The Leaving Part

Tonight we're in Denver, writing from the hotel, jumping on a 10:30 flight to New York in the morning.  Yesterday we had a wonderful and encouraging commissioning service in Paonia at one of our supporting churches.  It was a wonderful time of focus on missions, our call, and encouragement for us from so many people - some life-long friends of mine, others whom I (Jim) only met yesterday.  The hardest part, though, was saying our last few goodbyes.  This, I've known all along, is the hardest part for me.  I'm comfortable here, I love the mountains, people here know and understand me.  I have role models here and people who look up to me.

I'm sure excitement will take over sometime soon, but for now my mind is filled with the leaving.  From friends in Woodland Park over a month ago to my parents in the morning, it's been a long goodbye tour: friends, jobs, mountains, homes, family...  It's a blessing to know we're following God's call, a blessing to feel so well supported in prayer and a blessing to have so many behind us, holding the ropes.  Thank you!