Night before takeoff!

It is late into the night; it will be morning in less than an hour. I’m trying to pack but I feel like I’m not getting the right things into my suitcase. Where there is necessity, I want only memory. Would it be unreasonable for me to take a suitcase of only photographs, books, and letters? I bet that would surprise airport security.

I have just come back from dinner. It was supposed to be a quiet dinner with my family, but I had forgotten how my family has grown. One invite suddenly turned into quite a few more until I was surrounded by a sea of familiar faces. When I began this journey, I didn’t realize how much ones heart could become so intertwined with another’s by the sharing of dreams, hope, and life. Till the last moment I have received an overwhelming amount of love and encouragement. From people driving an hour to say goodbye, to phone calls to pray, my heart cannot contain the gratitude I have for everything done for me. Tonight was great; it was perfect, thanks for that.

Will it be this way when I return? Will I want to lug a suitcase full of memories of the Middle East back to the US? Instead they will be different faces, new experiences, and new love. What kind of love is this? This has to be divine love! Tonight, I stand as a witness that surely a savior has risen and such is the time for his people.