Little did we know my husband would go through a job change that led our family to move to Washington for two years. Little did we know we would live in four places in those two years. Yes, four. If you only knew how much we LOVE moving. Wink. Wink. Little did we know I would return to Colorado and T would commute for almost a year from Washington to Colorado. Little did we know we wouldn't ever return to the home we thought was forever. We were living life, walking out each day and hoping for what we couldn't see.
But God knew. Isn't it a good thing we don't always have the whole story? I would have dug my heals in and said,"Are you kidding me!"
So here we are, better for the journey. We've had 5 years of adventures... and tears. Not all things God-planned are easy. That's where we leaned in and trust God. Sometimes the leaning in was more like falling over. Exhausted, emotionally spent, did I mention exhausted?
We aren't afraid of adventure and wouldn't ya know, neither are our children. They've seen what trusting our Lord looks like and lived like. Let me just say, when you move 4 times in two years, if God isn't in it, its only chaos. Moving is just hard, tiresome, and sometimes ugly. Throw me in the mix and you get tears. I just cried. and cried. What can I say? No way around that one.
So here we are. February 2018. Five years later and we're finally able to see the end of this season. We've been living with the bare minimum for about two years. Most of our things are in a box in storage or for simplicity sake, sold. Not that its been awful. It hasn't. Just not completely settled.
T and I prayed and wrestled with the big question "What's next?" oh, for about a year now. He was moving back to Colorado and we could either move back into our home orrrr... well we didn't know the OR. I check real estate often and decided to take a drive by a home for sale last March. I just "happened" upon a few lots in an area we love, love, love that were for sale while I was out looking. I pulled over, got the flyer on the lots, called T in Washington and said, "You've got to see these!" Isn't that just like God to take us on a diversion sometimes to show us what he really has planned all along? When T flew home to Colorado for a few days I drove him to see them. We walked the lots, we talked, we prayed, we did all the homework we always do before making a decision and now almost a year later are building our forever home.
I am so happy. and content.
We didn't know if this would actually happen. We've had some pretty big hiccups along the way.
More prayer. More time.
When we started this journey I truly believe God reminded me of a word He gave me years ago. We had built a house in California and I told T as we stood in the empty, dirt back yard, "This, this right here (as I pointed out a large section) This is my Haven of Rest. It's going to be beautiful; full of roses and flowers that vine. A sweet resting place."And so he created that for me. Sweet man. He's been creating things for me ever since. We didn't live there but a year and half. I was creating a Haven of Rest for someone else. Another one of God's plans. But this time...this time it's for me. I shared this word with my daughter and she had the sweetest gift made for me last year as we started this long season with Lot 3. So each time T and I thought the project was not gonna work out or another obstacle came in front of us, I had this beautiful sign to remind me - God gives us rest. This season won't last forever and I WILL be able to exhale.
Today I exhale.
Psalm16:6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.
Reality Check: What is happening in your life that is making you hold your breath? Are you ready to exhale? Oh -I don't know how long you'll be walking this one out but you gotta know, God is good even when its hard. Hang in there and don't forget the leanin' in part.
Thanks for Listening,
Tuna Jones
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