My third child is heading overseas today for a mission trip to Argentina. We are very excited for her but will miss her weekend visits of course.

Angela has always had a heart for missions. We read mission books to our children when they were young and encouraged them all to take short term mission trips with our churches. Angela really took it to heart and has gone on trips all over the world during the summers. This summer she'll be gone for 6 weeks so she can get a feel for what it's like on extended stays. She really wants to know if she can do it full time and thinks this will give her a feel for it.

Every child is different and each child has a different calling in their life. I never tried to point any of my kids in any particular field, but we did try and influence them to love Jesus. We encouraged them to do their very best, to work hard, to get along with others and to study. All of them have been successful in their lives and we're proud of all of them, but we're glad that God gave Angela a heart for missions. I think all of our kids have an interest in missions but they haven't been called to it as Angela has.

It's hard to let go of your kids and let God lead them away from you. My oldest daughter lives in Columbus and that's a long way to me, but if God calls Angela overseas it will be really hard to take. I know if He prepares her heart to go, He'll prepare ours to let her. It may not be easy, but I'm willing if she is.