by Donna | Aug 23, 2010
While all of my children enjoy writing in various capacities, our missionary daughter and I are the family poets. Kayla’s poetry is so poignant, so moving. I love to soak it in.
Today we left Kayla in Springfield, Missouri to begin her missionary appointment with the Assemblies of God Health Missions as a health educator. She will literally be all over the world during the next two years helping existing missions, churches, and clinics reach those with HIV and AIDS with the good news of Jesus Christ.
Today I would like to share a poem that she recently included in her missionary newsletter. She wrote it when she was a young teen—but it speaks her life’s heart so well, even after nearly ten years. She still, and has always, desired to be found in the raging sea of love rather than the quiet, easy stream of the world. May we all be found in God’s Raging Sea of Love as we seek not the easy way of parenting, not the paths that are simple, but the ones that take us and our children exactly where God wants us to go.
“Raging Sea of Love”
by Kayla m. Reish
We asked for your love to come in like a raging sea,
But what we wanted was a quiet mountain stream.
One that we could build our sandcastles beside,
With all the world’s decorations, pillars and beams,
With the water flowing gently— not too deep or wide,
Just close enough to hear the water trickling down,
And far enough from the coast high up on mountain ground,
To fool ourselves into thinking it’s the ocean’s roar.
We listen with rapt attention to the seamen’s lore,
Thinking we know what the great captains know of.
What they mean when they talk about the waves they felt,
As their eyes looked at the endless water of God’s love,
Which caused their flesh to die and their hearts to melt.
We congratulate each other; stepping in the stream,
Never daring to go too far from the shore to dream,
And play the great sea travelers’ adventures.
In the small puddles we call huge tide pools,
And through the tiny ripples we call great billows,
We carefully form our paper boats and call them ships.
Like the scars of the ocean travelers we know,
Great wounds are earned when into the water we slip.
Quickly we dry the water of love off our arms,
Before it hits our flesh and can cause it any harm,
What brave seamen we are in our little waveless creek.
At the games we play in our quiet mountain stream,
The great sea captains can only shake their heads and mourn.
Because they have seen the raging sea of love,
And to spend their lives traveling it they have sworn.
No games, no ease, no earthly rest to speak of.
Just them and the water for miles and miles.
The surf of surrender forming watery piles,
And crushing down on them time and time again.
Out in the limitless depths of the raging sea,
They’ve heard the sounds that love alone knows how to make,
When its flood comes on them leaving no where to hide.
Every inch of them it crushes onto it breaks,
And cuts deep wounds into their flesh and bruises their pride.
No rescue from the fury of love’s embrace.
Then they struggle to their knees and look into love’s face,
Knowing they will never go back to the quiet mountain stream.
We cannot imagine the force of such a love,
Yet they dare to tell the stories of all they have seen,
Of a force that left them with nothing but brokenness,
Like we will never know by our quiet mountain stream,
And left them ruined for a life of worldliness,
Totally empty yet now completely full,
Addicted forever to the unstoppable pull,
Of passionate healing in God’s raging sea of love.
by Donna | Aug 5, 2010
Last summer our-now-missionary daughter was the camp nurse for a summer teen camp for several weeks between her junior and senior year of college. She had been an RN for over a year (she was on her second degree—this time in biblical studies) and had worked during the school year at the large, outstanding Baylor Hospital in Dallas. She was so excited to have the opportunity to give her summer to over six hundred young people each week—and to hopefully learn some “outdoor” emergency skills that she might need on the mission field. (There were experienced EMT’s also serving, but Kayla would be the only nurse and, thus, would have the title of official camp nurse.)
I was excited for her, but I also felt such a burden for her. It seemed like such a huge responsibility for a twenty-three year old. Kayla had worked in an ER, worked full time as a nurse for a year, etc., but it still felt “big” to me. I prayed and prayed for the safety of the campers and that nothing devastating would happen as Kayla was in charge this summer. (Obviously, I didn’t want anything bad to happen period, but I especially felt heavy-hearted for Kayla’s critical role in the summer camp.)
Early in the second week of camp, the phone rang first thing in the morning, and I felt butterflies in my stomach as I saw that it was Kayla’s number. She had been so busy during the first week that she could only call at ten or eleven at night after all the campers were in their cabins. I quickly answered the phone, feeling that something was amiss.
