Changes

We’ve made a huge leap....

No.... God has made a huge leap for us.

We were afraid of making this leap without a cushy safety net. We hesitated. We fell back; back into the safe, dark arms of “maybe we can just keep going the way we’re going and never have to take a risk... isn’t it more comfortable here anyway?”

God’s grace has found us, stripped away the safety net that would have strangled us, and set us free.

Ah. Freedom. Terrifying and exhilarating freedom.

My husband has been laid off and we have found ourselves planted firmly on a wide and dusty road. This is new. This is strange. And, like I said, this is freedom.

Three months ago we knew God was leading us away from this job. We knew that it was time to start building our own business. We knew that we were coming up on this new road sooner or later.

We chose later.

And here we are.... fully arrived at “later”.

This is exciting. There is no doubt in my mind that my man can DO this. He is exceptionally gifted and intelligent. He can fix, or build, anything. He works hard. He is honest. He finishes what he starts.

This is also the scariest thing I have ever done. What if he doesn’t make any, or enough, money? What if we can’t pay our rent? What if we can’t buy groceries? What if this doesn’t work?

I feel like Abram, setting out for a new land with only the promise of an invisible God that this will work out; this will usher in new freedom.

I can’t imagine how terrifying it must have been to separate from the familiar and safe surroundings of family and security to enter a land of strangers.

Would they be attacked? Killed? Would they starve? Would they find a space set aside for them?

Would God come through? What would he expect them to encounter along the way?

Oh yes, Abram, I feel you. I wouldn’t say I’m fearing for my life, or the lives of my family, but I have no idea what lies outside of this familiar ground. I have no idea what is down this road.

But I’ve heard that same God call us out. How can I resist?

Brennan Manning said this about Abram:

"What is decisive at this moment for Abram is not a vision of the next twenty years, but a quality of religious experience, a present influence of God. This touches the core of faith; to believe in a personal God who calls me and leads me. Abram obeys that call. for the time being, the call is enough. Had he demanded to know more of the details and practicalities of the game plan, he would have demonstrated the antithesis of faith, for faith is never based on human assurances... The reality of life for christian men and women requires that they leave what is nailed down, obvious, and secure, and walk into the desert without rational explanations to justify their decisions or guarantee their future... Why? Soley and simply because God signals this movement and offers it his promise." (The Signature of Jesus)

So, we’ll go. Do we have any other choice? God speaks. We follow. I don’t even want another way.

I’m sure we seem crazy. We do not have “rational explanations to justify our decisions or guarantee our future”, but we have faith.

And faith moves God. And God moves mountains.

Feet in the dirt. Deep breath in. Looooong exhale.

“God signals the movement and offers it his promise...”