Our Summer Adventure Begins

.Well, we've busy, busy, busy..... up to our ears in paperwork but the end of this easy part is almost over....

What are we up to??? Well...... it started almost a year ago......

Brian challenged the members of our church, "If God we're to call you to go on a missions trip, are you ready to go?" Anyway, a couple of months later he continued the challenge with, "We're not sure where we are going, or what we will be doing, are you ready to go?" Some responded....

I was unsure how to respond. For years (since I was 16), I've felt like I could live and minister overseas! I went to seminary with the intentions of my heart to get some formal Bible training and to head to Asia somewhere..... but then my plans were changed :) And now my ministry is my HOME, not to the neglect of serving outside the home, of course. But with every ministry or volunteer position I've tried to be a part of, I've always have had my children with me or Brian, or their own activities/class!

I honestly believed my two options were 1) leave the kids at home (with wonderful grandparents) or 2) stay home with the kids!! Both completely fine options, but the more Brian and I talked about it and I prayed about it, I felt God saying to me, "You're ministry is at home with these three little children, why would you leave them to go to another ministry?"

After I had made my decision to stay, a family approached me and said that they were going and had decided as a family that they would help me with the kids, if I decided to go! I was surprised at the offer because it was sweet and because I hadn't even considering taking them an option:) But, I had three LITTLE kids, Lydia was maybe 8 months, still nursing, Christopher was almost 2 and Anna was 3.... I would have been crazy and little ministry would have gotten done, at least from me:) So after months and months of being confident in my staying, supporting the team through preparations and prayer, helping with photos and stuff once they got home and "holding down our fort" so that Brian could minister without worrying over us.....something happened.....

Brian started the conversation about the family going on the church mission trip to Canada, my Mom volunteered to go with us to help me with the kids and our kids got older:) I really thought Brian was crazy but then as we thought about it, talked about it and prayed about it, we felt that this would be a GREAT spiritual and learning experience for us and the kids. My heart raced as I imagine my children loving to help others and having a heart for missions, or going on their own missions trip.

So this summer our family will be traveling to Canada with our church's missions team. My prayer is that the kids and I will help and work with the team as much as possible. And that we would be looking for opportunities to meet other and share the Gospel when we having to be away from the team!!!

So today was the paperwork...... getting three new little kiddies passports and one Momma passport renewed.... let's pray our paperwork gets through quickly enough for us to go!!!

AM I nuts??? Well, I'm excited to go and very excited to serve my kids and with my kids! And I do wonder what kind of opportunities will come with a mission team that has three little ones under 4!!!!

And we'll keep you posted on the challenges and joys of bringing our little ones one a missions trip, I have a feeling this is going to grow me and my parenting:)