Leaving

So it's happened. I've graduated from Ellerslie Advanced Leadership Training, and I'm leaving in just a couple days. I have so many words I could use to describe the last year, but it would never be enough. I've loved more deeply, hurt more fully, laughed more truly, and smiled more often than I could have possibly expected. I love my Ellerslie family to death, so much so that I cried on stage in front of a bunch of people just thinking about it (so unlike me, really). But mostly, I love my Jesus, because He's made Ellerslie what it is. Of course, that's not the only reason I love Him. There's no way to count them all. But all the praise goes to Him, He's the only good in my life.

It still doesn't seem real that i'm leaving come Friday. And I'm kind of glad that it doesn't. Ellerslie is genuinely home to me, and it has been since the beginning.

If I realized that I were leaving I'd probably be a big blubbering mess. Instead, I'm cherishing every moment, and wondering why I don't always cherish every moment, because life is so much sweeter that way and I think God meant for us to appreciate His gifts. 

He's good to me, and I'm so excited because while I know that leaving will be hard, what's coming up will be perfect also. Not because I'll be with friends and family and then Paris, but because He's planned it and He plans good things. 

I know this isn't the end of me and Ellerslie, and that helps a lot. Probably I'll come back for a visit at the very least. And I can't imagine not keeping in contact with my "Ellerslie family." 

If you're my Ellerslie family, promise me you'll stay in touch. I want to know what Jesus is doing in your lives too. And I want to know that the unity we had was built on Him. We're from so many different places, with so many different personalities and backgrounds, but somehow it works.... because it's not about us.

So before I get any more sentimental and reminiscent, I'll say goodnight with just one more comment. I'm ready. I'm ready to leave not because I'm "there," because we all know I'm anything but. I'm ready because at Ellerslie I discovered my Jesus, that He's the only answer and He's always there. I discovered He's worthy of the glory and my worship and praise. I still don't have a perfectly pure heart when I come to Him, but He's still working on me. Regardless, I'm ready for the world cause I gots my Jesus and I always will. 

(All photos on this post are by Lauren. She's awesome).