My little MK

My family has had the amazing opportunity to work with many events and groups as we travel for Cwtrials and my husband performs bike stunts and shares the Gospel. We have learned a ton, grown, been tired and dehydrated, and chased our little dancing daughter who is wild eyed from a missed nap.

Today was different.

We weren't part of the "agenda", our church was hosting a mission team from Louisiana and I just showed up with the kids to be part of the park event they were putting on. No biking, no coordinating, just me and the two kids.

Honestly, sometimes I get insecure about what people 

think about me or my family when we are at these events. 

I don't want my daughter to be "that kid" 

who doesn't get out of the bounce house, or "that wife..."  

Can I tell you what really blessed my heart today?
Seeing one of the Louisiana team girls take my little one by the hand and bring her to get a snow cone.
I almost had tears while I tried to keep a straight face and keep my conversation going. Just a moment later, a teen handed the Louisianan woman I was speaking with a snow cone, to offer to me. 

I wanted to say something like "y'all don't need to be ministering to me!" I thought maybe they didn't realize "who I was" (not high and lofty but rather, 'hey it's just the cyclists wife and kid') We don't need these treats, they are for the ones you are here to share Jesus with.

Do you get it? Because here I am a few hours later with rubber fingers from washing dishes, both kids in bed and it hits me- 

"They were being Christ to ME!" 

Just because I know Him, just because I have "met" Him doesn't mean we stop loving on and ministering to each other. In the midst of this, I feel sheepish because it is what we (my husband and I) believe and it is what we preach! The Good News that Jesus LOVES me and died for ME is a message just for ME! It isn't something I hear and believe, receive once and I'm done. It's and endless song I need to play over and over because I forget it.

We forget sometimes in all of our "sharing with the non-believers/ unchurched/ unsaved/ lost" that Jesus didn't just die for THEM, but He died for ME (YOU!!!). We forget to love each other.

Shortly after that incident, something came up and I referred to my own kid as a MK (missionary kid) because folks that is what she is. I don't want her to get swept up in the 'Jesus died for them, but secretly not me.' I want her to ministered to (definition- to attend the needs of) I want her to be included because SHE NEEDS JESUS TOO! "Churched" or "Unchurched", frankly, I have met too many missionary kids and pastors kids who didn't turn out any better or any different than the ones who weren't. It comes down to choice and I can't save my kid, I can't make her love Jesus, I can't rescue her heart and soul. Only Jesus can. Just because she grows up hearing it does NOT make her more likely to believe that her one true hope, joy and redemption comes from receiving the love of Jesus Christ that He poured out to her through His life sacrifice.

So to this team who took a 3 day long journey up here in a bus, have been serving their hearts out, spilling love and truth throughout this city, THANK YOU. You have not only been a blessing to the people we have been pouring into- you have been a blessing to OUR hearts.

Canadian Ginger

Sometimes it doesn't take another Mom, somebody older or with more experience 

to give you the words you need. 

What I needed was the truth from a dear friend I love and respect.

While sharing my heart and struggles a few months ago, this sweet girl just poured into me - 

"Karissa, you cannot expect your husband and your children to be your joy, 

your joy comes from the LORD!"  

Because let's be honest, when our dreams become a reality, 

they aren't quite as clean and easy as we imagined. 

 

Between managing a home, loving on and caring for two kids at very different stages, being a wife and support raising with my husband... I must have had a hidden task manager and housekeeper/ nanny to make that dream such a dressed up breeze.

But it's not always easy, and that's alright! I would rather have this real life with MY man and THESE kids we have been blessed with (than the robots in my dream -Stepford much?).

What it boils down to is this- when dishes pile high and clean laundry sits unfolded in baskets wrinkling over 8 days, we get creative cooking eggs for dinner because it fits our budget and I don't want to answer the "what's for dinner" question... I'm learning to stop, soak in this season whizzing by and remember- my joy comes from the Lord. 

He will be my strength in the little problems like ants and in the big ones like a broken well pump. 

One word this girl gave to me recently- SATURATE. 

To keep with this mindset, soaking in these kids, this stage of life, I'm soaking in the One who gifted it to me. Clinging to His word and truth, memorizing scripture and playing worship music while I do housework, consciously praying for people I know and for vision that God is putting on my heart. 

Saturate means nestling into the Lord's presence so that I am like a sponge soaking in and pouring out simultaneously. 

My verse to cling to this week is 1 Peter 4:11

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. 

The face

Two weeks ago, Craig and I had the joy of watching two people make a covenant with God in marriage.
Two becoming one.

Emily is a childhood friend, who become a missionary to our home state of New Hampshire. We both thought God might bring us overseas one day. {She is the only person my age whom I grew up with who is also a missionary. Beautiful and heartbreaking. Let that sink in for a moment. Church goers- when was the last time you/ your church dedicated someone/ a family to missions?}

She is also the first missionary that my husband and I committed to supporting regularly both financially and through prayer. I reflect on her journey and our encounters with her as she support raised.

We have had the privilege to support her for almost 4 years now, each month receiving her newsletters and how to pray for her.

~

There is a local campus, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) in Manchester, NH. There is a huge international student population there. Read- There is a huge opportunity to share Christ to international people who are being educated here in America, and will return to their home country. 

Go overseas?
Overseas is here y'all.

My heart has been burdened with prayer for campus ministry  in Manchester for 3 1/2 years. Few things in life have I prayed so fervently for and for such a long period of time. I believe relational ministry is the way Jesus did some of his best work. Discipleship. Sharing the Gospel through His life example and one-on-one, small group gatherings to share life and Truth. Amen.

I recently heard about some activity growing on the UNH Manchester/ SNHU campuses just as I began to move into action and see who I can petition the need for campus workers to COME here. Lord, your timing is so so good. Flash forward four months and we meet one of Emily's roommates at the wedding, a fellow campus ministry worker. She shares her story a bit.

She is the "one". She is the one moving in the campus ministries in Manchester.

Her name sounds familiar. Her story too.

She is the "one" whom I spent praying for her new faith as Emily led her to Christ a  few years ago (per Emily's request via her monthly newsletter)

I prayed for this new Believer. I prayed for campus ministry to ignite in Manchester.

I had no idea that the Lord was unifying those prayers. That the new believer would BE the one to start campus ministries in Manchester.

Friends, never doubt what God puts on your heart to battle in prayer over. Never doubt his prompting. Pray for His workers like Emily, disciplining new Believers, that they too may go and share Christ with all the nations. Even if those nations are only in Manchester for a short time.

This is the sweet face we finally met- our answer to prayer