This past week has been a whirlwind for me.
Sunday: I spoke to a church in Indiana, where I only knew one person, about my mission’s trip. In the midst of speaking to the church I was overwhelmed by the support and generosity, both through prayer and financial support, that the people of First Harvest Baptist Church gave me. What amazed me even more was that most of these people had never met me before that day! As I was getting closer to my first financial deadline, it was a reminder of God’s never ending provision and how He is constantly at work in ways that I cannot even imagine.
Monday: I threw a baby shower for my sister who is pregnant with my first nephew. It is always so refreshing to be around family members. I might be a little bias but I have such a wonderful, loving, and giving family! I would not be the woman I am today without them. The shower was lovely and it was so great to be around so many loved ones as we celebrated the anticipated birth of my nephew. Although the shower was lovely, I also experienced a sense of great sadness. It truly breaks my heart that I will not be able to meet my nephew when he is born or for almost the first year of his life. Even though I will have access to technology and will be able to see him, it will not be the same. In the midst of this sadness, God reminded me that just as my sister and brother-in-law are being called to be parents, I am following His divine plan for my life. I know that the distance although difficult, will not keep me from loving my nephew and developing a close relationship with him later in life.
Tuesday: I went back to Indiana and packed up all of my personal belongings at my apartment and at school. For any of you that know me, I am not the most organized person. I try really hard to be organized but it is not one of my strengths and I am constantly working on improving that area of my life. Needless to say, packing by myself was not going well and due to moving on Wednesday, I panicked. Long story short and a few tears later, I was reminded that I am not called to do things on my own. God calls us to work together. I also learned that I need to be vulnerable enough to ask people for help when I need it. If I do not ask for help then no one will know that I need it. I called my dear, dear friend Darcy Hall to help me pack and she did so willingly. I am extremely blessed by her friendship and her never-ending generosity. She is one of the most giving and thoughtful people I know. With her help, I was able to get everything packed nicely BEFORE my parents got there. This was truly a big win!
Wednesday: I moved out of my apartment and out of my classroom. This was a very bittersweet moment. Although I am truly excited about my next journey, it is sad to leave behind the community that I had learned to call home and the people that I have learned to call family. As I left my keys in my boss’s mailbox, tears reached my eyes. I have learned and grown so much both personally and professionally in these past two years while being in Rensselaer, IN. I had moved to a town and area where I knew no one and made a life of my own. I started my first occupation and worked to develop a program that was never implemented in the school system that I was in. I became financially independent of my parents. All in all, I grew in my confidence and my ability to be an independent, adult woman. There are still many things I need to work and grow in but I would not be so confident about going on The World Race if I had not gone through this huge step of faith.
Thursday: I moved all of my Earthly belongings into my parent’s and my grandparent’s houses. Although there had been moments throughout this transition process where I had felt The World Race becoming my reality, officially moving back home solidified this reality. This is both exciting and nerve-racking as I am about to be stretched and pushed in areas and ways that I cannot even imagine.
Friday: With such a busy week I decided to take a “chill day.” My day however turned out differently then I anticipated. I got a call from my grandma saying that my 95-year-old great grandma had fallen and was being taken to the emergency room by ambulance. Before deciding to do The World Race, one of my hesitations was my great grandma potentially passing away while I was out of the country. This thought, which was once just a potential thought, quickly turned into a very probable reality. I have been blessed to know and have a great relationship with my great grandma. Again, it was another instance that made The World Race become my reality.
Today: I have spent most of my day in the waiting room of the hospital as my 95-year-old grandma had surgery on her left hip. I was reminded very heavily today just how much of a blessing family is. I have always known this as a reality and have worked diligently to build relationships with my immediate and extended family members. I do not know where I would be without their love and support. However today, as I sit with 11 other family members in the waiting room I was reminded what family is about. Family isn’t just about seeing one another on various holidays because that is what families are suppose to do. Family is being there for one another when they need support during hard times. Family is about laughing together at the glorious moments and memories and grieving alongside ones who are grieving. Family is about giving of yourself and thinking of the others in your family before you think of yourself. I am extremely thankful that I am apart of a family that does not want to be your standard family. They want to build and create lasting and meaningful relationships that can help withstand life’s joys, sorrows and everything in between.
It is amazing just how many emotions you can experience in a given week. As I reflect on everything that I have gone through I believe that God is preparing my heart for something that I cannot even comprehend. What I know for certain is what God says in Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
