Choice

 

There are times, that in order to move forward, we MUST choose.

Luke 9:23: Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

Recently, my husband and I had to decide that we are going to move to one of the Northwest suburbs of Illinois.  It is a large life change.  It is a huge leap of faith.  It is, we feel sure, what God wants.

Why then, if it is all of those things, do we feel fear?  We know that God will provide for us.  We know that God will protect us.  We know that God will use us for the betterment of ourselves and others.  We are afraid because we are human.  We are afraid because we don’t know the plan.  We are afraid because we are not in control.

It’s a funny thing, control.  If you have it, then you aren’t in right relationship with God.   If you seek it, you are moving away from God.  If you maintain it, you aren’t being real with yourself or God.  If you let go of it, life gets easier.

Please understand, I am not suggesting that you not think through and pray through things before you do them.  I am saying that if you listen first to the Lord’s desire that you will see that there is a clear path on the road.

This decision to move to Chicago is a HUGE one.  My family is here.  My friends are here. We know  our way around.  There are people here that we can trust to care for our kids.  There are familiar places, where people know our name.  Chicago has NONE of those things.

We made our choice by first seeking the will of God.  We prayed and asked God to tell us what to do.  We heard nothing.  We prayed and asked God to tell us what to do.  We heard, “Why are you afraid?  I will provide.  All you have to do is choose where that provision comes from.”

My husband and I looked at each other and said that can’t be right… We prayed AGAIN.  “Where do we go Lord?  Where are you leading us?  What is best for our family?”

The response was, at least in my mind, a bit on the short side.  You know that tone you use with your kids when you have explained something quite enough and can we please move on… Yeah… That’s what I heard.  God simply said, “This is your choice.  I will be where you are.”

When we heard the same thing three times, we decided it must be true.  Yeah…  We know… We’re slow.  So, on Monday, January 10th, 2011, my husband signed the letter.  He signed the letter that changes everything.  He chose a path.

I am so proud of him.  I could burst with excitement.  We are making our own way.  We are walking our own path.  We are trusting God to the most complete and full extent of who we are.  We have laid our lives, the lives of our children and the path of those lives in the arms of the Lord.  I love that this is the choice he made because it means that my husband’s trust in the Lord is complete.  He is trusting and walking with the Lord without knowing the destination.  He is absolutely my hero.

So, now we are doing as the scripture commanded, we are picking up our cross; In our house that is loneliness, change and the unknown.  We are following God’s will.  We are leaving the normal and safe for the unknown and new.  We are stepping out to be what God is calling us to be.  We are doing it  because there are times, that in order to move forward, we MUST choose.  The choice itself doesn’t matter.  It is just the fact that you made your choice.