Sometimes It's Just a Christmas Sign

Sometimes it's just a Christmas sign on a winter Monday morn that launches an avalanche of tears. On the way to the washer, I passed the red sign poking out of a random bag nestled among the everyday household clutter in the utility room. My daughter passed along the decoration, one that annually graced her fireplace mantel but would no longer be needed. She was in transition to the mission field along with her family.

Later that morning, my grief nudged me to her empty house. As I pulled up, the rich male voices on my car CD player sang out "Amazing Grace," a family favorite. How often my young grandson had suggested we sing that old hymn during our music times together.

I wept and prayed for my daughter and family engaged in intensive language study. Our time apart had been the longest in close to 12 years.

And it hurt.

Deeply.

Yet, it occurred to me that in every pain is a touch of heaven calling me Home.

Grief compels me to focus on my real Home and the reason I'm not there yet.

I have a story to tell. And so does my family.

A story of Jesus' love and forgiveness.
A story of reconciliation with the Father.

" . . . that we may know Thee, the one true God," Jesus says in John 17:3.

This is eternal life.

For this reason I sacrifice physical closeness with my children/grandchildren so that they can let the nations know . . .

John 17:3: "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent" (NASB).

For this I live, and sometimes it takes a Christmas sign poking out of a box to remind me of my God-given purpose on a winter day.

People I've Never Met

As a mom of missionaries, "Love the people God's called your children to serve," has been rolling around my brain the last few days.

I often pray for our missionary kids, but sometimes forget to pray for the people they serve. I seem to take it for granted that their calling will automatically enable them, enable me, to love the people.

Not necessarily. Especially when we've not yet met those people, as in the case of our second daughter and family who are preparing to leave to minister among an unreached people group in Africa.

This morning I took down a 2017 wall calendar detailing pictures of their survey trip to Africa. I'd looked at the Shutterfly calendar all year long and lifted up a quick prayer as I jotted weekly items down. Buy today I really looked at the calendar. With their departure looming ahead, I considered using the calendar more intentionally in my prayer time and perhaps with our ladies' prayer group.

Then it hit me. A well of unpleasant emotion I'd never quite experienced up to this point. Anger, grief that these people staring at me in the pictures, these people I'd never met were calling my precious children away. I recoiled at the emotion. Yet I knew I couldn't run from it. I had to deal with it.  That much I'd learned in 41 years of marriage to a professional counselor.

So here I am, dealing with it through writing out my thoughts and feelings as I gaze at the calendar pictures. Of pastors hungry to learn and share God's Word in their remote village settings. Of African women and children browsing crowded outdoor markets. Of my son-in-law sharing biblical principles to a group of pastors in a rustic church with dirt floors. Of my daughter smiling down at two kids hugging her legs.

I realize God is growing me to think, to pray, beyond the needs of my family to the needs of the people they're called to serve. A people He knows. Intimately knows and loves and longs to know and love Him in return. I must not horde the love He so graciously extended to me and my family. So many do not yet know, have not even heard His name once. Unfathomable.

So I come back full circle, knowing I must let my family go, once again, and knowing I desire them to go in God's will, each of us fulfilling Isaiah 6 in our own ways to the people He has called us to serve.

Yes, with all the emotion involved, knowing that even the unpleasant but very real emotions cannot overpower me or us if we keep our focus on our Savior and the people who need Him.

Ultimately, that is all that really matters. Yet I also know in the midst of this eternal task, our Father cares about us. He knows. He weeps with us . . . .

For our pain. For the pain of the people we serve.

Yet a better day is coming. A better country.

Our true Home where He longs for us all to join Him.

So we tell them.

For Love compells us to do so. 

Born for India trilogy GIVEAWAY in Kindle format!

One woman. One God. One passion.

Could love await her . . . even in India?

I am blessed to have three daughters, who along with their families, serve the Lord around the world. They inspired my first fiction effort, Journey to Judah, and I've been writing fiction ever since. Their burden for hurting and lost people has become my own. We each play a part in building God's kingdom. For this season of my life, writing and speaking on contemporary issues seems to be the fit God has for me, along with regular overseas trips to encourage and work alongside my missionary kids.

