Taking Chances

I am a mom and a wife. Both are equally as important to me and both as equally challenging. And maybe you can relate to this, maybe not, but both roles leave me sometimes wondering who "me" really is. I know who I am as wife, as mother, as employee, as family member. But if you took those roles away, who am I?

Recently I find myself in a place of exhaustion. In a dramatic display of emotion a few days ago I managed to utter a truth that I have felt in my heart and never dared to speak... I feel like the past few years of my life have been at my personal expense. I sacrifice what I want to make sure the girls are okay, to make sure Matt is okay. I often smooth over the path of grief to make sure you are okay. I very seldom say no or ask to do something I want to do. And when I do find the courage to speak my desires, I take a fair amount of criticism for wanting something different.

And this week we wrestled with a big decision... one that impacts me. On my heart since being a little girl has been the mission field. Every trip that our church has organized we have discussed and turned down.

But not this time. A last chance calling has stirred me to action. An opportunity to go to Honduras to do mission work.... To build a church. An opportunity to serve alongside my husband. It is almost to good to be true. To advance the kingdom for God, one love of my life, and to do it with the other love of my life, Matt.

So we have signed up. I have to drop off the monies for our plane tickets by Friday. And we have a very small window of opportunity to seek financial assistance (tax-deductable donations). You can send financial support for our trip to Cornerstone Family Church. Please note on any monies you send that the money is for Matt or Jantina Wennerstrom's Honduras trip. The trip is self-funded unless we find people to contribute to cover our costs.

But above all else... pray for us. Life is a journey and I expect that after the trip I will still be wondering who "me" is. But I also know that sometimes, meeting the very basic needs for others can be a rejuvinating and rewarding experience. I pray it is for Matt and myself. And actually, just knowing that I am going to do something from my heart... makes me sigh, and smile :)