One year....I can do that! When God called us to make a big move in our lives to The Keys, I literally said those words (AFTER He confirmed the move in my heart which was AFTER I said NO WAY-see other previous posts for the whole story). God was gracious in showing us that yes, we needed to make this move, yes there was a plan laid out for us and yes, we were to go...just for a year. Like all things temporary: our hair color, braces, potted plants, learner's permits, they are temporary elements before a permanent placement. That's how I looked at this big move, a temporary move.
It all happened so fast and at first, my thoughts were anxious...Was this really God's plan? Would this huge move trigger anxiety in me? What if a hurricane comes or something devastating happens while we are there, and we don't even know one person there? Was there a hospital within an hour drive? Were there even churches in The Keys? If so, what church would we partner with? Would I be accepted? Would the schools accept the kids academically and socially? Would we face greater temptations in Island Life? Should we or Would we make any friends? And most importantly, was there a Starbucks nearby?! (Just being funny, kinda!) I have to admit thinking on these things did not exactly portray a Philippians 4:8 thinker. All these thoughts filled my nervous soul and the spiritual battle was on.
Our Sweet Savior assured me that it was okay, He was in control and He was with us no matter. His grace would be sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9) and He is before all thing and in Him, all things hold together (Colossians 1:17). I meditated and held tightly to theses promises throughout the process. I am not sure Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were concerned about their temporary place in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3) or Daniel when He was placed into the lion's den or Joseph when he was tossed into the well or placed in jail. Instead, they had their eyes on their God, believing He would provide. Their temporary eyes lived in a permanent world, the eternal one with Christ on His throne. God was faithful to me too. He is a faithful God! The Holy Spirit guided my thoughts and centered my mind back on Him. Joy and anticipation soon trumped my fears and worry! My spirit was energized! Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Our temporary life in Florida was going to be okay.
It was sad to leave my amazing friends and family in Texas knowing how much they all loved us and actually gave us strong shoulders to be able to stand on here. Not making new friends here would be okay. I thought it might even be a distraction from "the plan" and I am such a shy girl that I thought it would be too hard, take too long to establish relationships here only to leave soon after. Besides, it's temporary. But God...
In His graciousness, He brought to us the most precious people! On our first house hunting trip here, He led us to a Pastor who just happened to be up at the church and opened the door to our knocking. We shared our journey and testimony, He listened and prayed over us. Once we arrived here, He placed before us wonderful teachers and amazing Godly friends.
And within the first few weeks here, He already gifted into our life amazing friends. God loving, Christ affirming, real people, with real hearts for loving God and loving others. I thought, "God!!! What are You doing? This was not "the plan!!!" Of course...it was not my plan, but His. They certainly do not distract me away from "the plan" rather they affirmed it and enhanced it. Embracing us, they strengthen me and have loved on my family. They are ministers of God's sweetness and certainly display what it means to be family in Christ. Wow. Honestly, it was bittersweet at first. How wonderful to have been blessed so richly and yet how hard it will be to leave these precious people.
I began trying to figure out how to be a good "temporary" friend. So I asked God on one of our walks together. He spoke so clearly into my spirit...your whole life is temporary Michele. No matter where you live, it is temporary. Your residence is here with Me. Wow. This was no more temporary than my hometown in Texas had been. My Home is in the Heartland of God.
This earth and anywhere in it where I get my mail is temporary and He has called us to be deeply rooted in Him, established in Him (Jeremiah 17:7-8) loving and serving Him with all of our hearts, souls, minds and strengths (Deut 10:12-13). I don't have to figure out how to serve and live and love temporarily here. I just have to embrace these temporary elements of loving God and seeking after Him here on this temporary earth until He places me in my permanent place in Glory which is forever and ever. God has assured me (probably rolling His eyes at me), that He is bigger than my capacity to accomplish "the real plan." Lord, more of You and less of me.
I have found a new sense of freedom in living for today and not in a countdown of sorts. Whether we end up back in Texas in 6 months or 6 years, the calendar will not be my guideline on how I choose to live my "temporary life." I choose to live for Eternity's sake in this temporary place called earth.
Has God asked you to do something that seems difficult? Has He asked you to make a move in your own life? It may not be a literal move of address, but of something in your heart, soul or mind? When we dig deep into knowing that ultimately our lives really are but a vapor and that where we are is temporary, can't we dare to love and serve and live without restrictions of our limitations knowing that God certainly is more than capable to provide these temporary elements to accomplish The Kingdom Plan here on earth as He prepares our permanent place beside Him?
May we see these blessings and provisions as temporary elements He gives us to help us accomplish for His plan and glory what is eternally His plan? May our cup overflow with blessings so that we may bless overflowing. It all starts when we surrender to His plan and remember that God is in control and near. As the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf, our prayers and pleas join with His keeping our minds centered on the Cross. It's mercy, grace, provision and salvation. We can whole heartedly live permanently in this temporary place, loving God and loving others just as He has commanded. THAT is THE Plan.
