Cries of the Longing

As I have already shared with you, my husband recently returned from a mission trip to Haiti. Since today marks the one year anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, I thought I would share with you a family experience leading up to his trip.

On the day Todd was to depart, it was sort of sad around our house, I think because of territory we had never experienced. This is the first time he had been on mission trip, much less out of the country, so we were a little unsettled. We, including the girls, prayed many times that day, but I don’t think neither Todd or the girls were prepared for what awaited when we reached at Starfish Orphan Ministry.

Upon arriving, the inevitable separation from Daddy became real to them and I noticed they were very quiet, staying right by our sides as the mission team and their families gathered.

With the mission team standing in the center of a large circle of friends and family for prayer, I could hear my babies sniffle as they listened to the prayers on Daddy’s behalf.

Then the time came.

Time to say goodbye.

Daddy walked us out to our vehicle so that he could have a private good bye and I never anticipated seeing such white knuckled grips around a Daddy’s neck in my life!

The tears were flowing, not only from the girls, but from him too. He was having a hard time leaving us behind and said he never anticipated the separation being so painful. I know many of you will find this impossible to believe, but - with God all things are possible, so believe me when I say – I, Amy Dotson, the town crier, was the calmest and most together one of all. I shed the least tears and I was the one to reassure him and say, “We’ll be fine.”

And he walked away. Around the building. Out of our sight.

Then the crying and SOBBING that could be heard for miles commenced as I put the truck in reverse to back out of the parking lot. As we inched away, I heard two girls, in stereo, crying so loudly I thought I had time traveled to the Wailing Wall for a minute!

It was as if a death had occurred.

But it was only a separation – for a little while - and they knew that, yet that small separation made my girls grieve for their Daddy.

Oh - how much better off we would be if we grieved any separation from our Heavenly Father in such a way. The difference is, God never leaves us behind to go anywhere, but we leave Him behind every single day.

And that should grieve us.

Deeply.

May this scripture become part of us –

I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all Your doings;
I muse on the work of Your hands.
I stretch out my hands to You;
My soul longs for You, as a parched land. Selah.
Answer me quickly, O LORD, my spirit fails;
Do not hide Your face from me,
Or I will become like those who go down to the pit.
Psalms 143:5-7

If this scripture became part of us, WOW - we would spend much less time away from our Daddy!




Royal Princess Daughter Of The King