Change

Adam and I have been reflecting on the ways that we have been changed by our 8-ish months in Germany. We have been changed in ways that we never would have imagined. And not in some of the ways we expected.
We have been talking about what life will be like for us once we return to So Cal in July or August. It is hard to imagine returning to a big city that is open and busy 24 hours a day. We have grown accustomed to the slower pace of life here, and we like it. We are hoping to be able to maintain some semblance of simplicity even in bustling OC. We are prepared to be the "weird ones" who walk to the grocery store, carry reusable grocery bags, and recycle.
We have learned to appreciate the changing seasons which we may never experience again in CA. We have learned the importance of spring following winter- that the dead shall be raised to new life. That the hope of spring carries you through the darkness and cold of winter. And how glorious is the sun after months without!
We have learned that life is happening all over the world. In every country and corner of the globe. That there are needs all over the place. And we are open to meeting those needs however the Lord calls us. Truly, to serve in Morocco in Iraq, in China, wherever. The fear of "those places" is gone.
We have a greater understanding that the Western church is not the only one out there. There are believers living in true relationship all over the globe. And we have things to learn from believers in Jordan, in Germany, in Russia. The American church is not the only church, and is not always right.
So many more things are filling my head as I write this. Of the ways I have seen Adam change, and changes I have seen in myself. It is exciting to see the Lord refining us, opening our eyes, and changing our perspectives. With all this changing going on, it makes me hesitant to return to the US, but I am confident that God can and will continue this process, even in CA.