Its been several weeks since my very good friends the Handys loaded up their car and headed for North Carolina to begin their lives there.  It was bittersweet for sure. Having to say good bye to those you care deeply about is never easy, but also seeing clearly God's hand in orchestrating this move meant that I knew this was where God wanted them to be.  One morning shortly after they left, I was feeling their absence rather profoundly. During my quiet time, I was reading in 2 Timothy. I have been studying 1 and 2 Timothy for several months now. In 2 Timothy Paul, writing shortly before his death, is encouraging and instructing Timothy about how to carry on the work that Paul began. All of a sudden I had one of those ah ha moments when I read over the words Paul wrote to Timothy in 1:3-4, "...as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you that I may be filled with joy" (ESV).  I realized Paul understood how I was feeling because he spent his life seperated from the people he loved because he was dedicated to spreading the Gospel.  His work was very much a personal sacrafice. I think this should be  true of all of us in some way if we are committed to following the call which God has placed on our life. It might mean physical distance depending on where God calls you, but sometimes we may be physically close to our friends and loved ones, but the time constraints  or season of our life might mean  that we have to make other things a priority and we don't get to spend as much time as we want to with loved ones or friends.   I guess its part of what Jesus meant when he said, " Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple." Luke 14:27  So, how is God calling you to be his disciple today, and what things might you have to sacrafice in order to do that?  As for me, I know my seperation from my friends is not forever because those of us that have the blessed hope know that one day we can look forward to eternity together.  In the mean time, I pray we will all be faithful to our Lord each day so that one day we will hear, "Well done good and faithful servant."