And something was. In the night, Kayla got called to a cabin in which a sixteen year old boy was having CPR administered to him by one of the EMT’s (whose cabin was closer). The EMT, Kayla, and the counselors knew the young man’s chances were slim to survive, but the EMT continued to work until the ambulance got there and rushed the camper to a local hospital. The hour in which the medical personnel worked on the man had to have been the longest hour of Kayla’s short life thus far. Here she was, camp nurse—and one of her campers was lying in front of her dying.
I cried and cried that day—for the counselors, fellow campers, the boy’s family—and for my camp nurse who was hurting like she had never hurt before. There was nothing any of them could have done. The young man died of an acute asthma attack of which nobody could have prevented or resuscitated him from. Yet still the burden and responsibility of this young boy’s death weighed heavily on Kayla.
During the days that followed I wished so much that I could pull out my imaginary secret weapon: the “mombrella.” You know, that invisible umbrella that we moms can just open with a click of a button and spread above our dear children. That fool-proof, repellant dome that protects our kids from all of the horrowing things this world dishes out to them. The hiding place that we can create under this beautiful mombrella that no pain, sorrow, or hurt can break through.
And yet, I couldn’t. I had to enter Kayla’s dark, stormy days with no umbrella of any kind—much less the secret, perfect mombrella that I envision carrying into my kids’ turbulent winds and hail.
Or did I? I mean—maybe I can’t give my kids the “mombrella” that I would like to give them…but maybe I can give them something even better—that is, if I can get past the fact that I myself have nothing to offer, no mombrella, no hiding place that I create. If I can see beyond myself as my kids’ savior in dark days—and trust God to take them through whatever comes their way. I mean, after all, isn’t a “God”brella so much better than any “mom”brella that I might create, even if I could fashion a large, colorful, full-protection one?
by Donna | Jul 29, 2010
“…close your eyes very tightly and breathe in a deep breath of that moment…for someday you will want to close your eyes…and see that moment again.”
Our baby just turned twelve. Unbelievable. I remember the days when all I wanted was a twelve year old! I actually thought that all of my problems (too much work, too little help, short nights, long days, so many needs of young children, etc.) would be solved if I just had a twelve year old to help me. I’m not sure where I came up with that magical age, but for me, a twelve year old was like having two adults home during the day!
Guess what? I was right to a large extent. The ages between ten and fifteen became true “magical” ages for me as my kids were so helpful, cheerful, and diligent. Of course, sixteen to twenty-seven have been wonderful too, but our kids get pretty involved in ministry, higher education, and work and are less and less available at home in that stage (as it should be). Those years have been amazing too, though, as we have watched our kids grow into the adults they are.
What I didn’t count on was the fact that once your first child turns twelve, time speeds up at two or three times its previous rate. While the days had felt so long, they were now over in the blink of an eye. While I had thought Joshua would never turn twelve, he did, and the next thing I knew, Kayla turned twelve, and, it seemed, a month later, Cami did. And so it continued until now…when our last little guy turned twelve.
So today we are having our last twelfth birthday party. Last night, as Ray and I lay in bed, we commented with teary eyes that Ray had just played basketball in the driveway for the very last time with one of our kids at age eleven. I had just read bedtime stories to our final eleven year old—for tomorrow, he would turn twelve, as all of the kids had done. And to think that I wished and wished for a twelve year old.
The moral of this story: don’t wish for a twelve year old. For you will likely get what you wish for—and maybe before you want it. You will probably get, as we have gotten, more than one twelve year old—in rapid succession.
Another piece of advice: every once in a while, close your eyes very tightly and breathe in a deep breath of that moment, whatever that moment might be. Hold it in your mind in still picture and say aloud, “I will never forget this moment.” Someday you will want to close your eyes, take a deep breath, and see that moment again.
by Donna | Jul 20, 2010
There is a story told of a man who was trying to fix his broken boiler many years ago. He tried and tried over several weeks but was unable to repair it. Finally, he gave up and called an expert. This “expert” engineer took a look at the boiler and gently tapped on the side of it. He then stood back as the machine sprang to life.
As the repairman left, he handed the man a bill for a full repair job. The owner of the boiler said that he should only have to pay a small amount since the task took just a few moments. The engineer responded that the man was not paying for the worker’s time but rather for the years of experience it took the repairman to learn just where to tap the boiler.
