It had been exactly 40 days since I saw her last…since I got to hug her tight and feel her warm mama embrace. Sure technology helps to keep us connected, but hugs can’t be felt through Facetime and tears can’t be wiped through the phone lines and my silly jokes just can’t be fully experienced through text, even with the use of emojis…
So, it was time for a visit with mama! I sat there and waited and watched as planes came in and out and my eyes were filled with great anticipation. Then I saw her and I knew the adventure was about to begin!

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We ate. We ate lots. German food and famous donuts from Pip’s and chocolate chip cookies and chicken noodle soup and all things comfort food.

We navigated the city and took long walks through the woods, where the fall foliage had us in amazement of God’s great beauty. We slept in and embraced long talks over tea at the kitchen table…just like it used to be. We watched too many Hallmark movies to count and embraced the cozy, rainy days.
We went to church and felt Heaven on earth for a moment in time. As the Bride of Christ so beautiful echoed the words in song…

be still and know I AM.

Where the preacher taught on Spiritual warfare and the reality of this battle that we are all up against as believers. Where we saw the work of prayer and community and the power of the Holy Spirit. And we realized that no matter the culture…the geographical location…or whether the population is 4,000 or 400,000, we, as believers, all face the same longings for connection and the desire to see the work of the Holy Spirit. And from that, our hearts burst with purpose and passion in being Esther’s in this generation.

And as the time came to separate and return to our rhythms of grace in life, we prayed together and sent each other off with hugs and tears and with the countdown of the next visit already programmed on our phones. We embraced bravery and inspired it within one another.

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Mama, I miss you already! Thank you for the adventures. Here’s to the 10 days we have until our next reunion…Thanksgiving!