The Great Commission Includes Kids
I moved to Asia when I was 24 years old. I was right out of college, freshly married, and hadn’t settled into a specific place or purpose yet. While we had a vague idea of what life would look like in our hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, God was preparing our hearts to be sent to the 10/40 window. In 2017, we packed a few boxes and boarded a plane to the other side of the world, expectant and mostly nervous about what it would really mean to serve God in South Asia.
My husband, Allen, and I started our journey very naive – a weakness turned strength when taking on such a big adventure. We moved into a bright orange house along a dirt road and jumped immediately into work and ministry. We weren’t home much as I was drinking gallons of milk tea with neighbors, and Allen was implementing health and education programs in the Himalayas. We ate white rice for dinner, trekked for days at a time, and stayed up late at night. It felt hard, and we were awkward, but it was just us at the time, so we ran fast during that season of life.
I worried that my impact in our community would substantially decrease and so I bought the best baby carrier I could in an effort to match my pre-parent productivity.
In 2020, we gave birth to our first son and brought him into the life we had created. We set up a nursery, researched foreign milk brands, and walked out onto that same dirt road with him in our arms. But this time, we had bags under our eyes and spit-up on our shirts – a slower pace as his little feet couldn’t keep up with the speed we’d recently kept. I worried that my impact in our community would substantially decrease, and so I bought the best baby carrier I could in an effort to match my pre-parent productivity. But as you probably guessed, it became more and more difficult to maintain the vision we had for the people of Asia with a baby boy in tow.
A NEW BABY AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES
I expected my life in Asia to halt, when in reality, it just took a very sharp (but very good) turn. The young Sarah, who was used to going out of her home, was suddenly being met at the front door with bags of fruit and lots of baby advice. Everyone wanted to share their experiences of feeding and sleeping and raising a baby, and everyone wanted to know why he wasn’t wearing socks and a hat. Life for me had changed so much, yet my relationships were going deeper than I had ever imagined. “We will help you raise him!” they would say to me, and they did.
The laundry room was overflowing, but my home was too. We were doing the messiest parts of life with people, and the Gospel was shining through it all.
Hear me out, both seasons of life are good in their own time! I often miss the girl who could make plans at a moment’s notice and not have to think about nap time locations. But I can’t let you believe that ministry or missions stop when little feet hit the ground beside you. Our pace changed, sure, but the slowness of life created a space for longer conversations, authentic community, and even more cups of tea. The laundry room was overflowing, but my home was too. We were doing the messiest parts of life with people, and the gospel was shining through it all.
The Bible is pretty clear about the blessing of children. Psalm 127 says, “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.” I was exhausted and far from home, but that little boy, and eventually a little girl, were such a gift. Our new season displayed God’s love to the people around us – the type of love that is persevering and unconditional. It was changing who we were in the best ways.
A VISION FOR FAMILIES MAKING JESUS KNOWN TOGETHER
As they do, my kids grew bigger and began to experience the world in their own way. They’ve taught me how to be present and invite everyone to the table. That’s why I wrote a children’s book series about God’s nations and neighborhoods around the world. I wanted these books to be simple enough to engage the smallest in our homes, and impactful enough to inspire those reading them. My hope is that more families would be encouraged to take on the Great Commission together.
I hope Every Nation: Seeing God Around the World will help families desiring to experience God’s heart for the world. Across oceans and plains, deserts and valleys, God has filled our world with beautiful landscapes, animals, and people. He’s moving in places like Afghanistan and Costa Rica, and Thailand, but he’s moving where you live, too.
Hopefully, this book won’t just sit on your shelf. I pray it will give you the strength and courage to go out into the world. You might have to pack a few diapers and a snack, but the entire family, big and little, is invited into this glorious story – I actually believe it was a part of his plan all along.
