Change Up Ahead!

I greatly dislike change.  Now little change such as redecorating a home or the seasons changing is great.  But the big things are just too much for me.  Change makes things feel chaotic and I do not like to feel that way!  Well I am in for some big changes.  All good changes but changes nonetheless.  

Recently I blogged about making decisions.  I chose to obey God and follow where He leads, but, that means change.

Our pastor is moving on to do a church plant.  He has asked my husband and I to go with him.  We will not have to move as the new church is actually closer to our home than where we are now.  We are very excited and know God has great things in store.  Again, that means change.  For the past four and a half years I have attended the same church as my family; my parents as well as my sisters and brother and their families.  I love attending church with my family!  I love that my kids' grandparents are right there with them.  I love seeing my niece and nephews at church.  Leaving them is a big chaotic change for me.  I have good friends at my church.  Sweet sisters that mean so much to me.  I am a very quiet person and because of that it is so hard for me to make friends.  So leaving behind my friends is a big chaotic change. 

I had no plans to share any of this with you.  But I felt God telling me to share my heart so I am going to be very transparent with you today.  I have really wrestled with this.  I know what God wants and I deeply desire to obey Him.  But I have still struggled.  In the beginning I felt as though God were taking me away from everything.  My family I leave behind will still have each other.  The friends I leave behind will still have each other.  I won't have that.  It hurt.  It hurt seeing my parents hurting that we were leaving.  It felt too chaotic to me.

God has gently reminded me of several things.   Obedience is expected and rewarded.  He has amazing plans for us in this new place.  Obviously He is not yet done with my family and friends in the old place.  God has called my sweet sister and her husband to step up as the pastors of the church and I am so very excited for them.  I will miss them but they will be excellent pastors and God has great things for them here.  While I am leaving my family, hallelujah, my family are all Christians!  What an awesome thing that I can say!  As I mentioned above, I am not actually moving.  We will still live in the same place.  Close to our family and friends.  And, after turning my feelings over to God, I still feel chaotic about it, but God has given me a sweet peace.

God keeps bringing to mind one of my favorite songs.  Santcus Real's Whatever You're Doing.  The chorus says:

    Whatever You're doing inside of me

It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace

It's hard to surrender to what I can't see

but I'm giving in to something Heavenly

When things feel chaotic or unsure, turn it over to God.  He has big plans for us.  His plans are never to harm us but to prosper us (Jeremiah 20:11).  I know that through all of this, God has something wonderful in store for for all of us; my husband and I, our pastor, the new church, the old church, my family and my friends.  

Friends, let's learn to trust God.  He has great things in store for us!

Sweet Blessings~