The Big Move

For in him we live and move and have our being. – Acts 17:28

As a young adult, I have never lived in the same place for very long. I moved every year of college, twice in Seminary, then twice when I got married. In the last 12 years, I have lived in two dorms, three apartments, two houses, and a duplex.

Now, we’ve sold our house in the heart of Atlanta. We need more room for our son and want to be closer to my new appointment. However, because of the market’s volatility, we had to wait until closing to have the cash on hand to make an offer on another home. When we bought that house, we had looked at only three places. This time, we looked at around thirty.

This may sound foolish, but this move has been the most significant leap of faith I’ve experienced in my life so far. I thought our biggest challenge would be selling our house before buying, but now we’ve gone under contract on a house that will not be available for 30-60 days.

Praise God for our amazing family who is helping to shelter, move, and support us emotionally during this crazy season. I’ve rarely been more thankful for the community of faith.

Every time I move, I try to remember the promise I made myself when I answered my call to ministry. When I first came to Atlanta, I took an old canvas and covered it with silk flowers, and painted a message on it that I wanted to keep on the forefront of my mind: Live Simply.

I worked my way through Seminary but still had to take out loans. I had so little spending money and all my furniture and dishes, cookware and such were second hand. I really didn’t mind at the time. That’s how most people live in their early twenties. Nevertheless, I wanted to guard myself against acquiring too much stuff. I didn’t want to be distracted or weighed down by possessions. I really did feel like any day God might call me to drop everything and become a foreign missionary, and I wanted to be ready.

Then I got married and had a child. Though my husband still considers himself a minimalist, my child and his grandparents have inundated us with stuff, and I’m struggling to live out my conviction of simple living.

As time goes on, the temptation to “keep up with the Joneses” becomes stronger and stronger. Last weekend, I found myself discussing all the expensive changes I would make to the new house. I suddenly realized I was again falling into the trap of dissatisfaction. How easily does it creep up!

We need to be willing to hold the gifts God gives us with open hands, ready to return them to our Creator when the time comes.