Peace

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:7

Today I leave.

It’s been such a wonderful month home.

A month full of laugher, friends, joy, and relaxation.

Catching up and remembering the past.

Connecting with old friends and making new ones.

Sharing my passions and encouraging others to do the same.

I’m sad.

I have mixed feelings.

I feel like I live in two different worlds.

And I guess I do.

One is a world full of friends, family, comfort, and fellowship.

The other is a world of babies, preschool, a different culture & language, and child’s laughter.

Neither are bad.

Or wrong.

They are just very different.

And God is so present in each one of them.

He is not in one and not the other.

He traveled the 8,000 miles across the globe with me.

And as I travel back,

He has already gone before me.

“The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Deuteronomy 31:8

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t sad to leave.

Wishing part of me could stay here forever.

But the work He has for me in China is not over.

Yes, there will be tears and there will be sadness as I hug my loved ones goodbye for now.

But I have nine little ones on the other side of the world whom I can’t wait to scoop up and smother with kisses.

The emotion I feel right now is

PEACE.

Peace that He is with me and will be with me.

Through every goodbye and every tear.

Yes, it gets lonely.

But He is not through with me yet.

And so, until we meet again my friends here in the states, know that you are in my thoughts and in my prayers.

And it’s not a “goodbye”, it’s more like a “see you later.”

I have FINALLY learned what

“peace that passes all understanding”

really means.

Because it is only by His peace, that I have joy right now.

Joy and peace for whatever lies ahead.

Anneli