The Last of the First

I'm sitting on the floor of the first apartment where Josh and I lived.  He moved into this apartment upon moving to Birmingham in 2009, and I moved in after our wedding in 2010.  I'm sitting on the floor because the apartment is completely empty except a few groceries that will be given away this afternoon and several empty boxes that we didn't use.

As Josh and I were going to bed for the last time in our first apartment, we began reminiscing about all that has happened while we've lived here.  It was an emotional time for us both as we talked and prayed, thanking God for His goodness to us.

For the last year and a half that we have been planning this move, I've wondered what my emotions would be when the time finally came to leave.  I'm quite proud (and honestly surprised) that my emotions have remained  consistent. (Well, consistent in regards to the move.  But this post isn't really about the other situations that have me on an emotional roller coaster right now!)  My primary emotion is excitement-- I'm ready to be there; ready to establish our home, our "command central" for our ministry; ready to meet our neighbors and start building relationships.  There is a small twinge of sadness about the loved ones we won't see as often, and lots of sentiment in recognizing that this is a major milestone in our lives.

But more than anything else, my heart is overflowing with gratitude to the Lord for His sovereign care for us.  Although we certainly haven't always understood what He was doing, we see how He has orchestrated every detail of this journey.  It hasn't happened in the time frame or way we once thought it would, but His ways have proven to be better than ours, and we are grateful that He didn't give us what we thought we wanted.  We are grateful that the Lord led our sending church to begin a church planting residency.  We are grateful for the trials that have refined our faith.  We are grateful for how the journey has strengthened our marriage.  We are grateful for a moving process that has gone smoothly so far.

Most of all, we are grateful for a faithful Father who delights to prove His faithfulness in a multitude of ways.