Grace

"T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home."



These words from the famous hymn Amazing Grace have been running through my mind frequently the past few weeks. You see, the last few weeks I have spent long days surrounded by boxes, newspaper, and packing tape. Life is a journey. And sometimes it is a very hard journey. One with many tears and many unknowns.

Today I write from the living room of my Grandmother's house in Pennsylvania. All our belongings are still packed away, half here and half at my father-in-laws. I've been meaning to post the past month. I am planning on getting back to my hospitality series, but for today I thought I'd share a personal post.



We've been in a difficult situation for the past 2 years. A situation that didn't seem to be getting any better. Working Man and I struggled. We prayed. We fought against what we were thinking. But we knew it was time. God was leading us on, on to a new chapter in life. If you looked in my journal from earlier this year you would find this:

"On this eve of a New Year I sit here in bed, thinking of what goals I want to have this year, what I think God's going to do for us, with us, this year. I think it's going to be a big year, don't really know why I think that, just have a feeling. A feeling there will be changes in our lives. So many times change is hard, but I know it can be is for my good."

I knew the Lord was going to do something this year, I just thought it was going to be in a different direction. I never thought we would be coming home. Home to Pennsylvania. Can I confess something? I never wanted to stay here my whole life. You know those preachers who tell stories of people telling God,"I surrender Lord, I"ll go anywhere, just not Africa."? I'd tell you that's not me, but I realized about 2 months ago it was what I was saying to the Lord. Except, I was willing to go to Africa. But my Africa, if you will, was Pennsylvania. I didn't want to be in that area, in that church the rest of my life. "I'll go any where Lord, do anything you want, just not stay here." Yup. That's what I thought. It's what I said, without saying. And you know what. It's where He led. Back home. Where I never wanted to stay. That's why I've been thinking about that song so much. It truly is God's grace that led us back home. Because it isn't what we would have chosen or even wanted to choose. And the choice was hard. To leave friends that had become family. But I'll tell you a little secret...I am rejoicing in this place. Not all the details are worked out yet, but I feel my joy is full, or at least beginning to fill.

It isn't because we moved closer to family again. That's a plus.

It isn't because I missed the weather in the North. Though I am excited for snow!

It isn't because I had really close friends to come back to and hang out with. Those really close friends have to come North and visit!

It was because the will of God led us here. It's because true joy is following His leading. It's because peace and rest resides within as a result of obedience.

The almost three years we lived in the south were full. Full of very dark, long valleys of trials. There were also blessings and friendships along the way that will remain forever. But Working Man and I grew closer. Even now, thinking back on some of those hard trials, my eyes well up. Because they were hard, difficult, life changing. But they were changes that have molded us as a couple and individually. Molding us to be more like Christ, and that is what we want anyway. Lives of grace. Heirs of grace. Wherever grace may lead us.