When we got married, we both felt that if God sees fit to take us back on the mission field someday, that we will be used for His glory. Right now our mission field is here, but we will see as we are just preparing for whatever God has. We don't really know where exactly we'll be called to, but we pray, ‘God wherever you take us, as long as you go with us, we will go.’ Derick was in Nepal so he knows the Nepalian language. I've studied some Spanish, so we'll see where we end up. But I think right now it's just taking advantage of every opportunity, like Scripture says in Ephesians. And not just thinking outside of America is a mission field, but wherever you go; whether it's talking with single moms here, or discipling others here, or handing out tracks at the grocery store, or whatever it is. We're just trying to make the most of every opportunity and seeing where God leads!
As far as trips we've taken, I've mainly been to Central America, then we've been to Peru in South America. I've traveled a lot on other trips out of the country, but they were not necessarily mission-focused. Something interesting about Derick though, was that his first mission trip was when he went to Nepal for two years. So yeah, he had never been out of the country except across the border into Canada or something like that, so that didn't really count! We just got back from a week in El Salvador in December. We went down there with some of my family.”
Everything about Jill's life changed the day she said “I Do.” Running her own household is something she was raised and prepared to do. She was ready for it. I asked her what the adjustment has been like, as the dynamics of chores and family life have changed for her.
“A year-and-a-half or so before I got married, my jurisdiction was kind of transformed. I would help out in the kitchen some, but I was really busy with studying Midwifery and working a lot, so my jurisdiction wasn't much at home. It was more working and studying a lot. And now, being married and running a whole household, I love cooking. That's probably one of my favorite things, but dishes, not so much. They're not my favorite, but I think the joy comes from just being able to accomplish and think, ‘Okay I've got the house in order.’ Just that makes it joyful and a fun place to be.
I felt bad too for Derick, because at the beginning of our marriage I got pregnant, then I had morning sickness. And so I felt bad for him having to clean the toilets and do those things, 'cause I can't use all the chemicals right now while I'm pregnant. And he is so sweet to help out, and I was like, ‘I'm so sorry! I'm so sick, I wish I could help.’ But he was like, ‘Don't worry about it!’ So he's really great to help out wherever.”
Jill and Derick are expecting their first child in March. As we chatted, the excitement was quiet evident in her voice, and her face was glowing. She dished on her new-found passion for super-spicy foods, and was confident that Baby Dilly loves spicy food too! I asked about her nursery, and she said they have some work to do there yet. They haven't even started picking out the colors, or designing it. I reassured her that she still has time. We discussed a possible future of homeschooling and what life might be like for Baby Dilly. Will their children grow up on the mission field, or in front of TV cameras? All Jill knows is that the future is in God's hands, and we can rest and be confident in that. Even though Jill's life has dramatically changed over the past year, she still remembers the feeling of staring out into the great unknown around the time of entering her courtship. I asked Jill how she and Derick knit their hearts together, and what they did to draw closer and be sure they were in love with the right person before marriage.
“That's a great question,” Jill replied thoughtfully. “We hadn't met in person. We were talking over social media - well, texting, Skyping, IM, a lot of that. The things that you're going to marry someone for, and that you're going to stay married to them for, are those things that are deeper than the surface. For us, it was learning more about each other and communicating. When you're in a long distance relationship you can't just hang out. You can't just sit there next to each other; you have to have something to your conversations. I wanted to talk to Derick all the time! So I would write up questions for him. And because of the different time zones, when I would go about my day and I thought of something, I would write it down, or shoot him a text, and then he would reply to it in the morning. So as I thought of it, I would ask him, and he would just write back later."
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