93 days later

‘Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives.’ Colossians 3:12-16

I think it’s safe to say that these are the kind of people I have been blessed to live with these past 3 months. The encouragement, the patience, the humility, and the love that has been surrounding me these past 90 something days has officially come to an end and it’s just as hard as I thought it would be. The late night catch phrase, the spontaneous dance parties, the star gazing on the container, the countless number of weeds picked in the garden, every prayer prayed, the walks to the railroad track, the spirit filled nights of worship, the unforgettable stories shared at team time, every single laugh that we have shared, all of the sweet memories… they are all straight from Jesus. I don’t know how I got so lucky to live life with you crazy people, but it’s three months of my life that I will never forget.

Brook, you have the most beautiful radiance about you. The way you love The Lord and trust Him seriously rocks my world and encourages myself and others more than you could ever imagine. Chase after Him like never before sweet thang.

Melanie, the way that your face lights up when you are holding a child is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Your dream of being a mommy is not only going to happen, but it is one of your callings.

Catharine, it has been so sweet to see your heart, to watch you grow with The Lord in crazy, crazy ways. I know everyone always tells you this, but your strength and courage is straight from Jesus. You can take on anything with the strength of the Spirit that lives within you, know that.

Sa, you are truly one of the most beautiful people I have ever met. Your spirit, homegirl…it’s indescribable. The way you speak, the way you love, the way you laugh, no one can ever get enough of it. Thank you for being a true story of redemption and using it to change peoples’ lives. Love you sister.

Chelsea, oh girl. From the ATLing at the mall in Georgia to today when I got to see the tears of joy of seeing your family, you have grown in such tremendous ways. Thank you for being real and always sharing your heart with all of us. I can’t wait to see how The Lord is going to use you this summer and for the rest of your life.

Joy, you amaze me. Your selflessness, your maturity, your wisdom, everything. You are a beloved daughter of God and how beautifully you display that is incredible. Thank you for being a light to me and everyone around you each and every day.

Bre, the ways you have allowed The Lord to prove Himself to you these past three months has been SO COOL to watch. The beauty and worth that you have is beyond my understanding. Your Heavenly Father is beyond pleased with you as His precious daughter. Never forget that.

Lex, you have been set free. Free from this world, free from expectation, free from your past, free from yourself. The fire in your heart is seriously legit. God has great and mighty plans for you homegirl and I can’t wait to watch them unfold. I don’t know what I would have done without you constantly being by my side. (/what I’m going to do…) Thank you for all of the excitement and craziness these past three months – and many more months that are to come.

Emm, you free spirit you. Thank you for your heart and willingly sharing it with us. You are a comfort and lover to all. Your love for the Father and your passions are going to take you so tremendously far, I can’t wait to see it happen.

Joanna, girl you are one of the most passionate people I know. Thank you for pushing me every single day – whether it’s in prayer, working in the garden, or just asking me hard questions. Remember to never fear, for He is ALWAYS with you, His precious and beautiful daughter.

Kenz, not only are you a ridiculous picture of a selfless servant, but your heart is one of the most joyous I have ever known. Your sensitivity to the Lord’s voice and obedience to Him amazes me. Thank you for being the smiling face every morning that I walk outside to each day and for being the one I have to fight (and always lose) to do dishes.

Hans, oh Hannah. Soul sister sounds pretty valid. It’s definitely not a coincidence how we pretty much have life in common. Thank you for loving me in crazy ways and for being a sister. Keep falling deeper in love with Jesus. I CAN’T wait to see where life is going to take you with Him.

Tanner, thank you for being who God has made you to be. Thank you for passionate following Him and speaking boldly every time you open your mouth. You are a true brother to every person you meet and I couldn’t be more grateful for you and your story.

Garrett, sorry that I speak to you in the mornings, but thank you for taking me with a grain of salt and loving me like a sister. The man you are growing into is just who He has made you to be. Thanks for being my twin homie.

Shadrach, I think it’s safe to say we are all so grateful for your presence on our team. The words of life you speak into me, the weird, yet mature side of you that you have and the way you love each of your brothers and sisters is incredible. Keep diving more and more into being the son that you are so sweetly called to be.

To every single one of you, I see Jesus more clearly in y’all than I have anyone my entire life. Each of you have encouraged me, loved me, corrected me, inspired me, grown me, empowered me, spoken life into me and more, whether you realize it or not. Thank you for being a true servent, a beautiful picture of Jesus, my brothers and sisters these past three months and for the rest of my life. (Don’t think you’re getting rid of me that easily…be prepared for me to show up on your doorstep when I’m in town…….)