Leaving Versus Going

It has never been easy for me to leave a church and a people we know and love to follow God’s leading to a place where we knew no one. Would they love and accept us? Would it be a difficult or easy transition? Will I be compared to their previous pastor’s wife? Will God provide a good friend there? How will God use us for His glory? Typically the questions would mound in my mind as we prepared to leave one ministry and go to another. Thankfully, we have not had to move very many times!!!

In my previous blog I mentioned that we finally just sold our house after 2 ½ years. We went back to West Tennessee last week to pack, sell, give away, and move our stuff. Every bit of what we owned was “touched” and a decision was to be made. Do we keep it? Do we sell it? If so, for how much? Do we give it away? Do we throw it away? An exhausting process for sure! By the end of the week we had a garage full of stuff to sell….or give away….and every bit of it was GONE!!! I can’t tell you how grateful I was/am for that! We got rid of a lot of stuff!

There was one theme that kept playing in my mind all week as we packed—even though we had moved years earlier—we knew we would always be back to check on the house. And we were. And when we did we could spend time with people that we dearly loved. This time, however, there was finality. Oh, sure, we’d be back to visit…or would we? It certainly would not be as often. So, I was experiencing the grief of leaving that ministry and those precious people all over again. Cried buckets of tears and hugged a zillion necks.

Here is what was different this time though. When we left 2 ½ years ago I had no idea who we were going to. I could not see their faces. I did not know their names. Did not know their hearts. This time….I did! I saw the beautiful faces and hearts of the people at our current church and knew they loved my Jesus/us/me. I could see their hurts and struggles and needs. I was sad to leave but super happy about going!!

I don’t know if you are in the process of transition right now. I don’t know if you love it or despise it. But I do know that God is faithful and He is Provider. Sustainer. Friend. The next time you “move”…try not to focus on what you are leaving….but who/what you are going to—even if you don’t know anything about it. just like Abram!!!