I have wanted to write this blog for the longest time, but had to be patient and let God work out His full plan first. Before I get to our next few steps on this path called life; I feel like I need to back up a bit.
Before I came to know Christ and just hand my life to Him, I felt like I was in control of my every step. Some days, this was freeing as I liked that control. Other days, it was overwhelming because I was out of control. Right about the time I met Grant for the first time, I was in the process of thinking that perhaps how I was leading my life was not so great and maybe, maybe, I should let God have His way. I met Grant in January. He does not remember meeting me. He really feels the Lord had his eyes veiled because it was not our time to meet yet.
Through-out the next few months I started lurking around God again. Causally going to church with a dear friend (hi Jackie!). Cracking open the Bible every so often. By the time it was all done, I gave up. I told God I was done holding the reins and I wanted Him to take over.
Next thing I know, I meet Grant again. Within a weekend, we both knew that we had found our "ones". On our second day together Grant told me I would always be second. Not exactly what a girl in immediate puppy loves really wants to hear over lunch. But, given it was only behind God, I had no argument!
Most of you know our love story. Grant greatly influenced my growing relationship with Jesus. We married. We had Cate. We got out of Springfield and into San Marco to settle into our little life of suburbia. Then...we got pregnant with Colin. What? I am not ready for another child so soon. Then...we get moved to Monroeville, AL.Huh? But, Jacksonville is my home. Seriously, are we sure God knows what He is doing?!?
Our time in Monroeville was rough! In the end, it was for such good as it allowed us to have a relationship with Grant's mom, sister and nieces that never would have developed had we not lived there. But, there were times when we really questioned why in the world God had put us there. Our home in FL would not sell. We had to short sale it. And, with that, we had to continue renting a home in Monroeville instead of buying one. Only 14 months later we were moved to Montgomery, AL.
I remember the day Grant was called to interview for the job here. It was so stressful dealing with all that he was at his current job. We did not know when he would be let go, but he had already been told that funding for his position would be gone soon. It was so hard to watch as a wife because Grant worked as hard on his last day as he did his first day. Nothing like moving your family from everything it knows just to have uncertainty! But...while our involvement with an actual church was sparse, our relationship with God grew tremendously during that time.
A month or so after being asked to interview, our family called Montgomery home. Montgomery was a breath of fresh air! We had conveniences, Publix, Costco, church choices...things we missed in Monroeville. We felt like just perhaps we could start to put down some solid roots. We prayed for friends. But, life did not feel settled. While Grant's job was an absolute blessing, everything else here felt like it was at arm's length. We made friends, but on a surface level. Our church relationships were far and few between. We could not quite get comfortable here. It was not from lack of trying. I went WAY out of my comfort zone in efforts to make friends for our family. Yet, something kept us rather surface here. We would start looking for a house to buy and felt like the Lord had His hand on us not letting us go further.
We visited Jacksonville for vacation last summer. Like the previous summer, Grant made an effort to see his CSX contact while in town. His purpose was strictly to build a relationship with him as they work together on economic development projects. The first summer I joked that one day Grant would work for CSX. Well, the second summer, Grant making such an effort to see the guy upset me. It really interfered with our plans for the day. But, something (as in the Holy Spirit, apparently) made him feel it was necessary to make an effort to see him. Long story short, by the end of that meeting, Grant was asked to interview for a position when it opened at the end of the year.
When Grant called to tell me I was not thrilled. I was still trying to settle us into Montgomery. Sure, Nashville sounded nice, but I was ready to put down some deep roots. The last thing I wanted to do was relocate! So, for a while after that we let it go. But, then things changed. It's almost like the Lord started dropping the veil from my eyes. I saw Montgomery and Nashville in a different perspective. I was suddenly okay with Grant pursing the potential opportunity.
So...here we are...after five months of interviews, silence from the Lord, uncertainty, and an ever growing dependance on just how much the Lord controls our lives...we are relocating to Nashville, TN! We are thrilled! We have family there. Grant's new job is fantastic and provides for some great opportunities. The schools are awesome. It's just a great place to raise a family! When I blogged a while ago about wanting "more" I did not know the Lord was preparing me for just that. More! He is giving us more in a way I never could have imagined!
We had to move to Alabama for Grant to have an amazing opportunity at a Jacksonville-based company. And, by way of that, get to live among the other side of our family. What an amazing path the Lord has set thus far. I cannot wait to see just what He does once we move. I have stopped trying to think ahead of Him and instead take each day with gratitude and a complete trust that He is in control. Just remind me of that these next few weeks as the many details have to come together to get us moved.
