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So much to say.  Where to start?

You guys know Michael and I have wanted to move away from this area for a long time now.  We both feel very drawn to northern Alabama.  (There is great work there and great fishing there.  There are definitely many pros and very few cons to moving there.)  We've felt the tug on our hearts for the last....well, nine years!  The timing wasn't right nine years ago when we last visited there, and we trusted we were supposed to stay in Maryland.  Then Kara came along and I needed a lot of help, especially in the beginning.  She was very ill right when she was born and in the NICU for a week.  The doctors told me to prepare myself.  That was the darkest sentence anyone has ever told me.  Then when she came home, she was colicky and just plain never happy for the first 3 months.  Things got much easier when that went away and she was an easy baby after that.  But, all through my very sick pregnancy and when Kara was a baby, I needed help.  And my mom was the one who gave me that help.  I will forever be grateful for that.  We wouldn't have had that if we weren't in Maryland.

Fast forward - now Kara is older.  Things are different.  We homeschool now.  My parents are retiring to Florida in a few years and my sister is moving to western Maryland in a few years.  If we stay here, it won't be for family because they won't be here.  But, we don't want to move just to move.  We just want to live in the Lord's will and obey Him.  The hard thing is, knowing that will!  We keep seeking him and trying to figure it out.  Did God put the love of the place we want to move into both of our hearts as a dream he wants us to follow?  Is he moving us out of our comfort zone (here in Maryland) to somewhere new?  Or is this just us both liking the same thing (like loving the beach or something) and it's not really a calling?  How do we know?

I just spent some time re-reading through my sister-in-law Elisabeth's blog through her whole moving process through her move this year.  (I hope you're reading this, Liz, and you can give me some words of encouragement!)  It has been such a long process for her and I am so grateful for her it's almost over.  In a nutshell, they weren't sure if they were supposed to move or not - her husband's career was the main reason for moving (they liked the area they lived), and after a year of house hunting, they finally found a place and are moving now.  I appreciate her sharing her experience.  I prayed for her during the whole thing, and now we are seriously talking about moving.

The only way I've been able to know God's will in my life so far has been to pray, read His Word, and take a leap of faith.  Doors open or close and God has the Holy Spirit in me feel at peace or warn me away.

God's will is perfect.  God's timing is perfect.  We are in no hurry.

Is this a dream we concocted and we should just vacation there, or is this the vision God gave us for our future?  I am seeking the answer earnestly.

Comments

Kattrina said…
Sometimes it's so hard to distinguish between what God wants and what we want. I usually feel that if I'm doing what God wants it's easier - not easier in the sense that it's not work, but easier in that it feels peaceful and things fall into place. It takes a lot of work for the things to fall into place, but it's like God puts people in my life to help me do what he wants or opportunities show themselves that help, etc. It's hard to explain. I worry that this nursing school thing is more "me" than "God" and I hope I'm not just being selfish and doing what I want. So, I totally understand how you feel. I would say maybe marinate with the idea of moving (to Alabama or wherever) and I think if it's meant to be you'll start seeing signs and feeling a strong pull - and things will fall into place. But keep your heart open. If that makes sense.
jeday0323 said…
I totally agree with what you said, Kattrina. Thank you for posting. We will continue praying and seeking. In the mean time, we may need to visit again. :-)
Kattrina said…
Yes - we should definitely visit again! And the good thing about your move is it doesn't seem to be too time sensitive. You can wait it out and do it when it feels right or you can stay in Maryland. You don't have to try and move before Kara starts middle school or before a certain time passes. I know that you'll figure it out and all will be revealed one day!
jeday0323 said…
Yep, we wouldn't move for at least a year - probably two.
Elisabeth said…
I hadn't read very far before I said to myself,"wow, this sounds just like us!" Brad and I thought we would be in WV the rest of our lives. We love so much about it. We still talk about retiring there one day. I secretly think he was feeling God's pull to NC long before he mentioned it to me. I never had the desire to move here. Even when mom and dad moved here, and I prayed about moving, it was only to be closer to them, not BC I wanted God's will. I knew that was wrong so I quickly gave it up. I never felt God calling us here and as you know, and mentioned, it has been a long, hard road for us. I still ask myself if this is God's will. I think it came down to trusting Brad and God. Brad has a very good head on his shoulders. I think God has given him great wisdom for the things in this life and I am confident in most of his choices. I also think that even if we as Christians make a choice that isn't necessarily the oath God has planned for us, we are still his children and he still cares for us and watches over us. ...OK, I'm on my phone so I can't easily go back and review what I have typed so I hope I'm ending this right!!! I feel like I have been an encouragement to myself in this post so I hope you feel the sane way. I will pray more earnestly for you guys in this situation!