Back Over the Pond

The day I have been dreading for three weeks is finally upon me: the day I have to leave England.

I fell in love with this place easily within my first 24 hours of being here (you know, after jetlag left me). It didn't take long for it to feel like home, or for the people I began to meet to become like family. My two weeks in Manchester taught me more than I can express in words about who God is and about who I am. This past week in London with Rachel has been nothing short of an adventure, and I am proud to say that we did NOT get lost once. (Minus one time we started heading the wrong direction on one street but then turned around before we got too far. Rachel, I am NOT counting that as getting lost. ;) )

Leaving is hard. Saying goodbye is awful. But I am hopeful that it is not goodbye for long. Manchester, and particularly Ivy Church and Eden Merseybank, hold an incredibly special place in my heart. And I know that there is no way that I would never come back. I've heard it said that when you have the opportunity to love people in a new place, you leave a part of yourself behind there. You never fully go home, because you've found another home somewhere else. The ache in my heart is telling me that this absolutely is true.

Instead of seeing this only as a heartbreaking goodbye, however, I will choose also to see how this new season of my life back in the States can also be a new season of growth. I truly have learned so much here, and I am thankful for the chance to have adopted a broader perspective.

I've learned the value of saying yes and taking risks. There is so much that I would have missed out on had I not stepped outside of my comfort zone. I've learned even more in depth the value of intentional prayer. I've spent so much time these past couple weeks in various prayer environments, and each and every second has been time well spent. I've learned, again, even more in depth what it means to trust in God. Every step that I've taken here has been a step in faith that God is bringing me farther into the path that He has set for me. My journey with cancer had taught me that trusting in God is a daily choice, and my new journey here is continuing to teach me that He is never fully finished with us. We always have new opportunities to grow if we choose to see each season of our lives that way, and that saying YES to Him often involves a lot of risk that may not always make sense to others. It takes a lot of trust and a lot of prayer, and you may not always understand it yourself even in the thick of it, but He is always faithful and will always surpass your expectations.

I know that I'm taking back with me so much more that what I came here with. I truly am so much more thankful for this opportunity than I could ever fully say. A huge THANK YOU to everyone who has supported me through prayer, through contributing financially, and through reading this blog. This could never have happened without it.

If you'd like to hear more (and I certainly won't be able to shut up about this for a loooooong time) please feel free to reach out to me!

Blessings,
Lindsay
Ephesians 3:20