yesterday i went to visit the college campus i graduated from in May. Driving down to Trinity the whole time felt surreal- I was so overjoyed and excited to be re-united with some of the people that have impacted me the most in my life, but to be honest it was much more difficult than I had anticipated. It probably didn’t help that I decided to come to Trinity on upperclassmen move- in day, and move-in day on Trinity’s campus is always a chaotic blast, but that wasn’t it. I couldn’t put my finger on why being there was as difficult as it was.
my sophomore year of college at trinity was when i truly fully surrendered my life to Jesus. He met me there after years of running and I have never been the same since. from that moment on trinity was everything i needed for my first couple years walking with and seeking the Lord. Trinity was my safe haven. It was my sanctuary. The community became my family. I always knew and saw Gods faithfulness and goodness so close and real whenever I was at school and it was a place my heart always yearned to be back at. I felt silly wondering if God’s goodness and faithfulness would be as present in other places He would send me like it was at Trinity, but He quickly revealed to me that He will bust out of any box or single place we put Him into.
there’s this song called endless ocean by jonathan david helser. some of the lyrics go like this,
” all those angels, they are swimming in this ocean and they still can find no shore. day and night; night and day they keep seeing new sides of your face. you are endless ocean, bottomless sea”.
God’s abundance and vastness isn’t kept to any one place. it’s everywhere. the angels who have been serving God for AGES have been swimming and seeking more of God’s presences for years- and have not found an end to Him. This is so worth seeking out for the rest of our lives- a God that is endless, boundless, His love for us is overflowing. These are the things that my heart aches to see.
Instead of my sanctuary just being at Trinity, it’s going to be all over the world- bars, restaurants, airport lobbies, villages, temples, strip clubs, alleys, in conversations, on my own, in buses, in peoples homes, you name it- God will meet us there.
And my family isn’t just going to be my blood relatives back home, God is showing me the family He is giving me this year through my squad. These 40+ people have already been so amazing and encouraging with prayer, support raising, and always encouraging one another. I feel nothing but blessings coming from them. And as if my amazing isquad isn’t enough, we are going to be meeting people around the world who through them I will get to see more of the Father.
Trinity was everything I needed for the season I was there, but it’s the relationships and memories that make that place so important for me, and these are the things i will take with me. Trinity is not my home. Aurora is not my home. Illinois is not even my home. And it’s not just because I am traveling for a year that makes me homeless- it’s because my home is in heaven. My home is dwelling with the Father. I realize for the rest of my life until the Lord returns or takes me to be with Him- I will never fully feel at home and that is the best feeling there is. Knowing something greater is awaiting.
