Saying Goodbye

Growing up we moved on a fairly regular basis it seemed. Between the time of my birth and moving to Indiana to begin my ministry I didn't live in one location for more than five years. So over the years I said a number of goodbyes. It got to the point where I just knew that my friendships were all temporary. Either I or the other person would end up moving and in time we would lose track of one another. It just got easier to approach those relationships as temporary. Over the last several years having lived in the Fort for more years than anywhere else I've been trying to change that approach toward friendships. The reality is though that saying goodbye is still not easy.
Today I said goodbye to Kyle and his family. Kyle has been the lynch pin of our music at HEbrews Joe over the last four years. He has led the band and even more for the services almost every week over that time frame with a few weeks off here and there. In that time Kyle has become more than a coworker in ministry, he has become a friend. It is that friend that I said goodbye to today and it was not without tears.
So we send Kyle and his family off to new adventures, friends, and possibilities. We send them off with our prayers and best wishes and we wonder what will happen in our lives? Will time bring us back together in a different place or time? Will our paths cross at all or will we in time lose track with one another? Only time will tell but for now, today, I want to say thanks Kyle for being apart of the life and ministry of Saint Joseph, you will be missed. May you continue to use your gifts for God's glory and may you grow in faith and strength in all things and in all ways.