Home is a sacred place. It’s a safe place. It’s a place where you know everyone and everyone knows you. It’s a place where the fondest of memories are made with the ones we love most. No matter how much time goes by or how far away we go, home is the one part of the world that holds the pieces of our heart that have made us who we are.
For the past 7 months my best friend, Jenny, has been very, very far away from home. And I miss her very dearly. She is traveling the world sharing the love of Jesus; a dream that she has been pursuing for a long time now. I would dare say a dream that has deep roots in Naples, Florida. Somewhere along the way between our sleepovers (yes, we still have sleepovers together), any concoction we can make using Italian sausage, beach days, her undying love of cows, and mountain dew, this burning desire inside Jenny’s heart could no longer be contained to just the United States of America. So with much prayer and wise counsel, she made the decision to finally GO into all the nations that every soul would know the same truth and love that she so recklessly lives out.
When I moved home after graduating college, I wasn’t planning on staying local. I had a lot of other big plans for myself, or so I thought. I got involved with a phenomenal community of college and 20-something folks. They were and still are the biggest blessing. What I wasn’t expecting was the extra special friend I found in Jenny. She’s the kind of friend who always has your back, makes sure you’re eating well, tells you like it is, laughs at all your jokes, and never misses The Bachelor. So when I found out she was officially embarking on this journey, I felt incredibly proud of her but also felt like I was losing my best friend for a season. She’s my person. Life around Naples, Florida just isn’t the same without her. But I know that she is exactly where she needs to be at exactly the right time, and Naples will still be the same when she returns, except for some Hurricane Irma damage…
Jenny Marie Kordelski, you already have so many stories of new people and new cultures that you’re getting to experience without me, and I know the Lord has been working in your life in amazing ways. I’m bummed I don’t get to see this transformation firsthand! But I’m already looking forward to having you back home, unless of course the Lord calls you somewhere else. I truly admire your courage, bravery, leadership, stamina, and faithfulness throughout this whole trip. You are an inspiration to many, many people in our little corner of the world.
As a history major, it is my academic conclusion that human nature throughout the course of history stays relatively the same. Amidst generational gaps and across gender, ethnicity, and race, we are all in need of a Savior and will search this world endlessly until we find Him. I would also conclude that it’s the ordinary, seemingly insignificant people who ultimately change history. Through the power of an extraordinary God, we have the potential to change the lives of those we encounter. I firmly believe that Jenny is touching lives and calling hearts to the Lord in every single country she steps foot in. We know that you are doing the work of an Almighty God, and your support system will be here cheering you on until it is finished. Your herd will be here in Naples, Florida waiting until you come home. I love you!
