Jake is gone right now, in the Dominican Republic. Leading around 30 students with about a dozen leaders.
This trip, as most do, will surely leave a lasting footprint. Impoverished communities will be fed, physically and spiritually. Needs met. Lives changed.
Students will be impacted. They will find that as they serve, they are the ones who leave blessed. And the better for it. Gods Word reaching the corners of the earth by faithful followers of Jesus.
As I type this, my amazing husband is preaching in a small village while his message about fathering is translated into Spanish by our buddy Brian.
But meanwhile back at camp Spencer...
I'm feeding children, I'm serving, and I'm working. I'm ministering and I'm changing lives. ;) I wish I could say that this is deeply satisfying work. But I'm just being a mom. Trying to survive a week without Daddy. Oh I know that I'm serving the Father by doing what he's called me to do. And ultimately I really know and believe that I'm a part of the work in the Dominican right now by holding down the fort for Jake. But it's hard to keep perspective after several days in row of refereeing tween girl drama, scrubbing poop out of the carpet, cleaning up after unnamed children who snuck downstairs and found cake in the pantry at 5am, and finding myself singing the theme song to Bubble Guppies at 11:30pm when I finally have time to shower.
Not only am I in survival mode with the kids, I'm missing my better half... his conversation after bedtime. His kiss before he leaves in the morning. His texts saying he just left work. I miss ESPN being on in the living room just because it means... he's home.
But this isn't our first rodeo. He and I took the youth group to summer camp 3 weeks after we got married in 2002. And he (or we eeeevery once in a while) has been doing it every summer since. The last several years its summer camp, missions trip, and winter retreat.
And every year, every trip, I pray for my husband. And prepare my heart for several things:
~When a man does mighty things for the Kingdom, the enemy doesn't like it. So he makes an attempt to hit him from behind, by attacking his family at home. Happens every time in some way or another. So get over yourself Satan, we know your ways and we trust in the Name of The Lord our God.
~There is always a solid chance that my husband, being the sold out, Bible preaching, Jesus follower that he is, could come back and say, "Pack your bags, we're selling everything and moving to fill in the blank." In fact, I half expect it to happen one of these times. We've always agreed in our marriage that we go where God tells us to go, when He says go. Period.
~Lastly, this might sound a little extreme, but I prepare my heart that anything could happen to my husband while he's boldly sharing the gospel. This isn't being fearful, that's not what I'm saying. I'm talking about having wisdom and knowing these are the last days. Now, where our youth group goes now is generally a hugely safe trip. They wouldn't be taking dozens of students down if it weren't. But nevertheless. I pray. Fervently.
So as I clean sticky little fingers, and change diapers, and get everyone dressed for church and loaded into the car so I can pretend to be normal.... I pray. Safety for us. Safety for him. Furthering of the Gospel. Lives changed. And a little dose of sanity in our house until Daddy gets home. ;)
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3
If you would like to check out more pics from this years trip to Josiah's House in the Dominican Republic, click on the Josiah's House tab at the top of my blog and follow the link to their Facebook page. And "like" their page while you're there. :)
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