Thoughts on the World, Kids, and God

Remember a morning this summer, where I was able to sit alone at the closest thing we have to a coffee house? Well, I am there again this morning. And I am able to think a bit.

Seems that last time I was here, I was talking about Honduras. Our minds have been these last few months. So crazy how a place can take hold of you. I have been there, for two weeks, 13 years ago. I was just 15. But I have thought and read more about that country these last few months than I have the last 13 years, Lonely Planet, this blog (spent an entire evening when Noah was in camp reading it), the news, missionary emails. Guess that's what happens when you think about moving somewhere.

I mentioned last week we bought a plane ticket for Noah for the end of the month. That same week, the former president commandoed his way back into the country and is holding up in the Brazilian embassy. Yeah, that's fun. And if I let myself think about it too long, I could get pretty worked up about my husband, the father of two tiny little boys, heading to a country in political upheaval. But I am not going to think about it, and instead preach to my heart what my TCK friend tells me all the time, "The safest place to be is to be in the center of God's will." Yep.

Zeleya, former president of Honduras, and his buddy Hugo Chavez, president of Venezula

There has been a whole lot of counting the cost on my part this summer. Many phone calls to that same friend, in tears over our decisions. What about this? What about that? Oh, and this other thing? How can we be deciding these things for people who can't make a decision, our boys?



She sent me this article about choosing missions for your kids, and it was so very, very helpful, just what my heart needed to hear. It reminded me again, that if God is calling Noah and I to this, He is calling our boys to it as well, that this is part of His perfect plan for their lives. If you are close to us at all (say a grandparent, sibling, hehehe, hi guys!) read this article. It might help with some of the questions you have.

I tend to get bogged down in the, "well, what about when 15 years from now, bla blah blah blah...." I am learning more and more that God is just showing us the next step. Sure, He has given us the overall big picture of Latin America Missions, but it's been little by little that He has shown us the other details. That prayer of, "Lord, show us the next step" has been answered. Just the next step, that next place to put our feet. And we need to be obedient. And then He shows us a little more.

So, that next step is to meet with Wes and Cindy next Monday. And then for Noah to go to Honduras for seven days to look, listen, explore, and pray. Oh and take 9G worth of photos and video.

And we trust that God will show the next step after that.

"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them."
-Isaiah 42:16