Our oldest daughter has had a burden and a desire to participate in missions ever since she was little.  I remember that when she was eight, she wanted to be a missionary gymnast. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I didn’t think there was a place for that particular field in missions, but I knew that God could use any gift and skill for His glory and I was just delighted that she wanted to serve Him.   In middle school, she explored the possibility of being in aviation.  As she entered high school, she studied biology and thought maybe medical missions would be a good path.  Then, she developed new interests in writing (forming and sharing blog posts about missions, scripting plays, and authoring a novel) as well as coming alongside and supporting friends who were hurting.  So, now she is praying about the possibility of teaching, writing, or biblical counseling.

At sixteen, our daughter continues to aspire to follow Christ wherever He may lead her, but she remains uncertain what that will look like.   I want her to realize that it is perfectly O.K. and expected that she not have it all figured out.   She shouldn’t.   She sometimes seems restless as she so eagerly wants to get started in the ‘real work’ and can lose focus on her current tasks (like, ahem, school).   But I want her to hold on to the truth that God has a plan, and in His timing, He will show her the way and make it clear.  Until then, it is a time of learning academically , maturing emotionally, growing spiritually, and serving joyfully as she is able right where God has placed her.  He is faithful and I know that He will use every aspect of her life events, even ones she may not currently see a purpose in, to prepare her for even greater service and joy.  God doesn’t waste anything.

Attending missionary events at church, praying for missionary families, reading updates from missionaries that our family supports, listening to missionary biographies at home, and even participating in a vision trip at a young age all have worked together to fuel her passion for Christ and to help her to be open to God’s call to go.  But, even more importantly than those experiences is God’s Holy Spirit working in her young life so that she could truly understand the Gospel at a young age, acknowledge her sins, and see her need for the One true Savior – Jesus.  I am grateful to Him!

Do you have a child in your life who is interested in missions? 

Below are various resources that our family has used over the years to support and encourage a love for God and a love for His people throughout the world.

Books & Videos about Missionaries

• YWAM Missionary Biographies
• 10 Girls Who Changed the World/ 10 Boys Who Changed the World
• Little Lights missionary books (for younger kids)
• Hero Tales by Dave and Neta Jackson
• Trailblazer book series
• Around the World with Kate and Mack (Wycliffe)
• Torchlighters Heroes of the Faith video series

Prayer Resources

• Window on the World: An Operation World Prayer Resource (info/prayer)
• Kids of Courage activity booklets (from Voice of the Martyrs Downloads page –Print free from online.)

About How Children Around the World Live

• Passport to the World: Your A to Z Guided Language Tour
• Children’s Atlas of God’s World
• Children Just Like Me
• Around the World Coloring Book (Dover)
• Wonderful Houses Around the World

Curriculum

• My Father’s World Exploring Countries and Cultures (elementary)
• Geography and Missions – free printable schedule and notebook pages! (elementary)
• Heart of Dakota World Religions and Cultures (high school)

Discipleship Course

• Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (high school, college, adults of all ages!)

“God involves us in His mission not because He needs us but because He loves us and in His mercy He has invited us to be involved in His sovereign design for the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth.”

~ David Platt