The End...Well Not Really

Dear Everyone,
I am sad to say that this will be my last post for this blog. It has a been a great joy to be able to share with you just a small portion of what I learned. Let me start out by describing our trip home.
Wednesday morning started out fairly quiet as members of the team awoke and finished packing their bags. By the time all of us finished packing and getting ready the farewell party arrived. The farewell group consisted of the missionary couple we had been working with, the pastor of the church, and some ladies from the church who came to cook us breakfast. In my opinion, Japanese spaghetti is not much of a breakfast item, but nonetheless it was delicious. It was a pleasant visit as we all ate and shared memories from our time in Japan. As we all finished and cleaned up it was time to head to the bus station. Everyone except a few of the church ladies accompanied us to the station.
Upon arriving at the bus station, I could already feel the weight of a bittersweet goodbye laying heavy on my heart. Once we were there and bought our tickets we had about twenty minutes to just chat and prepare our luggage. Then the airport bus drove up. It was finally time to say goodbye. We all exchanged long hugs, praises to the Lord, and blessings on each other as we loaded the bus. Immediately as we sat down many people in the farewell party and some on our team began to cry. We were all truly touched by the Lord and used by the Lord in Japan and it was finally hitting us that it was time to leave.
Once the bus arrived at the airport the mood changed from one of goodbyes to one of anxiously anticipating hellos back in the states. The Lord was with us all the way from Osaka to Atlanta. He blessed us with smooth flights and smooth transitions back into the US. As soon as we all found our luggage we prayed one last time as a group just thanking the Lord for His provision and Grace over our trip. After that I hopped in a taxi, arrived at my relatives house, ate a surfeit of American food and went to bed.
Now I sit here at the computer getting ready to return to my life. It is hard to believe the trip has already come and gone so quickly, but what can I say except that God is truly good. I have learned a great deal about what it means to trust the Lord, how to have true faith, and many other spiritual treasures. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life and it is one that I will carry with me the rest of my life. Glory be to God in the highest for all He has done and all that He is going to do in not only my life, but in your life as well!
P.S. If you want to know more about the trip just give me a call and I would love to hang out and tell you more about it. Thank you for following this blog and I hope it has been an encouragement and blessing to all of you!!

Only By Grace,
Cody