Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Feeling Nostalgic

Have you ever felt like you wish you could go back and relive something all over again? Would you do it differently? Would you do it exactly the same?
Although I know it is impossible to go back and change anything that has happened in the past, I am feeling very nostalgic today. I'm missing my time in Uganda, missing the relationships I formed, missing the love I felt and missing the lessons I learned. I feel like it was ages ago that I was there and to be honest, I don't like that feeling at all. When I said I left my heart in Uganda...I truly did. I feel a bit lost and a bit out of sorts being back in the U.S. and now being back at my home in the monotony of my life, dealing with things that are so meaningless and useless, it's really quite the culture shock.

I found something in Uganda that I truly never felt I would find, feel or understand. I knew that my heart was pulled to Uganda last May when my now dear friend Lucy came to Westminster to talk about Uganda...I had no idea that a year later it would shock my heart to the core. I had no idea I would fall in love the way I have. I had no idea the Lord would use the people, places and things there to make me desire so much more in my own life and that of those around me.

Am I alone in this? Absolutely not. The Lord was powerful in Uganda and I believe, touched all 8 people on my team, all in different ways. God is creative in the ways He works in our hearts and even though I went with an open heart and unhindered soul, I had NO IDEA He would fulfill me in such a way that I feel like a completely different person.

So, what can I do about it now that I'm back?! Well, that's a very good question that I am still trying to wrestle with. In the last 10 days that I've been back, my emotions have been on a roller coaster, my life has been flipped upside down. I've cried from joy, I've cried from heartbreak, I've cried from love, I've cried from pain. I don't know where the path ahead of me is going, I don't know how I'm going to get there, and I don't know who is going to be there in the end, but I DO know that the Lord is paving that for me and I am trusting that He will protect and guide me, because I KNOW that He is the only one that has the power to do such a thing.

So, today, I feel nostalgic...I'm not sure what the future holds and that is hard to swallow...so I trust...and keep trusting...and pray...and keep praying!

My Team, from Left:

Tami, Ben, Gretchen, Me, Ivan, Ray, Leslie & Dominick

1 comment:

Abbey said...

One of the verses I'm totally clinging to right now is Romans 12:12: "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer." I say this verse over and over again just to get through some tough days. I can't wait for you to continue sharing more about your Uganda experience. Blessings!