"We're just people"

When I was saying goodbye to my grandma before I left the States, I told her I'd miss her, and she said, "We're just people. There are people everywhere." Hmm. It's hard to think about the ones that hold chunks of my heart in their hands as "just people," but the more I travel, the more He provides people to love on me and encourage me. It blows my mind that He uses "just people" to remind me of His love over and over again. 

"Just people" sent me out and promised to love me forever. 

"Just people" do life with me.

"Just people" come visit me. 

"Just people" let me live with them for 6 weeks in Thailand. 

"Just people" Skype in just to say hey. 

        

But, you know what? They're just people. It's true, but the One who sent me on this journey is with me every step of the way. 

"It is God to whom and with whom we travel, and while He is the end of our journey, He is also at every stopping place." 

— Elisabeth Elliot

Oman. Oh man.

I know, I know. Not many people would choose to vacation in the desert of Oman, but not everyone has friends who live in Afghanistan and jump up and down at the freedom found in this particular Middle Eastern country. After living in India for a while, this less-populous land was just what I needed to detox and process the last few months of my life.   

From overcrowded to desolate.

From endless colors to sand and sea. 

From to-dos to sweet vacation-induced oblivion. 

My heart raced as I rushed through the Dubai airport to find my sweet friend Allie Brill. Along with some of her fellow teachers from Afghanistan, we rented a sweet minivan... I mean, megavan... and headed down into Oman. Armed with a roadmap and somewhat keen sense of direction, it took about ten hours to conquer a six hour drive.

Mountains. 

Castles. 

Camels.

Dunes. 

Beachfronts. 

We arrived in the quaint little village of Fins that we called home for the week. A legit front porch. A five minute walk to a secluded beach. A ten minute drive to an intense sink hole. Surrounded by 'wadis' that are perfect for hiking and swimming. Sweet Omani fishermen share their day's catch as a "Welcome to Oman." Therapeutic walks along the shore looking for fun shells and dying of laughter as Al was "crab hunting."   

Refreshing. 

Delightful. 

JustwhatIneeded.

Goodbyes.

Saying goodbye was a lot harder than I thought it would be. 


I have to admit, I've sobbed like a small child over and over the last couple days. Through all of the tears, I kept on thinking about what life might look like if it wasn't hard to leave home. What if I didn't have anyone to hold on tight and not want to let me go? What if I didn't have any friendships that were hard to leave? I realized that I wouldn't trade the tears for anything. I am so so blessed with a family that loves me unconditionally and friends that show me how to love authentically. 


I hope it's always hard to leave. All the people I befriend. In every chapter of life. 

Bidding farewell to material things isn't the hard part. Watch:

Goodbye house. 

Goodbye Sopapilla.

Goodbye big plate of cookie dough.

It's walking away from people I love, people so close to my heart, that hurts so bad. 

I'm learning how to drop my nets and follow Him with absolute abandon. (I'll probably be learning this my whole life)

One week.

It turns out, one week from today I'll be headed to South Asia. This is my week of goodbyes and farewells. I'll try to document it for you. 

We got some family pictures made (yes, in matching t-shirts) in honor of Ruth's upcoming World Race. 

Some sweet friends came in from Nacogdoches (my Sarah came from Jackson, MS), and we hit up the beach for sunrise.

 

I love them dearly and didn't think that it would be so hard to say goodbye. 

I closed my old bank account and took out my life savings. $1.98 exactly. 

 

I got to spend some time with my beautiful sister. 

We had a little sister photo shoot. It was fun.   

We made some fun meals. 

 

Is she crying because I'm leaving? Nope. Onions. 

"Well, what do your friends think?"

I was getting my hair cut the other day and somehow the topic of me moving to India came up. (Probably because I said... "PLEASE PLEASE don't cut my hair in some funky style that needs a hair dryer, straightener, curler, or anything that you plug into the wall.")

Anyway, the lady cutting my hair hesitantly asked what my friends thought about me leaving for a few years to a place that's not exactly safe and fancy. I was SO thrilled to say that my friends have done nothing less than push me to follow Him with absolute abandon.

They make photo-shoots seem like a normal part of everyday life.

They never hesitate to call me out if my attitude sucks.

They listen. Even when I don't know what I'm talking about. 

Praying is never awkward or forced because it happens so often. 

