Three Weeks

Union Station, Kansas City, Missouri

Three weeks from today, we will say goodbye to Florence, South Carolina and to this chapter of our lives. There is only one word for this sort of thing: bittersweet. I never truly understood that word until we were faced with this decision.

It is bitter to say goodbye to friends we care about deeply. It is bitter to know that a set of grandparents is about to lose the ability to hug and kiss their granddaughter every few days. It is bitter to leave my parents and to know that if my brother or sister ever visit, they'll visit my parents and likely not Michelle, Charis, and me. After all, money is tight, and free time is scarce. I understand that video chat will be our lifeline--from Kansas City to Florence, Philadelphia, or New York. But I also understand that video chat is a poor substitute for the interaction we'll be giving up.

On the other hand, it is truly sweet to know that a grandmother and grandfather who have cried a tear for every mile between them and their granddaughter (by conservative estimates) will soon have their turn to watch Charis grow up and explore this great big world. It is truly sweet to know that God walked through this door before we ever saw it open--to know that He has already leveled mountains and raised up valleys before us. While I am full of sadness over leaving, I am filled even fuller with the peace and joy that come from following my Savior, King, and Lord, Jesus Christ.

It is that joy--that peace--that fills my heart as the personal effects in this house are replaced by the sterile look of carboard boxes and off-white walls. As the house we had planned to grow roots in is taken from us and given to someone else.

Three weeks from today, we will begin a journey over 1,000 miles long--toward the next chapter of our lives. And we will look behind us, as we pull out of this town, with thankful hearts. The five years we've spent here have been used by God to make us into the people we are today. And we are thankful. Thankful for the memories. Thankful for every experience--good and bad alike. Thankful for every friendship--those that will survive time and distance and those that will not.

But we are also hopeful. Because we know without a doubt that God has gone before us. And we know that He is holding our hands as we begin this new chapter. We don't know every why and wherefore, but we know that God is good. We know that He has a purpose and a plan for us as we change our setting and begin this next chapter. And we know that God will take care of everything--and everyone--that we will soon leave behind.