thoughts from H5.

and just like that. im in my terminal, about to board and head home. leaving the family ive known & lived with for 9 months. 

waking up every single morning seeing their faces, laughing, worshipping, sharing truth, dancing, crying, & joining in communion.

a picture of the church described in Acts 2 if you will. 

 

the people i have gleaned so much from.

the people who have inspired me, influenced me & pushed me. 

the people i have seen Jesus in everyday.

the people who have redefined friendship & community. 

the people who have redefined what it means to be the Church & Bride of Christ. people who have relentlessly pursued each other, chosen in & loved. 

i could write books of how the race has blessed me, but how it hasnt changed my life necessarily. 

what it has done is refined, redeemed & restored me all through Jesus. 

it has refined parts of my life & my heart the Lord has molding for years.

 it has blessed me by gifting me with a community who loves me like Jesus. 

it has been used as a vessel to grow my heart & desire for truth. 

it has been a gateway for the Lord to make my heart yearn deeper to see the Church that Luke talks about in Acts 2 sweep across the nation. 

it has blessed with me with leaders, mentors & teachers who remind me whose i am. 

it has been a beautiful picture of teaching me about the loving kindness of our Savior. 

it has taught me grace & forgiveness & how we live that out like Christ. 

it has taught me that Jesus looks at me through the lenses of the cross. 

it has taught me honor by loving at all times. 

it has taught me the gift & beauty of community. 

it has made my heart yearn for only Jesus. 

it has made me step out of my comfort zone. 

it has made me realize that i only need Jesus & nothing else. 

it has taught me the value of family. 

it has taught me that the Lord uses our brokenness to draw us closer to Him. 

it has taught me that being in the Word and scripture is vital as a follower of Christ. 

it has shown me how Scripture is our lifeline. 

it has taught me that i cannot rely on myself. 

i have learned that sanctification is painful with the most beautiful result. 

 

all these things ive listed above, are things my heart has yearned for & things i have prayed relentlessly for for years, & this is just the start of what will come to completion the day I meet Jesus. 

although the race is over, everything i listed above is still being sown into my heart & im still learning what it means to be a child of a King. 

im still learning how to walk in grace, humility, forgiveness & kindness everyday like Jesus. 

im still learning what it means to pick up my cross. 

im still learning how to suffer for the sake of Christ. 

im still learning. 

 

so no, the race hasnt changed my life- but Jesus most certainly has. and all the glory goes to Him. 

 

this has been one of the sweetest, most refining, most sanctifying seasons of my life, & my heart is heavy seeing it come to close- but i cant help rejoice at the same time. rejoicing over what the Lord has done. rejoicing in a promise coming to fulfillment. rejoicing in the fact that i have 24 new best friends. rejoicing in the call the Lord put on my heart about 3 years ago & my yes even in the unknown. 

 

this is just the beginning of the sweetest relationship. 

from glory to glory! 

thanks God! 

 

love, 

gracie <3