Never Flying Solo!

As I stepped toward the US Airways counter in the Charlotte International Airport, I knew I was about to wrap my arms around my family and have to say good-bye to them again. Four months left on the Race, and I’m leaving North Carolina to head back to the village in Rwanda. Yesterday was Hannah and Philipp’s wedding. Although it was an awesome wedding, I could see the sorrow in my sister’s eyes when reality hit that she was truly moving away to Switzerland. These three years of anticipating it as God wrote her love story. I just held on, my arms wrapped around her neck, this jewel in my arms. How often she and Bethany and I talked about this moment.

US Airways signs lined the wall as my brother and his family and brother Nick said they were about to go. I knew my mom and siblings had changes back home, and that even home, in a few days, will be somewhere else. Yet there in the airport I became excited for a moment when I realized that I still have a home! God was waiting to stay with me as we said our good-byes. My Father. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18) What a good feeling to remember His faithfulness!

Monday morning, 3:23

No better time than the present to write about what the Father is teaching me! My back can’t handle that bench any more… So,I’ve learned so much about the Father in these last few weeks, the main thing being that His love is just never gonna change for me.

Here’s a story that Jesus told. There was a son who thought that there was more for him than what his father had given him. He knew he had an inheritance waiting for him, yet while he had everything he needed, he acted as if his father was holding out on him. He felt that he was more important than their relationship and his father’s timing, so he himself chose the time for his inheritance and spent it wildly in search of fulfillment.

Of course, sin deceived him and stealthily took his inheritance away. But this time in reading it, I’m wondering: did it really take ALL of the inheritance?

When the son had nothing left and had handled himself like a jerk, he had a choice to make: either to earn another inheritance to take care of himself–now he’s eating pigs’ food–or to humble himself and go back home, really not all put together. He came just as he was. The father was reaching out to him even through this, seen by him providing an inheritance for his son to live from. When Adam and Eve were sent out of the Garden, the Father still clothed them. And when the son came toward the house, the father was watching. Was all the son’s inheritance taken? The best part wasn’t! Their relationship.

I want to learn from the prodigal, that even when I’m not put together I can come to our Father; that humbling yourself when you need help–even if you got yourself into that mess–will result in a warm home and even a party! Talk about a gracious Father! He can’t love us any more or any less.

When the older son was jealous, he basically said, “Look at how much I should be loved!” The younger came to his senses and said, “I will humble myself as a servant”. They were born as sons with inheritance! Without striving, they already had love; they only needed eyes to see the love that was already theirs. I want better eye sight!

That’s what it looks like to be a child of God. We are not orphans; we have a never-changing Father whose name is Love! He is here in the airport with me, His grace always carrying me through hard goodbyes.

5:03

Tuesday morning, 7:27

Swollen feet. Like, really swollen. 12 1/2-hour flight. It’s raining here in Ethiopia, and–note to self–don’t sit near single African men in airports cause they can be extremely forward. “I need to get some coffee and no I can buy it and definitely have somewhere to be” seemed like a good choice of words for me. Of course all I really want to do sleeeeeeeep. Running into lots of missionaries from the plane and some Germans just sat at my table. Last flight in two hours.

Father is still with me. Always.