Tears were dripping down my face, into my lap, I cleaned my face, while I manoeuvred the car through small cute France villages. I needed to have a good view on the road before me. (Jelle couldn’t drive without his glasses)
I was filled with a whole mix of feelings of joy, thankfulness for what was, what has been and how this period -over the years- has shaped and encouraged me.- our precious friendship.
We drove back from France last week, and stopped in the North for two nights, where our colleagues and friends lived for over twenty years. But now, I realized that this period is coming to an end. They are moving and we are moving and with that we both enter a new season in our lives.
We stopped often at their place in the past few years. On our way back from England to the Netherlands. (while we lived in the High Wycombe area, 2007-2010) The kids got on very well and their friendship became, just as ours more deeper each time we met.
Many of you know the feeling… It is hard to describe when you get a friend or soulmate. Someone different of age, born in a totally different place, many, many differences and still, so many things in common, especially when you share the same goals, vision and love.
The pain of goodbye is too well known in life for people involved in mission, but also for everyone who is facing a change, or had a loss, leaving the past behind and knowing that you enter into something new, a different season in life or just anything that is changing. And that goes often with pain. This is definitely not the first time that this kind of pain came over me, and I am sure it will be not the last….Promise….
But what was is precious… a gift, a treasure, and memories are what we keep.. but the sadness about it came over me.. I know… I carry so many lovely people with me, wherever I go, but the changes and good-byes are real and we have to face it. Although I know that the friendship stays, we can’t just meet as much as we did before.
The next day, when we were home, we went to church, here in the village. Our weekly custom.
God’s word was opened, a baby baptist, showing me, that whatever is changing there are things staying the same. God’s faithfulness is forever and is every morning new.
“” So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again, and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.””
John 16 :22 God is saying this to his disciples but also to everyone who is mourning and so it is a resemblance of God’s goodness. It encouraged me so deeply.
I simply don’t have the possibility in not knowing where my roots are- in Christ alone- because each time I loose this focus or foundation underneath my being I have to confirm myself and search for God’s abidance. And: God shows himself in the silence or through his Word like this morning.
I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Ps. 27:13,14
Can’t wait till we meet again.. that is so true for many of you, my dear friends!
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