Comings and goings

I love people. It's fun to meet them, find out all about them, hear their stories and then, if God allows, to share life. It's ironic that the art of relationships causes us to purposefully make space in our lives for more relationships, wisely avoiding getting absorbed in just one or two. That's the relational life that God calls us to, and it's the second greatest command: love your neighbor as yourself.

So it's weird when friends have to move geographically. In the past 11 years my wife and I have moved once and we have experienced a plethora of friends moving around the country and world. In the past several months we have seen friends move to Oregon, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Papua New Guinea, Missouri, and now, Alaska. How do you categorize the sadness you have when you lose the personal presence of friends and family?

First, you truly embrace the pain. It's sad to see friends move. It's sad to think that you and your kids aren't going to have the privilege of being connected day-by-day. Email and facebook have changed everything as far as staying connected, but there is no replacing personal presence.

Second, you release them. Most of our friends have left this place to go build Christ's church around the world. They have taken their gifts and talents to other places to love people there in the name of God and win them to Christ. Since there is no other mission in life, eventually I come to the place where I see their leaving not so much as a leaving, but as a "going." If it were just about living in a far place, the pain would be worse. The reality is that we are all sojourning (living temporarily) wherever we are.

Third, you direct your heart heavenward. One day we will all stop leaving. We'll be together forever around the throne of the King of kings and Lord of lords. We'll see Him as He is and never leave each other. There will be a new kind of mission forever.

If you must leave, leave to carry out the mission, the great commission. Spend your life on what matters. We'll persevere through the sadness and share pictures online. We'll visit. One day we will stop sojourning and we'll dwell together in heaven. But until that day comes, we love you dear friends. We'll miss you.