I believe one of God's gifts I'm so blessed to have is a Gypsy spirit. What exactly is a Gypsy spirit you might ask? My Russian Gypsy ancestors would say that it was a spirit to roam, to explore, to be willing to let home be not a place, but wherever you ARE.
For the last year or so, I've been praying about moving. It has become a necessity to downsize and save money for the future. Remember that "sameness" I spoke about. Yep, I had become lazy. I kept telling myself that I'd eventually sell the house... that I'd eventually get things organized, that I'd eventually purge my life of all the "stuff" I'd accumulated over all these years. Lazy doesn't have a deadline. I needed a deadline! Boy did God give it to me, in a BIG way!
I had prayed often for God to lead me in the sale of my house. I had asked that when the time came, he would just simply make it happen so that I'd KNOW it was Him and not me. My desire was to be walking in His Will for us, and not just mine! Ha! Remember that saying: "Be careful what you wish for?" About 7 weeks ago while praying one night, I said: "God, I'm ready to just surrender it all to you. Whenever you think the time is right for us to make a change, just make it happen." The VERY next day, my neighbor's daughter sent me a text saying that they'd like to buy our house if I was still interested in selling it! The VERY NEXT DAY! My house was NOT listed with a realtor, I had only mentioned to a few people that I had a desire to sell my house and downsize. Now, here is the kicker, I figured we'd just move into a little house somewhere nearby and continue to live in our comfort zone, the place that we called home. We attend the most Amazing church called Grace Fellowship in Florence, KY and we could NOT imagine EVER leaving our church family! Wrong again... God had a much BIGGER plan! Within just a few days, doors started opening for us to make a giant Leap of Faith to Florida! What the.... What?? Florida?? Ok, so that's the short history behind the purpose of this blog post!
The past few weeks, I found myself in a frenzy! I began to clean and downsize a tiny bit with the help of a few friends. I've spend hours and hours looking at homes in Florida, we made a 10 hour, 6 day road trip to visit Grandma and Grandpa and other family, so we'd see them before we move, and started school! Whew! Without even realizing it, things got very complicated, really quick!
The first realtor I dealt with spent a lot of his time telling me that we'd never find a "decent" house within our budget. That unless upped my budget by at least $20K, it would never happen. I began to be a little discouraged, especially after he told me that I could have two 4 hour blocks of his time while we were down there to look at houses and I'd have to rent a car and meet him. I have a childhood friend who used to live in the area, so she connected me with a new realtor. She was very sweet, but has spent the last week telling me that I should make another trip down within 30 days of my closing date here because no one will accept a 60 day contract that is contingent upon the sale of another house. I began to believe them both! I upped my budget and started looking at houses $20k more than I wanted to pay and started trying to figure out how on earth I could afford to make another trip down, still educate my daughter AND pack the house. I hadn't slept in about 3 days. I was up all night making lists, researching, FREAKING OUT!!
This morning, it all STOPPED!! I finally realized what I had done! I had spent the last several weeks doing everything in my OWN strength. I had taken these little problems and made mountains out of them and had put MY BIG GOD in a box!! Oh, will I ever learn!! This morning I opened up my Bible and low and behold.... The answers were starting right back at me!
1) He led me to: 2 Corinthians 10:5 : We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE TO CHRIST!
(I HAD to stop letting the Enemy have access to my thoughts!! I had to remind myself of God's Promises, NOT the lies of the Enemy!!)
2) He led me to: Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path CLEAR!
(I was trying to do everything in my own strength... I KNOW better! We can do NOTHING apart from Christ! When I completely trust in him, He makes ALL thing CLEAR!)
3) He reminded me to Check Myself: Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
(I had to check my attitude! Everything I say and do, my reactions, my fretting... it's all seen by my daughter, by my neighbors and friends, both Christians and non-Christians alike. What do I want them to see in me when I face difficult situations??)
4) He showed me in Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything with prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God , which surpasses ALL understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus!
(Anxiety and sleeplessness was consuming me because I was being DISOBEDIENT!! Instead of going first to God, I was leaning on my own selfishness and pity. My Bible became my last resort instead of my FIRST RESOURCE!!)
Lastly, he brought me to Mark 6: 30-44 (The story of Jesus feeding the five thousand.)
When Jesus asked the Disciples to find food for all the people gathered, they asked God in astonishment: "...should we go and spend a small fortune on bread?" Basically, they panicked! (Like me)
What did I learn from this story?? When we come across a seemingly impossible task, it may simply be an opportunity for God to show his amazing GLORY!!
How do YOU react when you are faced with a task that seems impossible? A situation that seems impossible by human standards is simply an opportunity for God to shine! His resources are of the SUPERnatural kind!
The disciples did everything that was within their power to do, they gathered all available food and organized the people into groups. Then they prayed! In answer to PRAYER, God did the IMPOSSIBLE!!
I realized that I had to adjust my Godgoggles!! Change my Perspectacles and look at the situation from a new attitude! When facing what seems like an impossible task, do all that is within your power to do, then ask God to do the rest! He may see fit to make the Impossible happen!!
Tonight as I write these words, I KNOW in my heart the following things to be TRUE!!
1) We WILL find EXACTLY the house that God wants for us! The house will be in EXACTLY the neighborhood He wants us to be in. We will be near EXACTLY the Church/Body of Christ He wants us to be a part of!
You see, I've seen this ALL before! I don't know how I could have forgotten! Eight years ago, we moved from my beloved Hawaii... I had NO IDEA what God was doing... (and I was a little mad at him for it!) BUT GOD... He already KNEW the storm that lay ahead for us. So He, in his great Grace and Mercy, sovereignly led us to EXACTLY where we needed to be to survive those storms! Those storms have passed now... and He's made us stronger than we ever would have imagined. We will be sad to leave our church and friends here... God so lovingly wove each one of them into the perfect Wooby that has wrapped us with their love and care over the years.... So we will carry you all with us always, no matter where we are, you will be too!
So.... long story short: "How do YOU react when you are given a seemingly impossible task?"
Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand!!
THAT'S HOW!!