What does this have to do with parenting? The minute I read this story I was reminded of twenty years ago when I had a few young children and begged God to show me how to parent. When I cried because I could not get my strong willed little girl to obey. When I worried and fussed over a selfish child, sure that I was not equipped for this job, not “expert” enough to raise sons and daughters in a Christian home. When the parenting machine went haywire, I felt that I beat all over the side of it in vain in order to fix it—just like the owner of the boiler in the story.
Fast forward ten years later when I had babies through teens. I was learning “where to tap” in terms of parenting babies, toddlers, and young children. I was becoming an “expert” in the loosest sense of the word—simply from parenting every day. I gained confidence in those areas as I had my years of experience with the first few children to know what worked and didn’t work. However, I was just entering the stage of teenagers—and I had no idea what to do. I tapped endlessly all over the parenting machine—and felt that I only seldom hit the right spot.
Fast forward twenty years later, and I still worry, beg God, and cry–but a lot less often than I did in my early years of parenting. Do you know why? Because after so many years of “doin’ the stuff” there are many days in which I actually do know where to tap in order to solve the problem. There are some days in which answers come simply because I have years of experience now—and can slide my metaphorical hand along the side of the deteriorating situation and feel a quickening within me as to where to tap.
Oh yes, there are still “those days.” Ray and I still look at each other on occasion like we have never faced a certain situation or circumstance with no clue as to where to tap. But my twenty-seven years of experience has given me tools, opportunities, and intuition that I simply lacked many years ago. And some days, I know just where to tap—and I thank God for those days as I seek to tap into my children’s hearts and lead them in the way the Lord desires for me to lead them.
If you are a young parent, do not despair! Every situation you encounter now with your children is building within you the experience and skill to become an expert tapper of sorts. Some day you will realize that you can solve a problem more easily than you could before. Then another time it will happen again. And you will know that you have become an accomplished tapper of your children’s hearts—and you will tap away every day, knowing that you are leading them in the way the Lord desires for you to lead them.
by Donna | Jul 18, 2010
“Preach Christ always, and if necessary, use words.” Francis of Asissi
We have been having an interesting summer at the Reishes! While our almost-eighteen and twenty year olds have gone away for the summer working and traveling with a drama ministry, our next-to-the oldest has been home for the summer itinerating for her first full time missionary appointment.
I wanted to share with our readers a little about Kayla and her upcoming mission work. I think Positive Parenting 3*6*5 readers will especially be interested in how Kayla first felt her calling to missions twelve years ago—while our family read aloud from a “discipleship” book by Philip Yancy. And how did it begin and grow? Through her father challenging her to minister at home first—and to trust God to give her a future ministry. It is an amazing testimony that we thank God for continually.
Please pray for her if you think of her—and if any of you would like to know more about her work; possibly have her speak to your church, missions board, or small group; or learn about how your family can support this new, young missionary girl, feel free to email her at kaylamreish00@lionmail.sagu.edu She is anxious to get on the mission field, but like most missionaries nowadays, is working hard to raise her monthly support to get out there—while working a couple of jobs to help herself through “tent making.”
Check out her website—read articles, poetry, and updates about her work as a missionary nurse all around the world–https://dreamdarereish.blogspot.com/
Here is one of our “parent letters” that Ray and I have written to introduce Kayla’s mission work to friends and associates:
Dear Friend,
You may have heard via Facebook (!) or other source that the Reish family has a newly-appointed missionary in it! It is with great joy that we write this letter to introduce you (or re-introduce you, for those who have already heard from Kayla) to the exciting life and work that God has planned for our daughter.
Twenty years ago (when Kayla was only four years old) we began reading about missionaries, evangelists, and other godly people who “counted all but loss for the sake of the gospel.” We told Kayla that she was destined to do great things —and she believed us.
Not only did she believe us, but she also acted on that challenge throughout her childhood and teen years. When Kayla was thirteen, she was called specifically into missions as our family read aloud from a challenging book by Philip Yancey. About that time, Ray questioned Kayla about her future, what God was showing her, what she thought she should be doing, who she was going to minister to, etc.
She told him that she was going to be a missionary to Central or South America.
Ray questioned her further: “No, I mean now. Who are you going to minister to right now in your life?”
Kayla thought for a quick moment, looked up at Ray and said, “Right now, my ministry will be Mom.”
