If we ever needed you, Lord it's now...

I write this my last day as a "Stepper." It's extremely bittersweet. How do I take everything I have learned and experienced and put it into my "normal" and "every day" life? How do I move on? I am so excited to see my family, my friends, my home--but at the same time I dread to leave my team, who have become some of my dearest friends, with whom I've been through so much and learned so much with. They are the only ones, besides God, who will really know what I have experienced and been through... they've shared all those memories, they've learned all those lessons with me.

Today in the car as I was praying I was overwhelmed with the fact that there are so many unhappy, hurting, lost people out there--literally right outside my window as I traveled through the Bronx, NY. You would think growing up in a Christian home, I would have had some heart for that. No, not ever. Not that I haven't cared, but I haven't cared enough to be active about it, or to even be upset about it.

I'm so afraid to lose that. That would be the worst.

So how do I maintain it?

This is my question, and the only answer I have is that I know, I know I cannot do it on my own. So I have to be in constant prayer and communication with the One, the one who can help me with all that. Thank goodness I have a big God. :)

And I ask you all for your prayers--and lots of them. I'll need it. I know I need it.

I know this seems like such a depressing last update. I don't mean for it to be. It's a serious one, yes. But really, I am so excited to start this next chapter in my life, but it IS slightly scary, especially with all this adjusting I have to do.

But tomorrow I get to see my family for the first time in 6 months, and also some very dear friends. And I am oh-so excited. Being away has made me appreciate and value my relationships so much more.

Thanks to you all, so so much. I wouldn't have made it through without your prayers. Thanks for traveling with me and supporting me during this amazing time in my life. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

And so this is me, signing off. This journey is almost to a close, but it turned out to be the key to unlock several new adventures I think.

Les quiero mucho, por siempre!

-Evi