Preparing To Follow God Elsewhere

This morning Tom met again with the man who's in charge of hiring for that Richmond, VA job. 

And when he came home, and we ate breakfast out on our sunny front porch, we discussed the meeting. Basically, the job is Tom's if he wants it. It wouldn't begin for another 2 or 3 months or perhaps a bit longer which, again, is more than fine for procrastinators like ourselves.

For six months, a peace about this has led us, guided us and kept us patient, calm and pondering things in our hearts. Such a move is huge, states away, we've lived here 14 years and we'd be leaving our daughter here to forge ahead in her own world. And there's the whole getting-the-house-prepared-to-sell-and-will-it-sell-in-time-and-what-about-finding-the-right-house-outside-of-Richmond thing?

But this we know--if this truly is God's idea, then everything will be all right.

There's no need for lists of pros and cons. 
No need for worry as to how the job will work out, 
Whether we'll sell this house in time or find another one in time 
Or whether we'll be happy, by ourselves, so far away from what we've known here. 

No, if this truly is God's idea, then it is a good idea because He is good. 

Not yet has He guided us somewhere, then hidden away in a cave and stopped leading. No, He's always hung around as long as we've remained afraid of our own plans--and sought and longed for His advice, His ways, instead.

For me, there's only one thing to fear, and that is this: my own bright ideas--and skipping ahead of Him, instead of running alongside, holding tightly to His hand.

Or worse-- staying behind in a place where He's finished with us and experiencing the boredom and discomfort of having missed His will out of fear. Or out of caving-in to what everybody else thought we should do according to their own experience.

No, already He's been loosening my heart's grip upon this house and this town where I've lived longer than anyplace else--ever. My mind lately wanders and designs rooms in a new house, a different garden--not in these old places I've known so long. 

Last April I could not have faced a move like this. But then, last April Grace wasn't here gently prying my fingers off of what is no longer mine. And last April, God wasn't saying the time is right and ripe to begin dreaming of moving on and working toward something new during this autumn season of our lives.

Yet they are here--both God and Grace. And so like I said, everything is going to be all right. No matter what happens.



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