Revelation Celebrations!!

I remember it so clearly....One morning in September of 2006 I was having my quiet time like any other. I was reading an incredible devotional by Beth Moore. The devotion for that day was about a missionary woman who was called to move to a foreign land far away from everything and everyone she held dear. The very last line of it read "Are YOU willing to move out of your comfort zone?"

Around noon that VERY same day, Chris got the call that he'd been accepted into the Postal Inspection Service with a position in Detroit, Michigan. I broke into the most peaceful tears I've ever experienced. Chris said "I can decline and hold out for the next class with a different location." I jumped on him and said "NO!!! You HAVE to take this!" I knew in my heart WHO had ordered this move! There was NO DOUBT!!!

Life was a blur in the next few months. Two weeks later Chris was in D.C. training. I was a single mom for 3 months to 2 boys and teaching preschool. During that time, I had to keep the house sparkling to be sold. Both boys got the stomach virus and I had a miscarriage 8 weeks into my pregnancy. A complete whirlwind! We sold our house within a week of it being on the market. We came to Michigan in Dec. and had 7 days to find a house. We came home on a Sunday and the movers arrived the very next morning at 9 AM. I was scrambling to throw all of my bras and underwear into suitcases so our toothless wonder movers wouldn't fondle my personals!! ;)

We drove to Detroit and I cried most of the way! We lived in a tiny 2 bedroom hotel room for 9 days. We had one car and Chris had to drive it to work. The boys were bored and we got complaints because they were restless! I felt like Anne Frank during the day having to keep the place noise free! We finally moved into our new home and there began my days in the desert.

I still knew and trusted that God was and still is in control, but I was distant and lonely! I missed my family and familiarity! I wanted friends....I wanted a support system....I cried...a lot!
God knew what I needed. He also wanted me to know that it wasn't about needing other people as much as it was about HAVING HIM! Wow! I can see this now! Being in the wilderness is lonely and at times frightning. I'm not completely out of it yet, but making my way...following the cloud and fire! Detroit was a land of giants to me....not to mention crime. I was terrified of my kids growing up here. I was terrifed of having to make a name for myself when no one knew me or knew my mom. That's how I'd made connections before. God has been sitting here blinking and holding my hand.....waiting for me to realize that He's been to Detroit. This land is not foreign to Him. This circumstance is not an accident....it was and is a Divine Move!

I could write forever about all I've learned and circumstances we've encountered....it's been an amazing adventure. God is so faithful.

So, what got me thinking.....we had BUNCO last month. In honor of Valentine's Day, we made it a couple's BUNCO and all brought our husbands to play with us! IT was sooo much fun! Anyway, a couple in our AFG class brought a new couple from NC that moved here in January of 2009. I ran to sit with them to eat before we played. I sat and looked at her and saw my face. The uncertainty, the sadness...I knew it...I'd felt it....I said "I know."

We talked with her and her husband. I just emailed her to check in on her. It just flooded me with emotions of my first days here. God brought to mind all that He has done to this point! He is so amazingly faithful! After 2 miscarriages I look at Margaret and I'm overwhelmed. She was worth the wait. He has parted the waters for my family time and again and I'm so thankful....so overwhelmed...so blessed....not perfect, not without sorrows, but in the shadow of His wings. He's had us covered. He has me covered now. He'll still have me covered tomorrow no matter where He leads.