Do I ever miss them?
What about your family and friends you left behind, don't you miss them?
As someone who has traveled and lived in several different countries and places in these past couple years, I get asked a lot of questions, but there is one that seems to come up more often than others and that is this: don't you miss your friends and family back home? The answer is simple, yet difficult. Yes, of course I miss everyone back home, someday's all I can think about is the day that I can finally be reunited with them again. I have an amazing community/support system back home that makes leaving them difficult. I see family and friends posting things on social media about upcoming events, babies being born (my niece being one of them), friends getting married, bible studies, school starting, and the list goes on. I smile and get excited for them, then I see that event that is coming up that I would love to go to because all my closest friends will be attending, and as I look at the date, my heart sinks once again. "Oh...that's in one week and I still have a little over 2 months here." Or when I Skype my family and they tell me just how cute my niece is and how they get to see her for the 2nd time this week, and I get to wait until she is 2 months old before I can hold her in my arms for the first time ever. As my best friends tell me they miss me and can't wait until we can hang out again and all I want in that moment is to hug them tight and go to a coffee shop with them and talk about life and how good Jesus is, even when life is crazy.
Then, there are days when I don't miss them as badly because I am surrounded with people in my "new home" who have become like family and although they could never replace my own, they sure do make being away more bearable. Sometimes I hear things that happen and am glad I am here instead of there. If I had said no to God and stayed where its "comfortable" then I would have never experienced God the way I did the other night. I wouldn't have been able to share with my struggling friend the other day because I wouldn't have even known her. If I would have stayed with friends and family, I would not have experienced the love of my new family and friends and my heart wouldn't have changed the way it has since being here.
The truth is, yes of course I miss everyone but they aren't everything. My family and friends are important to me and I love them more than they know, but Jesus is my everything. He is my constant when all else is changing. He is my Father, my best friend, my rescuer, my shelter, my creator, my one true love, the one who has been by my side through absolutely everything. He has carried me through some of the most difficult times of my life and held my hand during the best days of my life. Without Jesus first loving me, I wouldn't even know how to love my family and friends, both old and new.
I say all of this because I want you all to know that Jesus is worth leaving every one close to you if he asks you to. He will be with you no matter where you go and more than I need my family and friends, I need Jesus. More than I want a comfortable life, I want Jesus. More than I need anything else, I NEED JESUS. He is my family, my best friend, my provider, my comforter, my everything. The truth is, when I am back with my family and friends in the states, I cry myself to sleep some nights because I miss the new family and friends I made when I left. No matter where you go, you will always miss someone or something. I'm telling you though, that Jesus is worth giving up everything to follow him. More than you cling to your comforts, cling to Jesus because when all has passed away and the earth give way, He is who will remain.
As someone who has traveled and lived in several different countries and places in these past couple years, I get asked a lot of questions, but there is one that seems to come up more often than others and that is this: don't you miss your friends and family back home? The answer is simple, yet difficult. Yes, of course I miss everyone back home, someday's all I can think about is the day that I can finally be reunited with them again. I have an amazing community/support system back home that makes leaving them difficult. I see family and friends posting things on social media about upcoming events, babies being born (my niece being one of them), friends getting married, bible studies, school starting, and the list goes on. I smile and get excited for them, then I see that event that is coming up that I would love to go to because all my closest friends will be attending, and as I look at the date, my heart sinks once again. "Oh...that's in one week and I still have a little over 2 months here." Or when I Skype my family and they tell me just how cute my niece is and how they get to see her for the 2nd time this week, and I get to wait until she is 2 months old before I can hold her in my arms for the first time ever. As my best friends tell me they miss me and can't wait until we can hang out again and all I want in that moment is to hug them tight and go to a coffee shop with them and talk about life and how good Jesus is, even when life is crazy.
Then, there are days when I don't miss them as badly because I am surrounded with people in my "new home" who have become like family and although they could never replace my own, they sure do make being away more bearable. Sometimes I hear things that happen and am glad I am here instead of there. If I had said no to God and stayed where its "comfortable" then I would have never experienced God the way I did the other night. I wouldn't have been able to share with my struggling friend the other day because I wouldn't have even known her. If I would have stayed with friends and family, I would not have experienced the love of my new family and friends and my heart wouldn't have changed the way it has since being here.
The truth is, yes of course I miss everyone but they aren't everything. My family and friends are important to me and I love them more than they know, but Jesus is my everything. He is my constant when all else is changing. He is my Father, my best friend, my rescuer, my shelter, my creator, my one true love, the one who has been by my side through absolutely everything. He has carried me through some of the most difficult times of my life and held my hand during the best days of my life. Without Jesus first loving me, I wouldn't even know how to love my family and friends, both old and new.
I say all of this because I want you all to know that Jesus is worth leaving every one close to you if he asks you to. He will be with you no matter where you go and more than I need my family and friends, I need Jesus. More than I want a comfortable life, I want Jesus. More than I need anything else, I NEED JESUS. He is my family, my best friend, my provider, my comforter, my everything. The truth is, when I am back with my family and friends in the states, I cry myself to sleep some nights because I miss the new family and friends I made when I left. No matter where you go, you will always miss someone or something. I'm telling you though, that Jesus is worth giving up everything to follow him. More than you cling to your comforts, cling to Jesus because when all has passed away and the earth give way, He is who will remain.
Comments
Post a Comment