Living Sent, Ethiopia: We're Back!

 We've been back on American soil for 24+ hours, but my head is still in Ethiopia time and I'm half-asleep right now. It was a 'welcome home', but also in a way, it's just a 'welcome back'. They say home is where the heart is, and my heart is just as much over there as it is here. I know that I'll be back in Awassa, in the Meserete Kristos Church, among those precious Compassion children. It may not be next year, but I'll be back. Those children captured my heart, and I'm hoping writing it all out will help me process this past week. I'm going to try to post once a day this week for each journal entry I wrote. So, here goes the first {short} one!

Thursday, June 19th

 As we sit here on this last leg of our flight, just a little bit under an hour from setting our feet down in Africa, I marvel at the glory of our Savior. He humbles me as He pours His love over me. He strengthens me in the way He renews His mercy and grace each day. He is my constant, my peace, my Lord, and my Father. And as I sit on this plane with cramped legs and a lack of sleep, I'm in awe. I am in awe because I can't even fathom how big our God is. That He could create a world, a universe, countless galaxies with just one breath is beyond me. I think of how very small we must be, but in His eyes, none of us are insignificant. He chose us and made us and loves us.

 And our God stepped down into our world, through His Son. He sent His perfect Son as a demonstration of how much He loves us. He shows us just how far His love reaches as He stretched out His arms on the cross. From the east to the west, His love keeps going. His love is a beacon, providing hope and showing the Way to every tribe, nation, and tongue.  His love is limitless, reaching down to open the hearts of His people.

 Christ tore the temple veil, making the offer of sweet life in Him available to all people. And as I live in Him, He is calling me, opening my heart to hold on to the power of His love. He is opening me to reach into all the earth and show the love that so overwhelms me to people of every nation, in Ethiopia this week and to the ends of the earth.