not “goodbye”… but “until we meet again” {day 28}

This moment of being still… comes from a quiet heart, a heart of remembering… and pondering what God has for the future.

Life is full of goodbyes… and hellos… and more goodbyes.

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Sometimes there are people who are simply a part of the new life in which you find yourself…. and you have no idea the impact they will have.

You do not meet them and think: “here are the parents of my daughter’s best friend {the daughters neither one of you even have yet!}”… 

or “here is a lady who will have some understanding of being a {staff wife} and what that means, inside you”… 

or “here is a family who will grow with ours, to the point our stair-step girls are all good friends.”

<<<< our children

<<<< their children

But such was a family we had an official farewell for last evening during and after our church service. He and his wife sang with the choir instead of his leading it, he preached the sermon, and there were many tears all-around.

But with the sadness of goodbye comes the excitement of their following God’s leading to a new chapter. It also reinforces the truth of “until we meet again” being a more apt way to say “goodbye” to a friend in the Lord.

These are a few thoughts from the service last evening:  

“The only comfort in saying goodbye is knowing we are in God’s will.”

The Lord gives us various avenues to know His will in our lives. He has given us His Word, Godly counsel, and the Holy Spirit.

While we may fear the unknown of what is ahead, “Fear is only unhealthy if it paralyzes you… Fear should throw us back on God.” [a quote from Jeff Amsbaugh–not exact, as I cannot always write that fast!]

And knowing, finding, searching out the next step… that is personal.

No one can do it for you.

It is a burden we each must carry individually. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13

Life is about Jesus… following Him to finish with joy is what our focus of each day should be.

And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem [another city] , not knowing the things that shall befall me there… But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:22-24

And the fruit of a life spent… spent all for Him… is a life of fruit that follows us to glory!