The Old is Gone...

“…anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.

The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

2 Corinthians 5:17 nlt

The old is gone…the new has begun

From lawn chairs, office equipment, pots and pans to keepsakes and pictures, much of our old life arrived in a big truck 10 days ago to our new house and into our new life. It took 4½ hours to unload the all of our earthly possessions. Yet, much of our old life didn’t arrive…like the safety and comfort of familiar faces and places.

This certainly hasn’t been our first move away from our childhood upbringings, but it has been the hardest.

 

In the beginning of our marriage, my husband’s 4-year commitment to the US Air Force took us to Texas and then Alaska. After that, God called us to Missouri for three years. From there, He led us to Kansas, where we put down 19-years of roots and relationships. But Nebraska is where our heart’s desires have always been; so when finally we returned there 10 years ago, we thought we were done moving.

Throughout those years of wandering, I methodically learned let go of my old selfish sinful life in order that I might live as Christ desired. Jesus said to his followers, “If people want to follow me, they must give up the things they want. They must be willing even to give up their lives to follow me,” (Matthew 16:24 ncv) which also means giving up some of those familiar faces and places.

It hasn’t been easy and required many faith-building lessons—trusting Him with all of my heart in every area of my life, without leaning upon my own understanding of the situation—for me to pack up, say “good-bye,” and move away from all that is Familiar.

However, one book (along with the Bible and mentors along the journey), “The Dream Giver” by Bruce Wilkinson, prepared both my husband and I with courage to leave Familiar once more.

Actually, it began with Mr. Wilkinson’s book, “The Prayer of Jabez” built upon First Chronicles 4:9-10: “…Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” We asked God to bless us and enlarge our territories and HE DID.

Never in our wildest dreams or understanding of His dreams for us, would He literally, physically call us to move to a new, unfamiliar place…to uproot us again…to leave behind our family, friends, church, and a house where I thought we’d live into retirement.

Nevertheless, He did and here we are…more than 900 miles away from Familiar.

The old is gone. The new has begun. It won’t be easy, but God is the same here in Montana as He was, is, and always will be no matter where we live. Another journey has just begun...

As the Apostle Paul said, “…I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Ephesians 3:13-14 nlt