Tears rolled down my face, as I sat at the gate, waiting to board the plane. The six months in Thailand had quickly come to an end; I was left wondering if it was really time for me to come home. I had found new family and had seen Jesus touch people’s lives here. Leaving here was harder than leaving Pittsburgh. “I know what you need,” echoed in my heart as I boarded the plane.

Arriving home, I was excited to see my family and friends, welcome a new niece into the world and celebrate the wedding of a good friend. What I didn’t know was that home would greet me with a final breakup of an unsteady dating relationship, the death of two friends who struggled with heroin addiction, and sickness all in the same month. Driving one night, I cried out to God, “I can’t handle any more bad news.” His response was “Thank Me.”

So, I started to thank God and He changed my perspective. He showed me the beauty in pain. The bullet wounds that stung my heart had now become secret coves for us to meet. What was meant for destruction turned into construction as I allowed God to heal what I had failed to guard; and left me tasting the fruit of true joy from trial.

As I am home, I am preparing for my next trip out of the country. I will be heading to Iraq to work with Partner’s Relief and Development to help refugees, going to Egypt for an intercession trip, and serving in a refugee camp in Israel.

God knew that it was necessary for me to come home to heal, to rest and to prepare before going into the Middle East. I am constantly amazed that we worship a God who knows exactly what we need.

~ Jenna Biernesser