Tuesday, July 23, 2013

One Week!

One week. One week from today I'll be on a plane, and one week from tomorrow I'll be in the Philippines! Time is flying by. This will be a week of last minute details, packing, and... goodbyes. Goodbyes are hard. I know in my head that they're really only "see-you-laters", but still, never having been away from home for so long, it definitely feels like goodbye. God has blessed me with a wonderful community, deep, Christ-centered friendships, and a family I love dearly. I've already had several "lasts"- my last day with an elderly lady I help weekly, my last day nannying, my last CYT rehearsal visit... each one has brought a bit of an ache, and I know that the goodbyes looming ahead are definitely going to hurt.

Still, it's bittersweet, for the God who has given me each of those relationships and given such sweetness to each one of them is the God who is moving me forward; the God who is going with me. I know it's going to be hard, I know it's going to hurt, I know there will be challenges and that I'll be stretched beyond anything I've ever experienced, my comfort zone left behind on the other side of the world, but there is a part of me that is eager. God is leading, and I want to follow. I know in my head that He is truly sufficient- all I could ever need- and now I have a chance to know it in my heart in a way I never have before. A few weeks ago I re-watched this video made by the Talbots; the family I'm going to help. I don't know how to describe it exactly, but watching it changed something in me. All along I've been saying "It's going to be an adventure", but for the first time, I truly felt it.

So how am I feeling now? A bit overwhelmed, a bit sad... but also undeniably excited! God has given me a peace that surpasses understanding; a peace I never even imagined possible. I know myself, I know how I respond to things, and I know this peace and excitement is only because of Him, and an answer to the prayers of many (you know who you are- thank you!) I see my own inadequacy in every area, but though I am small, I serve a powerful God who has promised never to leave me or forsake me, and who has promised to equip me for all He calls me to do. He has never been anything but faithful, and He doesn't change!

Please pray that my eyes would be on Him through this next week, and that He would prepare me for the months ahead. Pray that He'll give me wisdom and peace in every challenge both here and there, and please join me in praying for the Talbots and the Ga'dang people- the people I'll be with soon! 

1 comment:

Grandma said...

Lindy, I can totally relate to your good-byes...we've had lots of practice!!! It's never easy, but we know that there are always good times ahead!
A pastor once told me that my tears aren't because I am sad, but because I 'feel'. That has been so affirming. May that statement be affirming to you, too. Yes, you will be leaving home and known comfort, but you are also going towards God's calling and new experiences and people to love.
As you travel, remember that you have friends and relatives who are praying for you. Enjoy your new experiences!
Love, Grandma