letting go...

today is the day that annie has been longing for…she leaves for her beloved Africa.  and today is the day that I am both celebrating and mourning.  what joy to see my daughter embrace who she is and how God created her and His amazing plan for her.  i am thrilled for each little Ugandan child whose life she will touch, whose heart she will she love.  and i am so proud of annie, how she has grown and matured and become a young woman I greatly admire. 

 all these tremendous feelings of celebration help with the sadness of her leaving.  because I will miss her terribly.  my overjoyed and full heart also aches with loss.  and that is a beautiful thing.  it is exactly what david and i hope and pray for each of our children, that they will grow and mature and step into all that God plans for them…even though it leaves an empty place in our hearts.

 i realize that this releasing is exactly what He did for us.  allowing Jesus to step out of the joy of heaven and unity of the Trinity into the brokenness of humanity and His gracious plan of redemption.  what spectacular love in  the loss and sacrifice of the Father and the Spirit…

 so Lord here I am again, opening my hands and releasing my darling annie.  i know she was never mine to hold on to, always Yours.  from You and through You and to You.   thank you that in this too i find  Your abundant grace to to trust You.

"for from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. 

to Him be the glory forever! amen."  romans 11:36