We were surprised when the Lord called us to full-time mission work just four months after you were born. A lot has changed in the three years since your birth. And with each passing day, I am more and more grateful for your sweet presence in my life.
Just the other day, I got my first overseas migraine on our way home from the Armenian church. The only part of this experience that was new or different was that "going home" now included significant walking, carrying a heavy backpack, pushing a stroller, and riding buses, trams, and trains. When we were at the train station, I found a bench to lay down on while your daddy watched you. You came over to me and began gently stroking my hair and blessing me with sweet kisses on my forehead. It was the first time since your birth that I really felt like you were being Jesus to me. It was as if the Lord opened my eyes to what an asset you are going to be for me in Romania.
Just the other day, I got my first overseas migraine on our way home from the Armenian church. The only part of this experience that was new or different was that "going home" now included significant walking, carrying a heavy backpack, pushing a stroller, and riding buses, trams, and trains. When we were at the train station, I found a bench to lay down on while your daddy watched you. You came over to me and began gently stroking my hair and blessing me with sweet kisses on my forehead. It was the first time since your birth that I really felt like you were being Jesus to me. It was as if the Lord opened my eyes to what an asset you are going to be for me in Romania.
You have always been so compassionate from my very earliest memories of you. You have always gravitated to the elderly and found such joy in being with them. When your other friends or brother have been hurting or sick you are always so gracious and tender with them. You always pray for them and check on them. I pray that the Lord would use this quality overseas for you to minister to others. I pray that He would use you to minister to me when we have our new baby. I pray that you will be tender with people on the fringes of society - the elderly, the disabled, the Roma, the social outcast, the hurting. I pray that you will show me how to love greater while we're working overseas.
You have always been so spunky and outgoing. You make friends so easily, and your originality always sparks great conversations. You have already become a trendsetter here in Belgium as the other little girls have followed your example of wearing pants on your head as hair, and it has been a precious point of conversation with the other adults as they have laughed in admiration of your spunk. You make me laugh on a daily basis - not because I'm laughing at you but because you are genuinely witty and funny. I love laying in bed with you at night and talking with you and explaining things to you with all of your many questions. I pray that the Lord would use your sweet personality to draw us into community with others. I pray that He will continue to use you to teach me how to be original and not worry about what other people think as much.
You have always attacked life with such passion and enthusiasm. You make up your own languages and songs and run or dance almost everywhere you go. You are passionate about justice and sharing, and you always make sure that your brother gets an equal share whenever you have gotten something. You look out for him in all situations and do not stand for it when another child tries to take something for him. Your passion is memorable in the ways that you throw tantrums and lock us out of our room at night when you're mad that we didn't spend as much time in bed with you as you wanted. (One day we'll be honest with you that we, in fact, got into the room via ladder in the window rather than a secret key.) I love to hear you sing at the top of your lungs. And even when I recognize how loud Americans really are by listening to you bring the quiet Belgian streets and trains to life with your enthusiastic conversations, I am amazed by your joy and passion. I pray that you will burn with a passion for justice and mercy for the oppressed and that you will walk humbly with your God. I pray that you will learn self-control of your passion in your anger and rebellious heart but always maintain your enthusiasm and joy for life.
You have always been so spunky and outgoing. You make friends so easily, and your originality always sparks great conversations. You have already become a trendsetter here in Belgium as the other little girls have followed your example of wearing pants on your head as hair, and it has been a precious point of conversation with the other adults as they have laughed in admiration of your spunk. You make me laugh on a daily basis - not because I'm laughing at you but because you are genuinely witty and funny. I love laying in bed with you at night and talking with you and explaining things to you with all of your many questions. I pray that the Lord would use your sweet personality to draw us into community with others. I pray that He will continue to use you to teach me how to be original and not worry about what other people think as much.
You have always attacked life with such passion and enthusiasm. You make up your own languages and songs and run or dance almost everywhere you go. You are passionate about justice and sharing, and you always make sure that your brother gets an equal share whenever you have gotten something. You look out for him in all situations and do not stand for it when another child tries to take something for him. Your passion is memorable in the ways that you throw tantrums and lock us out of our room at night when you're mad that we didn't spend as much time in bed with you as you wanted. (One day we'll be honest with you that we, in fact, got into the room via ladder in the window rather than a secret key.) I love to hear you sing at the top of your lungs. And even when I recognize how loud Americans really are by listening to you bring the quiet Belgian streets and trains to life with your enthusiastic conversations, I am amazed by your joy and passion. I pray that you will burn with a passion for justice and mercy for the oppressed and that you will walk humbly with your God. I pray that you will learn self-control of your passion in your anger and rebellious heart but always maintain your enthusiasm and joy for life.
You have always been such a leader. You listen well in class time and help your friends and classmates do what they're supposed to do. You've always helped your brother learn what to do. You lead your friends in games and fun, and you're always full of ideas of how to play with others. You have never just followed along with others simply because they're doing it. I pray that you would learn to submit to the leadership of your mama and daddy because the Lord has given us to you - for better or worse! - to try our best to prayerfully guide you toward Him. I pray that you will allow the Lord to be your leader as we move overseas and that you would learn to follow Him unquestioningly. I pray that you would be a learner and humble in this new culture so that your leadership will be filled with humility. I pray that you will humbly lead your siblings. I pray that the Lord will use you to lead others to Himself.
My sweet Darling Girl, you are an integral part of our ministry in Romania. We trust that if the Lord called your daddy and me to mission work, then He has also called you and your siblings for a purpose. Today we heard from a fellow missionary that his daughter refused to be called a "Missionary Kid" and instead preferred "Kid Missionary." Because, my sweet angel, you have already ministered to me in so many ways, and I know you will be a missionary in your own right. You are a missionary just as much as your daddy or I. And I thank you for allowing me to see glimpses of your sweet missionary heart at such a young age. I can't wait to see more.
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