To My Dear Missionary Daughter,

I watched you hug your extended family goodbye one last time-dark rain clouds of grief poured down your normally sunshiny face.  I saw your sweet little frame clinging to your loved ones.  You finally tore yourself away and as you pulled your suitcase, walking beside me, tears streaming down your face you said, “Mama, I don’t want to say goodbye.  I don’t want to leave our family.” ALL. THE. WAY. THROUGH AIRPORT SECURITY.  Tears dripped from my eyes and I felt as if my heart was torn in two. I struggled to keep from completely losing it and breaking down right there in the airport.  I wanted to just stop, gather you in my arms, hold you and cry with you then and there.  But as we made our way through, I tried to comfort you as best as I could until we could finally talk at the gate.

As I write this now, the back of my throat burns, my heart aches, and tears fall unchecked from my eyes.  You are flesh of my flesh and my precious daughter.  When you hurt I hurt.  And our Father, HE SEES.  I give you the timeless words of His never-changing book of life.  We have his precious promise of Psalm 56:8  “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”  He knows when we are sad and HE CARES.  

How thankful we must be for the sweet time with our extended family.  And how difficult it is to say goodbye for a while.  But rest in this truth that will never change-HE LOVES YOU.

On some of our hardest days such as this, let us cling to Him.  Because JESUS, He is ALWAYS. WORTH. IT.  Let us remember the hope to which we are called.  Our SAVIOR, who brought us out of darkness into His great light.  Making His name known to the nations.  Through His great POWER and MIGHT, He is using you even now to build bridges to Himself.  Through your sweet, hospitable 6 year old mentality who loves adventure but also needs to know the plan.  Who is learning to be flexible when plans change and making our hearts swell with pride when you say “it’s ok, no problem, I understand”.  Who isn’t afraid to tell us how you feel yet is also so emphatic towards others.  Our Jesus, whom you trusted with your life just last year, He is not mad when you pour out your heart with all its different emotions as you adjust to life back here in Africa, He comforts you.  It is ok to tell him exactly how you feel.  Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” I give you these words from Matthew:  “Blessed our those who mourn for they will be comforted.” Our Father sees you and HE HOLDS YOU NEAR in HIS GREAT LOVE.  

God paid the ultimate love sacrifice when He sent His only son to provide a ransom for a dying world, to provide a way to eternity for those who trust and turn to Him.  Now He sends us as His messengers to share His love with an aching world.  JESUS IS ALWAYS WORTH IT.

How deep the Father’s love for us
How fast beyond all measure
That He would give His only son
To make the wretch his treasure.