Walking, stumbling, on these shadowfeet; toward home, a land that I’ve never seen.
I am changing, less and less asleep, made of different stuff than when I began,
And I have sensed it all along, fast approaching is the day…
— Brooke Fraser, “Shadowfeet” from Albertine
In seven days, this season of being full-time staff with Adventures in Missions concludes. I’ve been a full-time employee for a year and a half, but my history with Adventures has lasted longer:
- Fall (?) 2006: I begin supporting Jeff Goins financially
- Summer 2007: I apply for the World Race
- Fall 2007: I commit to the World Race, am given a World Race blog
- September 28, 2008: I begin the World Race
- August 31, 2009: I finish the World Race
- October, November 2009: I blog for the World Race (voluntarily)
- January 2010: I go to the Dominican Republic as part of a team of World Race alumni after Haiti earthquake
- April? May? 2010: Jeff asks to join the staff of Adventures
- June 2010: I write part-time for Adventures (mostly for the Race; contract-basis)
- September 2010: I begin working full-time for Adventures
- April 2012: I end working full-time for Adventures
My relationship with Adventures isn’t ending… it’s changing — again. It’s been an amazing journey — to be a donor, then participant, then volunteer and sort-of donor, then contractor, then staff — and I’m excited for what’s ahead for us both.
I still think so fondly of the music ministry that mobilized me for a month+ during the summer seven years ago. How could I possibly bid a final farewell to Adventures? I commit to remaining connected to the ministry that was instrumental in ruining my life for the better.
I’m so grateful for the ways I’ve been stretched, for the grace I’ve been given to make mistakes and grow (and even the freedom to fail?), for the successes I’ve been a part of, for the stories I got to tell and stories I got to share, and of course and more importantly, for the people that have journeyed with me. Sowing and reaping; pruning and picking and planting — through it all, I believe that the kingdom has been forcefully advancing. I’m glad to be among the cloud of witnesses cheering Adventures on; I love that Adventures cheers me on, too.
I write this farewell address of sorts now because I know there’s a lot of ground for me to cover for my “successor” (gosh, that sounds so… heavy!) during my last days and want to make sure I do this before I forget! And don’t fear, just as I’ve kept my blog on Xanga open, I will keep my World Race blog open here.
I mean, who knows, the Lord just may give me an opportunity to lead a group with Adventures.
But anyway. Thank you, bomb dot com Marketing team (current and alumni):
Ashley. Brad. Brandon. Carrie. Carl. Cody. Daniel. Danny. Dennis*. Faith. Frank. Jeff. Jenny. Jerry*. Jesse. Kim. Laura*. Lauren. Mandy. Mike*. Marissa. Matt. Paul. Sean. Seth*. Stacie. Talia. Tiff. Tim. Tim*. Weston. Zoe.
*these folks are IT, but let’s face it, we couldn’t pull off half the stuff we do without these peoples.
There are also all the rockstar Admissions and Development staff that I’ve worked with…
Each of you, such a rockstar. I would love to honor you individually here… but then I’d never actually publish/finish this post. And I started it really late. And I’d never get around to wrapping up loose ends for… work. Just know that y’all — not the fact that at present, I have no idea what’s next — were the hardest part about moving onward from Adventures.
I speak blessing and favor and growth and honor and grace and fruitfulness; may the Lord complete what he started. And here’s where I could quote song after cheesy song:
- And I’ll take with me the memories to be my sunshine after the rain / It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday
- And friends are friends forever, if the Lord’s the Lord of them / And a friend will not say never ’cause the welcome will not end / Though it’s hard to let you go, in the Father’s hands we know / That a lifetime’s not too long to live as friends
But I’ll stop there. Next week, I will briefly share how we can still stay in touch and be a part of each others’ stories.
