Growing Hurts

Well, here I am again! It's really hard to find time to blog. I thought I'd write a few words today though!

My daughter, Chelsea is in Africa over Spring Break. She's there on a mission trip. This isn't the first time she has traveled abroad and we hope to be able to send our other children on trips abroad when they reach to right age. But for Chelsea, these trips have been bittersweet times. She's the oldest of 4 and I'm not sure why, but she's really a homebody. She has a hard time with being away from home and this time, in particular, has been very difficult. Our constant prayer for this trip has been that she would come face-to-face with the Creator and learn something about Him and herself that she's never known before. Well, ask and you shall receive!

It's very difficult when you pray for a life changing experience for your child and God answers! What I mean is this: We prayed for a life-changing experience without being specific, knowing that God knew what that needed to be. Growing closer and more intimate with Christ isn't always a lovely and pleasant experience. Sometimes it's painful and very difficult. We can see, hindsight, that it was worth it, but in the midst, we're not so sure. I believe that thing that God is teaching Chelsea is, among other things, that Father is all she needs! When all things cease (or are not availabe because you are in another country)( i.e. phone, tv, music, family, car, comforts of middle class living) GOD is her all in all, her comfort, her peace, her place to fall into and be loved on. I think when you've been to that place, it makes all the difference in our confidence that God is our Papa, our Home!

If you happen to read this, pray for Chelsea. She really could use it! Pray Satan is bound in her life and that she totally surrenders to God's reaching out and waiting for her (and all of us) to come into His arms and rest.