2 weeks from today, September 8th.
That is the day I fly to Atlanta and leave Lynchburg until next May.
I am going to miss the sunsets, the mountains, the trees, the convenience of living close to several Kroger’s, the security I have here, the sunsets, the fact that no matter where I go, I will see a familiar face, and most of all I am going to miss the people I see everyday. Lynchburg has been my home since the fourth grade, and I’ve never left it more than a week since moving here. I love this town so much. I love my school so much. I love my family SO much. I don’t know what it is like to be without my mom 20 minutes away, I don’t know what it is like to try to fit in to a culture very different then my own, or even what it’s like to live more than 7 minutes away from Kroger. This next year will teach me all of these things, and it is going to be interesting.
The concept of actually leaving has been looming on the horizon since November of last year, but now the sun is setting and we have little time to say goodbyes and spend precious time together. While I am the one leaving, it feels like everyone else is moving on. School is starting, people are moving in on campus, and settling into the routine of classes and early mornings. I, on the other hand, am packing, finishing up last minute projects, and trying to fund-raise. It is very weird to sit back and not go school shopping or be moving into a dorm. It feels like everyone is moving on but me. I find myself wishing time could freeze until I get back, so I don’t miss anything, but at the same time, I think about the growth that I will have over the next year, and I cannot wait to see how my friends and family grow too. While it will be so hard to see big life changes over Facetime or on Instagram, I know the Lord is calling me away for this time.
The potential for these 9-months is endless: And I am fully expecting the Lord to do incredible things, both in the people of Lynchburg and everywhere my squad and I go.
