I don't know where to begin. Not at the beginning, since I do have to get up for work tomorrow. I have to get up for work tomorrow! That's a good place to begin; how my life and work has changed over this last year. I still scratch my head at some point during the day as I hear myself say things like 'oh yeah, that's in Thailand' or 'I just moved back from a summer in England'. Who says that? Me apparently.
I love my 'home' country. When we left on our adventure last Advent season I thought I was moving away for a very long time. I actually was just moving, and then moving, and then living out of a suitcase, and then spending more time with our suitcases. We're technically moving, or in the process of moving, STILL. Currently residing in Nashville, in case you missed our last move.
Moving is an interesting way to spend a year! Where is this all taking us to? That would be a natural question; one that I hope to have the answer for one day. Where did it bring us to? Or better, what has it given us? Besides the obvious arm work out, as I have not learned how to pack a bit lighter, yet. It has reminded me of whose I am. To whom I belong. Where I am actually going.
I have a destiny. It was made plain to me when I sprinted towards a new country and a new adventure that God made me, and Ethan and gave us the ability and desire to live cross-culturally. Ethan was reminding me tonight of the day we went to visit a widow, brought her communion, and did the teenage 'unthinkable'; kissed the woman's cheek as we left. THAT was a great day, an eternal moment.
This year was full of ups and downs, joys and despair. It was full as well with the sense of God drawing nearer to us. Filling us with hope of things to come and strength not just to run with our bags through 2 terminals at Heathrow international airport.
So it does feel a bit like we did a bungee cord move around the world and back. During that time I saw the faithfulness of God, and stoked a growing hunger to know more of his love and to spread more of what I've been given. Tomorrow I will go to work and see people who need some of the love I've been given, it's not 'missions' but it certainly is the mission field.
More later, until then I'm singing Handels Messiah 'Comfort ye' http://youtu.be/F3a9N2DTLX8 and reading through an Advent reading from biblegateway.com
What are you up to? Know that in everything you do, God loves you!
xo
