Saying goodbye to my O squad family…A blog dedicated to O Squad:
Well I guess this is still pretty raw and real for me because even as I type this title I can feel myself starting to get choked up. Man, saying goodbye to people you love is really hard, I guess I know how my family has felt the last couple of years as I have been leaving for vast and many different traveling and mission opportunities. Goodbye’s are not fun either way, but I definitely think they are harder when your on end of saying goodbye to a person or people who are leaving you. See usually in these situations I am the one leaving, but this time 49 people whom I deeply love and believe in were the ones who left to go to Thailand as I stayed in Guatemala for another week. I then will be heading back home to the state this coming Saturday.
As I sat in the Guatemala airport and stood outside security hugging and saying bye to each of them, many tears flowed. I watched my acquaintance’s who turned into friends who turned into family walk through security to say bye to them for the first time in 5 months. As I stood there alone and went to find a spot in the airport to sit down in, the reality that I was alone for the first time in a while sunk in.
I’m learning that life is about seasons. Some people come into our lives for seasons. Some seasons are more longer than others and some special seasons are seasons that feel like they never end. But eventually every season ends and a new begins. I guess that’s the coolest thing about seasons, when one ends, another one always begins…
Even though saying goodbye to people and certain seasons of life can be hard, from my experience, the newer seasons to come are always worth the wait. I have truly learned and come to believe that God truly has better plans for us than we do for ourselves. So even though I am sad right now because I had to say bye to 49 people who I love and believe in, I will rejoice and CHOOSE to celebrate for what the Lord has done and for what I know He will continue to do.
As much as I wish I could travel with my O Squad family to Thailand and to the rest of the other 5 country’s that they are going to, I know it’s my time to let go and see them go on their own. Being a squad leader for the past 5 months, has been one of the biggest blessings of my life! I have come to love the 50 amazing people of O Squad and I feel so thankful how God has worked through and most of all in all of us. through the journey and the process of coming to know Jesus more and becoming truly alive in Him! I believe God brings people into our lives for divine and special reasons. I know that the people of O Squad were brought into my life for a special reason and even though it’s said to say goodbye, I know it’s more of a see ya later than an actual goodbye. There is ground in their hearts that the Lord wants to break through and places that the Lord wants to take them that would be slowed down or even inhibit the process if I and the other squad leaders stayed with them.
It’s a hard lesson when you pour into, believe in, and love people so much to accept the calling of letting go of them. But that is the amazing things about the story. When God told Moses who led the Israelite’s for 50 plus years that he wouldn’t be the one taking them into the promised land but Joshua was. I bet that was hard to accept, but Moses having the great heart and character that he had, let go and celebrated what God did through him and in him and celebrated the promise being fulfilled for his people. He didn’t care that God wasn’t going to use him to lead the people to the promised land, all that He cared about was that the promise was being fulfilled and that the people were going to get there.
That is the beautiful thing about being an alumni squad leader. I already had my world race, this is their time and their race, not mine. Alumni squad leaders go with them for the first 5 months to mentor them, pastor them, and hopefully be an example to them. After 5 months, even though it’s so hard, it’s our job and calling to let go of them and let them fly on their own.
Sometimes I think it’s a harder calling to step down and let go than it is to say yes and step into things. So now i’m in the season of mourning saying bye to my friends and family that I love, but I will choose to rejoice and remember that it’s not goodbye, but it’s a see ya later. Seasons ends and new seasons begins, and even though this season is ending, a new season is beginning for me and for all of my O Squad Family!
So any O Squad family reading this, know that I love you and BELIEVE in you…most of all I BELIEVE IN THE ONE WHO LIVES WITHIN YOU! Always remember that you are loved and believed in! You are strong and courageous and when you feel like you have nothing left to give, take heart, because when were at our weakest, God is at HIS strongest in us because were completely and utterly helpless without him depending with all of our being on our Papa who is always faithful and always there for us. Our God is always there even when we can’t see it or realize it, he loves his children and are here for us through the best and worst of times…why, because He is a good Father and that’s what good Father’s do…they are there for their children when they need Him!
O Squad please always remember that you are loved by me and most of all loved by your Abba Father in Heaven. Jesus Christ is with you and in you by the power of His Holy Spirit that lives within you,
YOU ARE THE HOPE OF GLORY…
because JESUS IS THE HOPE OF GLORY
and JESUS IS ALIVE IN YOU.
Take heart that you will have trouble, but the ONE in you is greater than the one in this world and the One, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, our God and best friend is in you and has overcome the one in the world.
Take heart that you are not alone, you never have been alone, and you will never ever be alone…
Your Abba Father, your King and Savior, your Power and Guide is truly with you wherever you go!
I BELIEVE IN YOU…
MOST OF ALL JESUS OUR SAVIOR AND KING BELIEVES IN YOU
HE LIVES IN YOU!!!….HE ALWAYS HAS AND HE ALWAYS WILL…
I love you and so does…..JESUS….forever, now, and always….
take heart and never give up!!!
HE IS WITH YOU AND IN YOU!!!
– Joshua 1:9 and Colossians 1:27
From the first time I met you all the week that I met you at training camp 7 months ago, I love you my O squad family! Our journey’s and stories don’t end here, we will always be family and connected in and through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
“Grace and Peace, Grace and Peace, Grace and peace be with you… until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand and cause His face to shine, until we meet again God hold you in the psalm of his hand and cause the path to rise…”
– Grace and Peace by Aaron Wardle
(Please download it on itunes to listen to)
Always remember…the world race is just the adventure,
but Jesus is the journey…
He is the true reason for the season of why your there
never forget the One who is the true journey of all your adventures…
I love you,
Your friend and brother in Christ
Ryan Otto
* O Squad, here are some songs and a movie clip dedicated to you that I believe describes the essence of our journey that we have been on together these last 5 months…
This isn’t goodbye, it’s see you later
