learning to say good bye....

One of the things that I've had to learn over the last two years is how to say good-bye. And I've learned it never really gets easier. I think the thing that makes it the hardest for me is that there's people on both ends of good-bye, either sad to see you leaving or excited to see you coming. The mix of emotions is crazy. Even last night I swung from "I never want to leave," to "This needs to be over." It's insane.

But God is so so very faithful. One of things that I've learned this year is that there are seasons in our lives, and we move in and out of those seasons in His time and not in our own timing, even if we want it that way sometimes. Our team has been super blessed this year to get a chance to take part in the awesome work that God is doing here in Panama. As the Canadian project campus cycle came to a close at the end of May we held a commitment dinner where we challenged students to four things; to walk with God in obedience, to live a life of evangelism and discipleship, to involvement with Vida Estudiantil and to help to complete the Great Commission in this generation. Our prayer had been that we would see 39 students commit and from 3 campuses in 2 cities 44 students took this step and made that commitment. It was so exciting and in a way that helps make it easier to leave.

Leaving people and relationships behind is never easy. It always hurts to say good-bye. Because leaving Panama I know I want to come back but I'm not sure how that will happen or if it ever will. But like learning about seasons, I'm also learning about peace. God has given me this overwhelming peace that in spite of difficulty it's time for all of us to move into the next season of our life. And we can't do that without saying good-bye. But good-bye doesn't mean it's over, whatever it is, it just means it's going to look different. And that's okay. More than anything I believe that God is good. And that makes His plans for my lives and the lives everyone here perfect. I rest in His goodness because I know that in spite of pain He continues to be good and continues to be the sustenance and strength that I need in this difficult time. And so together, we're all learning, how to say good-bye.