“The hand that rocks the cradle, mobilizes the world” (or something like that). I’d like to learn and write about moms on mission, particularly who, how, and why (and when!?!?) moms mobilize. Do you know any stellar examples? Books I should read? Blogs to peruse? I’d love your input on this. Watch for the January edition of Practical Mobilization to help unleash moms on the world!
MissionalWomen.com Hosted by Laura Krokos. LauraKrokos.com
Laura has 5 little ones and their family does ministry full time. I’ve known her to take her kids overseas, to buy ad space on facebook to reach those in closed countries, etc.
Naomi: Thanks for the great suggestion. I appreciate you reading and taking the time to share your insight.
This is a great topic! I’ve been thinking about this lately since my daughter is six months old but growing up fast, and I want to be intentional about giving her a big worldview and a heart for Jesus. This is what I’ve come up with so far.
– Have missionary friends. When I was growing up my parents financially supported many missionaries and we would get together with them when they were around. We grew up thinking:
1) it was normal for some people to live in other countries so that everyone in the world could hear about Jesus,
2) it was normal to financially support missionaries, and
3) missionaries aren’t superhuman, they’re just people.
– Talk about world events with a mobilizer’s perspective. The news is full of opportunities to learn about the world and what God is doing, and resources like Missions Catalyst help to round out the picture.
– Attend a good church. We love our church because they focus on local *and* global outreach, not one or the other. There will be lots of opportunities to serve locally and globally as my daughter gets older. Our pastors value global outreach and they go on regular short-term trips to visit the missionaries we’re connected to. On top of that, we’re always pushed to grow deeper in our personal and collective faith through worship, teaching, serving, and small groups.
– Celebrate other cultures and learn about the world. I have a Pinterest board with books I want our kids to read, local or regional events I want to attend, ideas for how we can celebrate different holidays, and programs that might be useful (like http://www.postcrossing.com or http://www.littlepassports.com). We plan to travel as much as we can (she has a passport already and has been out of the country). And there are so many great blogs and resources for learning about things and places we won’t encounter.
– Prepare my daughter to fulfill her calling. This will be the toughest, obviously. I want her to grow up with the support and tools to understand how and why God created her. I want her to have relationships with other adults who will encourage her, mold her, and draw out things that her mom and dad can’t. I want her to be brave when God asks something big of her and to be tender toward those who don’t know him. I want her to know that God loves her like crazy and that he blesses us so that the world will know him. I want her to not be surprised by suffering but to look for God’s presence in it.
I’m so looking forward to the January issue!
Hey Shane…always love your articles. This one came at a perfect time as our school in Thailand just hosted 70 refugees from a neighboring country. Can I have permission to quote you in our blog? Will also provide a link that will take readers right to missioncatalyst.net Cool?
A lot of years ago I read a book “Susanna”, by Glen Williamson. Susanna was the mother of Charles and John Wesley. “She is known as the mother of Methodism” because of her huge influence in the life of her two sons.
Even when they are not missionaries, they became very influential in the church of England, and I´m sure her mother had a lot to do with it.
Jen: Wow! Thanks so much. What a treasure trove of good ideas. Maybe I’ll just put quote marks around your comment and call it the January column!
Jill: Glad to hear the timing was good. By all means quote away! Thanks.
Jessica: Great point about Susanna. As a child of the Wesleyan tradition, I’ve personally and positively been affected by dear Susanna’s influence. Thanks for the reminder.
Excellent!!
Astrid: Thanks for the kind word. I appreciate it.
I’m still on the journey as none of my six kids has graduated from college yet, but one of them has already gone to an unreached people group for a short term, with plans to go long term, and another is planning to do the same. Here are some of the things our family does:
1. We go on short term trips together. Mostly domestic (these are our family vacations!), but we want to take each child to a foreign culture before he/she graduates from high school.
2. We support missionaries and have them in our home.
3. We support Compassion children.
4. We encourage our children to take Perspectives during one of their high school years.
5. I talk about the time I was a missionary in a foreign culture, before asthma brought me back to the U.S.
6. We bring international students into our home.
7. We use courses like the Intensive Discipleship Course in our home school.
8. I teach children’s missions classes at church, thereby infecting other children as well as my own!
9. Our home library includes lots of well-worn missionary biographies.
10. We pack Operation Christmas Child boxes.
11. I pray for God to send out workers into the harvest field, I pray for my children, and I tell God I would be delighted if he would send my children. And my children know this! (Yeah, not so delighted that my grandchildren will grow up in other countries, but I’m expecting to log lots of miles on my passport.)
Looking forward to your article as I’m concerned I’m not doing enough to give them God’s heart for the world. . .
Read “The Missional Mom: Living with Purpose at Home and In the World” by Helen Lee for some inspiring insights and great examples.
Look at the 2 Weave family videos for parents who are doing this with their kids:
http://weavefamily.org/weave-families/
Michelle: Thanks for opening a window on your life and kids. Can I just say, you probably don’t need to be “concerned you’re not doing enough to give them God’s heart for the world!”
Karin: Thanks for weighing in on this. Great book, actually the very book that got me thinking about this! I’ll check out the site as well. Thanks.