CHANGES AHEAD --->>>

CHANGE - it's inevitable in life, yet so many people struggle with it. We know it's coming, it's necessary and often brings good, yet we struggle to embrace or even accept it. I was thinking about Abraham this past week and how he must have felt when God asked him to pick up his things and just go... no plans, no maps, no details, just a simple, follow me. Wow!

My walk with Christ, particularly in ministry, has given me the opportunity to give up things that I love in this moment, for things, although unknown, that will exceed my expectations in the future. My family has come to this place once again. For those who have yet to hear, we will be relocating to N. Georgia at the beginning of June. (Actually Mark is already there). My heart literally breaks a little more each time I think about leaving Trinity Chapel! I see God before me and want nothing more than to follow as closely as possible, but there is sacrifice to be made in that following... I've found though, the sacrifice is always worth it! So for that reason, and many others, I can step back into a place of unknown. I can say goodbyes, cry tears & put that distance between those that I love and consider family at Trinity Chapel. I can hold hands & manuever through frustration in my sweet, Babes as they process this facet of ministry & walking with Christ. 

Let me share, briefly, how God brought us to this place of CHANGE -
In December, our family was facing some really challenging situations. On top of that, we over heard our little ones talking to friends and the gist of the conversation was that they weren't 100% sure where to put down their church roots, because Momma served in one location and Daddy, another (actually several others, but that's not important right now). The moment hit me hard. Like, stopped everything in my head. And although nothing changed at that point, it changed that way I prayed about our situation. Instead of praying for a job for Mark at a specific church, we began to simply pray for God to move in our current situation or to move us. Not an easy prayer to sincerely, pray. 

Then during my January fast, I had a beautiful moment with God where He asked me to stop surviving and to live. I literally responded out loud as I was driving, "BUT HOW?" He showed me that it had to start in my mind, then in my speech, then just continue to trust and look for what He would do. Some weeks later, Mark received a call about a job. That had been happening, rather often, so it was no shock, but we immediately felt God stir our hearts to not just shut it down. 

Through prayer {and a lot of tears} we began to see clouds of questions, concerns, struggles & probably even some doubt begin to rapidly clear from right in front of us and knew God was at work. As saddened as we feel at saying goodbye & making a transition from Trinity, we couldn't be at peace any more than we are, that we are walking with God and into His perfect plan at this point in our lives. 

To our Trinity Chapel family: THANK YOU for loving us! For allowing me to love & teach your children & grandchildren. What an honor it's been. Although it was far shorter than I ever would have dreamed, our hearts have been deeply knit with so many of yours. We're family & will always be connected because of our Father in Heaven. 

To all of our Friends & Family: We ask for your prayers! The next few weeks will be busy as I pass the baton at work, manage all the end of year busyness with the kids school & pack up our house. Pray for Mark as he establishes himself in a new role & new city without myself & our kiddos. Lastly, pray for our sweethearts - the little Whitakers - as I call them. There's a level of understanding that they have not reached in their walk with God, plus moving away from friends seems so final & big, so our days are a rollercoaster of emotions! We trust, & know with confidence, that God has gone before us! We just continually seek God's wisdom in walking out the steps He's laid out & the purposes He's placed in our lives!