Today starts our pre-adventure. This weekend we just "test" the waters of adventure and see how it goes - not that it's going to make any difference. It doesn't change anything. We're still committed to this big change in our lives. We just get a pre-run this weekend. So what's the "pre-adventure"?
Well, we've bought a 5th wheel that we can't pull ourselves. Troy just hates being dependant on anyone to do anything for him and he'd rather pull it himself. However, our half-ton truck won't pull this 37 ft loaded-to-the-gills RV. And rather than buy a smaller RV that we'll have to live in for the next 2 years that we can pull, we decided to buy the biggest one we could to be as comfortable as we can and just... accept help.
JR Clark kindly offered to pull our RV to Monahans, Texas for us. And... today's the day. It's about 500 miles to our new home away from home. That's a long trip all in one whack. So, we pray all goes well. We'll get everything set up and be back for the week then set out for the real thing next week sometime.
As I've been preparing for this big adjustment in our lives I've been doing a lot of thinking. (Troy says my mind never stops. He says sometimes I need to just shut my mind off. I said, "You can do that?!)
As I've been preparing for this big adjustment in our lives I've been doing a lot of thinking. (Troy says my mind never stops. He says sometimes I need to just shut my mind off. I said, "You can do that?!)
I love adventure. I love to experience new things, new places, new people (though I do not like to experience new food - I'm pretty boring in that department). Anyway, here we go on our new adventure - heading out to the rich oil fields of West Texas where there's dirt, cactus, rattlesnakes, no trees and little water. But where they say the sunsets and sunrises are the prettiest you'll ever see. (Probably because there's nothing blocking your view). But... at least we know where we're going.
Abraham in the Old Testament set out on a new adventure. Only he set out not knowing where he was going. God just told him to pack up and go and he went. Abraham obviously had an awful lot of faith in God. Abraham had faith that God would take care of him and his family, that He would continue to speak to him and not leave him out in the wilderness without giving him the next turn on his Holy Navigational System. God had spoken in such a way that Abraham was assured of the promise (of future generations), assured of the provision and assured that when it was all said and done, that God would show Himself faithful. (Read about Abraham's adventure in Genesis 12)
How could Abraham strike out into the great unknown like that? I think it's because Who he knew was much more important that what he knew. Abraham didn't have to know all the details of the adventure. He just had to know that God (Who created the earth and every living creature on it in wonderful, mind-boggling detail) had given him an assignment and set him on this new adventure.
That's why Abraham was considered a man of great faith. He didn't have to see the end before he began. He just had to know deep in his heart that God had really spoken to him and had told him to go. That was enough. Troy and I have drawn strength from that brave decision of Abraham's.
I'm a list maker and a fan of pros and cons (to some degree). But when making our decision for Troy to quit his job, for us to resign our church, buy an RV and move to Texas, my list of pros and cons really had no bearing on our decision. The list of pros and cons were helpful, I suppose, and comforting in some ways. But, when it all comes down to it - pros and cons matter about as much as a hill of beans. Why? Because God doesn't always work in pros and cons. God wants to know that you'll defy the pros and cons and just go because He said so. He wants to know that you really trust Him and that you'll put your faith in Him and obey the call to wherever He sends you and to whatever He asks you to do.
I'm not saying don't weigh the matter at hand - you should. I'm not saying don't look at pros and cons - they're helpful. I'm just saying that in the end the only thing that matters, the only real thing you can base your decision on is the answer to this question, "What did God say?". If God says go, that's enough. That's why Abraham could go without knowing where he was going. God said. And that's why we're loaded up in an RV leaving the Great State of Oklahoma to embark on an exciting adventure into the oilfields of West Texas. Because God said. And that's enough.
I would love for you to follow my blog. Feel free to leave a comment. Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings to you!
How could Abraham strike out into the great unknown like that? I think it's because Who he knew was much more important that what he knew. Abraham didn't have to know all the details of the adventure. He just had to know that God (Who created the earth and every living creature on it in wonderful, mind-boggling detail) had given him an assignment and set him on this new adventure.
That's why Abraham was considered a man of great faith. He didn't have to see the end before he began. He just had to know deep in his heart that God had really spoken to him and had told him to go. That was enough. Troy and I have drawn strength from that brave decision of Abraham's.
I'm a list maker and a fan of pros and cons (to some degree). But when making our decision for Troy to quit his job, for us to resign our church, buy an RV and move to Texas, my list of pros and cons really had no bearing on our decision. The list of pros and cons were helpful, I suppose, and comforting in some ways. But, when it all comes down to it - pros and cons matter about as much as a hill of beans. Why? Because God doesn't always work in pros and cons. God wants to know that you'll defy the pros and cons and just go because He said so. He wants to know that you really trust Him and that you'll put your faith in Him and obey the call to wherever He sends you and to whatever He asks you to do.
I'm not saying don't weigh the matter at hand - you should. I'm not saying don't look at pros and cons - they're helpful. I'm just saying that in the end the only thing that matters, the only real thing you can base your decision on is the answer to this question, "What did God say?". If God says go, that's enough. That's why Abraham could go without knowing where he was going. God said. And that's why we're loaded up in an RV leaving the Great State of Oklahoma to embark on an exciting adventure into the oilfields of West Texas. Because God said. And that's enough.
I would love for you to follow my blog. Feel free to leave a comment. Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings to you!