Celebrating the 4th of July by chillin with Somalian refugees is WAY more exciting than sitting in a lawn chair watching fireworks. 

 

(Thank you Allie Brill for these sweet pictures that I stole from your facebook page)

They make me want to serve. Anyone. Everyone. A lot. All the time. 

They're real. Honest. Transparent.

It's normal to be nomadic. Teysha knows that real well. =)

They show me my strengths and push me to pursue my passions.

They make me feel beautiful. (Hats off to Sarah and Ashley for being my personal stylists.)

They laugh. Especially late at night, Sonn. haha.

They're constant. 

Encouraging. 

Strong.

They've taught me how to love. 

I get that we're scattered for a reason. I can't wait to see how their lives impact the nations. One annual reunion down, and probably about eighty to go. Bring it on. 

Reminisce.

It's weird to think that this part of my life is over. The part where you learn things just for the sake of a letter-- you write more specifically, read more intentionally, and speak more clearly just so a professor can write 'A' at the top of a rubric. The part where your friends are practically everywhere you are. They're at Starbucks every time you show up, they're at Kroger, at the Farmer's market, the bike trails, the library, and showing up at your house spontaneously every few minutes. The part where community falls in your lap. The college part ended a few days ago with graduation.


I love change, and I'm excited about jumping into the unknown that is ahead of me, but I thought I'd take a second and reminisce on the last few years.



I got to SFA as a freshman and didn't know anyone at all, but amazing friends fell into my life... and I started to learn what friendship is supposed to look like. 

Unconditional love, accountability, and honesty started to become normal to me, but OH did I have a lot to learn about being a friend. 

Being away from home that year really helped me to appreciate my family. My sister Ruth and I became more like friends than just sisters. I love her like crazy. In the same year, I got to travel the world with my brother, Daniel. It was a blast. Here's a little glimpse:

Oh, and I got to tour Europe with all of these awesome people for spring break. We hit up Rome, Florence, Paris, and London. .. for FREE. Crazy, I know. That was my first overseas experience, and it's like a disease. I can't get the love for the world out of my blood or off my mind. 

Sophomore year for me was just a semester long because I got to spend the spring semester in West Africa. The time I was at SFA was awesome, though. I got to go skydiving!! I had a blast going on spontaneous road trips, going places just for the sake of a photo shoot, and learning how to balance school, sleep, and a social life. Sleep was usually the first to go. =) 

During this semester in Niger, I really had to re-find my identity. I wasn't with my huge family, my church, my friends, or my school-- Who was I? I was a stranger in a strange land. I had to drop my entitlements because, really, no one cared. In the village of Ayorou, I was only known by the love I showed, the God I represented, and well, the color of my skin. It was insane to me that the African friends that I made had never heard of a religion other than Islam or of a God who loved them. 

I learned that friends can be found in every culture in every nation. Every place can be a home. 

The day I got home from Africa, there were about fifty people at my house to welcome me home. It was insane. It was crazy to be around so many English speakers all at the same time... and to realize how blessed I am with people who love me. People go out of their way everyday to show me that they love me-- if you're one of those people, thank you. Really. 

My junior year was so sweet. I got to live with my best friends and share life together. I never had to do anything alone because they were right next to me the whole time. I learned that authenticity beats appearances any day, and that life isn't about me. At all. But that one way I can show the world that I follow Him is to love the people he has put in my life.  

 This past summer, my friendships started to change because they started leaving. I felt like my life was falling apart, but don't worry, it wasn't. 

Kodee married Dan, Allie left for Afghanistan, Sonnie was in Portland, Sarah was headed off to teach precious kids in Houston, and I was the baby-- still destined to be in Nacogdoches for my senior year. 

After spending a few months convinced that I didn't need any new friends (miserable if you can imagine), I couldn't hold them back anymore. I am so blessed. Friendship is everywhere. I just had to be transparent and let it happen. This past year was such a blast. I got to work with Nate and Roman and do Crosspoint things, have endless sister nights with Ruth, and breakfast dates with Teysha and Caroline. I couldn't have asked for better people to spend my last year of college with. Like they always say, lasty's a blasty. 

Turns out that these friends still love me too. I'll love them forever. No doubts. How does that old song go again?? "Make new friends and keep the old..."




Here's just a little taste of my last four years. Four years of insane blessings and hardcore friends.