A week from today we will be commissioned by our sending agent. It will be the last step of orientation before we all spread out all over the world to share the Gospel.
Next week will be a week of goodbyes, celebrating our time here. There will be an open house at Rachael and Abi’s school, allowing them a chance to rejoice in all their hard work and share the fruit of some of the greatest social studies lessons they have ever received. How their worldview has expanded. How their hearts have grown. It’s quite beautiful to witness.
Then there’s goodbyes to the teachers who have become family. There’s goodbyes to the affinity mates who are family. I can tell you right now that there will be a lot of tears. Happy tears and “I miss you already tears”. Hugs we hope to carry for years.
…and then we will just drive away.
I can’t predict how that will feel. We are such different people than the family who first drove in through the gate. Different and yet the same.
I don’t think I can be prepared for all the emotions that are just beginning to hit about saying goodbye. We are walking into that new season of goodbyes. See, coming here it was a season of “see you in a few months” and now it is a season of “see you in years”. But it is also a bittersweet reality that our family is about to walk into a really intense and hard setting, and we cannot take our dearest confidants with us.
I am so thankful we don’t walk alone, for the Greatest Confidant holds our hand through all these goodbyes. He holds our hands and our hearts. As He reveals this plan He has laid before us. Open us, Jesus. Open us to Your plans.
And then we will get on a plane and fly 17 hours across the incredibly big ocean, stepping off the plane into the great unknown…
But I can tell you one thing: in the midst of all the goodbyes that hurt so deeply there will be one hello. And then another hello. Followed by a team of hellos as we step into the Moz family. No, they won’t replace anyone here on this side of the ocean, our hearts will still ache for our friends and family. We’re told we’ll get used to the ache until it becomes our new normal and we will cherish the times we share with our friends and family all the more.
But I am thankful to know that after this season of goodbyes there will be a season of hellos.
This is the Body of Christ.
In all her beauty.
Beautiful. So real. So raw. I started to get all emotional reading this thinking about the next week and everything that comes with it. Glad I’ve gotten to share this time with you.
It certainly is a journey. Glad to have spent some of this life journey with you.