As a short term missionary traveling to 11 countries for 11 months, goodbyes are a frequent happening. This isn’t easy. What is even harder than saying goodbye is having faith that God will continue to work in the things accomplished. You have to have faith that God will push the person that you prayed with one time to continue to pray and continue to read the Bible you gifted them. But the beautiful thing about Jesus is that He already knows that. He sees our hearts and knows we struggle with goodbyes. He knows the exact time period we are in each country, the people we encounter, and even every thought we think… so why would we think that He couldn’t handle our goodbyes and be faithful to the people we are saying goodbye to??
He is in fact: the Ultimate Gardner. We are called to plant, He brings people along to water, and He does the growing.
As we enter into a new ministry and begin to deeply invest and build relationships with these beautiful people, it is hard to know deep down that in just one short week we will yet again, have to say goodbye. But God is good; He is merciful and graceful, and gives peace in times that we struggle. I have to have faith that every “goodbye” I say is actually a “see you later,” because after all, we will all be in heaven one day!
Part of these “see you laters” also include the family and friends and supporters I left at home. I have to have faith that God will continue to grow and push them towards Him. I have to pray and believe that God is faithful to His word and that He will not forsake them or me along any part of this journey. I have to have faith that He will continue to grow their dependency on Him as I grow my dependency on Him. It is through that dependency alone that I will survive this journey.
One of the hardest parts of the race so far has been watching life continue on back home with me not being there. I’m missing coffee dates with my Mom every Saturday morning, football games with my little brother, engagements of college friends and even weddings. I’m missing birthdays, holidays, fishing tournaments, and so much more. But I have to have faith that while I am away… God is growing them and me. He is gardening us to be more and more like Him.
So, yes, releasing control is hard, but God is big enough to handle it. He is big enough to handle the “goodbyes” and the “see you laters”. He holds each of us within the palms of His hands; there isn’t anything He can’t do. As I look upon creation, in awe of its beauty, I can’t help but notice just how great of a gardener He truly is. If He calls all of this “good” and us “very good,” how much more beautiful can He make us to be??
So He is the gardener, I am the planter… I go where He leads me and know that He is before and after me… preparing the soil and watering the seeds!!
Thank you Jesus for your faithful, relentless pursuit of your people. You love recklessly!
Thank you for reading this blog. God is doing amazing things in India and Nepal and I can almost bet the same for Thailand! He is a big God and nothing is impossible for Him. My confidence will remain in His faithfulness.
Love,
Gabbie
