These were the lines that struck me the most in Patricia Evangelista's speech (she won in London years ago for this one)entitled "Blond and Blue Eyes". In it she talked about us living in a "borderless world".

I remember these lines while I was participating in the event we went through last night during the service. It was probably the hardest thing we've ever had to go through as a church. And it wasn't so much the tears  that were shed, although yes I was crying the whole time. It was so much deeper than that. You know what it's like when you've been living in a beautiful home all your life and suddenly you need to, not just have to, go and live somewhere else? To leave a place where you've been cared for and nurtured for so long is always hard, but sometimes you really have no choice but to embark on a new journey. Like plants, or trees actually, the seedlings are placed in pots first, then when they get big enough they're planted on the ground where they can grow to greater heights. Staying in the same pot would have stunted their growth. True, they are being cared for by the gardener, with water, exposing them to the sunlight, treating them when they are sick and maybe even feeding them fertilizer to make them healthy. But sooner or later, the gardener would have to let go. He would have to plant that seedling on the ground and submit it to a much bigger force than he is...nature.

I'd like to think that we are like those trees, we needed to be cared for in the old place, but we need to put down our roots in a new one, where we could grow thick, and be fruitful.

But it is painful, going into a new place is never easy. But as I sais in my title, sometimes it isn't a matter of choice. I remember a preaching I heard from Ptr. Sunday years ago (I think I was still in high school), he said that it is Christ's love that compels us, and he defined compelling as a gentle tug in your heart. I never forgot that, and became reminded of it last night as I watched people saying goodbye to an old place and being welcomed into a new one. It wasn't their emotions that prevailed, it wasn't loyalties, it wasn't affiliations, it was Christ's love that compelled them to stay, to go, to commit or to ask for freedom.

That's why it isn't sometimes a matter of making a choice, if you're compelled, you have to, or else you'll not only be in a place where there will not be enough room for you to grow but you're also inhibiting your old gardener from caring for new seeds.

To everyone who made a choice last night, IT"S A NEW SEASON! Let's ask God to birth something new in us.

I can't wait to see all of us grow into the trees we were meant to be, setting down deep roots, and bearing much fruit.

To the ones we had to let go of, thank you for the nurturing, the pruning, for allowing us to grow, for teaching us to listen to God's voice, and obeying it despite the void we might feel for a time leaving you behind.To the ones who welcomed us, we look forward to our growth with you, to a new season, new heights, new levels!