This past year has been an incredible journey! I've experienced the miracle and beauty of natural childbirth! I've watched the beauty of an older sister emerge from an uncertain only child! I've heard the calling of an ALMIGHTY GOD who encourages me to continue to seek change! I've CHOSEN to move forward in trust and reckless faith in a journey that is calling me out of ALL of my comfort zones, and into a place of TOTAL dependency, curiousity, wonder and reward!
Last summer, during a time of totally NOT looking for anything new, God chose to move 3 families from our house of worship to a town they'd never before known called Clermont. I won't go into the details of their personal experiences, but for me, there was a restlessness, and subtle reminders to a HUGE VISION that God gave me quite some time ago. Now, I know I am bold, but that doesn't mean I lack fear when tackling the mountains God has me climb. And for some time prior, God had been challenging me to overcome those areas within myself that lacked obedience, were full of fear, didn't understand or shrunk for fear of failure, rejection, and even some disbelief. I've always known God has called me for very big things, but I never expected to be called to another state, another city, one which I'd never even heard of nor seen. So my husband and I committed to prayer that we would seek God's will, His guidance, affirmations, promptings- however it came quickly.
I awoke in the middle of the night to a vision of a town I'd never visited; one which they had showed on the screen earlier the day before; this community to which their hearts were broken for, drawn to, and committed to serve. They challenged us during the service with John 5, the man at the pool who gave ALL kinds of excuses for why he couldn't be well.
WHAT WAS MY MAT? WHAT WAS MY COMFORT ZONE THAT I USED AS AN EXCUSE FOR NOT THROWING MYSELF RECKLESSLY INTO THE ARMS OF THE DIVINE TO BE USED, TO SERVE, TO MINISTER- to myself BE HEALED? I wrestled with God for TWO hours, hearing His voice and guidance to how we should proceed...once I agreed and committed to the move, I was able to fall immediately back to sleep. The following morning, I asked my husband if it was that were to simply help with this project, or move...the answer HE had heard- to move.
So the past year, we've battled border bullies, the voice of doubt, the voice of fear, the voice of reason, the voice of guilt, the voice of uncertainty, the voice of regrett, the voice of encouragement, the voice of joy, the voice of hope, the voice of affirmation, but most clearly of all-THE VOICE OF GOD! That vision that I received so very long ago has manifested and grown into a passion and ministry that I never even anticipated. Before, what had seemed so big, even impossible, has morphed into a step-by-step process that will eventually come full circle!
You may not believe in the ability to hear the voice of God, nor the ability to communicate or recieve communication directly from Him, but I say to you-TRULY, IT IS A WONDEROUS GIFT, one which I am grateful not everyone understands or is capable of..but for those of you who do- WOW, is it not awesome? God has given my family such diverse and incredible gifts, and has surrounded us with an INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY of people who have blessed us with prayer, support, and encouragement. It never ceases to amaze me how wonderously divine the fabric of life truly is, especially when you begin to actually SEE the cool ways it's woven together!
I CAN NOT WAIT TO SHARE THIS JOURNEY WITH YOU! We are throwin' ourselves into the unknown, and reaping the rewards of total obedience, total trust and total dependance!
Please stay tuned to hear what God's doing next, and how you can be a part of it!
