What I Have Learned in One Year

 This past 12 months has been the craziest year of our family’s life. 

In the past 12 months:

• Andrew spent 3 months in officer training for Army Chaplaincy. 
• While there, our Alma mater and university over the non-profit Andrew worked for close, causing him to lose his job. 
• The kids and I spent 6 weeks in Arizona with family. 
• We all traveled to celebrate Andrew’s graduation from training. 
• Andrew applied for jobs in various fields, as we had no idea what we would do next. 
• We celebrated Christmas all together again as a family.
• We visited a church in Oklahoma in consideration of a position there. 
• We came home, accepted that position, and began the whirlwind of listing and selling our house. 
• Our house sold in less than 48 hours. 
• Andrew left for another month on Army orders, while I began researching movers and packing. 
• Andrew came back from orders and we moved across the country less than one week later.
• As we were traveling we began hearing some more serious things about something called Covid-19. Yeah, we didn’t take it too seriously at first.
• Then we arrive, get a few necessities, spend our first Sunday at the new church, meet new families... and then the city shuts down. 
• The next month and a half is social distancing, learning about our new town on numerous car trips, and church online. 
• What a weird time to move and try to get to know people!
• Throughout the summer, we balance community, responsibilities, wisdom and caution... it’s exhausting. 
• Oh, and I joined a new business as a hobby during all the isolation, and it takes FREAKING off! And I love it!
• From there, throw in racial injustices coming to light, political tensions at an all-time high, challenging some deep-rooted beliefs, and So. Many. Opinions. About everything. 

What an exhausting, stressful, and straight up weird year. But here's what I'm learning, or perhaps relearning: God is good and working in the hard things. We don’t have to fight against them. I feel like I am drawing nearer to the Lord in this season than any other I've experienced. 

I am learning to stop striving so hard to be seen, be known, be successful. Because God sees me, knows me intimately, and any success I have or desire is in pleasing Him. I can honestly say, as I am letting go of things that were never in my control to begin with, I am truly feeling peace, in spite of it all. I am able to see fruit and growth among the hard things. I feel nearer the Lord and more firm in my purpose than maybe ever. And it’s allowing me to walk in confidence. 

Life is a journey, not a destination. And I find much comfort in knowing that God guides us along the path (Psalm 23:1-3), and that he goes before us to blaze the trail and protects us from any harm coming behind (Psalm 139:5). We may not always see the course from an aerial view, as He sees it, but we can trust that He will lead us. And what a journey it will be! 

Our family's journey has already taken detours and turns. Some we can see why in time, but others I still don't fully understand. But we keep forging forward, saying yes one obedient step at a a time. God has led us to some weird places, but He is working it out, and we can trust that He has GOOD in store for us (Jeremiah 29:11)!