On the Heels of South Africa

It’s crazy to think that my flight will be leaving for South Africa in only a few hours.  While I’m super excited about heading to Jo’burg and the things the Lord is going to teach me there, it’s also been sad to think of all that I have left behind. My time at Chapel Hill has been 100x greater than what I expected. When looking back, it’s amazing to think about how faithful and good the Lord has been in providing great, solid friendships. Seeing the contrast of me feeling like a kindergarten with absolutely no friends that first lonely night in Koury, to feeling immeasurably loved with the countless emails, texts, letters and conversations that were poured out to me as I left, It floored me. While not wanting to leave the place where I have had the time of my life for the past two years, the Lord has revealed to me he has something much greater for my life. 

A friend brought to mind Hebrews 11:15 “If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.” The reason why Abraham was able to go from Haran to Canaan, was because he realized that the Lord had something much greater, much bigger for his life. He trusted and believed that the Lord would indeed use him to be Father to a nation that the Lord would call His own. While even though he didn’t see it, He trusted and believed that he was a foreigner and exile in his land and his ultimate citizenship was with God. Just like Abraham, I need to realize that even amidst the best years of my life in Chapel Hill, I’m still an exile in Chapel Hill. I wasn’t created for it. I was ultimately created to be satisfied in a relationship with God that will be consummated with me spending eternity with Him in heaven.  This is what I have been made for. So instead of looking back to the things of the past, I need to strive forward, “setting my hope on the grace that will be brought to me at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13)

So while loving my time at Chapel Hill, this season has passed. The Lord has used my time at Chapel Hill to grow and strengthen me, so that I could be an instrument of redemption for His glory around the world. With this mindset, I am motivated to spend the next 4 months of my life serving the poor and destitute in Johannesburg, South Africa.