I love to talk! (This comes as a surprise to no one). I love words! They make me happy. However, goodbye is a word I do not like. I dread saying it, thinking about it or admitting that a season is coming to a close. Even if I am excited for another to begin, I have a hard time letting go of the ones before and most importantly the PEOPLE that made that season so wonderful. But, whether I like it or not, I am here. The time is getting shorter each day and I am just about ten days away from leaving everything I hold dear.
You see, I have something really special that makes my life better every single day; my family. There are many people that come from broken homes, or cannot wait to leave their family in the dust, but that is not me. I have been blessed with not only a wonderful family, but an incredible support system and team that believes in me no matter what. It's more than just the same blood in our veins we share, it's the same hearts. People that want to see the world changed for the good, people that honestly believe it's better to give than receive and people that love Jesus and want to see His Kingdom come. I am honored to be part of such a dynamic family. They have stood beside me through the thick and thin. They have held me when I was broken, and laughed with me 
when I was full of joy. They have supported my dreams, no matter how crazy they have been and are. They have loved me for who I am and never asked me to be someone I was not. They listen to my stories, no matter how many times they've heard them, and theycare about what I care about.
They have been there for me in every moment in my life – whether good or bad – I was never left alone. Whether it was cramming 8 people into a 4-person hotel room and getting no sleep just so they could watch me run the Chicago marathon, or bringing me skittles and flowers when the boy I liked didn't want me. You see, it's these moments that make you realize how deep someone's love for you really is. It's not the fun moments or the "mountain tops" of life where the people matter (although I am always thankful for the many friends that have celebrated with me over the years). It's the sister that sits on the phone with you for hours while you weep because your broken heart is too much to bear and you are 1,000 miles away. It's the father that gets up at 4am, in the pitch black, the morning of the biggest race of your life just so you don't have to warm up alone. It's the brothers that change their schedules and use their hard earned money to come to the events that meant the most to you, even though they are far away. It's the brother-in-law that reminds you of your worth and that you deserve the very best. It's the mother that knows all the little things that bring you joy and always has you on her mind. She goes out of her way all the time and sacrifices to make you feel like the most special person on the planet.
It's not just my comforts and stilettos I am leaving behind…it's the people that mean the most to me in the entire world. I am aware that anything you decide to do for God is going to be a sacrifice and cost you something. Honestly, the very least I could do for God is give my entire life and even that doesn't scratch the surface of what He did for me. And I am ready to give everything to Him – even if it costs me my very life. But I am not over looking the fact that leaving my family behind for a year is going to be the greatest and most difficult sacrifice of my life.
I love my family so much. There would never be enough words for me to describe the greatness of the people I share genes with, but I hope they know how much they mean to me. I hope they know how much I appreciate the beautiful community we have together, no matter how crazy it is. I hope I can make them as proud of me as I am of them.
I love each of you and there will be an ache in my heart for you while I am away. Thank youfor everything you have done for me and who you have been to me. I wouldn't trade you for anything in this world. You are the greatest asset I have in this life.
