Lessons From My Children

As a mom, there’s a great sense of relief and peace when your children aren’t fighting you on a decision. There have been decisions we’ve made that the children weren’t too happy about in which they had to learn how to keep a positive attitude. In our decision to move to Indonesia for one year, I was praying that this wouldn’t be one of those decisions they were going to resist us on.

When my husband first brought up the idea of our family planting an international church, the kid’s weren’t too thrilled about the idea. The biggest thing for the boys was leaving their friends and school. One of my sons didn’t like the idea of not getting his name on the school plaque for running club. Our youngest girl seemed content that she will be with her family (although she was a bit concerned about how she was going to have her birthday party in Indonesia). We reassured them that we will pray as a family before making a decision.

In that time of prayer, I didn’t realize it, but the Holy Spirit was working in the hearts of my children. In fact, the kids knew before us that we were going to Indonesia!

During the months prior to September 2008 (when we made our final decision to go), moms from my boy’s classrooms would ask me about our family moving to Indonesia and how excited they were for us. Apparently, my boys had been telling their friends that they were going to move for one year, and these kids were telling their parents.

I was pleasantly surprised when these moms approached me, because knowing that my kids were talking (not in a negative light) about it with their friends assured me that they were okay with the idea of us moving. It also assured me because I knew the Lord was working in and speaking to their hearts. So, when we told the kids that we prayed and decided the Lord wanted us to go, they weren’t resistant to the decision.

It’s so easy to underestimate young children and forget that the Holy Spirit is at work in their lives as well. I probably had a more difficult time in making this decision than they did. Through this experience I was reminded of the verses in Mark 10:13-16, where Jesus welcomed the little children and reminded us to have open and receptive hearts like theirs.