So the year is over, I?m at home and it?s been quite the while since I?ve updated this blog of mine. Trust me I?ll get better at updating this now that I?m back into somewhat of a concrete schedule. It?s a but surreal to be home though, to be gone from stout knowing that I won?t be back there anytime soon. Granted I will be able to see a bunch of my friends from school at some of the weddings this summer, but I won?t be able to come back this fall and live ministry with them again.
To be on the cusp of something so large, a year of living in Europe, that my mind can?t wrap around it is difficult. Leaving everything and everyone I know for this apartment in the heart of Toulouse, with three guys I kind of know, for people I?ve never met. If it wasn?t the Lord calling me to this I could never make it. It?s been so hard to say goodbye to people I know, to friends I?ve grown to love more then I thought love could mean. To realize that there are so many people I won?t get to see again before they graduate (and some that I may not see again because of that, on this side of the gates anyway). Derek and MM are two people who I?m going to miss so much. If they knew it or not they have helped mold me and inspire me to become so much more then I ever thought the Lord desired me to be. I pray only the best for you next year.
Then my class at stout (juniors!!), the brothers and sisters who I?ve known since my freshman year that I will leave for a year, it?s surreal to be gone from them and the love and support they?ve been for me. So many times you have been there for me to pick me back up or to put me back into my place. I never knew how much God would give those who loved Him above all before I was blessed to meet all of you. My crazy hot chocolate and tea party gang were awesome. Hopefully one of you keeps it going next year while I?m gone and you?re able to keep serving one another without expectation of anything in return.
Ah Jordan, you?re more then I ever deserve and ever imagined. You?ll be my friend waiting at the door for my return, who did not sit idol in my absence. Sweet heart how excited I am to see you on that day in July when we meet again. To see the marks God has made, blending His life into yours and our lives together. May God be generous enough to align our paths and to let me live life without someone like you rather than alone with Christ. Strive onward p.s.
Then there is the family. It?s been weird to live here and realize how little I know them. My heart is so burdened for not getting to know Ryan better, he?s so awesome from what I do know. I?m gonna miss all of you this summer, kyle you better tell me stories from Penn State, and mom and dad gotta let me know whats going on in your lives as well. I feel so blessed to have the summer to spend with the three of you before I leave for the year.
This is so weird, it?s weird to see how blessed I have been and to have never noticed it until it is time to take leave from it for a year. I pray that you all will radiate more when we meet again, that Christs light and refining power would be evident in every motion of your hearts. I can?t wait to meet those of you I?ve only begun to know, learn from, love, and serve.
Till I write again, let Christ change your life again,
~paul