Well, we did it. Eleven countries in eleven months. With incredible support, constant prayers and a pretty awesome God, we made it! In six days, I will be flying into Boston (!!!!!) and beginning a new season, saying a bittersweet goodbye to this adventure the Lord has put in front of me.
This year has changed me; I am not the same person I was 11 months ago. So while I’m excited to come home, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. As I prepare for this transition, I want to let you in on how you can be an integral part of this next season of my life.
Encourage me to rest and to grieve
In one week, I will be completely alone for the first time in eleven months. For the first time, I won’t have to go to the bathroom or hide behind a wall in order to find solitude. I’ll have my own room and will live in that room for more than 3 weeks. What?! I don’t know what rest I’ll need but I know I need it. So give me grace as I figure out what I need to rest, process and readjust.
With this new solitude and quiet comes grief; grief in losing the adventurous day to day lifestyle I’ve been living, grief in not experiencing new cultures and grief in losing the family I’ve created this past year. Somehow, sharing a room with at least six of my sisters and seeing them when I wake up and go to bed was never a chore. This community will never exist again; and that is a loss I need to grieve.
Ask me questions!
I want to share anything and everything about this past year! So here are some sample questions to ask and some not to ask:
Questions to Ask:
What has the Lord taught you about yourself?
Which month was the most difficult for you spiritually?
Which month helped you grow the most?
Can I see pictures?
What were some of your favorite ministries?
How many tattoos did you get and what do they each mean?
What did you learn from living in an intentional community?
Tell me about bungee jumping!
What is the grossest thing you experienced?
Do you have any poop stories? (ask it, the answer is worth it)
Questions Not to Ask
What did you learn?
What was your favorite country?
What was your least favorite country?
What’s next?
Do you see where I’m going with this? Specificity rocks!
Tell me about your year!
I missed multiple weddings, engagements, babies, graduations, you name it! I’m not the only one that had an exciting year and I want to hear about what I missed in your life!
Don’t ask me what’s next
I will tell you the answer right here to save the trouble: I don’t know!
Hold me accountable
I’m coming home with new convictions, new truths of who I am and new gifts the Lord has given me and what I fear the most is letting my old lifestyle and temptations cause me to lose all the growth I’ve experienced. I will feel so loved by friends and a community embraces and respects the growth I’ve walked through and holds me accountable in continuing to walk in it.
If you want to hear about my trip or catch up, reach out!
There are a lot of people I haven’t seen in the past year – that’s a lot of people to reach out to! If I don’t reach out, don’t take it personally. Know that I want to see everybody and your reaching out to me will mean the world. Even if we’ve never met and you’ve just been reading my blogs, I want to hear from you too!
Invite me to play and cuddle with your dog
Arguably the most important request.
Finally, I want to say thank you. Thank you for loving me, for following me, for supporting me, praying for me and for being excited for my return. I am so excited to come home and share this incredible journey with the people who made it possible. See you in ONE WEEK!!
