Suffering Missionary or Famous Football Athlete?

     We all want the best for our kids, right?  Given the choice, would you rather your beautiful sweet child grow up to be an all star athlete, be named in the Hall of Fame, have a great family, huge house, and substantial bank account - or - move across the world to suffer for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ, being imprisoned- never waivering in his faith in the redeeming work of Jesus?

    We went to the 20/20 conference at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary with 70 of our college students and some leaders from our ministry to be steeped in words of encouragement on the gospel and our part in missions. This question penetrated Doug and I's hearts because we love our children deeply, and the affirming thing that we established over chips and salsa afterwards was that we both would choose the 2nd for our kids.  In fact, we pray at night over Hunter and Addison that they would grasp the great love of Christ for the nations and that they would seek to make Jesus famous with their lives.  This is not an easy thought to have running through your mind when you snuggle with your baby girl at night or when wrestling with your son on the carpet.  You want them to experience joy and laughter and success.  But we realize that nothing can compare to the surpassing love in Christ.

It was said at the conference by Dr. Daniel Akin that the most joyous people he has ever met were those suffering for the sake of the gospel.  In America, we are clinging to things that will fade and stress us out...while treasures in eternity await for those who proclaim the good news to those who are in utter darkness and held captive by the enemy.

Our children will never really understand this concept if Doug & I don't model it for them now.  I'm trying to figure out what that looks like on an every day basis.  Does it mean simply reminding our kids that stuff can't make us happy?  Does it mean that we take them on a mission trip soon?  Does it mean that we give more of our money to organizations that take the gospel to the nations?  One thing we have done is we bought a little globe bank at World Market ($7) and Hunter puts his chore money in it for church.  At night after Bible Story time, we let him choose a country on the globe and we pray for the girls and boys in that country that don't have mommies and daddies and the missionaries who are telling those people about Jesus. It takes 45 seconds, but we pray that it will have a lasting impact.