Something that has reassured me, ever since I heard Dr. Tony Evan’s sermon series on destiny, is that God aligns our passions with His plans for us. In that way, I find meaning and glimpses into my possible future. Luckily, I don’t mind so much that I can only see such small specks of what He’s doing. I like surprises and spontaneity. But you need to have some sort of idea as to where you’re going in order to "head in the right direction" per se. For example: God called Jonah to go to Nineveh. But God wasn't going to zap him there. After he got his calling, he was supposed to go and get on a ship in order to get there.
For those of you who don’t know yet, God seems to be calling me to move three, possibly even four times in the near future. And no, before you get freaked out, the first couple will for sure be local moves (I’m including when I move to college. I do want to go to NC State, but since I’m a junior and haven’t applied, I have no clue where God will place me yet).
For those of you who don’t know yet, God seems to be calling me to move three, possibly even four times in the near future. And no, before you get freaked out, the first couple will for sure be local moves (I’m including when I move to college. I do want to go to NC State, but since I’m a junior and haven’t applied, I have no clue where God will place me yet).
The first place that my family will be moving, is back to our old house this summer to fix it up and hopefully sell it. Then from there, we will hopefully be able to find a house in this area to buy, but if the timing doesn't work out, we could be stuck in an apartment for a short period of time. After those moves, college is right up the road.
All of this entails getting rid of lots of stuff and learning how to live off of the bare minimum. It means that I can’t really settle down and become comfortable because I know I’ll be uprooted. It means coming back full circle in some instances, and starting fresh in others. It means my life could get pretty messy and draining. Luckily for me, I am an extreme optimist and I can only see the bright sides from here.
But what are the bright sides? What is the point in all of this? Although I obviously don’t know for sure, I've been brainstorming on this one: I've had the desire to be a missionary one day for YEARS. Several of my missionary friends have testified that this is the lifestyle you have to get used to. Never calling a place home for longer than a couple of years, leaving pieces of your heart in different countries and with people all over the globe, lessening down on the stuff, and gravitating away from materialism.
But what are the bright sides? What is the point in all of this? Although I obviously don’t know for sure, I've been brainstorming on this one: I've had the desire to be a missionary one day for YEARS. Several of my missionary friends have testified that this is the lifestyle you have to get used to. Never calling a place home for longer than a couple of years, leaving pieces of your heart in different countries and with people all over the globe, lessening down on the stuff, and gravitating away from materialism.
I’m sure it will be hard, but this is the lifestyle that I see for myself one day. As crazy as it may sound, God has placed a burning passion in my heart that has only grown: to go share the gospel with people who've never heard it before in countries I've never stepped foot in. All of these moves that I’m about to make? I truly believe that they are for me to dip my feet into the water before I jump in. To prepare me and teach me how to swim before I try and cross the ocean.
Recently, a friend of mine shared a blogpost from Desiring God on Facebook that really spoke to me about my current predicament (here is the link in case you are interested: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/when-god-says-go). One of my favorite quotes, is this:
And get this guys! I've found even more positives. My family built some great relationships with the kids around the area of my last house, and I can’t wait to pick those back up again. It’s not very often that you are given the opportunity to move back to your old house and it will be cool to open our doors to those kids that used to practically live with us. Things will be different. Some have moved, new faces will be added, but by God’s grace I know that they will be the right faces in His plan.
Recently, a friend of mine shared a blogpost from Desiring God on Facebook that really spoke to me about my current predicament (here is the link in case you are interested: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/when-god-says-go). One of my favorite quotes, is this:
“As sojourners here, we are still in exile, but we are not like Cain. As opposed to idly wandering toward nothingness and fervently clinging to everything unable to offer lasting rest, we are passing through this present age, purposed for the unending presence of God. We await the hope of a Home which we only experience faint glimpses of now on earth.” ~ Jenny Frank
And get this guys! I've found even more positives. My family built some great relationships with the kids around the area of my last house, and I can’t wait to pick those back up again. It’s not very often that you are given the opportunity to move back to your old house and it will be cool to open our doors to those kids that used to practically live with us. Things will be different. Some have moved, new faces will be added, but by God’s grace I know that they will be the right faces in His plan.
Also, living in a big city with a block of land that’s fenced in can get tiresome for this girl who grew up in the woods! There are 100 acres of land behind the house we are moving back to, along with a pool across the street, my favorite kitchen out of all of the houses we've lived in before, my room has a perfect view of the woods, my best friend lives only 10 minutes away from there (she also happens to have a pool), and we have several other friends who live around the area. I would say that it’ll stink being so far away from things, and maybe it will, but I won’t mind the drive as much in the summer. Besides, I’m blessed with a church and people who are worth the effort.
 |
| (This is the view from my room in the house that we are moving back to) |
God has called me, just as He called Abraham, to pick up my belongings and go (this scripture reference was also used in the Desiring God blogpost mentioned above):
“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” ~ Hebrews 11:8–10
I can trust that He DOES have a plan for me that is prosperous and hopeful, that He is furthering my yearn for eternity by loosening my grip on the term “home,” and just as always, He is using it to make me beautiful. Glory to Glory.
And, since you can never have too many pictures, here are two more of my favorite pictures that I took when we lived at my old house when I was just getting into photography:
And, since you can never have too many pictures, here are two more of my favorite pictures that I took when we lived at my old house when I was just getting into photography:
