A new thing...

I'm not a big fan of big changes.  I'm a person who likes my routine, my home, my familiar surroundings.  Even a much anticipated vacation is precipitated with a feeling of hesitation about leaving home as I'm packing. Every. Single. Time.

I was born right outside of Portland, Oregon.  When God called my husband and I to a church in Portland 18 years ago, my roots grew deep in the familiar soil of the city I'd always known and loved.  Six years ago, our church in Portland merged with a church in Vancouver, Washington.  Five years ago, we moved the church to Vancouver and prepared for our son-in-law to plant a church in southeast Portland with a core group of people from our sending church.  We, in essence, passed the torch that God had placed in us for Portland to him.  So, we've been pastoring our church in Vancouver, but were still living in our cozy little home in Portland.  I still walked/jogged two loops around my neighborhood 4 or 5 days a week, like I'd always done.  I still drove my familiar habitrails to the bank, store, and my favorite thrift and antique stores in Portland.  Meanwhile, my husband commuted back and forth to Vancouver six days a week.  "It makes sense for us to move to Vancouver,"  he often said, but I was dragging my feet inside.  

Less than a month ago we finally put our home on the market.  House values are up and the market is hot in Portland.  It sold in under three weeks.  I felt anxious, unsettled, unsure.  I walked my neighborhood and said my goodbyes and shed my tears.  We found a home and made an offer but lost the house to another offer due to some rather unethical things the selling agent did. I wrestled with that one, feeling confused why God allowed that to happen.  I struggled about leaving my beloved city, though in reality I wasn't going to be living much farther from it than the little town I had been born and raised in.  Somehow, being across the Columbia River and in a whole other state made it seem farther.  

Today,  we were notified that our offer was accepted on a home we saw yesterday.  I didn't think we were going to find a house we liked as well as the first home we made an offer on and lost, but I guess God knows better.  Your prayers for a smooth closing for the buyer of our home, and for us, would be appreciated.

I don't know when it happened, but sometime, somehow, God made a shift in my heart.  It feels like I finally let go here, and am actually ready and anticipating the new thing God has for us. 

still following,

P.S. I've not been on my regular posting schedule this week, and have been slow to respond to your comments,  due to house hunting and other related busyness, which will probably continue over the next month.  Thank you for your patience with me.

Also happily linking up with the lovely Lisha Epperson 

and Cheryl McCain Photography.