We finally did it!
We moved from our home in Dallas, Texas to our new
home in Lincoln, Nebraska.
To some, this move might have seemed very sudden, maybe even impulsive.
To us, this was an answer to
years of prayer & waiting.
I’ve been trying to figure out how best to sum up the last 5-6 years.
The only thing I can come up with is that it was a time of pruning. There is a
quote that I read a few months ago which I found as an encouragement during such a difficult season:
a new season of growth & expansion.”
- Christine Caine
So, what is pruning anyways?
Pruning - to trim (a tree, shrub, or bush) by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems, esp. to increase fruitfulness and growth.
Not a comfortable process, for sure. But did you notice the end result? "to increase fruitfulness and growth". It is a necessary process that God uses at different times in life in order to grow us. Even though it is hard, and it can be very painful, I have learned that God is doing it for my good and that it is NOT a punishment. My tendency is to think that there must be something I'm doing to displease God, and that is why things are not going the way I want them to. It's not true folks! It's not! The good news of the Gospel says that God loves me, despite of the sin in my heart. I mean, He gave His only son up for me + my messiness so that I can be reconciled to Him. Beautiful, right? And because He loves me so much, He does not let me sit where I am at...He pushes me into the uncomfortable, which helps me to remember my desperate need for a Savior -- for the One that gives me hope, guidance, and wisdom.
I would have never learned these lessons (& many more) had God not brought us through the hard, the good, and the oh so ugly. Because of all of what went down the last 5 years -- I have a much richer relationship with Jesus, a deeper understanding of His great love for me, and a desire to know Him more. During all of this he brought a wonderful church and amazing people into our lives -- people that loved us, challenged us, and supported us. And those are friendships that will last a lifetime. That, my friends, makes it all worth it.
So, how in the world did we end up in Lincoln, NE?
stay tuned for part 2......
