Transitions, Changes, and …

“…” usually means there is more to the thought, but the writer couldn’t find words to fit the situation.  And that is the case here, I can’t find a word to fit with the rest of the title for this post.

The one things constant in everyone’s life is change.  And so I guess I’m normal now beacause the last year of my life has been that, changing.  It was about a year ago that the changes were happening for me.  I knew that they were coming, I’d known for a long time, but it was around March of 2008 that they really started kicking into effect.  The place I had known and loved as a church home, work, and over-all “safe-place” was coming apart right in front of my eyes.  The way God moves in the lives of churches and the people within one church is a mystery to me (part of what I’m trying to be more sensitive to these days).  Let’s just say God has people together to form a church, but he also has people together for seasons.  And it was clear that a season was ending.  It was tough…more then tough.  I don’t think I cried so much in my life.   It was an intense time of letting go.  Letting go is never easy.  Abraham had to let go of Isaac, his one and only son, his heir to the promise from God.  I found much strength in the life of Abraham because he didn’t know what God would do with Isaac, the knife, and the sacrifice.  BUT, he did know God and he trusted in Him totally!  I had to learn that the hard way.  I had to go up the mountain and take a knife to a relationship, take a knife to my comfort zone, and kill myself.  But I’m getting it back, better then before.  Enough about that…

Since then, I worked for a company that sells agricultural supplies.  It wasn’t my “dream job” by any stretch of the imagination, but it was good while it lasted.  The way in which I found the job (really the job found me) was full of God.  The outcomes from being there are still being reeped.  It provided for me for that time.  About a month ago, they let me go…economy stinks!  When taking the news of my release I wasn’t scared, I knew it was part of the plan.  And so for about a month, I’ve been looking only to be “found” again.

Since leaving the church, I have been connected with some of the leadership who also left the church.  There is a new ministry being planted as a result.  This ministry is based on the 24/7 prayer movement God is orchestrating all over the world, in such places as IHOP-KC.  Our goal is to initiate a 24/7 prayer room right here in Northeastern, Ohio.  I am excited (and nervous) about what this is going to be and how it’ll play out here locally.  It is an amazing move of God to draw His people closer to himself, and ready the bridegroom for His return!  For me, its been a divine set up personally for the last few years.  Someone asked me what this last year of my life has been about.  I told them its been the toughest times, but also the sweetest.  If I had to pick a one word theme for it, it would be “intimacy.”  The Lord is teaching me intimacy in SO many ways.

One of those ways is through John.  John and I have been friends for about two years.  We met at church through the young adult ministry we were involved with.  He was on the missions trip to Jamaica.  Although thoughts of John and I together had popped into my mind a few times, it was never something entertained for many reasons.  After leaving the church, and looking for a new job, John and I would talk on random occassions, as our group would still hang out from time to time.  The job that I found (that really found me) was the one working with the agricultural supply company.  John works there, in the warehouse!  Ironic,huh?  Well, it wasn’t my choice of jobs, but it was at the “right” time, they paid the “right” amount, and it just seemed like the “right” place to go.  So I did, we started dating and here we are over 6 months later, and beginning to plan a life together!  YEAH!!!

All of these things have played together to write the story of my life.  It’s been rough, it’s been up and down…but God is the author of it all, so it’s good!  There are SO many details that I’ve neglected to write, but simply because I don’t want to recall them all.  Keeping with it, it has been a season of transitions, changes, and … (a whole bunch of other stuff to keep me going!)