Jessica Robbins

I can hardly believe that as I’m writing this the date is January 7^th, 2014.

Today is the day that I close yet another chapter of life and open up to a fresh new page.

Right now I’m somewhere over the western part of the US headed to San Francisco.

The past few hours have been a little emotional to say the least.

Tears threaten at any given moment.

There is a bittersweetness in this.

I know in my heart that I am on the way to where I am supposed to be, but as I think back over the memories and faces and lessons learned I cannot help but grieve what I’m leaving behind.

I’ve been with my family since the week of Thanksgiving.  It’s been a time of re-adjusting to one another and becoming familiar with seeing each other every day.  It’s been a time of hard conversations and sweet memories made over the holidays and the weeks in between.

I will miss my parents and sisters dearly.  I think I am more thankful for them today than I ever have been.  Sometimes we get caught up in the little things we disagree on than focusing on the people that matter to us, and it distracts us from appreciating what we have when we have it.  I know this to be true of myself.  Family is a connection that runs deeply, and I hope to treasure it more and more every day that goes by and never take them for granted again.

In the past month I’ve also had the blessing of being reunited with several friends.

Friendships can be for a season or they can be life long.  You just never know.

I’ve also come to realize that some friendships and connections go straight to the deep places and are always ready to pick up right where they left off no matter how much time has been invested or how many months or years have passed.

I’m thankful for all types of friends and am sad to be moving so far away.

I am filled to overflowing with thankfulness.  I am blessed beyond measure, and this is not because of anything that I have done to deserve it.  I serve a God who takes care of His children.

The Father has shown me this in more ways than I can count.  He’s taken care of every little detail and even thrown in some extras, just because He loves me.

I am grieved to leave but I know that a new season cannot begin unless a current one ends.

Thank you to everyone has prayed, encouraged, given financially, listened, spoken truth and been available to me during these past 5 months of preparation.

I can honestly say that it’s been a hard season of refinement and of strengthening my faith.

Now we go.

We head off to Malaysia into this season of unknown mysteries.  The Lord has built this team, and I cannot wait to see where He takes us!

“Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’”  Luke 9:62