One church down, 6 to go!

(*whew!*)

This weekend I traveled to Waterloo, Iowa and spoke at the Nazarene Church. Speaking went really well, I was able to share my story during the offering and actually felt comfortable on stage and loved by the people listening. I hope that will continue as I visit other churches.

However, it was a very overwhelming weekend too. On top of being quite sleep deprived and exhausted from travel, I said goodbye to family and attempted to go through my old stuff and let go of some of the 16 years I spent there.

When my family left Iowa for missionary training in 2000, we didn't really know how to say good-bye, so 6 and a half years later I still haven't processed through it. But this was the weekend for it. What made it so hard was that no one I'd been in that house with was there to bounce off memories, good and bad, and talk through it. So I just cried. Hard. And hung on to Jesus for all I was worth.

Amazingly enough, He brought me through it. I walked around the neighborhood long enough to let my brain (being bombarded with emotion and memories) to quiet down and to actually let go and extend a "You are welcome in my old home" to the current residents there.

Part of going to the community at EuNC in Germany/Switzerland is anticipating God teaching me about openness and hospitality. It is almost inevitable as so many people (extention students, visitors, exchange students, etc.) walk on that campus from week to week. God has blessed that community with the ability to remain open and hospitable and I hope to grow in that openness myself. So this weekend was a reminder of that and a good thing as my moving on has begun.

Anticipating all of the change and good-byes yet to come makes me want to run and hide, but it is necessary to transitioning well. Pray that I will be able to do this with wisdom and as well as I can as God's grace goes before me!