Kayla had already been the most diligent child I had ever seen, but now she pressed in even harder. She would get up early, before anyone else was up, work in the kitchen, do dishes, fix breakfast. She never tired of it; her “ministry” was not just a passing phase. And she continued this—her ministry to her family has never ended.
Fast forward a few years later and Kayla found herself ministering to homeschooled students through speech, debate, Spanish, writing, and science classes she taught. She, along with her sister and another teen girl, wrote a newsletter for young girls for six years (and earned the money herself to mail it out—she didn’t charge the girls and wouldn’t let her parents pay for her ministry!). Kayla taught and preached at the young adults’ services on Sunday evenings for a couple of years, then she joined a Spanish church for a couple of years to further her Spanish speaking skills—and help those people right here in her own community. She continued to serve in many capacities–holding weekend retreats, mini seminars and workshops; speaking at homeschool conventions; helping us raise and train her younger siblings, and much more—all in an effort to “minister where she was planted” until her time came to “go out into all the world.”
Here we are, ten years after she was called to the mission field and practiced on this mission field known as home, and she has completed the degrees that she felt she needed in order to serve God in medical missions—RN, BSN (nursing), and BA (biblical studies). (She received her associates of nursing first so that she could work as a nurse while getting the other two degrees—and graduate debt free.)
And she is ready to go—as a health educator with Global Aids Partnership, developing materials, going into existing missions to help missionaries learn how to reach out to those affected by AIDS, and training pastors in other nations (especially Africa and Central and South America—she knew she would get there someday, even when she was only thirteen!).
So here we are writing this letter to friends, old and new, to let you know the needs that Kayla has in order to get on the mission field. Because she is a missionary associate with the Assembly of God International Missions, she must partner with individuals, churches, groups, etc. to raise her support herself. She must raise nearly $3,000 per month in order to maintain her home base, travel to train missionaries and leaders of indigenous churches, and develop materials to be used to safely reach those affected by AIDS around the world.
Why should you support Kayla ?
– She felt the call to missions at age 13 and has been preparing herself ever since.
o Academic Prep
Three college degrees–Associate in Nursing, BS in Nursing. and BA in Biblical Studies
3.83 GPA taking 20-23 hours per semester (while working 24 hrs/wk!)
o Technical Prep
2 yr experience as RN at Baylor Hospital (Dallas)
1 summer as head camp nurse for 700-900 campers per week
o Speaking Prep
Four times national competitor in multiple high school speech and debate categories
National semi-finalist in impromptu speaking
Teaching Prep
Co wrote and produced GRACE – Christian newsletter to young girls
Taught Sunday School
Taught Young Adult group services and Sunday school
Taught numerous science, Bible, language arts, speech classes to home schoolers
o Foreign Language Prep
Five years of Spanish
Teaching high school Spanish classes for homeschoolers
Immersion in Spanish only speaking church for 2 years
o Financial Pep
Worked full time to graduate college – Debt Free
– Her character is above reproach
– You can support someone you personally know (or at least you personally know her family)
Why should you support Kayla in Global Aids Partnership?
– Partnership: Everything is done in partnership with on the ground missionaries and congregations
– Sustainability: Everything has to be carried on long term with resources available to the local leadership
– Christ focused and God honoring: GAP is more than just another relief group because of its consistent and appropriate declaration of Jesus as Lord
– They secure payment of large projects from foundations and grants to offset large project costs
Why get involved with a ministry to people with AIDS ?
– AIDS has ravished lives and families the world over with over 33 million individuals infected
– Jesus commanded Christians to be his lights in a dark and sin-sick world
– It is serving people in their greatest time of spiritual, social, and physical need
Why are you getting this letter?
– Kayla needs to greatly expand her network of friends, family, and churches
o Most of her peers aren’t financially ready to support her
o She need contacts to other churches, groups, etc
– Kayla needs financial support
Kayla needs to raise support (via pledges) of $3000 per month for the next two years. While there are many good people and ministries that can be supported, I can think of no one who has better prepared herself for what God has called them to do. Please consider making a monthly pledge for Kayla’s work. Also consider how you can help her expand her network of friends and churches. She is quite the orator and can speak to churches, civic groups, Sunday school classes, etc. about her mission work (or about another inspirational or motivational subject should you need a speaker). Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Ray and Donna Reish