One brother's dark secret.

Another brother's scorn.

Will family ties be strong enough to bind two wounded hearts, once the secret is revealed?

Restored Hearts picks up with a character introduced at the end of Book one: Gavin's brother, Tim. Little does Gavin know that his brother is fighting the battle of his life. And he may take Gavin down with him. Birthed from deep conviction and compassion, Restored Hearts is a must-read for every believer who truly wants to relate to and impact our current culture.

A couple in crisis.

A child taken captive.

When their worlds intersect, will they find it in their hearts to accept an outcome 

so different from what they expected and hope for?

When I wrote Chosen Ones, little was known about trafficking, especially on American soil and especially in our churches. Now, there is much more awareness. Part of my heartbeat is to write stories that will build awareness among believers and move them to action. 

Every story incorporates a contemporary issue, adventure, a missional heartbeat, and romance!

Leave a comment below or visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1507154802853393/# and leave a comment to enter the drawing! Winner announced on Friday, August 15!

What It's Like to Mother Missionaries

My husband, Chuck, and I never prayed that our children would become missionaries. We simply prayed that they would do whatever God wanted them to do, using their unique gifts, talents, and interests to serve Him. 

With that backdrop to parenting, we provided an atmosphere in our home that fostered a heart for others, whether next door or around the world. When a new neighbor moved in, we played welcome wagon, showing up on their doorstep with cookies and card in hand. We hosted missionary families during our annual mission conference. Our kids played and studied with the missionary kids and formed ties that last to this day. We prayed with others at pro-life rallies. Each of our girls worked as summer counselors in the Christian camping ministry in which I grew up. During the year, we often visited the sick and lonely, gifting them with our music and crafts. We witnessed to people we met, in their homes, on the street, and in our neighborhood.

            
So, in some ways, it came as no surprise when our oldest daughter, Rachel, announced at age fifteen that she sensed God calling her to India as a career missionary. Prior to that, she’d been interested in veterinarian medicine, even oceanography. Looking back over our homeschooling years, I realize now that she’d always been fascinated with the solar system, even more with geography. She loved taking a globe or map and pointing out as many different countries as she could. She’d read stories of Amy Carmichael, missionary to India. Her innate interest in the world’s countries, her love for the Lord, and her exposure to missions through our church and her youth group paved the way for God to speak to her heart.

             
Thus, in November 2004, after ten years of preparation, Rachel set off for India as a single missionary gal. Only two months later, God provided her life partner, and they were married in June 2005. Their love story inspired my first novel, Journey to Judah. Writing articles about releasing a child into fulltime missions and later writing a novel helped this mom process the experience. Many ask me, “How can you let your daughter go clear around the world?” I simply respond, by the grace of God, “Well, you know, she’s not mine to hold back. I gave her to the Lord at conception. And I continue to give her over to Him every day. She belongs to Him. God merely used me to train her to serve Him.”

             
That’s not to say my emotions never threaten to get in the way. They do. My grown children go (for long periods of time) and then they come home (for months at a time). The transitions are heart rending. But the more experience I get as a mother to missionaries, the more I realize that each season is simply that, a season that comes and goes with another season on its heels. When the kids come home, I focus on them. Our home becomes a missionary house. In fact, that’s exactly what it is right now as we house 15 people, seven of them kids! All of them are coming and going as they travel to churches to update them on their ministries. My job as missionary host is to listen, especially to the hearts of the grandchildren who are processing life in a different country, bake, cook, wash, play, and pray. In short, make good memories that will carry us through to the next furlough.

With each tear of separation comes the joy of knowing my daughter is doing exactly what I raised her to do: Serve God and others.

            
On the heels of Rachel’s commitment, my second daughter, Michelle, trained to serve the Lord, and met and married a youth minister. Today, they serve fulltime in inner city missions. In addition, my youngest daughter, Stephanie, and her family are preparing to go to Thailand as fulltime missionaries, working with at-risk children vulnerable to sex traffickers.

