Some background knowledge first...
Iowa City is a very unique community and I love it for many reasons! The university and hospital are two big reasons that make Iowa City a place lots of people flock to for awhile. For awhile. If you have lived in Iowa City more than 10 years you are truly unusual. I would be unusual. Although, not born in Iowa City, I have been here for 26 years now. Unusual.
Also, you need to know that the Lord blessed me with some A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. women when David was born. I mean, seriously, amazing women who were also desperately trying to serve the Lord, love their husband well, and raise children who love the Lord. Women who weren't just listening to Oprah for parenting advice or doing things just cause that is how their parents did it or just reading the lastest book on parenting. Each one of them IS striving each day to glorify the Lord. Let me be clear: they not just ordinary friends, each one is an BEAUTIFUL, humble, woman of God and have been used by the Lord to mold me into the mother, wife, friend, daughter that I am today!
Please know I am not angry at the Lord or doubt that each woman has gone where the Lord intended - just sharing my heart.
Within the last three years, the Lord sent my truly lovely friend Emily Malone far away to Scotland for her husband to study theology. I still remember us sitting on the floor in my living room and her telling me about where he was applying and thinking, definitely not Scotland! :) Next, the Lord took my dear compassionate friend Shannon Greenan to Mississippi for her husband to coach tennis. Last year, the Lord moved two of the most holy and dear to my heart women I know, Carrie Sterner and Amanda Hobert to Madison, WI with their families to church plant.
And now this year, always the same time of year June/July, the Lord is moving two more of my amazing mama friends! After parenting our children for the last 5 years together, my sweet friend Jamie Kampman will go with her family to serve at Austin Stone church in Austin, Texas.
My sweet sweet friend Shari, will go with her family to Ft. Worth, Texas, as her husband will be a professor of philosophy at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
So out of the girls in the this picture (Amanda, Jamie, Me, Shari, and Emily):
Only I am left in Iowa City.Out of these mamas (Amanda, Me, Jamie, Emily):
Just me.So out of this picture (Jamie, Shannon, Amanda, Me, Shari):
You guessed it... Just me.See aren't they beautiful? I can testify to INSIDE and OUT BEAUTY!
Yep, just me.Out of these precious little ones (David, Grace, Josiah, Abigail, Rebekah)
Just David.Are you feeling me yet?
I am choosing to trust the Lord and am truly thankful for each of the DAYS over the last FIVE YEARS the Lord has given me with these amazing women and for the truth and wisdom they have spoken into my life and how they have made me a better mother, wife, daughter, and friend! I am also SO THANKFUL for the dozen other amazing women who are still in Iowa City with me! The Lord always provides and I know I am not alone!
I love each of you ladies.
Aberdeen, West Point, Madison, Austin, Ft. Worth you have some rocking mamas in your midst! Love them well!
12 comments:
It is always hard when God moves great people out of your lives to serve Him elsewhere. We went through a huge transitional phase a few years ago among our group of believers.
I will say, I'm pretty thrilled the Kampmans are coming to Austin {we too go to the Stone}.
God also keeps YOU (another amazingly awesome mama) here for reasons. HE knows that you will meet new mothers to help out, pray with and serve your husbands and children with. I know it can be hard, but you are a strong lady and will make so many new friends!
That is awesome that you have had a group like that for so many years. I'm sure you'll find some more mamas to share life with in this next season.
I'm excited for the Kampmans to be headed to the ATX. We go to First E-Free, and we're excited for Stone to get some more great folks as we all minister to this city.
And "hi" to lovedlikethechurch.com- Fun to see another Iowa City to Austin connection :)
Oh, Andrea...I have been thinking about you a lot with everyone leaving. I miss you and IC soooo much! And I agree- the parenting we got to do together was wonderful!
I am still here. :)
I have had the same sinking feeling about everyone leaving as well. Hang in there! I have two extra girls nine hours a day, but you guys can come see us! Please do!!
oh sweet friend- I KNOW- it's such a bittersweet thing FOR SURE! I know we will always be in contact 1- because we email 2- because we text ALL the time (we can still do 515 together wherever we are) and 3- I know you are always up for an adventure get away to Austin 4- you are SO SO faithful!
love you friend- will miss you guys like crazy nuts- what is Josiah honestly going to do without David!
we should do annual get togethers with all of us girls! how fun would that be!!!!!!
I LOVE the annual get together ladies, especially as 3 of you will be near Dallas... maybe Amanda and anyone and I can drive down and Shannon can drive over :) I do seem to remember Shadley and some girls driving south to visit friends! It would be a rocking road trip for sure and then a fun few days! I am LOVING this idea... let's get the first one on the calendar already :) Em - when are you in Dallas again?
I totally feel you! Seriously.
Andrea, that is so sweet!!!...and well written!
Yes!! road trip! i would soooo love to get together....andrea, i have to say that i think i sort of know how you feel..i soooo terribly miss all of you and iowa city...yall were such incredible women, mothers, wives, friends and christian examples for me and the world etc...! Yall will never know how much each of you mean to me....I have questioned if we made the right move. I have to remind myself of how we prayed and how God just made it all so easy....I do think we are where He wants us right now and I know how faithful yall are and believe yall will always be where He wants yall to be.
I dream at least once a week that we are all together doing something....last night Jamie, Amanda, Andrea and I were at one of my family get-togethers...Yall had come down for a visit...it was crazy fun!!! We were all in some abandoned southern town just hanging out...like some old western or something; i was trying to figure out if yall thought we were rednecks ha ha.... i woke up and felt like I had gotten to see yall; but I have had that hole in my heart today as a result. God has a plan for each of us.... God has you where he wants you...unless He mayyyyyy want you in West POint MS...yep, I think I am getting a vision...lol Ok, maybe not, but I think He would be delighted to see us all get together. You are so faithful. Love you and miss you sooooo much...lets do get together!!! Tell the family hello and take care! And hey, we all get to spend eternity together...no need to get sick of each other here on earth!;)
shannon totally got goosebumps reading about your dream... we are gonna make that one happen! LOVE YOU!
*sniff,sniff....HUGS!*
I too know how this feels...and it's hard. Trusting God with you to provide new friends and thanking him with you for the years. Looking forward to spending some time with you this coming year.
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