God, thank You for going before us and walking with us. Help our hearts and minds to remember that while this life is temporary, that we are also to live it permanently, with eternal eyes. When we try to figure out our plan, remind us of Yours! Help us to be faithful servants of these temporary elements here on earth as You prepare for all Your children to live in their eternal home, forever and ever with You!! Create in us a clean heart that we can hear You clearly and serve You humbly. Increase in us our heart's boundaries to embrace all that You have for us. We worship and adore You. Amen
We all have a story to tell. Do you ever think about "your story?" I know I don't find it a common thing to sit around and think about my life, who I am, why I do what I do, think the way I think...until someone asks me.
Our family recently moved, and without fail, every person we meet asks us the same question, "So, why did you move here? What brought you here?" In the beginning of this journey, it was overwhelming and there were so many things that led up to our move across the states, out to the middle of the ocean (as my Mom says.) As we look back now, we can see the many ways God was preparing us for such a time as this. But when God first said, "Go", it was overwhelming and hard to explain all the circumstances and "signs" and affirmations we were given to go.
In those first few weeks when people would ask us "why are you moving?" we explained the best we could put our own words to, the how of our move, and some of our why. It was overwhelming equally for us yet there was such an urgency (aka:time crunch) to go that there wasn't a lot of time to sit and doubt, question, second guess or fear (which we often tend to do). The call was clear to both of us and to our 4 kids. That in itself is a miracle!! It's not too often you get everyone on board with something, especially something so "radical." We would fumble through trying to explain this crazy "idea" and found "the story" thrilling and daring, exhausting and exhilarating all at the same time. All we knew was that we knew we had to go.
After explaining it time after time to family and friends the best we could, the story got shorter and shorter. We realized how crazy it must sound to others, and yet the reality of it to us, made sense...kind of. It's often hard to express the ways and whys of God's moving in our hearts and spirits, but ya know that ya know what He is telling you to do when you are intentionally and desperately asking Him. Ask, Seek, Knock!! Each time we shared, we were hearing it for ourselves too. It's almost like God wanted us to really hear what was happening in our own lives, in our own words, so that it could sink in.
The story we told began to take less time to tell because we realized the bottom line was that we didn't fully understand why God was asking us to make such a big move (in our little world anyway). And yet, we did. He knew that for many years it was our heart's desire to take a family adventure and live for a short period of time somewhere we loved to travel to. And here we were, headed out on such an Adventure! We didn't know how God was going to move and provide for us, but we knew He would. Bottom line, God was saying "Now is the time. Go."
Within a few short weeks, we were packed up and on the road with a moving truck, 4 kids and 2 dogs, and tons of snacks, and even more prayers (and might I add amazing prayers and encouragements from soooo many we love!!!!)! After 3 days of travel, we arrived!
When locals greet us, it is same question, "Why?" The answer is easy, short and sweet...God moved us here. It is a time of adventure and a time of healing/rebuilding/reconnecting. He has graced us over time and revealed to us some of the whys in each of our lives individually and as a family unit why we needed such an uprooting. We were comfortable and in control and a bit lazy and neglectful in our first calling of ministry which was to our own family, in our own strength (warning flag), to walk according to what we knew was right, only to find that we were on sinking sand (a term I now understand...)
We knew from the beginning that God was calling us to a harvest pruning and we needed new soil to regenerate new, healthier roots. Much like an addict who sometimes needs to leave where they are at, refocus, relearn, break old habits and establish new ones before they can return back home, clean and strong, we felt we had gotten to the same point that we were self destructing on the inside and God drew a line in the sand and said "Let's go. Follow Me."
No, I don't think that you have to literally move to reconnect and refocus on the Lord. We all face seasons of pruning and planting and harvesting right where we are, and we have been doing this for almost 30 years in Texas. This is also a time of Adventure, yes, but it comes at a time of necessary pruning. God certainly has our attention as He answers an old heart's desire while rebuilding another which is to more glorify and honor Him in all we say, think and do. Again, I could go on and on, and maybe another blog later, but for hundreds of reasons we surely can't fully know, He said, "Get up and go."
So where did we go? I will share in the next blog how God revealed to us where we needed to go, and we are humbled and grateful to be spending our year here in a land far, far away!
So why am I sharing this with you? I share all of this to get you to consider your own story. Why are you doing what you are doing? Why are you where you are at? Why do you do what you do? Is there anything in your life or family you know you should be doing but aren't? Are you intentionally asking God, who created your life plan in the first place, to lead you or are you trying to make it your own? The answer seems so simple until you stop and consider the answers physically, emotionally and spiritually of who and what you are. You are living out "your story." How would you explain it?
I am one of those people who absolutely love to hear other people's stories and why they are where they are in each of those areas. Moving to a new place and meeting new people certainly gives you that opportunity! But, it's a whole other thing to have to share your own. I am so thankful for each time someone asks me now, "why are you here?" because I get to tell them the wonderful story of grace that God has written.
You know, someone needs to hear your story too! You were created specifically for now, where you are physically, emotionally and spiritually, to live today reflecting His Way! If we don't take the time to check out the fruit on our own land, how will we know when it's time to prune, replant, resoil?! If we don't "dream" how will we ever live a "dream?" God knows our desires and you never know why those desires may be there. Once day, you may live it! And when it's harvest time, and if you don't take notice, trust me, God will let you know!!!
May we live each day before our Lord and in the company and accountability of those He has placed around us, humbly, faithfully, honestly and lovingly as we reflect His Amazing Grace!
"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:12-17