             
Every day, some days more than others, I have to intentionally release each one of my children, and now seven grandchildren, to fulfill the purpose God has for them. I have to remind myself that we’re not really home yet. There’s lots of work to do for the kingdom. We each play a role: Me in my writing, speaking, and mentoring young moms, and they in their mission work around the world. Someday, we’ll join forever in heaven, celebrating all He has accomplished through our ministries. For now, we work while we wait. And choose joy in the process.

~~

Looking for a summer read? Check out the Born for India trilogy (Journey to Judah, Restored Hearts, Chosen Ones) on my Amazon author page.

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003O405FO 

If You Could Take a Missions Trip . . .

View from our plane on the way to India!

The Born for India trilogy was inspired by my travels to and experiences in India.

One woman, One God. One passion.

Could love await her, even in India?

One brother's dark secret.

Another brother's scorn.

Will family ties be strong enough to bind two wounded hearts, once the secret is revealed?

A couple in crisis.

A child taken captive.

When their worlds intersect, they each will receive a precious gift, but will they find it in their hearts to accept an outcome so different from what they expected and hoped for?

Okay, time to play!

 

If you could take a missions trip, where would you go?

 

Answer that question below for a chance to win the Born for India trilogy Kindle versions!

 

If you've been on a trip, where did you go and what did you see?

 

Hurry! Contest ends March 26! 

A Must-Read for Every Serious Christian

http://echristian.com/restored-hearts-eileen-hinkle-rife-ebook

One brother's dark secret.

Another brother's scorn.

Will family ties be strong enough to bind two wounded hearts, once the secret is revealed?

A must read for every serious Christian concerned about countering the culture.

Only $5.99 on www.echristian.com!

Christmas is right around the corner . . .

 Travel to India via the Born for India trilogy this Christmas! 

Will Maggie discover more than she bargained for when she steps onto the Oasis Compound? 

Did she really commit her life to this? 

And could love possibly await her?

Can Gavin and Tim resolve the tension brewing between them when Tim declares his dark secret? And how will Maggie, caught in the middle, respond?

A compelling story that just might change the way you view people.

A must read for every Christian!

Will Yvonne's pain drive her to make a difficult decision? And what will husband Dan think? Join the missionaries at the Oasis Compound as they face the dangers of trafficking when a little Nepali girl shows up on their doorstep.

Does the empty nest signal the end of a purposeful life?

Or is the best yet to come?

Follow Mave through her empty nest journey as she experiences some midlife surprises along with husband, Jerry.

 

~~

 

Visit Christianbook.com for great prices!

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find/1317223496?Ntt=eileen+rife&N=1014644&Ntk=keywords&action=Search&Ne=0&event=ESRCG&nav_search=1&cms=1&search=

~~

Stay tuned for a special treat!

 

I'll be in India from December 19 through January 9. I greatly appreciate your prayers as my husband and I visit and encourage the young Waldock fam and conduct a marriage seminar for the staff at one of the Christian schools. While in Bangalore, I will also be busy producing videos, taking pics, and supplying blog posts, all under the title of "Christmas in India!"

You won't want to miss this inside glimpse of the sights, sounds, and smells of India, the birthplace of my Born for India trilogy. Travel to some of the places where my character Maggie ministers to orphans, experiences the tsunami, meets her future husband, and much more! 

 

If you haven't already, you may want to read my books (Journey to Judah, Restored Hearts, Chosen Ones) to enhance the experience!

Blog posts begin on December 10 with a pre-packing video.

What exactly does it take to go to a foreign country? Hmm . . .
www.eileen-rife.blogspot.com 

 (If you sign up for email delivery, it will save you navigation time. 

The post will arrive in your inbox).

Where are you in the journey?

My journey with the Lord began when I was eight years old. My journey into writing started around the same time. That festering desire to put pen to page bubbled throughout the years with a stab at poetry, essays, scripts, newsletters, articles, and books. My journey into novel-writing started in 2005 with my first title, Journey to Judah. Since then, I've published four novels with another contracted through OakTara Publishers.

God's journey for me involves sharing His love and forgiveness through the written and spoken word.

