27 days.
648 hours.
38,880 minutes.
2,332,800 seconds.
July 26, 2011. In twenty seven days, and these hours, minutes and seconds from now, I will be boarding a plane. I will say “see you later” to Tucson, to my friends and family. I will step onto a plane, taxi down a runway. I can imagine my heart racing, anxious, but completely excited for what lies ahead. I will see my beautiful mountains from above, and finally bid farewell to the hot desert below.
I will say see you later, but I know I will never return the same. This will be the last time I look out into Tucson with these eyes. When I return, it will all seem different. Kind of crazy to think about, actually. It will be exciting though. Because I will see Tucson through eyes that have seen God's love spread across the entire world. Through eyes that have seen what breaks His heart, and now it breaks mine. I will see His eyes for Tucson. At least I would hope I would. An even deeper glimpse at His passionate love for this city in Arizona.
So I bid farewell, see you later, with joy in my heart. Because I know that I will see some amazing things, and get glimpses of my Savior's face in ways I never thought imaginable. I can't wait to share it with you!
Our first stop is Kenya, and our team just found out that we will be spending our first month of the World Race in…Kapenguria, Kenya! We will serve with “Christ is the Way Ministries.” Kapenguria is located on the western side of Kenya, near the Ugandan boarder, in the Rift Valley. I'm told it's a beautiful place! It is so exciting to finally know our first location in Kenya!
As I prepare to leave Tucson, I think back to the beginning of this year. Where I was in January. I can remember the day so clearly, when I saw in front of me a fork in the road. Go that way, or follow Christ in this path. I can't imagine what my life would be like right now if I hadn't followed Christ to this moment. I would have missed out on so much. God definitely knew what He was doing in how He was moving my heart, and I am ever thankful.
His fingerprints are everywhere, leading us to this exact moment and day. For such a time as this. He has created us for this, and that is exciting! Take a minute to think back on how you got exactly where you are today. Can you see how God prepared you, how He led you to this moment? And if you are in the middle of the storm, take heart and joy in the fact that one day you will look back and see God moving in these hard times.
God has used so many hard times even to bring me to this point. Many tears have been shed. My heart has been tested. My resolve has come under attack. But He is so faithful, and every step of this journey already has been a beautiful testimony to God's unending love, patience, and faithfulness. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
So as I walk through this last month in Tucson, I celebrate His fingerprints and direction in my life that has led me to this moment. And I walk towards that moment, 27 days from now, when I will step onto the plane, buckle my seat belt, and let God launch me into this new adventure.
