I’ve been on the road for about six hours now. It actually hasn’t been that bad. We’ve stopped in Wyoming once, near the border of Idaho. It was where the first JC Penney was built. I guess that’s pretty cool. My mom wanted to visit an antique store & I found some slot machines on sale for half price! I got some good conversation about the visit with friends back home, so I would say it was worth it. But it also made me realize how much I’m going to miss all my friends back home. There are a couple people who are really sticking out in my mind… I was just getting to know them, but I could already tell they were starting to change my life. I am so thankful for computers & phones so I can keep in touch with them and continue to develop that relationship and continue to learn from them.
I’m praying that because God has called me to South Dakota, that He will also give me the strength & courage to continue this journey for and with Him. I’m afraid that it hasn’t hit me yet as to how much I’m going to miss Idaho & the people that I’ve met there. Jeremy shared something with me the last night I was there, and I’m glad he did. If it hurts this much to leave, then it means you loved deep & formed amazing friendships. And those relationships aren’t going to fade just because you move away. He also shared with me about joy. That there will be so much joy for me in Sioux Falls. I can’t wait to experience that. I just hope I don’t have to wait long for it. Which relates to what Karissa was talking about with me. I can’t look for replacement friends. I can’t look for someone to fill the role of Katie or Ashleigh. Everyone is different and that makes every relationship different. Everything is about this journey going to be different, and while that scares me to no end, it makes me a little bit excited. Thinking back on it, Daniel shared a little about joy at The World Missions Summit. It amazes me how God will fit everything together and overlap so many things in different ways. And you don't realize it until you've gone through it all and you're looking back on the past year, month or sometimes even day.
I’m excited because it’s what God called me to do. It isn’t what I wanted to do or what someone else wanted me to do (although there weren’t many objections from my parents). This new adventure is solely based on God. If I’m going to be a missionary, I have to get used to this. It’s a completely different lifestyle.
Before saying anything else, I just want to say thank you to all the people I met in Idaho. Each person made a difference in my life and it has made me a better person and disciple of Christ. No question about it, I wouldn’t be the person I am today without them. All of my friends let Christ work through them to influence me. ISU XA will always have a special place in my heart. There’s no way they can keep me away for too long, so I’m already planning a trip back to visit. :)
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