Dear Church, let it go

A week ago I came home from a mission trip to Pakistan. It was one of the most eye-opening, groundbreaking, sobering experiences I have ever had. The Church of Jesus Christ is growing, expanding, advancing in the face of extreme persecution and the stories of the faith of my brothers and sisters in that country are truly inspiring. Let's commit to praying for the persecuted church around the world.

One of the experiences I had in Pakistan was to visit village schools that were built through PEB (Presbyterian Education Board). They plant schools in villages where children have no hope for an education and give them that opportunity. It's truly remarkable. There is nothing more pure, more geniune, than the smile of a child.

At one of these schools, the kids and teachers had a celebration planned for us and I got to hold a pigeon and release it. Funny thing...it flew right back to me and didn’t want to leave! I kept trying to make it fly away, and it was just sticking to my arm, climbing higher and higher up my arm to my shoulder! All the kids thought I was a Disney princess, ha! Just call me your neighborhood friendly Latina Snow White I guess.

However, on a more reflective note, after thinking about this for a little while, I saw a beautiful lesson the Lord was trying to show me. Looking back at the pictures and thinking about the experience I felt the Lord say, “Just let go. My Presence is your promise.”

The truth is we are all on a journey and there are things we are holding on to that God is calling us to carry. But there are also things that we’re carrying that the Lord is calling us to let go of. The idea of letting go of things, especially if they’re things we don’t want to let go of or find particularly hard to let go of, can cause a lot of pain and grief—yet, He is there.

There’s joy in knowing that He who holds us has woven a hope and a future for those who love Him in every stitch of the tapestry of our lives. Can we trust Him as He works all things for our good?

So friends, I invite you to let go. Trust me, I'm working on it right now, too. The invitation is for all of us. What’s meant to be yours will come back. There will be a double portion of beauty for your sorrow. What’s meant to leave for good will bring freedom upon its release. This one thing will be true, everlasting joy will be the inheritance and crown for the people of YHWH.

Forever and ever, amen.