What Are You To Do When God Calls For Change In Your Life?

Jeremiah 29:11-14a

11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity.

I am writing this from the basement of our new home.  Yes, I did say home...a house...you know one of those things you live in that isn't an apartment!  I'm trying to contain my excitement about being in a house for the first time since I left my family's home 11 years ago, but I don't think it's working.  :)  

It isn't a huge house, but it is spacious enough for me.  It has 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 2 living areas (the one in the basement has been dubbed "The Man Cave" by my handsome hubby), next to that is "The Man Bench" that he can work on his manly projects.  The kitchen is put together a little oddly and there is NO DISHWASHER, so Ryan said that he would be my new dishwasher since he chose this house for the Man Bench, Man Cave, and the huge garage.  There is also a built-in desk in the kitchen.  The entry is very small and just to the right is this planter filled with rock.  It reminds me of a couple of Chinese restaurants in Houston, so I'm resisting the urge to stick a sign in the rocks that says, "Please Wait To Be Seated".  The front and back yards are pretty small, but that just means less grass to mow for the 3 weeks...er...I mean 3 months that you can mow, right?

So that's the house.  It has taken us a lot longer to complete the move because of almost a week of snowfall.  I prayed that we'd be able to find a house and move in before November 1st because my husband said that the weather would be fine until then.  In hindsight, maybe before the first snow would have been a better indicator.  ;)  We still have about 1/3 or so of our things still in our other apartment, so we have to get those things this week hopefully.  

I'm so ready for everything to be settled.  I'm so thankful that we are moving now because the girls have been cool with the whole process.  I remember the couple of moves I did in Jr. and Sr. high, and how hard those were for me.  It's really like a fun adventure for the girls, and that is exciting for me too.  For weeks before our packing and moving the girls have had runny noses with a little fever and then I would feel ill from my gallbladder issues and allergies.  We've gone back and forth that way for 3 weeks or so.  It's made me so unmotivated to do the whole moving thing, well really anything.  Though, who really ever wants to move?

So to the verse.  I chose it because this move to Montana has been a very long journey.  It has been just over 4 years since this process started for me, at least.  I can't speak for Ryan.  When I have prayed about moving to Montana this scripture has come to mind very often.  It came up again when Ryan and I started talking about moving this spring.  Ryan was really unsure if we should do it or not.  It almost seemed I was more for it than he was.  After many, many, many hours (like a $1,000 worth of calls)  I began to see that he really wanted it but any apprehension I had would stop him from even considering the move.  It was probably almost a week of talking and praying when I heard from God.  (Wow, that sounds so cheesy.)  I know it was God because it wasn't so much what I wanted to hear, but when I heard I knew it was truth.  Do you know what I mean?  It's like when your dad looks at you and tells you that your behavior, friends, clothing, make-up or whatever isn't becoming.  You feel hurt or anxious by his words but you know that there is the truth that pushes you to make changes that will make you a much better person in the long run.  But you know that the change will require lots of hard work.  I felt God telling me that I needed to step out in faith, to trust Him, and that this move was a part of His plan for my family and I.  One thing that really held me back was my brother's accident.  I had considered saying no to the move because of what my family was going through because I knew it would put more stress on them, but I felt God was saying that I could choose Him or my extended family.  This Scripture came to mind:

Matthew 19:16-30:The Rich Young Man

16Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

17"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

18"Which ones?" the man inquired.

Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother,'[d] and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'[e]"

20"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

21Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"

26Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

27Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"

28Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother[f] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

It was and it still is unbelievably hard for me.  I don't know if anyone will ever totally know how hard it has been, but at the same time I've felt an unbelievable peace throughout this process.  I have always been an insecure and anxious person. but this hasn't been true for this adventure.  That is SO GOD and SO NOT ME!  :)  

So, anyway, I felt God was also saying that I needed to take one for the team in a way because Ryan needed to get away from his former job.  His job wasn't good for him or for our family.  He was suffering and it was causing us to suffer as well.  I basically needed to do this for the well being of my family.  This is so true because I have seen Ryan become much lighter in his countenance than he has been since he took over the management position at his former employer, or maybe even ever.  So we've all been much happier.  Praise the Lord!

The other aspect of this adventure is that I felt like God was calling us to some sort of ministry.  There is so much that has been going on with this aspect of our lives, but I will reserve that story for another entry since this one is SO long.  I will say that Ryan and I have been helping his brother and sister-in-law with their youth group on Sunday night.  They are super excited because they have not helpers since they started 2 years ago.  I am going to go to the youth convention this coming weekend.  It will be cool to be able to be away from the girls though I will miss them something awful, but it will also be cool to have the opportunity to serve.  I also get to experience something Ryan did growing up.  I hope to understand him more through this experience. 

In conclusion, I love the Scriptures above and find it interesting that we so often focus on only verse 11.  I love what the next few verses in Jeremiah say:  12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity.  Maybe sometimes we get ourselves into a place of captivity when we become complacent with much less than what God plans for us because we don't trust God to do the impossible in our lives which in the end pushes us farther from Him.  The plans God has for us is to draw us closer to Him, not closer to greater wealth, more friends, extra busyness, or any other worldly endeavor.  He does bless His children, but his blessings aren't be be worshiped.  We are to worship Him.  How far do you have to grow in this area?  I know I have a long way to go.  But I am encouraged because I know God has promised that I will not be the same person today that I was yesterday.  Praise the Lord!

I will post more often now that we have internet at home, and I will also post pictures when we get the other laptop to our new home.