There's No Place Like Home

 Home is where the heart is. 

I've heard this saying quoted probably hundreds of times. Yet, I have never really recognized the full worth and value of the saying until recently uprooting myself to Florida.

I've always considered my home to be: SoCal. The Desert. Lancaster. 

The definition of home to me has always been this place-where I was born, where I grew up, where I lived and where I loved.

I've learned over these past few months that home isn't just a mere place where I feel the most comfortable or a place I've been for years on end. Home is the place for which one feels the most affection, the greatest fondness, and the deepest liking. Home can be many different places and can include many different people.

 

I love  Lancaster. I love the dry, barren desert. I love Lancaster Baptist Church and the people in it. I love my family and my friends. It will always be home!

AND 

I love Ocala. I love the trees. I love the rain. I love Central Baptist Church and Ocala Christian Academy. I love the people that have crossed my path-those that have become friends and those that have become family.

As much as I love home, as much as I love and miss everything about it, I'm so thankful that God has put me in a place that I have grown to love as well. I'm excited to continue what I started in Ocala. I would never trade in God's Will for anything this world has to offer! It's been rewarding, fulfilling, and overwhelming.

God is good. My heart is in two places, and that is okay! No matter what coast I'm on, I'll always be home. I think that's a pretty special thing.

God Shouldn't Shock You

God shouldn't shock you.

Before you think I'm completely crazy, hear me out!

Read this passage of the lame man at the temple in Acts 3:

"And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee:In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up:and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple:and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering. And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?"

It was almost nothing to Peter that this man who couldn’t walk for years suddenly was able to defy the odds by standing up and walking. Peter thought little of such a miracle. He wasn't shocked. He wasn't surprised.

Why does God shock us so much when great things happen? Why is it so extremely astonishing when miracles occur?

Peter was so in-tune and so connected with God that he expected that miracles would happen in his own life and in the lives of those that followed Him. 

Purpose to walk so closely to God that you know a miracle is right around the corner. He is a God of miracles. He delights in creating them. When you are doing right and obeying his laws, expect Him to do miracle after miracle in your life! 

After all...

He's GOD.

Wearying God

Isaiah 7:10-12 says, "Morever the Lord spake again unto Ahaz, saying, Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will i tempt the Lord."
God is telling Ahaz to ask Him something...anything in the world. He's offering Ahaz the widest of limits in which to ask. It is like God is saying, Your options are limitless! 
But...Ahaz responds to God and says, God, I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to ask You to do this for me. It's too big. It's too much. I refuse to burden You with this.

The chapter continues to say in verse 13, "And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?"

In other words: Is it not enough of you to talk to the one and only true God? Are you really going to give up trusting in God to trust in men? 

Convicting. I am DAILY guilty of this. It is so easy for me to go to my parents and my friends with everything going on in life. My wants. My needs. My day. I "weary" people with the chaos of life but I'm guilty of not wearying God the same way. I cannot think of anything more disastrous to God than a child of His not trusting in Him fully.

Yes. God already knows what is going on in my life. Yet, He wants to hear it from me. He wants me to come to Him, talk to Him, and trust Him. He wants ME. All of me. He doesn't just want a part of me nor does He even want half of me. He wants all of me all of the time.

I haven't wearied God with my requests, with my desires, and with my life.

Have you?

Beginnings

I'm thinking back to the times that I first learned how to do certain things-walking, running, rollerskating, driving, etc. Transitioning to the next step is always kind of awkward. Beginnings are all that way. They are uncomfortable, abnormal, and down right difficult sometimes!

I moved to Florida in July. Many months prior to this big move, I struggled with questions:
 Is this really where I am suppose to go? Am I being called to serve Him clear across the country? Can God use me this far from home? Am I going to be alone? Is this really God's Will for my life? 
I can't even begin to count on my two hands the amount of times I wrote down the pros and cons of such a major life decision. It was confusing and frustrating, yet it was the biggest decision I have ever had to make in 21 years. Not only was it the biggest decision but it was also the easiest.

Yes, you read correctly! All of my questions seemed to cease when I came across a familiar verse. Philippians 4:7 says, "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." At this point, I realized that I didn't need every single one of my questions to be answered but if I wanted peace, then I had to release myself of doubt. I had to let go of every question because in reality, that perfect peace that passes all understanding is the same peace that doesn't HAVE to understand everything. Knowing that I was going exactly where I was suppose to go and doing what I was suppose to be doing was enough for me.

Encouraged. Strong. Determined. All the things one would think I would be feeling. I was fearful, anxious, and worried. I was saying "YES" to God's Will. Yes, God was leading me away from those I hold close to my heart. Yes, He has protected, guided, and directed me up to this point. And yes, I wanted this. I was scared out of my mind. I wasn't scared of teaching because with God's calling comes God's enabling. I wasn't afraid of being alone because He promised me long ago that He would never leave me nor forsake me.

I was afraid of the unknown. Isn't everyone? I wanted to know what was going to happen, what to expect, what to anticipate. In Acts 20:22, Paul made the story of his own life clear by saying, "...I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:" I didn't know then, nor do I even know now, what God was or is going to do with me in Florida-in my "Jerusalem". But I'm excited about it!

I knew God was leading me away from the place and people that I hold close to my heart, but He has also given me more people to fill my heart with. I knew that He had always protected, guided, and directed me and He will continue to do that no matter where He takes me. And I still wanted this-God's Will-more than I've ever wanted anything else.

I thought walking, running, and driving-all of those "beginnings"-were awkward and difficult moments in life but moving across the country definitely has got them beat! These moments were also the start of something extraordinary. I'm beyond blessed to be on this beautiful journey and I wouldn't trade it in for anything!

Because of His infinite love and His amazing grace, I will forever be....Anchored in Him.