We will be moving from Allison, IA to Platte, SD on May 29. People, that's about 17 days from today!
It seemed like we had plenty of time when Gary announced that he had accepted the call a couple of months ago.
I was going to sort through clothes, papers, and belongings and get rid of anything we didn't need before hauling it six hours west. We've gotten rid of some things, but we're quickly losing time for thoughtfully going through things. It's time to pack...and sort later.
It really started to sink in when we took down most of our pictures and loaded them in the Mariner. The walls look so bare now!
We loaded our small trailer with exercise equipment, bikes, boat stuff, and other things to fill it up. Then I drove with the trailer and Gary drove his '78 Camaro to Platte so we could get one load out there.
It felt strange to leave it all there, but it felt right, too. We reconnected with several people from First Reformed Church and felt that sense of excitement about what God has in store for us (and them) in the future.
We went to Orange City today to move Blake from his dorm room to a third floor apartment across campus.
Sometime next week we'll be moving Allison's things down to Lincoln, Nebraska. She'll be staying with Erin until she finds a job, then we'll move her to her own apartment later in the summer.
That's a lot of moving!
We know we'll get through it. We just need to take it one step at a time.
Make decisions about what to keep and what to get rid of. Pack a box. Keep on top of other daily tasks while preparing for the move. Get ready for Dylan's graduation open house and try to enjoy all of these final days with our church family and community before leaving.
Above all else, we need to stay close to God through all of this. Our relationship with Him is not something to put on hold until we get settled in our new community.
We need to open our Bibles often, talk to God as we go through each day, and obey the Spirit's leading in everything we do.
That's something for all of us to keep in mind, whether we're making a physical move or just starting a new endeavor in our lives.
One step at a time. Stay close to God. Trust Him. Read His word. Talk to Him. Obey Him.
If we all do that, we'll get to where He wants us to go.
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." (Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV)
Are you facing a move in your future? How can focusing on God help you to get there with less stress and more confidence in the "new thing" He has planned for you?
