How God is Preparing Our Young Family to Move Overseas

When people hear that our family is packing up our lives to move to Córdoba, Argentina for ministry, one of the first questions they ask is, “Do you actually feel ready? How do you know now is the right time?” 

Those are honest questions, and they are questions we have asked ourselves many times. Most people expect the answer to involve learning Spanish, raising financial support, securing visas, or packing our belongings. Those things matter, but looking back, we have realized that the greatest preparation God has been doing has had little to do with logistics. God has been far more concerned with preparing our hearts. 

Before he sends his people, God often shapes them. Before he changes their location, he changes them.

John Newton once wrote: “I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I wish to be, I am not what I hope to be; but by the grace of God I am not what I once was.” That truth has reminded us that preparation for ministry is not merely about becoming more capable. It is about becoming more dependent upon the grace of God. 

The Lord uses training, wisdom, preparation, and the support of his church, but ultimately our confidence must rest in him rather than ourselves. We are not moving because Argentina needs us. We are moving because Christ is worthy of worship among the nations, and he has graciously called his church to participate in his mission. 

If you are a young family considering overseas missions, perhaps you have wrestled with some of the same questions we have. Is now really the right time? Should we wait until our children are older? Until our finances are stronger? Until life feels less complicated? 

Here are some things we’ve been learning as we consider these questions ourselves.

DON’T WAIT FOR OBEDIENCE TO BECOME EASY 

One of the greatest misconceptions about following Christ is believing there will eventually be a season when obedience becomes easy. We often imagine that one day everything will line up perfectly, our fears will disappear, and then we will finally be ready. But throughout Scripture, God calls ordinary people to trust him in the midst of uncertainty.

When Kara was pregnant with Lydia, the reality of our calling suddenly felt infinitely heavier. 

Lydia would be the first grandchild in our family, and as we prepared to welcome her, anxious questions flooded our hearts. Were we doing something wrong by taking her so far away? Shouldn’t we wait until she was older so she could build deep relationships with her grandparents? Shouldn’t we figure out how to simply be parents first before trying to move overseas? 

We have such a beautiful, built-in support system here. It felt almost reckless to give that up. But through those questions, God began teaching us that faithful parenting is not about creating the safest or most comfortable life for our children. It is about trusting the God who loves them more than we do.

DON’T FORGET THE WAYS WE CAN STAY CONNECTED 

We still grieve the inevitable distance from family and the moments Lydia’s grandparents will miss. Those relationships are precious gifts from God, and one of the fears many families have when considering overseas missions is the thought of saying goodbye. We often imagine missionaries boarding a ship like Adoniram Judson and leaving everything familiar behind. 

But by God’s providence, leaving today does not look exactly the same as it did for previous generations. In many ways, we are not getting on a boat and saying goodbye forever. Through technology, we can remain connected in ways previous generations could never have imagined. 

Lord willing, we will also be able to visit and spend intentional time with family in the years ahead. God has not only called us to go; He has also provided ways for us to remain connected to the people we love while embracing the people he is calling us to serve. 

REMEMBER GOD DOESN’T CALL US TO SERVE ALONE

God has provided his church to send, encourage, and sustain us. One of the greatest gifts he has given us during this season is the renewed conviction that missionaries were never meant to labor independently. 

From the beginning, the New Testament pattern has been local churches sending ordinary believers to proclaim the good news of the gospel. In Acts 13, the church in Antioch prayed, fasted, and commissioned Paul and Barnabas to the mission field. That pattern continues today. Our sending church has prayed, equipped, and encouraged us as we prepare to go, while God has already begun providing a church family in Córdoba that will welcome us, walk alongside us, and help us grow as we serve together.

We are not leaving because we are strong enough to accomplish something great for God. We are leaving because God has called us through his church, and his church is sending us. Preparing to move overseas has taught us something we will not soon forget: God does some of his most important work before we ever arrive where He is sending us. He deepens our dependence before He expands our ministry. He teaches us to trust Him before He asks us to serve Him in unfamiliar places. 

If your family is sensing that God may be leading you toward overseas missions, do not wait until you feel completely prepared. You probably never will. Begin by being faithful where God has already placed you. Pursue holiness. Love your local church. Walk closely with Christ. Seek the wisdom and affirmation of your elders. Shepherd your family well. 

Then, faithfully take the next step of obedience he places before you. You may discover, as we have, that God is doing far more than preparing you for the mission field. He is preparing you to delight in Him more deeply. As your Good Shepherd leads you, you can move forward with confidence knowing, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6).