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Three years ago, almost exactly, we were in the process of moving out of our home, in the midst of transition. It was graduation season. After a long day of packing, in the early evening on a late spring day, I headed over to dear family friends to celebrate at their son's graduation party.

I cried all the way there. And the tears barely stopped once inside. I knew most all the people gathered and overflowing from that house well. They would have been the same people that would attend our graduations and showers and weddings in the years to come. Yet I knew that would never happen.  I grieved that loss.

I was a lousy and selfish friend that day. I left after just a short time. And then, more than ever before, I prayed for community. I prayed specifically that my kids would have friends in the new places ahead of us and that our family would know such fellowship once again in the future.

It didn't take long before the Lord began to show us answers to those prayers. That very summer, my kids spent time with other missionary kids also in transition from old established homes to new places on the field. We all made friendships that quickly moved beyond surface greetings and small talk to sharing joys and concerns and deeper heart issues. We moved to Costa Rica and we found community, dear friends to worship and to pray and to study and to play alongside. Yet still, we were in transition.

Now we've been at the US/Mexico border for two years, and we've moved from one town to another even during that time. We are keenly aware that we don't know the people we desire to serve alongside well, not as well as we hope to some day. Many scenarios remind us that, often, we're still very much the outsiders, no matter in Texas or in Tamaulipas. People are always kind. But building relationships and earning trust in a different culture can be a slow process.

On Wednesday evenings at church over the last few weeks we have been studying Psalm 23, and I have been reminded over and over, that surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life. On this day, I recognized God's steadfast lovingkindness pursuing us once again. We shared in hosting a graduation celebration with another family for our son and their daughter. Again I realized that despite the moves and despite the transitions, God has blessed us with community- people to share life and celebrate alongside.

At one point, I looked out, and tried to count the faces and there were too many to do so. We shared the moment with friends we have made in just a short time, folks from churches and school and sports. There were friends of my kids, and parents we have come to know, and people that we know have prayed for us along the way. Our surrogate family was there- those people who we live and work and serve alongside of, those who we trust the most. Yes, how I dearly miss those faces from far away not present. Nonetheless, I am confident and assured that in another demonstration of His wonderful grace, God is ever He who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think... And we are blessed.