My husband and I recently made a very big decision: we are moving out of state.
We’ve been praying about this move for a while now. My husband received an answer from God first, and asked me to pray about it before he told me what he thought, to see if we were both hearing the same thing. So, a few nights ago, I told him I felt like God was telling us to move. My husband felt the same.
First came the excitement of setting out on a brand new adventure together, with God at the helm. Then I panicked.
My husband does not yet have a job in the city we’ve chosen as our new home. Neither do we have a place to live. I’m completely unfamiliar with the area. I don’t even know where to buy groceries. We don’t know where we’ll go to church and we have only one connection in the area (my grandmother who lives about 45min away).
Most of all, I’ll be leaving my parents, my sisters (one of whom is about to have her first baby), my brothers, my friends, and the little boys I used to nanny, who still have tight holds on my heart. It was the thought of saying goodbye to those little faces that had me crying soon after the decision was made.
But what can I do? If God is saying “Go” how can I stay?
The following morning, the next chapter in my Bible reading ‘just happened’ to be about how the Israelites sent spies into Canaan to see what the land was like. They come back with hearts melted by fear and spread a bad report. “What were we thinking?! We can’t take this land! We’ll have to either go back or stay here.”
But that’s not what Joshua and Caleb said:
‘Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”’
“If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us,…the Lord is with us. Do not fear…”
‘If the Lord delights in us…’
That’s a big ‘if.’ After all, we are leaving everything that is comfortable and familiar and safe. ‘Surely the Lord delights in us’ might be a tad more cheering.
But honestly, I don’t want comfort and safety; not if God is calling me in another direction. I want to please God’s heart, and chase after it with all I have. Because that’s the kind of faith that delights Him.
Of all the people of Israel over 20yrs old, God permitted only Joshua and Caleb to enter the promise land. Why? Here’s what He said about Caleb:
“…because he has a different spirit in him, and has followed Me fully…”
What a beautiful testimony… to delight the heart of God by following Him fully.
I want to have the same different spirit as Caleb and Joshua. I want to step forward with boldness and courage, convinced in my heart of hearts that God is trustworthy. That He alone is faithful.
So whatever the future holds, whatever successes and failures, joys and sorrows, I am determined to follow Jesus fully.
“…nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.”
Isaiah 43:1 
May 7th, 2014 at 6:40 pm
Leah, I know just how you feel. Three times, I have followed the Lord when my first reaction was, “What? You want me to go there? Really?” All you can do is be faithful to Him, and as He called his original disciples with an extended hand and a, “Follow me,” run after Him knowing that His plans for you are greater than you can ever imagine. I’ll be praying for you. ❤
May 7th, 2014 at 8:26 pm
Thank you so much =) I need all the prayers I can get. And it’s encouraging to hear testimonies from fellow believers who have been obedient to God, even when doing so was frightening. Thank you!
May 11th, 2014 at 2:08 am
When you know it’s God, how can you NOT follow?
I have learned the joy and the excitement of adventure by obeying His commands, which leads to opportunities to help others discover their own adventures within His direction.
May 11th, 2014 at 2:37 am
I agree completely! If God says “Go,” we can’t stay. Thanks for the words of encouragement =)
May 11th, 2014 at 11:05 pm
Ohhh can I relate to your story! My first book, “Laying Down my Net – A Walk of Faith” is my autobiography. He moved me all over the country and never told me why I was going where I was going or what I’d do when I got there. If God is saying go, go! You’ll be amazed at what He has planned. If you’d like to purchase my book you can find it on Amazon or my website. http://www.elahministries.com
I ran across your blog by “accident.” Now a follower. Blessings to you.
May 13th, 2014 at 1:40 am
Thank you! I’ll be sure to check out your book. It’s so encouraging to read about the experiences of my brothers and sisters in Christ and what happened to them when they followed God fully. I take these comments as further affirmation that my husband and I are doing the right thing! Thanks so much for the encouragement as well as for the follow =) God bless!
May 12th, 2014 at 1:55 am
Last year we moved from west KY to central VA because we felt the will of God pulling us there. For many years my wife and I have used the phrase, “God hasn’t brought us this far to drop us on out butts.” Yes, it was exciting and frightening at the same time. We knew it would mess up our retirement plans (I’m 64). We knew we were both leaving our best friends. But we both knew that when God say s”GO!” you better scoot (just ask Jonah). We stopped and counted up the “coincidences” that occurred around out move and stopped at a dozen and just got to it. Just remember Phil 4:13!!!
May 13th, 2014 at 1:37 am
That’s a tremendous testimony! Thank you so much for sharing it. I love reading things like that; it’s so encouraging. God is faithful!
June 19th, 2014 at 12:36 am
Leah, its been a bit over one month. How are you doing?
June 23rd, 2014 at 12:46 pm
I’m doing well, thank you! It’s very kind of you to check on me =) I’ve been missing my blog but haven’t had much time to do anything about it. After two weeks at a full time job, two weeks at a part time job, and every moment in between eaten up in planning a cross-country move, I’ve been swamped! I really hope to post soon but it may take a while =( My prayer, and my struggle, is to keep my focus on the Lord during this busy season and hopefully that will result in a blog post before too long…
May 13th, 2014 at 10:01 am
Blessings on your move. It is certainly exciting. From experience moving when God speaks opens up wonderful things.
May 13th, 2014 at 12:28 pm
Thank you so much =)