It's not an easy thing to experience so much, to live through so much and to be changed both inside and out and then return to a place you once knew. But there are times when God calls us back to places. For me, God took me on an incredible journey across the pond to experience him in a whole new and different way than what I was used to. But then, his voice called me thus to return from whence I came.
As I sit in a very familiar Woods Coffee in my very familiar home town, I can't help but become slightly sentimental, at times even wondering if everything that happened over the past eight months really happened or whether it was all just a dream. In some ways, nothing has changed in my home town and in some ways everything has changed. Now comes the challenge of readjusting to life here. There's the challenge of jobs, of friends, of church, and how to navigate in amongst everything differently with all that has happened.
The last few weeks of DTS were awesome and rather intense. We had our exhibition where we performed a drama that our theatre track wrote and put together, we performed dances and covers, had art pieces up, and some of our writing. It was an awesome experience and a wonderful way to culminate what the past five months of DTS and eight months in total has meant to me. At the same time, God reminded me it wasn't just the ending of things in London but it was the beginning. The things he's taught me about theatre and performing apply to coming home as well as to outreach and London. During the exhibition, we were able to speak to people in the community who wandered by and including a lady who was also a very creative person but was really looking for a community of believers to get involved with. Hopefully, God will keep putting that desire into her heart and encourage her to reach out to a church.
Besides the exhibition, we had deep cleaning of the house, debriefs, and the "going home" lesson. We also had graduation which was a fantastic meal and a reminder of where each of us where when we started this DTS. The next couple days involved a lot of hanging out, eating awesome Argentinian food, and just being together. Then the fateful day came when I had to leave my family in London. My friends woke up early to say goodbye and three of them came with me to the airport which was such an amazing blessing.
I could recap everything we've done, seen, experienced or everything God did and showed me over the time I was in the UK, but instead, I just want to say thank you. I want to say thank you for all the prayers that were sent up for the team and for me. I want to say thank you for caring. Coming back into the States has not been the easiest transition ever. But it's been good. I'm thankful for friends and the community I have here and the one aboard as well. More than anything, I'm so thankful for all God did. He allowed me some amazing moments and to learn some really hard lessons that ultimately have brought so much more freedom. The time could be easily sugarcoated that everything was wonderful all the time. However, to do that, would be to deny the moments of brokenness and the fact that God loves the humble and the broken because that's when his glory shows up in even greater ways.
God was and is still in London. God is and was in Whatcom County. He has big plans no matter where we are and I'm excited to see what he has for me here. I hope to go back over and continue my adventure in London but for now, this is where God has me and I can't wait to see what's in store.
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