my friend, Gretchen

This week my friend Gretchen is moving to Cambodia.

She is a 20-something year old nurse who is giving up her American life and going to Cambodia for an indefinite amount of time to pour out God's LOVE on the children in that country.

In the city that she is going to there is no organized anything for children to do.  Even if/when they go to school, it is 50/50 if their teacher shows up that day....so the children are just left to wander the streets all day.  Gretchen is going to go there and love them, and mentor them, and play with them, and just be a person who they can count on to be there. 

I, frankly, think it is amazing that she is going. 

 I am so proud of her and inspired by her selflessness to give it all up to follow God, where He alone is leading her.

I also love the fact that my kids KNOW her and know exactly what she is doing.  Yesterday, as we drove in the car to Portland to say our good-byes to sweet Gretchen, me and the kids had a great conversation about her and where she is going.  I asked them what they thought she was feeling in this last week as she prepares to leave.  Luke said, "I think she is really happy and excited because she gets to go and play with the kids and she is being bold and following God."  Jorie said, "I think she is really sad because she is leaving the freedom of America and won't be with her family anymore."  I think together, Jorie and Luke, had a pretty good grasp of what it is about.  Regardless of what they are able to verbalize, I know they are taking it all in about what she is doing....and of course this momma isn't going to let them forget her and her radical abandonment to following hard after Jesus.

Gretchen girl, we LOVE you!

Thank you for the example you are setting for my kids.

May our mighty God work through you to comfort and heal and love thousands of His precious children.

To Him be the glory for all that you have done and all that you will do.

"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."  Philippians 1:6