the time is near

The time is coming for many things... yes be ready says the Lord.

For one- I'm coming home in a little less than 3 weeks now! wowzers!! I cannot believe how soon this is coming. I am greatly looking forward to being home again, to be able to drive myself places, to see my family and friends. At the very same time, however, I am really sad to leave this place... This place I have grown so much, I have developed not only in my faith, and in the way of ministry, but just in life in general I have grown and changed. I am sad to leave these people I have grown to understand a little more and to love so deeply. I'm sad to leave this church that has become so dear to my heart- one church that I was blessed to be fully involved in for 6 months, without going to other churches and only missing sunday services for either being on Kids Church or being away on holiday. This church that I struggled with at the beginning and have dealt with it and grown to a deep appreciation and love of the heart. I'm sad to leave the streets and the gorgeous rolling hills off in the distance, the commonality of taking trains and buses to get places- and them actually being quite nice trains and buses.
Im also nervous to come home, I'm afraid that people will expect me to be the same person I was and like the new me less. I'm afraid that I will fall back into the trap of who I was before and forget the things I learned while here. I'm afraid that this great independance I thrive on will be cut off as I go back to living in a dorm and at home (though I am so excited about both places). I'm afraid that no one else will understand the awesome lessons that the Lord has taught me. I'm afraid that if all these things happen I will feel very alone again- even though I know I'm never alone.

I'm excited for the gathering of my families and reconnecting with them, I'm excited to get back to HU campus and living amongst my friends again. It's freaky to think, though, that it will only be for five more months and then everything will change again. The time is coming for me to graduate college and move on to do something with my life... something of financial purpose as well as Kingdom purpose. I'm excited to see what God has laid out for me... but I've felt a change of paths since I've been here... and so I'm in the midst of sorting out what exactly God has for me. It's a time that is exciting and scary... where I'm waiting for the cue from God but I'm looking at the time when I'll need to know approaching awfully quickly... But I know that God's timing is perfect and He alone will show me His ways in His time. I have seen God move in too many ways not to trust in Him to bring about all things in a way that will be best for me.


The other meaning of the phrase "the time is near" is in reference to the second coming of Jesus Christ the Lord. I'm currently listening to a sermon by Pastor Jeff Wright (of Green Pastures) and it is being more and more confirmed in the last couple years that the time is indeed near. Jesus is coming soon- in our life-time. Be ready for Him, for He will come like a thief in the night... do not be caught sleeping.... the signs of the times are all around us. I'm actually not trying to sound cliche or to say things just because everyone else says He is coming soon. Instead I'm saying these things because i actually used to be someone who would've said "Every generation thinks THEY are the generation when Jesus will arrive..." I now say that I do genuinely think that it is coming... I don't know the day or the hour, and I don't care... I just know that He is coming, He's coming soon... and We need to be ready!!!