Oh my Goodwin girls.
They are such troopers.
Seriously, what we put them through on this journey of missions.
And the hardest parts are yet to come.
3 continents in 12 months.
New schools. New friends.
The constant purging of stuff.
I looked around their rooms the other day… crafts, little Kinder toys, marbles from school… random papers and notes sticky tacked to the wall… all things we will have to let go of in just 5 months.
My heart broke. I took a deep steadying breath…
They are settling in here. Gathering, accumulating, building their lives.
And we will soon uproot them. Sort their belongings.
The little wood houses they built in wood working.
The small clay figurines from art class.
The marble collections.
It will all have to be paired down once again.
The bins will overtake our apartment as we pack up our lives to move on.
Seeing their things that don’t make the cut for Senegal either thrown away, given away or mailed back home to go in storage.
Saying more goodbyes…
ugh.
Just to start all over again.
MKs are forced to readjust their lives. often.
Transition, change, replant.
and they do it.
smiling.
sometimes crying.
but sacrificing, obeying and moving forward. strong.
And not just in the way of stuff… people. families. home.
Annalise said recently, “Mommy, I want to go back and live with Grandma. I’m used to living at her house. I want to live at her house forever.”
They are not immune to all they have given up back home. They understand that life, family, friends… it is all moving ahead without them there.
Heart-wrenching sacrifice.
Abby realized the other day that, “Mommy, but my friends here in France won’t celebrate my birthday… I won’t even have a birthday in France.”
We moved here 3 days after her birthday and will leave 10 days before her next birthday.
Sacrifice.
I read this verse recently that I have started praying for my girls.
Psalm 50:5 says, “Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
I’ve been praying that God would gather my girls to Himself.
They have been dedicated to Him. They have each been called on this journey of missions with us. Asked to make sacrifices and endure a life of many challenges.
They have made a covenant with God by sacrifice.
A lifestyle of living simply, of letting go.
A covenant of putting the spread of the gospel above every earthly possession, relationship and place.
And in that covenant, I’m praying that God would keep their hearts soft to Him. Grow their relationship with Him. Allow them to transition well and stay strong through adversity. Praying that they will see God’s love and His hand at work in their lives as we travel to share Jesus with those who have never heard.
That they feel closely, intricately and deeply a part of this missional work.
That they personally connect to God in a way that will allow them to live His plan for their lives.
Praying that God will take them under His mighty wing and allow them to experience peace, joy and hope through every move, every change and every sacrifice.
Praying that God will help them take joy in all the amazing moments, the precious people, the big adventures and the great experience of their childhoods. Praying that they will recognize the honor and the beauty of this life.
Praying that He will reveal Himself to them in huge ways as we serve Him as a family in new countries, new places.
Praying that they will build healthy relationships with friends and that God will provide mentors for them in each new place of living.
Praying that they sense His presence in every area of their lives.
That through their sacrifices they will experience powerful works of God.
That every goodbye, every moment of letting go will be replaced by peace and hope of new things.
Pray with me.
Pray for MKs.
Pull out those missionary cards, look at their faces and pray all these things with me.
Pray a special blessing on their lives today.
Learning to Love Like That
Moving is always very hard for the kids…. They are not immune to all this moving, as you say… but everything will go on it’s place… The important is that you have faith! Thanks for sharing your exciting stories! 🙂
It is my mom said and still says the same thing. Just know that while they will struggle, cry and sometimes say I just a home that we stay put in forever it will all work out and be fine in the end. Think of all the wonderful stories they will have to tell.
Hugs and stay safe I just read about the terror threat in France!
Prayers and Hugs
You are right, huge sacrifices. I often think that about our girls, moving to plant a church, life on display for everyone to see, Satan attacking them and us constantly. I pray I am a good example to my girls as to why it’s all worth it. Praying for your girls, and for you!
Sounds like military kids also. I remember thoughts of settling down and stay put. But we couldn’t my dad was Air Force. I think that is why once I got in middle school and we were staying I was so excited! 🙂
They will be fine, many kids missionary or military do this all the time. Just think of all the memories and adventures your creating.
Very true! They are doing great with all the change! But it is still hard to watch them walk through it 🙂
Praying for your girls today and in the coming months. Having traveled with kids I know how amazing God makes MKs to be, to walk the journey he has called their family on, but as a mom I relate to how difficult it is for you to watch their hurt. Prayers for you too.
he has made them amazing! great way to phrase it! 🙂