August 25, 2013 Commentary on Henri Nouwen's Daily Meditation

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Daily-Meditation--Love-and-the-Pain-of-Leaving.html?soid=1011221485028&aid=TxdaOxKG-10



In case the link doesn't show up~
Henri Nouwen's Daily Meditation
Sunday August 25, 2013 

Love and the Pain of Leaving

Every time we make the decision to love someone, we open ourselves to great suffering, because those we most love cause us not only great joy but also great pain.   The greatest pain comes from leaving.  When the child leaves home, when the husband or wife leaves for a long period of time or for good, when the beloved friend departs to another country or dies ... the pain of the leaving can tear us apart.  

Still, if we want to avoid the suffering of leaving, we will never experience the joy of loving.  And love is stronger than fear, life stronger than death, hope stronger than despair.  We have to trust that the risk of loving is always worth taking.

My Commentary:
One the more recent lessons about the pain of leaving, moving on, came just a week or so ago when I was asked to move on for my ministry's experience sake.  Through the Gathering for Christ (Lutheran) church plant, I was a afforded the great opportunity to be in on the ground floor.  I designed their church logo.  I wrote, lead and invented creative worship every other week as well as greatly enjoyed preaching nearly once a month. And I seriously committed my efforts on building spiritual formation for the community. I remember being blessed and prayed over in the beginning of it all and before we held that magnificently attended Easter Service last year.  I had been serving for a year and several months.  Through the sadness of it all however, I heard the Word of Love spoken to my heart
from God, to be that strong person he knows I can be.  He encouraged me further in taking on the past, defeating Satan's efforts to lower my confidence trying to bring me to despair...  I have come this far by Faith~  I have come even further by God's abundant GRACE! Thanks BE to God.  Always be grateful for anything and everything the Lord places into your life's journey for it builds you, shapes you.  All these things are good.
May God Bless you whereever and whenever you experience these great moments of transition.

Nicole Collins