Oh, yes! Missions definitely separates families, and it HURTS likes crazy! But more than the hurt – as the family who stays home we get the awesome privilege to keep them lifted in prayer, giving them the gift of grace to fully live “there” (not trying to totally keep them up-to-date with life here), then love them deeply when they come home. If at all possible, plan a short term mission trip for your immediately family – go help your extended family in their day-to-day life. See what they do first hand – I promise, you’ll never regret it! (we did this two years ago, it did actually make the goodbye this time a little “easier”)

I say all this 130 hours after saying goodbye to my brother, his wife, and their 3 children – who just returned to the Philippines. We just had 6 wonderful family-full months. My two children & I said goodbye, walked out the door and went to church. I bawled all thru worship. I was there to worship my God; they were leaving to worship my God; all to add to the numbers in His family.