Boomerang

Is Westfield House worth coming back to? To that question, the answer is a sure and certain “yes.” But will I ever come back? That is much more uncertain, and it’s a question I don’t have the answer to. I don’t especially want to live in England again. I would much prefer to live in the United States for the rest of my life. But two things prevent me from answering “no” to the question as to whether or not I’ll ever be back at Westfield House.

The first reason is obvious: I might change my mind about never again wanting to leave the States. And the second reason was brought to my attention by Dr. Mumme. He said when he was at the seminary, his advisor, the great Norman Nagel, once told him “We do not do well to tell God how he may or may not use us to do his work.”

For this reason, I feel I should be open to future opportunities that I don’t anticipate right now. After all, I had never even heard of Westfield House just one year ago. It’s amazing what can change in just a year’s time. Now think about how much can change in a lifetime.

So will I ever make it back to Westfield House? Probably not, but you never know. I would certainly welcome another chance to see all the friends I made this semester again.

I’m writing this on an airplane flying over the Atlantic. It’s incredible how airplanes always leave the ground with confidence. I hope to pursue my future endeavors with such confidence and land with such safety. I feel like I’ve done so with this one.

I’ve paved the way for future Seward students to come to Westfield House and learn and grow as much as I did. I hope to find peers who want to take the same plunge I did. Because trust me, it’s worth it. Yes, there was a lot of hassle and stress involved, as well as a fair amount of frustration.
But it’s such an adventure, and adventures stick with you for a lifetime, whereas stress and frustration do not.

There is a crucifix on the wall in Westfield House’s main classroom. I found myself gazing at it from time to time while filling up my water bottle or sitting in class this past semester. It reminded me why I was there. And now I’m homeward bound, perhaps never to see that great seminary again. But I’ll never regret the semester I spent there. It will be a treasure that I keep with me throughout my life.

And as far as my homecoming goes, I couldn’t be more thrilled. I have the blessing of being able to spend the remainder of Advent and the entire Christmas season with my family, friends, and girlfriend in good ole Madison, Mississippi. Aside from seeing my loved ones again and attending my home church, the thing I’m looking forward to most is turning the key in my truck door, sitting on the soft, cloth driver’s seat, putting the key in the ignition, and hearing her roar. It’s been four months since I’ve driven, after all! I just hope I look the right way before crossing intersections since I’ve been in England for so long.

York, Edinburgh, and Ireland were my favorite places I visited these past months, but they don’t compare with the people I met and the truths I learned. It was the experience of a lifetime, and if studying abroad is for you, I suggest giving it a shot.

The UK has treated me well, and I look forward to setting foot on American soil in a couple of hours, four months older and… well, as far as wisdom goes… I guess we’ll have to see about that.

Isaiah 12:2 is indeed the unconditional truth: the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.