Going Where Your Best Prayers Take You
“Dear Dad,” she writes. “I cannot believe how brave you are to be doing this. I will be praying for your every single day.”
Her daddy leaves tomorrow, up through the clouds and up over his fields and his pigs, and up over all of Iowa and this nation of vast abundance. And then, he descends …
down,
down,
down
into a place of deep need and hunger.
Buechner wrote it: “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
This Iowa farmer — blonde-haired Norwegian — will look into the eyes of Haitian children and their mamas, all faces of hunger. He’ll hike up the mountain to tell people about Jesus. (How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.) He’ll build roofs. (Hope secured, always, with the nails.)
It’s his first trip like this. The girls and I, we will stay home, praying for our brave man.
I’ve never been there, but I know this already: That man of mine will leave half of his heart in another country, in the alleyways of a ramshackle village where a child will wrap her arms around his neck — the way my girls do. But, somehow, with half a heart left behind, I expect him to come back with a heart bigger than the one he’s got.
Only God. Only God can do a thing like that — divide a heart, yet make it grow. We can never love too much.
Lydia writes her note to her daddy, before she gets on the bus this morning.
“God is smiling down on you,” she writes. “I love you as far as the east is from the west.”
We’re packing, preparing, praying today…
“Go where your best prayers take you.”
— Frederick Buechner
You will write about your farmer’s trip, won’t you?
Praying for safe travels and for you and the girls as you stay home. Can’t wait to read all about how God is doing big things! 🙂
Jennifer, I am preparing to go to Haiti in December. Not sure all we will be doing but I will be packing up hope and love for the children at Canaan Community.
I will be praying with you for the Farmer and the others that will be serving alongside him.
If you can, before he goes, trace his hand on paper and hang it on the refrigerator. Every time the girls go there they can place there hands on his and pray for him. (You can too.)
I always take a steno pad with handprints of my family with me on mission trips. I lay my hand on theirs and pray for them. This keeps my hearted connected to those I love but free to release myself and pour out in the place God sent me–to be really present there.
I am so anticipating for him—for me. What is God up to?
Praying for him and for all of you staying home!
Praying for Scott (it was good seeing him last night, by the way) and for you and your precious daughters and for the beautiful souls he’ll meet another world away.
The Father seems to want to talk about Scott’s trip, so we’re talking. Actually, about all of you. He may be the one on the ground, but it’s a family trip in the end.
Waiting to hear.
Jennifer, sweet friend.
I have been buried in busy but I have been thinking of you, praying for you in worship leading, in man-sending, in all mommy things. I’ll keep praying. Hugs to you all.
Prayers for you! A part of my heart is in Haiti with my friend Ben who was bringing the Good News to the Lutheran Church in Haiti during the earthquake and did not make it home. May you husband have traveling mercies and continue to spread the love of Christ to those who need to hear it.
crying just a little as i read this. because it is all so lovely.
i’m with kendal. i’m crying too. so, so lovely.
asking God to protect, provide and empower all of you. Beautiful hands and feet…
How wonderful for all of you. People like Scott who go out into the streets and into the spiritual battlefields need people like you and the girls backing them up. That support is vital. I’m glad he has it. 🙂
So well said and lived. Thank you.
Praying for Scott, you and the girls….
Dear Jennifer,
Hi, my name is Kerrie. I am so pleased to meet you. I’m visiting you from ‘Laced With Grace’ and I’m so glad I’ve discovered your site. Well, actually I’m so thankful to God for directing my footsteps and mouse clicks here!
What an amazing greeting when I arrived, to read the blog post “How you know it’s going to be a good day” right at the top of the page. All I can say is it took by breath away! God’s glorious sunrise rising over us – Wow!!! Speechless.
Also, this post touched the depths of my heart and soul. Beautiful in word and deed.
God’s glory shines here at Getting Down with Jesus. I look forward to following you and joining you on life’s journey.
As the sky breaks into a beautiful sunrise, may God open the heavens to shower you lots of love and happiness to make your day a meaningful one. Good Morning from Australia!
With love and care from Kerrie. xOx