This week, one of our really close friends had to leave Ukraine to visit his mom, who is in bad health (please pray for her). As we stood on platform #1, the train waiting for our friend to get on, I was suddenly hit with a rush of emotion. We prayed with our friend before walking to the train station, so once we were there, we just had to say goodbye.
Of course, this wasn't goodbye goodbye... He'll be back in Ukraine in May, but soon, it will be the real goodbye, because he's about to graduate and move away.
Our main sphere of ministry here in Ternopil has been with international students, almost all of which are graduating this year and moving back to their home countries. As I stood with my friend at the train station, I realized that the next few months will be filled with goodbyes, and I'm not sure if I'm ready for that.
Coming to Ukraine was one of the scariest things I've ever done. I said goodbye to everyone I loved, trusting that the Lord would take care of me and fill my life with people that I could love as much as I love my friends and family back in Colorado. And the Lord did take care of me. He has filled Byron and my lives with so many wonderful people... But soon, we'll be forced to say goodbye to a lot of them.
Byron and I were listening to one of Pastor Chuck's sermons this week (if you don't know who Pastor Chuck is, check out this link: Pastor Chuck), and Pastor Chuck was talking about the apostle Paul. He was saying that Paul never really settled down. He always had cities he wanted to go to and minister in, but he had to go where God wanted him to go. Sometimes, he wanted to visit his friends and minister to them, but the Lord would need Paul to go somewhere else, so Paul had to go. No matter what, Paul was obedient to God.
As I was listening to Pastor Chuck's words, the thing that really stood out to me was that Paul, one of the first missionaries, had a life full of goodbyes. He never laid down roots. He was constantly on the move, doing the Lord's will, and going where he was called. He was never able to settle down.
At this point in my life, I can honestly say, I feel like I understand a little of what Paul might have been feeling. He probably had a really lonely life in some ways, but Paul is such an excellent example of someone that was totally sold out for the Lord, and because he had Jesus in his life, he was able to deal with saying goodbye to people - over and over and over again - and be ok with the loneliness that came with following Christ at all cost.
After leaving Colorado, I really wasn't sure if I would be able to recover, it was so heartbreaking to say goodbye to the people I love. And now, only 7 months later, I'm at the cusp of saying goodbye to many of the people I love once again.
I know no one likes goodbyes, but I feel like I especially hate them, and I'm dreading the ones that are just around the corner. But in this time, just like I'm learning with so many other things in my life, I have no choice but to cling to Jesus, and He is more than sufficient for all of my needs.
Blessings,
Emily
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