Goodbyes stink!

In life we all must go through changes and they are hard for most of us. Well, our good friends Matt and Bethany are moving to Berlin on Sunday. Last night we hung out with them for the last time before their move and saying good bye was hard. Bethany and I met through work. She taught down the hall from me last year. We didn't really begin hanging out outside of school till the beginning of the second semester. And then tried to get in every hang out time possible between then and now. She and her husband, Matt, joined our community group through church and were an intigral part of it over this last semester. We are so blessed to partner with them as they move to Berlin to minister to the lost, lost souls there. Bethany will teach at an International school while Matt works for European Initiative, a great ministry with an extraordinary visiion for the city of Berlin.

While praying for them I came across Isaiah 55, one of my favorite passages in the Bible. Everytime I read it, I'm completely drawn in by God's goodness, provision, calling, and overwhelming LOVE for me (and all of you). Here it is:

Invitation to the Thirsty

1 "Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

3 Give ear and come to me;
hear me, that your soul may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.

4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander of the peoples.

5 Surely you will summon nations you know not,
and nations that do not know you will hasten to you,
because of the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for he has endowed you with splendor."

6 Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.

7 Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.

9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

12 You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.

13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the LORD's renown,
for an everlasting sign,
which will not be destroyed."

So to Matt and Bethany, I love you and know this isn't the end for our friendship. It's only the beginning of an edifing, real, Godsend relationship. We are praying for you in every way and can't wait to hear from you once you arrive in Berlin.