There are a lot of goodbyes in life.

Family. Friends. Bosses. Students. Children.
Dreams. Ideas. Opportunities.
Things you expected. Things you didn’t.

I’ve said a lot of those goodbyes in the past five years. Friends died of cancer. Some friends died in traumatic accidents. People in my church left bitter and broken. Those who stayed in my church have lost much. Friends have moved away. Friends have walked away. The deep sorrow of miscarriages. The deep horror of divorce. Suffering. Sacrifice. Physical pain. Emotional pain. Unexpected pain. My heart has been water-logged for all the brokenness in the world that I have seen, experienced and absorbed.

And then there are the goodbyes that you choose. Like leaving a job you love after eight years of fruitful ministry. And why leave? Because God so clearly said it’s time. It’s time to go, to grow, to do the next thing. To leave what has been hard, but familiar. It’s time to stretch out my eyes to the horizon and see the “grandeur of the grander scheme unfolding.”

Unfolding.
New life. New beginnings. All things new.

There’s a gaudy blue butterfly on my 2013 journal because it’s the symbol of this year. Miracles. Transformation. New beginnings. Unfolding. I didn’t want to buy that journal, much like I didn’t want to walk into the unknown.

But if Jesus is my life, I lose nothing by altering my earthly circumstances.
If Jesus is my life, I retain what is unchanging no matter how hard the goodbyes.
If Jesus is my life, I can face any challenge knowing that He will Shepherd my steps.
If Jesus is my life, it’s all going to be okay.

Now, here I am. Raising an “ebenezer.” A memorial. Taking a moment to commemorate the changing of seasons from something familiar to something entirely new. This summer I will be taking significant time off from life to travel, write, read and tend my soul. The overflow that will be here on this blog.

So, here’s another round of goodbyes. To interns, colleagues, friends, classes, events, teams, binders, maps, lists, files and half-completed ideas. To what has been a beautiful place where I have grown, loved, learned, spent and changed. And here’s to the next beautiful place, which will be full of good things.

“Just like the sunshine You have been our light
Leading us into beautiful places
We’ve walked through fire but You make us brighter
Leading us into beautiful places

Faithful Jesus, healing Savior
Compass, center, bread of life
Faithful Jesus, cherished treasure
Our portion, wisdom, God’s great light

My God you are here with us
Constantly here with us
You are our everything
Faithful and true”

–Charlie Hall, “Constant”