Tomorrow I am supposed to be speaking in church about moving to Utah and the ministry there. The main thing that keeps coming to mind, however; is how much I want to thank the church for all they have given me. They have given me a home... something that I haven't really had before. I was taken in and loved so completely, that more often than not, it was pretty overwhelming. God has provided in ways so far beyond what I could ever fathom. Through random donuts or life group meetings or nights at Bridge or CTC classes, the outpouring of love has not stopped from the moment God let me get involved there. Not to mention the adoption of the Walter's family and the amazing way that they have shown me a crazy amount of love. If I ever have a doubt of how much Christ is pursuing me and how much He adores me as His little girl, all I have to think of would be the crazy love of that home.
Kate and her mom took me in and put up with a lot since December. Heh... Kate has put up with a lot since she met me... Not to mention all of my other friends who have been amazing...
I guess, God is sending me to Utah because there is no way that I can repay the people here for their kindness or compassion. Just like I can never hope to repay Christ for His sacrifice. But I CAN go in His name and join Him in His work. I can learn how to share that same love with other people. Hopefully, that will be thanks enough, because I honestly can't offer anything more than myself to say it with. I want to give back and the only way that I know how is to show someone else what I have learned. Freedom... it still makes me shake my head. What an incredible gift.
Reading 2nd Corinthians 6-8 tonight. And I fell in love with this: Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. - 2nd Cor. 6:4-10.

How cool will it be to be able to claim all of those someday? Then I can call myself a missionary. Until then... I am still just learning.