So Long for Now...

I am heading back to the community this evening for my final 4 weeks here. Sorry I have not been able to post more details, but we had internet down here for two days, and now I am on my way out! If you don't hear from me until I leave the weekend before I return-April 17th, please don't be alarmed, just keep lifting us up. I don't know if the internet will be fixed in the home before I leave, but I should have quick access in Delhi to let you know I am on my way... In the meantime...

Now that my time left is fast approaching-with just one month remaining!- I am struck so often with the struggle of finishing my time here well and persevering in what matters most. I don’t want to think of leaving this place, and yet my longing to return home keeps me eagerly looking forward to April. Sometimes I just want to get the goodbyes over with-especially since I just went through it 4 months ago! As Deb and I were talking one morning, she reminded me that it is not goodbye, it is just “see you later!” Even so, it will be difficult to say so long for now, not knowing when later will come. Oh how my heart aches for eternity when there will be no more tears from these dreaded farewells-for never again will I have to say goodbye!

I have learned so many things I would love to apply in pursuing further experience and education so that I can be better equipped in the future. From my first few weeks here I have gone from feeling completely unprepared, overwhelmed, in over my head, to now the difficulty of leaving a place where I have been so blessed and strengthened. He has taught me so much about myself, and above all my walk with Him in each day. I trust Him to provide just the right job and even to guide me in pursuit of education, but I want to ask for you all to be joining me in pr, that I would see clearly His guidance and always seek His understanding above my own. I hate to leave this place not knowing when I’ll return, but then we never really know what each day will have in store do we? Even when we make our plans, He sets our paths straight.

So I guess what I would request is that you ask Him to help me see what is His purpose in each day I have left here, and that He would prepare me to pursue the next steps-opening and closing doors as He has in the past year. Along with this is the need for trusting Him with the people I am leaving behind, and that He would provide someone else to come alongside them to help and fill in. There is so much need here. For the past few years I have heard about Amy C, but never actually picked up and finished one of her books or one about her-now I have almost finished two and I am wondering what took me so long! My thoughts over the past several years have echoed some of hers, and while I cannot pretend to have the same courage or gifts she possessed, I ask Him to change my selfish and prideful heart to be more like the one He put in Amy-for whatever purpose He wills. In the meantime, her questions, pleas and testimony have been an encouragement and a challenge in the times I have felt so alone here.

In all things, I know He has and will be my supply. As I prepare to make the journey home there are so many things I want to say, most of which I look forward to sharing with many of you in person, but for now I rest in the fact that He will lead each one of us home. Please do ask Him to be my peace as I return, and that the long journey home would be a time to reflect and thank Him, sharing the time with Him, trusting Him to lead me home safely.

Loving you all and looking forward to sharing more with you soon... So long for NOW!