A Woman’s Perspective

I know many of you have heard or read my husband share about our upcoming church plant in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2009. Some people have inquired as to how I feel about the decision to go as a family for one year, so I wanted to share as briefly as possible the journey the Lord has taken me on.

My husband is a visionary and has a big heart for the world, so I’ve heard him share about doing ministry internationally at various times. Even as we see the Lord at work in the international community in Ann Arbor, I can’t ignore that God is doing something in our church and other churches in sharing the gospel to the nations represented here.

When my husband brought up the idea of starting up a church overseas, it seemed like the right move forward for our church…for sometime in the future with some of our leaders and a pastor. So when my husband approached me about the possibility of our family moving for one year to start up this church, it took me by surprise. In my mind, I always thought we would do something like that when our kids were off to college, because that is what we have always talked about.

So what was my initial response? After some moments of thought, I told him that it’s great if this is what God wants for our church, and if you feel that God wants you to go start up this church, the kids and I will support you from Ann Arbor. Well, I don’t need to explain that my husband didn’t take my response too well. After some discussion, we decided to pray about this decision.

As I spent time praying and reflecting, I asked myself why I was not open to the idea of our family moving for one year. After all, one year is not that long. I realized what I was struggling with was the idea of uprooting my kids from their family, school, friends and the comforts of life in America. I was struggling with surrendering to and trusting in God once again.

I thought surrendering my parents to the Lord many, many years ago was difficult and an emotional struggle, but having my own children takes it to a new level. I have to keep reminding myself not to have my fingerprints all over their lives, but to allow God’s fingerprints to be imprinted. I have seen God’s faithfulness with my parents and family thus far, and I know that a life of surrender is the path I want to keep walking on.

Once I was able to go through the struggle of surrendering, I was better able to hear what God wanted our family to do. I still didn’t have all the answers and I was still unsure about many things, but being filled with God’s peace, I was able to step out in faith once again. God was also working in the lives of my children during that time of prayer and reflection that encouraged that step of faith as well. (I will share my children’s side of the story in my next entry).

Now, our family is excited as we prepare for this church plant, along with a team from our church. Please keep us in your prayers!