Well, we've been away from Georgia for over 2 weeks now and I'm finally feeling like posting. Saying goodbye to our little tiny church in Lithia Springs was the hardest goodbye we've had yet. We honestly didn't feel "done" there and it was very emotional. Today I took the first pictures since we left because we've all been a little down about moving and just haven't felt like taking pictures. I apologize to my friends for not keeping you up to date with our move and keeping track of our adventure on the blog.
I want to encourage whoever reads this to love one another deeply. There's a part of me that doesn't want to do that because it's so painful when you say goodbye to those you've grown to love with all your heart. I was reading through 1st and 2nd Peter and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John right after we left and the verses about loving one another as Christ loves us jumped out at me over and over. In 2 John 10:5 it says, "And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another." 1 John 4:10 says, "beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." 1 Peter 1:22 says, "Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart." And 1 Peter 4:8, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." I'm so thankful that we have had the privilege of having hearts that hurt because we've loved and been loved deeply, from the heart. In our many moves, it has grieved me to meet Christians who have been in the same church for years and yet lack those deep, loving relationships with other Christians. If you are one of those people, can I encourage to to step out in faith and make yourself vulnerable and purpose to really get to know another Christian? It can be a frightening thing to put yourself out there. You might get hurt. Someone might, and probably will, disappoint you. But it's so worth it to love like that! We have friends all over the world that we've "collected" like precious treasure. I can pick up the phone and pick up where we left off. I have friends I can call when I'm struggling and I know they will listen and encourage me and pray for me and steer me in a godly direction and they know I will do the same for them. How many times have I seen someone who doesn't have even one close Christian sister or brother to talk to? Without that sweet relationship that provides friendship and accountability, many fall into sin and suffer terrible consequences for their ungodly choices. I'm convinced that if we could just learn to open up and share our deepest thoughts with someone we trust....someone who loves the Lord and will gently remind us of His truth...it would save a multitude of Christians from falling into temptation. Those of you who know me well know that this is one of my "soap boxes". I suppose it's because we don't have the luxury of sitting in a pew for years before we make good friends that we've learned to foster those relationships quickly. And we've been SOOOO blessed! Thank you to our good friends who, even though they knew we could leave at any time, chose to love us deeply, from the heart. I get tired of saying goodbye, but it makes me long for heaven where we'll get to be with all of you forever with Jesus. Clyde, your favorite song has been stuck in my head for the past couple of weeks. Here's just one verse and the chorus:
There'll be no sorrow there,
No more burdens to bear,
No more sickness, no pain,
No more parting over there;And forever I will be,
With the One who died for me,
What a day, glorious day that will be.
What a day that will be,
When my Jesus I shall see,
And I look upon His face,
The One who saved me by His grace;
When He takes me by the hand,
And leads me through the Promised Land,
What a day, glorious day that will be.
Anyway, those of you who love us and whom we love, keep it up and pass it on!
Christie
