Sunday, December 6, 2009

Home.Holidays.Transition.

Well, I have officially been on US soil for 2 weeks tomorrow and it has been a whirlwind. I have seen more people then I ever could have imagined. I met my adorable nephew (who I instantly fell in love with), I spent Thanksgiving with my family, I had a beauty and shopping day in Atlantic City with my mom, I went to an Eagles/Redskins game with HS friends, have eaten buffalo chicken almost daily and then I arrived in the place I consider home on Wednesday, Charlotte, North Carolina. As we drove home from the airport, everything was familiar: familiar streets, familiar places, familiar clothes and belongings and many familiar faces.

I was home finally, but to be honest, I knew I really wasn't. I am only visiting NC for a short time because I know God is calling me somewhere else. But that won't be home either. The 15 countries I spent significant time in this year aren't home. Maybe I am making sense, maybe I'm not, so I will explain. I can't put this year into words yet, but one thing I can tell you is I learned a ton about my identity in Christ and who I am. This world is not my home. I am a stranger here, "God's elect" as Peter would say and I am here for a time and purpose to love and serve those whom God puts in my path. I assure I won't do it perfectly, but I can promise you it is how I will strive to live the rest of my life. There is a song a that describes some of what I'm feeling right now. It talks about how Jesus' love has come one step closer and how He will never let me go. It talks about how He has won me over...He has completely. It talks about how nothing compares to His beauty and declaring His love. That is what I want my life to be about. It's called, "Beauty of the Lord" and you can click here to go listen to it...it's worth your time, I promise. I personally think my friend Hollis Lewis sings it way better, but she would destroy me if I put the recording I have of her and the H-Squad up.

Continuing...top 3 questions I have been asked: 1) How was your trip? 2) What is next? 3) What is your favorite country? I will shoot straight, the only question I can answer is my favorite country and you will actually get 3 or 4 countries...I really loved Europe and Botswana :) These questions are hard to answer. The World Race wasn't a trip...it was my life for a year. The best way I can explain it, is if you have an hour I can show you a video of pictures and clips I made of my team, who was my family and as we watch I will tell stories prompted by pictures, their faces and memories. I am sure if we sit down for coffee or a meal and you ask questions I will share things I've learned. What's next? I don't know. I'll give you a quote from one of my favorite authors, Brennan Manning, that kind of explains where I am at. "The way of trust is a movement into obscurity, into the undefined, into ambiguity, not into some predetermined, clearly delineated plan for the future. The next step discloses itself only out of a discernment of God acting in the desert of the present moment. The reality of naked trust is the life of the pilgrim who leaves what is nailed down, obvious, and secure, and walks into the unknown without any rational explanation to justify the decision or guarantee the future. Why? Because God has signaled the movement and offered it his presence and his promise." I am waiting on the Lord with this one. I have some dreams and I have some leads, but I don't know how it will all unfold. I'll share some of that when we sit down face to face. Please be patient with me, please continue to pray for me and the 51 others that traveled the world with me as we transition "home" and look to God for our next steps. Pray that we would cling tightly to truth and trust Him with reckless faith. I cannot wait to see you all. Be looking for something in the mail in the next few weeks! Oh and I am going to continue to blog at http://lizfroba.blogspot.com. So please keep reading, following and praying for the Lord's work in my life!
Here is a snapshot of the next couple months: (If I'm in your area and you want to see me, call me. There are a lot of people I want to see and I may not think to call you all...please call, I do want to see you, my cell is the same as when I left.)
-Charlotte, NC - Dec 2-16th
-Making my way to NJ with visits along the way - Dec 16-21st
-Christmas with the fam - Dec 21st-28th
-Charlotte, NC - Dec 28th-Jan 4th
-San Francisco, CA - Jan 4th-Feb 2
-February - a week or 2 in Charlotte and then move to South Jersey/Philadelphia Area





(B.L.I.N.G - in true bling style)













(The entire H-Squad)