Guest Post: Lashae

27 days. We leave in 27 days!

The last time I went was almost 7 years ago. This will be my 3rd trip.

My first trip I wasn't even 18 yet. I had 4 weeks of high school left. And I skipped my "senior night" for softball, I skipped prom. I missed a lot of the "normal" senior events to be on mission in Uganda. Instead of finding a dress for prom, I found myself on my knees at a neighbors house sharing smiles and being given avocados. Instead of playing my last softball game, I was playing football (soccer) with boys from a boys home. Instead of going to assemblies I got to assemble with a bunch of strangers in a little "hut" they called church and sing songs to Jesus for hours, and learn what joyful giving is as they DANCED down the aisle to give their tithes.

For my second trip I was 18, had a very serious boyfriend (who is now my husband) and was on a mission to bring my sister home! I was working for a youth ranch and just passionate about living life to bring glory to the name of Jesus. I was still pretty footloose and fancy free, I had made the decision to not go to college so I could be more available to God's call. I didn't want to be in debt and go to college just to get an "education" for a "career", when I already knew what I wanted to do, and was getting to do just that.

Faith like a child

Fast forward to now, round three, life looks a bit different than it did back then. Now I am married. We have three young girls. I am at home with the kids all day every day while Chaney is out working his butt off. And I am going to leave them all for TEN days! The longest I have ever left was for 5 days and I had the baby with me. This time all three will be home with Chaney while I am on the other side of the world. And it has been awesome to get to say "yes!" to GO this time.

For the last 6 years I have been "the sender" I pack bags for the team to take, I watch all the kids and manage things on this side of the world. And it has been AMAZING! I have been so blessed to get to be a sender. When I first started doing missions I thought it would be such a "bummer to miss out and not go" and God has shown me how untrue that is. To be a sender is to be on the team too. I get to experience the spiritual warfare, and I get to pray my face off, and see the pictures of the items I got to pack and give to people I love over there, some I still have yet to meet but that are dear to my heart.

"arrows"

But this time I got to say "Yes" to GOING! And it is truly just as exciting for me to go as it is to send. The preparation looks a little different but the excitement is the same. And to say "yes" this time around has some strings attached, three sweet pink strings actually (my girls) and a big rope (Chaney) this time I have a family to leave, to help prepare for my leaving, to return home to, to pray for while I am gone. But I also have a pretty sweet entanglement of extra prayers, I have my own little "senders" this time.

safe with daddy

I know a lot of women that say "they can't go" on missions because their job is to stay home and raise their family. Which I agree, it is our job to raise awesome Jesus-following kids that grow into Jesus-following adults, and what better way to do that than to SHOW them how to say "yes" to Jesus, even when it seems a bit crazy and scary. I am not saying that doesn't mean there isn't seasons, I've needed to stay home for the last few years. But I have always asked "is it my time to go?" Sometimes we go, sometimes we send, sometimes we show how to follow Jesus in our own home with our loved ones, and neighbors and the lonely, and sometimes we do it by going and serving across the ocean. We've been able to send Chaney on mission and support him when he was serving in the church. Whether it's in our backyard, at the park, across the country or the world, we can show radical Jesus love to our kids. AND TRUST ME ON THIS, they SEE, they UNDERSTAND, God speaks to them and can even use them. Maubry is so excited to "send" me. She prays often for my trip and it has been such a blessing to talk through it all with her and encourage her growing heart to love the nations as she learns to love Jesus more all the time.

Something so big on my heart as I raise these beautiful girls is to teach them what it means to have our eyes on eternity. THIS IS NOT OUR HOME and although I fail at it often and sometimes it is scary I try to choose to keep stepping out trusting that this life is not all I have and that if that is true then I want my girls to live that and believe that and to do wild and wonderful things for Jesus all the days of their lives.

my favorite little senders

So, as I prepare to leave in 27 days, I might have a few extra items in hand (like a "special" picture Maubry drew me and tucked in my bible) and a lot of extra love in my heart but I have so much more to share. And so much more to return to and show how awesome it is to live for God every day of the week. Here or there. God is big enough to make a difference wherever we are, with whatever we have, we just have to ask to be a part of it. And sometimes that means we get to say "yes" to going. Or "yes" to sending. I want my life to be full of more "YES"!