This past week I spent time with the best friend God has given me as an adult (besides my husband).

We met when Darcy was a brand new Christian and together we have grown immeasurably. We have not lived in the same town since the first 9 months of our friendship, but have traveled the few hours between us since then to spend weekends together every few months.

When we first met her kids were little and I had none. Now her oldest is about to graduate and her youngest is 10. I’m the one now with the toddlers! She was always a great place of refuge when I needed to get away from it all.

Our husbands realized how good we were for each other and many times when they knew we were on edge they would send us one to another and we’d come home happy wives again. God blessed me so much with this friendship and I’ve always known that leaving her would be one of my hardest hurdles in missions.

On Wednesday, after a few days together, she left for work a bit late and we hugged good-bye as we always do. But the difference here was that we couldn’t say, “see you again soon.” We cried great tears. She couldn’t stop crying for over an hour, even into work.

What hit me in this whole scene was that this is part of taking the gospel. Jesus said that by leaving “father, mother, sister, brother” (and I might add wonderful friends) for the gospel, we’d be blessed. On Wednesday I realized that this scene will happen to me many times in the next 6 months.

• I realized that no longer can I get a cheap flight and go to see my sister for a week.
• I can’t easily take the girls to go see the grandparents for a few weeks (without major cost!)
• I can’t have a few days with my friend.
• I can’t pick up the phone and talk to a sibling anytime I want to.
• My brother’s Friday call as he drives home from work won’t be expected because Moldova is not within his cell calling plan!

So often as we speak to churches people are impressed by what we give up materially. To me that doesn’t really matter because although I have sold many of my household goods here, I will need to buy them again to set up house in Moldova.

But giving up family and friends….now that is what is difficult.

Take time this week to recognize your true valuables…your family and friends. Your house can be destroyed, your possessions lost…but friends are irreplaceable.

Your friend,

Nancy Raatz