What about you? Have you discovered God's unique journey for you?

Share a bit about your journey and enter to win a copy of CHOSEN ONES, book three in the Born for India trilogy. 

Blurb:

A couple in crisis
A child taken captive

Life in Chennai, India, is complicated. While Maggie and Gavin Munsfield adjust to a new baby, missionary friends, Dan and Yvonne Pratt, experience the heart break of infertility and miscarriage. When their lives intersect with a young girl caught up in the horrors of sex trafficking, each of them will receive a precious gift. But will they find it in their hearts to accept an outcome so different from what they expected and hoped for? 

Here's what others are saying about Chosen Ones: 

Highlights what may be the worst human rights violation in the 21st century--human trafficking. -Barbara Everett, Director, Destiny Rescue USA, Inc.

A shocking portrait of a tragic, real-life crime in order to bring hope and healing to those who suffer from sexual abuse. -Dr. Tim Clinton, President of the nearly 50,000 member American Association of Christian Counselors

Captures the flavor of India and 'speaks up for those who cannot speak for themselves.' -Betty Anne Bantz, author, Secrets of the Heart series 

Another gripping story by Eileen Rife, which kept me engrossed by her vivid word pictures and skillful dealing of difficult issues--barrenness, miscarriage, and human trafficking. I am forever changed by this emotionally tragic story of sexual slavery. The discussion questions at the end of the book make it an excellent choice for group study. -Betty Robertson, author, Changing Places: A Christian's Guide to Caring for Aging Parents

Eileen Rife has placed human faces, good and evil, on one of the world's great social tragedies--huamn slavery. Her 'can't put it down' informative story brings tears of defeat and vistory. May the heightened awareness she brings stimulate action. -Dr. David Peterson, Founder, Total Life Counseling, Inc. and author, Strength from Psalm 23

 

Contest dates: June 28 - July 28. 

Thanks for stopping by to encourage my readers with your journey story!

CHOSEN ONES, on the Edgy Christian Fiction Writers blog tour, Monday, August 1

A couple in crisis. A child taken captive. Life in Chennai, India is complicated. While Maggie and Gavin Munsfield adjust to a new baby, missionary friends Dan and Yvonne Pratt experience the heartbreak of infertility and miscarriage. When their lives intersect with a young girl caught up in the horrors of sex trafficking, each of them will receive a precious gift. But will they find it in their hearts to accept an outcome so different than what they expected and hoped for?

RESTORED HEARTS, on the Edgy Christian Fiction Writers Blog Tour, Monday, August 1

One brother’s dark secret. Another brother’s scorn. Newlyweds Gavin and Maggie Munsfield return to care for the sick and wounded at the Oasis Compound in Chennai, India, which is still suffering from the recent tsunami. Gavin’s brother, Tim, a landscape artist from Boston, joins the couple for the clean-up and rebuilding of the Compound. But Tim harbors a dark past that threatens to destroy his relationship with his brother . . . and a promising new love.Will family ties be strong enough to bind two wounded hearts, once the secret is revealed?

Chosen Ones, latest release in the Born for India trilogy, Take all three books to the beach this summer!

CHOSEN ONES, NEW RELEASE!

After a two-year wait, Book Three, CHOSEN ONES, in the Born for India trilogy is finally out!

CHOSEN ONES arrived on my doorstep last night. I have 30 signed copies in hand if you would like to purchase directly from me. It will take roughly three weeks for the book to get entrenched in the online system.

A couple in crisis.
A child taken captive.

Life in Chennai, India, is complicated. While Maggie and Gavin Munsfield adjust to a new baby, missionary friends, Dan and Yvonne Pratt, experience the heartbreak of infertility and miscarriage. When their lives intersect with a young girl caught up in the horrors of sex trafficking, each of them will receive a precious gift. But will they find it in their hearts to accept an outcome so different than what they expected and hoped for?

