Lately I have been thinking about how crazy it is that in 8 months we will be moving to Medicine Hat. The mere thought of it makes me start to panic. How crazy are we to pack up six kids, my sister (who has recently moved in with us), 2 cats and a dog and move to a new province and a new city? I have lived in the Lower Mainland area of BC my entire life and specifically in Surrey for about 22 years! I am leaving the only area I have known. I know the freeway exits. I know where the malls are. I can find a Starbucks and Tim Hortons. We have friends here and we have made memories here.

I was driving down the road the other day and thought about how long I have lived in the area and how these roads are all so familiar to me. When we move, not a single road will be familiar. Everything will be foreign to me. I will be very turned around and lost for weeks!!  I’m used to giving directions, not receiving them.

That’s the whole point though isn’t it? Receiving direction rather than giving it. I won’t be in the driver’s seat (not that I have been but I do direct people at times). I will have to rely completely on God and his plan rather than my own agenda. He’ll direct where we’ll live. He’ll be directing us to places to build relationships with people in the community. He will help me find my way around town, or at least give me the courage to ask someone for directions when I get lost. I won’t be giving directions because I will be too busy receiving them. I will have to rely on him as I navigate this new life.

There have been many times when I have been completely overwhelmed by the idea of planting a church in Medicine Hat but every time when I realize that I am trying to think about parts of the church plant that I haven’t received direction on yet, I calm down. There are things I need to take care of now and I need to trust God to reveal what He needs done at the right time. It doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t be thinking about them as it is important to be aware of different concerns that might pop up, but there isn’t a need to stress over them. It will be challenging for me as I am the type of person who looks at the big picture and likes to make sure everything is in order so I can check everything off one item at a time. I don’t like only having part of a map revealed and having to wait for other sections to appear as I go along on my journey. I am being stretched and challenged in this area and it is a good thing. It means I am not in control and I’d probably mess something up if I was.