and your family will be wiped out. Who knows? Maybe you were made queen for just such a time as this" Esther 4:13-14 from The Message.

Just such a time as this... I love this phrase and I've been thinking about it all day as I imagine our travellers. This is their "just such a time as this"--who they sit next to, who they smile at in the crowded airport, who they help lift a heavy bag, the orphan who falls in love with them--it is all for just such a time as this.

God has them in this time and place for His purposes; it is no accident, no coincidence--they are on this trip now for just such a time as this. Sleep well tonight, precious children--we love you.

They're on the road to Nicaragua...

We watched Alexandra load up on a double decker bus and head to Dulles. They fly to Miami, then on to Managua--they get in this evening. Please join us in pray for these 100+ students & leaders & their families--for safe & uneventful travel, for good health, for open eyes, ears, hearts to God's Presence--for peace & assurance of God's Providence.

If you can, read Ephesians 3:15-20--it is my prayer for them. I love TheMessage translation especially! Blessings to all...

In less than 24 hours...

Well, in less than 24 hours, our first born will be on her way to Nicaragua--along with about 80 other students and 25 leaders. If you have a child on this trip, I wonder how you're feeling? Excited? Nervous? Classic Chapel answer--YES! I realized this morning, that 16 years ago at this time we were waiting for her arrival into the world--we were excited and nervous then, too. Isn't that kind of how life seems to work--the best moments seem to be a mix of waiting, excitement, and nerves. So we wait...for tomorrow morning as we gather at the Chapel to send them off--with tears & prayers, excitement & trepidation. We will wait for their return...but mainly we wait for their stories of God's amazing Grace, His mercy, when they saw His face in an orphan's--in each other's...

Feel free to comment, add prayers--as I texted Travis this morning "Praying/breathing--all the same now..."

Godspeed brothers & sisters!