Full arms

Here I sit, looking out the kitchen window seeing the beautiful sun reflecting off the white snow and thinking ahead to Friday when I will be seeing the hot sun beating down on a yard filled with green grass and little chocolate babies running around. The stillness and quietness that the Michigan winter brings will be replaced with the noises of African summer.

Tomorrow is the day. My bags are almost packed and most of the goodbyes are done. I am ready, in fact I have been ready for awhile. This year is different than years past. I am not sure if I just guarded myself a little more state side knowing I would be leaving again, or if the Lord has changed my heart to transition. Either way, I am ready to have my arms full again. I love being "state side." I get to see my family, be with my friends, worship at my church and travel around telling people about some of the most joyful people I have met. But through it all, my arms have seemed empty. In Lesotho they are full of kids, staff and volunteers. The sweetness of a tiny hand grasping mine and ready to go anywhere, as long as we walk together. When I am "state side" and people ask me what I miss, it is that, full arms.

This year I have heard the overwhelming message of dependance. In depending on God for everything, it is easier to say goodbye to the comforts of home, because it isn't my home. My family and friends and church are not mine. They all belong to God. No matter where I go He will provide. Now don't get me wrong, it still hurts to be far away from those I love. It isn't the big things that I miss, because social media covers those. The things I miss are the random text messages from a friend about everything and nothing at the same time. Or riding in the car and hearing my nephews and nieces sing at the top of their lungs to the radio (I have no idea where they got that from.) I will miss catching someone's eye at church while worshipping and knowing the sweetness of their worship. It is the little everyday things like "wing night" that I miss. But the great thing is when I depend on God for everything He gives me moments like those in Lesotho. A conversation with a friend about everything and nothing at the same time. Grabbing my guitar and singing with the kids at BG and leading worship with groups at BG and experiencing the sweet worship that it brings. It is there, I just need to depend on Him to provide those moments.

Friends, thank you for journeying this walk with me. It is overwhelming when I meet some one you for the first time and you tell me about a blog I wrote or a story I have shared in a presentation. You all remind me the importance of what the Lord has called me to. For me, flying to Lesotho and doing life there is a lot like how a lot of you see flying to Florida for spring break. I know the people i will meet, the places I go and the church I attend down there. It is routine for me. But in the routine there are moments where God reminds me I need to depend on Him for the energy, strength and joy to preserve through the "normalcy" of life in Lesotho.

Thank you all for your prayers and support. May the God of hope fill you all as you trust in Him so that you may overflow with hope. (Romans 13:15).

Some people have asked me how I pick my dates of travel. I will be honest when I look at flying I look at price. When the travel agent told me this week was the cheapest to fly out, I choose January 14. There was no question in it. January 14 was my friend Lindy's birthday. When I was wrestling with serving in Lesotho, she told me "Go. I got your back." I can't imagine a better way to celebrate her birthday and her life by doing just that. Happy birthday Lindy. I am sure the party in Heaven is amazing.