What I learned from my husband’s trip to Africa

Earlier this summer, my husband went on a 10 day trip to Ghana with our church. Although I wasn’t the one serving overseas, God used the trip to teach and stretch me as well. Here are a few of the things God taught me through Jerad’s trip.

1. Being supportive of my husband’s spiritual life

Although part of me desires to be selfish with Jerad’s time and vacation days from work, ultimately I want Jerad to love and serve God above all including me and our family. With that, I need to be supportive, encouraging and not hinder his spiritual life and the calling God has placed on his life.

By agreeing with Jerad that he should go to Ghana, I tried not to make it harder on him to leave me and the kids and serve where he felt called. The day he left, I truly had less tears then I expected because although he was serving overseas this was my time to serve by staying home. Yes, I might have had a break down when my phone completely died a few days before he left, and Yes, there was 1 long distance phone call filled with tears because of a rough day at home during the trip, but I really tried not make his service any harder on him.

As wives we have such influence with our husbands. Influence that we can use to support & encouragement or for pity & guilt

2.   The little control I have

One thing I think we worry about when someone goes on a mission trip is safety. Obviously there is concern when traveling at all, let alone internationally to a 3^rd world country.

I started to let that worry about how far away Jerad would be creep in the week before he left, and God quickly reminded me of something: Jerad drives close to 45 miles each way to work every day. Every day when he leaves, comes homes, is on the job site, or around our town, something could happen.

I don’t think about this reality normally because it’s our routine and we feel safe with it, but something could easily happen to either of us any day, any time. We aren’t guaranteed tomorrow.

When we do something outside of our normal, it’s easy to get worried. When we realize there is never a guarantee on our safety, why not just focus on making sure we are in God’s will? Ultimately I know Jerad’s eternity is safe in God’s hands, so that’s the important thing.

3.  The Importance of Community

There is something about knowing you have support that is so important. Not only did Jerad have financially support from others to make his service and trip possible, but we had the prayers and support of many.

The kids and I were also loved on & taken care of while Jerad was gone. We had 2 sets of grandparents that took days off work to spend time with me and the kids & even spoil us a little. We had friends to go swim with and a dinner invitation. I had texts letting me know that others were praying for the kids and I along with Jerad and his trip. I also had friends that I could ask to prayer when I was in a mid-week funk because my best friend was so far away.

I think we could have probably survived the 10 days without community, but the kids and I made it through so much better and more enjoyably because of those around us. God created us for community, and it’s such a blessing!

4.  A deeper dependence on God

Many times during a normal day, I text Jerad when things go wrong with the kids and rely on him for this support. Thankfully with technology Jerad and I were able to talk on the phone most nights but text service during the day when he was out serving was not reliable.

I saw that when I know I don’t have that outside person to tell ever hiccup to, I naturally go to Christ more in prayer. I’m so thankful that He is with me constantly & cares for every concern.

5.  Absence does make the heart grow founder

If I had my rathers, Jerad and I would spend as much time as possible together. It’s not really my ideal to spend 10 days apart. Come to think of it, we’ve probably only spend about 10 days total apart in the past 7 years that we have been married prior to this trip.

Now that we’ve been back together for a few weeks, we see the good that came from our time apart. In the mundane tasks of life and raising 2 little ones, it’s easy for Jerad and I to take each other for granted. We don’t mean to, but many days we are so set on accomplishing the tasks at hand or exhausted from the day that we don’t always priorities time together. I see already that we appreciate and serve each other more since he has been back.

6. To enjoy our time together

Since Jerad’s been back, we’ve found ourselves a little more in the “live for the moment” mentality than what was the norm for us. Some of it is probably credited to being back together and not wanting to take any of the time God has given us for granted, and I think the other part is that we both finished reading Love Does and saw the adventurous way Bob Goff lives his life for the Lord.

We haven’t done anything outrageous but we’ve since taken to kids to their first movie, gone swimming, embraced family time, and driven to my parents in a whim just to get away for the night. We are living with a little more freedom, and it’s been nice.

Last and definitely less important but still worth noting, I learned that….

7. When left to my own demise, I stay up way too late!

Be looking for a post next week written from my first “Guest Blogger” the one and only Jerad Douglas! Jerad will be sharing what he learned during his time in Ghana.

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