TX Testimony Pt. 1

 The day the Lord asked me to move to Houston I was in AZ with a friend. The news came as a shock when I hear him say ‘I want you to move to Houston in February.’ 

How clear is that?! What else could that mean? I thought I had moved to Indiana for good. No more moving states for me; right? 

So it began, that part of me that was so scared, panicking, trying to convince myself that’s not really what He meant. 

He couldn’t be saying I should sell all my things, pack my little car, leave the best job, everyone who had become family and, by myself, go to a place I had never been. I knew no-one there, I wouldn’t have a job or place to live. All in four months time. 

But, there was no room for personal interpretation, I knew what He had said.

So, In panic, I busied myself with anything to keep my mind occupied; I walked that neighborhood fuming for an hour and all the while, as I kicked rocks down a street in AZ, He was so near.  Compassionate in my confusion, gentle and tender in the wrestle with the reality of what He was asking of me. 

Finally, I collapsed laying on the floor before the Lord; unsure of anything else to do with this direction… (Praise God for friends who know Him and encourage the collapse when it's time). 

 I knew I would be obedient but was angry and scared. This was not my plan or even my interpretation of what He had told me of the plan previously. I never considered moving somewhere else, let alone in the scariest way I could come up with. 

I wrestled for a couple months before telling anyone else what He had said and what was coming next for me. 

I returned home about a week later and began the preparations for moving. I put in my notice and resigned from the best job I’ve ever had. 

Talked with the family I was living with at the time and sharing that I was being led by the Lord to TX; actually one of the hardest things to do. 

And over the next four months I sold, trashed and gave away everything that couldn’t fit in my little Elantra. Everything from my apartment, furniture, clothes, blankets- everything. 

Every item, for me, representing the hope of settling down somewhere. One after the other, gone. Trusting Jesus knew what He was asking and saw every step I took towards what He had asked of me. 

This was one of the hardest words I have ever gotten from the Lord. And still over that time He used this word to soften and turn my heart towards where we were going. Changing me that while it was hard and hurt, He gave me a heart posture of adventure, excitement at what He would do and knowing it was time to move to what was next.