Thankful Day 13- Not for a Moment

It's been almost 3 months since our lives completely changed and we sold our first house in Texas, left our family and friends in Texas, and moved to the northwest (Portland).  Wow,  to be able to say it in such few words does not display all the details of how our lives have changed physically, emotionally, spiritually.  God has been good and faithful through this process and my heart is filled with gratitude to serve a God who knows the depths of my heart and is replacing my desires with His.

I trust and know the Lord lead us here.  As Tim and I prayed and sought God’s guidance, we knew this is where God lead us.  With that said, it does not take away all the transitions we have endured the last 3 months. 

I have lived in Texas my whole life.  So moving out of state, somewhere we have no family or friends within 2,000 miles of us, and knowing the weather was not going to be as warm as it is in Texas most year round, it’s been a transition. Not in a bad way, just different.  I do remember our first day in Portland just being in awe of the beauty that surrounded us.  The flowers are so big and vibrate here.  People have hydrangeas in their front yard! I mean, I have never seen that in Texas, or just didn’t observe it that much.  On the drive from Portland to Seattle, you can see Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helen, and Mt. Rainier.  I mean, truly breath taking sights.  Everything was so green and lush. The people here remind me of the “Keep Austin Weird” people so I felt right at home.:) As amazing as all of this sounds, it still was different for me. 

As everything that was familiar to me was striped away, God broke me in a good way.  When everything that is familiar was gone, the only thing constant was the Lord.  Yes my family was here with me, but we were all taking it in, learning the culture and adapting to our new environment so we were all changing together.  

But God was the only constant, unchanging person in my life.  My dependence and desire for the Lord grew so much.  I have always needed the Lord but I finally recognized how much I NEEDED Him.  I needed him to remind me why he took us across the country to glorify Him, to provide me with the words to have heart to heart conversations with my kids about why we moved from family and close friends, and to seek the Lord for my husband to love him well as he transitions to a new ministry.  Waking up early in the morning was not as hard as it used to be.  The Lord occupied my mind in the “little” daily tasks of the day.  Those tasks that bothered me before were seen in a new light, tasks given to me to glorify the Lord not me.  And my heart delighted in this.  My heart delighted to seek the Lord, trusting he alone is in control and is using us for His glory.  Of course, transition is hard.  New state, new town, new home, new church, new school, new everything! I needed the map to get to Target! Everything new is hard.  But God does not change,is constant and my Rock.  God has equipped me for every good work and desires to use our family for His glory! What a gift. 

“He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my might rock, my refuge is God.

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.

Psalm 62:6-8

God has always used music to speak to my heart.  I love singing songs of praise to Him, I can't carry a tune, but I know He is still glorified whether I am singing in tune or not. :) Parts of this song talk about how the Lord is constant and not for a moment did he forsake me. Not for a moment was he not present as were a week without furniture living on blow up mattresses, when our car got broken into our first week, or our crazy travel weekends to Seattle. Even though transition can have it’s ups and downs, His arms are always opened to be a place of refuge and clarity.  He is always with us and we are held in his hands.  He is Sovereign over all things.  

I am so thankful for this journey. I am thankful for how the Lord is revealing Himself to me and to my family.  We are experiencing a dependence on the Lord we would not have experienced had we not taken a leap of faith to do what we are doing.  I am thankful my Heavenly Father loves me with an unfailing, steadfast love.