In early May, Amy received her summer assignment to Jingzhou, China, where she would be for six weeks. I wrote, “Knowing a specific place makes it more real, the heartache deeper, but the willingness and the faith in You (God) stronger as I feel weaker and more dependent on You to help me through these days. A year is a long time as Amy said the last night she was home, but then she added, “Mom, I have to go.” And with God’s promises, I said, “Go with my blessing.”
At the end of May, after graduation, our youngest child, Robert, left for nine weeks to attend Student Mobilization’s summer program, KALEO, in Colorado. I wrote in my journal,
Years of loving, training, disciplining, and prayer have lead to this day – a day to let go, to turn loose, to strengthen MY faith – as I let Robert go into the world. God help me to let go gracefully; help me to love with long (apron) strings. Help me to continue to encourage and love him as a man and to realize that You love him more than I do, that You are always there for him. God, keep him dependent on You, grow him up this summer into a man of God, ready to face the challenges of the world in a way that will bring honor and glory to Your Name and help him to focus on what is important. Help him to focus on the Master and see himself as the vessel you have chosen to use for Your glory.
By the end of May, Amy was within $500 of raising the funds she needed for her year in China! I was reminded of Philippians 4:19, “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory.”
Finally, departure day arrived: June 21, 2004. Amy was 23 years old. My feeling that day? Joy and delight, aching and sadness. How do you feel both? Joy and delight knowing God has called her and she is exercising obedience and I am exercising trust and obedience. Aching because she is precious to me as my only daughter. My prayer that day? “God she is yours. Protect her, love her, guide her, bring her home safely all in accordance with Your will. To God be the glory.”