"Eileen Rife has highlighted what may be the worst human rights violation of the 21st century--human trafficking. As part of an organization that is working to stop child prostitution, I have seen countless real-life cases just as tragic as this story Eileen has told in her novel. Change the name, age, city, and country, and you have the story of millions of children who are trapped in a life of abuse. Eileen paints a tragic but true picture of a victim of forced prostitution, but also gives hope in telling of the dedicated men and women who risk their lives daily to rescue these children. I pray that all who read this book might be moved not just to tears, but to action. 'Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people' (Psalm 82:4)."
- Barbara Everett, Director, Destiny Rescue USA, Inc.

"Injustice. Prostitution. Sex trafficking. The brutal realities of 12.3 million people enslaved worldwide. In her new book, Chosen Ones, Eileen Rife provides a shocking portrait of a tragic and real life crime in order to bring hope and healing to those who suffer from sexual abuse."
- Dr. Tim Clinton, President of the nearly 50,000 member American Association of Christian Counselors

FOR BOOK CLUBS

If you’ve read JOURNEY TO JUDAH or RESTORED HEARTS, you know that the romance, adventure, and intrigue don’t have to stop when you’ve finished the last page and closed the book.

You can get together with your friends and use the Discussion Questions at the end of the books to generate thought-provoking conversation for quite some time.

JOURNEY TO JUDAH questions include:

•In what ways might Maggie’s journey be similar to the journey of Ruth in the Bible? In what ways are they different?

Journal where you are in your journey. What is God doing in your life? How does that make you feel? Are you willing to do whatever He asks you to do?

•When faced with a broken engagement, Gavin plunged into depression. What steps did Dr. Hauser suggest to help him regain emotional equilibrium?

•Read Psalm 37. List some of the things you can do when you don’t understand what God is doing in your life.

•Read Philippians 4. Describe God’s path to peace and contentment.

*And many more!

RESTORED HEARTS questions include:

•During one counseling session with Tim, Dr. Hauser says, “If you want to know what God thinks of you, look at the cross.” How did this statement help Tim? How might it help you?

•The word restore in 1 Peter 5:10 is the same word used to signify a bone that must be reset in order to heal stronger. How does Esha try to convey this message to Gavin ? Are her words effective immediately—or much later? Why do you think this is? How might remembering Esha’s words help you in your own life now, and in the future?

•During a counseling session, Dr. Hauser discusses the role of sex in marriage. He alludes to such Scriptures as Genesis 2:22-24 and Ephesians 5:31-33. Take a look at the headlines today re: approval of homosexual marriages in some of the states. Why do you think Satan is working overtime to destroy the marriage union between one man and one woman for a lifetime?

•At one point in the story, Dr. Hauser tells Tim, “Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?

•What role do you think Dad’s letter might play in Tim’s and Gavin’s healing? How has it already influenced Tim’s thinking? If you could change anything about your own childhood, what would that be?

•The name Esha means “desire or wish” in Sanskrit. She longed for Tim, yet she demonstrated an even greater longing. What do you think that was? What are the current desires of your heart?

•And many more!

With questions included in each book, why not host a BOOK CLUB?

I’d love to come and share the story behind the story and answer reader questions! Contact me at eileenrife@yahoo.com.

Off to Uganda

Ready or not, here we go!

Fighting the sniffles as we toss in last minute items into our luggage. The missionaries request chocolate, guitar pics, and Sunday School materials. We appreciate the donations people and businesses have made! It means alot to American missionaries to have small touches of home. Most countries just don't produce the chocolate that the good ole' US of A does, unless you're talking about Europe.

In spite of not feeling 100%, we're ready to get the show on the road. On Tuesday of next week, we will travel to the Kingfisher Resort on Lake Victoria to lead a five-day marriage retreat. PRAY for God to do a work in each of us as we create relationships that honor the Lord and magnify Him to the world. PRAY for the nationals as they reach out to their villages with the gospel. PRAY for the missionary team as they seek the Lord's direction in ministry. PRAY that we will all have health and strength to do what He has asked us to do.

And when you get a chance, don't forget to check out www.christianbook.com for the best prices on JOURNEY TO JUDAH and RESTORED HEARTS. Join with us in prayer for God to use these two novels to touch folks' hearts and help them get involved in sharing His Word with others.