This, That, and Other Things

So it has been a week since we were in Grand Junction, and we are only a day or two away from knowing whether that will be the place we are living. We feel pretty positive that it will be. God has just given us amazing peace and some cool signs about it that we think it will most likely be a go.

One of the signs is that we have a place to live that we can also have our dog, more space than we need but at an amazing price! There is a family in the church that owns two town homes and one is open. The one that is open is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, with a kitchen that is probably close to 3 times bigger than my kitchen I currently have :). They said they would put a washer and dryer in and that even though they normally don't let pets, they would allow pets for us. Awesome!! God totally worked that out, because in Grand Junction, most of the places that are in our price range and nice don't allow you to have a pet. That was my biggest concern going there. We had looked online and I was getting so discouraged because we have our Max and he is our baby and no place would let us have him. But I think it was God saying, "I have the perfect place for you. Be patient and trust in me." Such an awesome God thing! I love my Jesus!!

The second positive thing was this photo:

 Jon, back in November, when we were looking into the church plant had a dream that he felt like was more of a vision. He couldn't really explain it other than he saw a field that had blueish purple flowers and yellow flowers. When we were in Jacksonville, there was a painting in the house that had blue and yellow on it and we were wondering if that was why he dreamed about it. But after that situation came to a close, we forgot about it. Then, tuesday night when we arrived in Grand Junction we went to a local coffee shop called Main Street Bagels downtown. On the wall I saw this photo. I instantly remember Jon's dream and later that night asked him if he saw this picture on the wall. He said no, and I couldn't believe that he missed it! haha.. such a man thing to do ;). I was determined to get back there so Jon could see it. I couldn't stop thinking about it and wanted to know if this looked more like what he had dreamed that night in November. So Saturday morning we went back to the coffee shop and I made him go look at it. He came back and smiled and said that it looked like what he had dreamed. :D
I feel like God gave us that dream way back in November to be a sign for us when we went to the place we would do our next journey in ministry. It all just felt very positive.

So with playing the waiting game again this week, I have had a lot of time to think things through and get more excited about this opportunity. I have reflected on what God is taught me through this past year in Omaha and what I shared in my testimony in GJ. I shared that my sin issue is control and that every where I turn God has been confronting me about that. It has been an amazing season of growth for me. But I used to be very controlling. I loved having control. Making sure everything went the exact way I wanted it to go. I believe my control issues occured in part because I am/was a PK (pastor's kid) and moved around a bit. In the time of moving and not being able to control when I moved or why I moved (all that based on my dad's calling into ministry) I have tried to control the small things. Doesn't sound so bad, but as I got older, it got worse. Over this last year, like I said, God has been nailing me with this and helping me get this under "control" haha. God has shown me how truly wonderful it feels to give up my feeling of having control and to truly surrender all of myself to him. This has all come down to my worry as well. When I finally decided to let God fully have control of me, I have been overwhelmed with this great sense of peace. I no longer worry and fret for days and let it eat at me, I now have a moment of panic, and then give it to God and prepare myself for what He is asking me to do. With giving God totally control of my life, I know longer feel out of control. I have a piece that God loves me and cares for me and is guiding me in the most amazing journey of my life!
This morning we sang Chris Tomlin's version of Amazing Grace (My Chain's Are Gone) and the chorus hit me in this amazed feeling. It goes: "My chain's are gone, I've been set free, My God, My Savior has ransomed me. And like a flood, his mercy reigns, unending love, amazing grace." I, i think for the first time in my life, felt free from my chain's of control. Yes I will have moments of struggle, but I understand God's grace for me and that He has saved me and that my chain's are gone and I am FREE!!

God is so Amazing :)