Following Love

The title of this post is inspired by a song, an old song, by FFH.  It kind of sums up my feelings at this point.  Look it up :]  Pretty much the entire song is a reflection of my heart right now. 

This is my final post from home before training.  IM EXCITED!  This past week has been kinda hard.  Goodbyes, like I said, are not my thing.  But I have been given so much encouragement over this time as well.  I am realizing that no matter what happens, at this moment I am in God's will and following His plan for my life.  He has led me here for a reason and I am soooooo amped to find out what that reason is and to experience life with my fellow REACHers.  :]  The next 9 months are going to be very stretching for me, but I am very excited to learn and grow.  Cant wait to make new friends, reminisce about good times with the amazing people I know right now, grow closer to Jesus, and discover His purpose for me in this life.  I am truly so blessed.  Thank you all for the encouragement and support you have given me, especially in the last week and a half.  love you all. 

True to form, procrastination has got the best of me and I still need to find time to pack, send out last letters, reapply to one more college, finish up my research project, and say my goodbyes.  Through all the chaos tho, I have witnessed so much love and joy.  I have been so impacted.  One of my best friends told me something that really put goodbyes into perspective.  She said that in order for us to be together forever (in eternity), we have to obey God's will and split paths...for now.  And that even while we are separated, He has given us a solid friendship through Jesus that will stretch farther than any sea.  It is encouragement like this that has made me realize that altho goodbyes can be hard, its really only for a short time in comparison with eternity and that I am where my Father wants me.  He will never leave me. 

I just feel so blessed, and I know I have rambled throughout this whole post, but that is just what I do when I am overwhelmed by love.  I can honestly say that I am not nearly as nervous as I was last week.  Neither am I as sad about the goodbyes, because I know that true friendships are only strengthened by distance.  Thanks for helping me to see that.  Now, let the journey begin :]

Lasts and Firsts

First blog post ever!  How crazy is this?  So, in a weeks time I will be attending my REACH orientation.  I am very, very excited for this!  I can't wait to meet all the other REACHers and begin this crazy journey.  But with this excitement comes some sadness.  I have realized these past few days that I am seriously awful at goodbyes.  I love spontaneous events and crazy adventures, but I don't like not being able to take my friends with me on all these adventures...I guess.  Its silly, and I know in the end it really isn't that bad.  But at this point and time, I am not looking forward to the dreaded goodbyes.  The "lasts" in life make me sad.  I love the "firsts", and I am so ready to enjoy some firsts with my new friends.  But the lasts are hurting me at this point.  Memories I will take with me and cherish on this journey, tho.   

I guess I just want to say thanks so much to all of my family and friends out there that have impacted me throughout my life.  Its what makes saying goodbye so hard.  You have all enriched my life greatly and I am so thankful for all of you!  If you are reading this and you want to hangout in the next week, I will do my very best to make it work :]  Also, to the four people who are actually reading this (my parents, grandma, and Rachel Miller :] ), I will bring you back something really great from Chile!

More posts to follow as I prepare for REACH and of course during.  God bless.