As many of you already know, my family is in the middle of planning a relocation from California to Tennessee. It’s a huge undertaking. I’m completely unfamiliar with moving much less moving across the country! But this is a God driven thing, I’m sure of it! I have no idea, through rational thought, why we are ending up in Nashville! Why two California “kids”, who have lived their whole lives no further than a 45 minute drive to the Pacific Ocean, are contemplating living in not just the Bible Belt-- but the Buckle of the Bible Belt!
This journey started months back, when I felt an urging to look at moving somewhere outside of California. The reasons were many, but to list a few, they would be: high state income tax (almost 9%), ridiculously high cost of living compared to most other places in the country, crowding in schools (even costly-private institutions), lack of state funding to receive any sort of therapeutic services for our special needs son, and a state government that is way out of alignment with the direction in which my husband and I feel is correct. Add that to the apparent public disdain of anyone upholding a Christian worldview in an attempt to be inclusive, at whatever cost, to the New Age movement.
But even given all of that, California is our home. It is familiar and in all it’s wackiness it is a place that we’ve learned to live in. Until now. For some reason God has put this sense of urgency in my husband and I. And uncharacteristically, we are moving a pace that is uncomfortably fast.
We did a lot of research. Coming up with a laundry list of needs for each member of our family, we came up with four possible cities / suburbs. We were down to Denver (Colorado Springs area) and Nashville (Franklin / Brentwood). I was sure that Denver would be the winner. It was out West--more of a comfort thing. The weather was a little severe for us wimpy Californians, but the culture was more like what we were used to. I love Denver! It's clean and big and the blue skies go on forever. Nashville is home to many of my friends as well as Christian media, which is the area I'm working in. But Nashville? The South? Could we ever assimilate? Dave would never like it!
As in many life altering decisions that have God at the helm, the outcome is one that only makes sense when looking through eyes of faith and trusting in Him. In the weeks that have followed this decision, Dave has met with his new office manager, gone out and surveyed the area, and fallen in love with the pace and people of Nashville. Something I never expected to happen!
Even knowing that God is in control, which is a statement that can seem quite trite when one is not truly walking down a path with an unknown destination. It can be pretty scary! Then add to that fear the sense of rationalization. We’ve had many early mornings over the past month where we look at each other and simply say, “What the heck are we doing?” But in most of those instances we are able to take it back to God and are then met with a reassuring feeling that we are where He wants us to be. Which, for right now, is in a state of physical upheaval; A season of change.
They say change is good. They also say building character hurts! Who are THEY, anyway??!!
Interestingly, my life verse, which I wrote about on my What’s in the Bible blog a few weeks ago, is Proverbs 3:5-6 (Amplified Bible)
Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.
This journey is both exciting and yeah, a little frightening. But knowing that Jesus is the lead project manager for this move, gives me peace!
