Amy was in California for a week of training before she actually flew to China. We had a lengthy phone conversation on Sunday evening before she was to fly to China on Monday. After that phone call, I confess that I had the biggest cry session you can ever imagine as I began to think of how many miles would soon separate us. (By the way, I never wanted to know the exact number of miles it was from Little Rock to China because as long as I could send emails, mail packages and letters, and talk online and by phone it never felt that far away). The tears that I shed that night were cleansing and comforting, and once again God’s words sustained me and gave me peace and assurance of His love for Amy and for me.
- Proverbs 12:25: An anxious heart weighs a man down. I prayed, “Lord I give you my anxious heart.”
- Proverbs 14:30: A heart at peace gives life to the body. I asked, “Lord, I ask for Your peace that transcends all understanding.” (Phil. 4:7)
- Proverbs 15:13: A happy heart makes the face cheerful. “Lord, I pray to have a happy heart and a cheerful face.”
- Proverbs 25:25: Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land. Amy was in China for six days before we heard from her. I prayed, “Lord I give my burden, my aching heart to you. I place my faith in You to be the power behind Amy’s trip and the One who is always with her.”
A quote that I read during this time was, “Find joy in this time of new beginnings, for it is truly an incredible moment when we watch our children spread their wings and fly.” Early on in Amy’s adventure, I made a decision. I am NOT going to mope and feel sorry for myself and count the days as they drag by. That would not be trusting and it would not be honoring to God. I was going to commit myself to pursuing what would honor and bring glory to God and continue with my daily activities. Jesus promised in John 10:10 that He had “come to give life and give it abundantly.” I didn’t want to sin by not living the abundant life God had promised with Christ living in me.
Two weeks into Amy’s time in Jingzhou, I wrote, “I am praising God for the peace that He has given me. It is almost scary. I am not weepy, mopey or depressed. I am rejoicing that my daughter is in China. Thank you, God, for the work you have done in my heart.”
Amy participated in the six week summer teaching program in Jingzhou and in August, she moved to Taiyuan, China – a city of 3 million about 6-8 hours west of Beijing. She lived and taught at a Chinese boarding school that had about 3,000 students from kindergarten through high school. She taught English to about 300 third graders.
But God wasn’t finished growing me. My husband Joe was presented with an opportunity to go to Burma. That’s even farther away than China! Yet another opportunity for trusting and obeying on my part. A prayer from a song the choir had sung came to mind: “God help me to trust in You at every turn. Help me to be blind to ME so that I can see what You see and gladly give up my will.” Joe went to Burma that November and Robert and I entertained the 20 family members that showed up for Thanksgiving that year (for a week!).
