Monday, December 14, 2009

A year and many sunsets later...






Almost a year ago my girls and I left Georgia to meet Gene in our new home in New Jersey... having absolutely no idea what a future there would hold. If you haven't read the post, which in many ways shared our heart and emotions- I invite you do to so...An Invitation.
Even as I write now- a few tears are welling up- but they are not tears of sadness- they are tears of thankfulness to the One and only Jesus that has brought us through the valley and has not only moved mountains- but has flattened some of them!

If you pray- Lord lead me, I will follow...you better mean it!!!! I can AMEN to that. But I will share that if you will follow Him- there is no sweeter thing than being led by the One who created you, died for your sins and loves you with an everlasting love.
One of the reasons it was so hard to leave Georgia- was leaving the relationships that we developed while we were there. We were already missing all of our NC family & friends!!! And now- we had a double portion of God Knit relationships in Georgia! I thank God for all of our family in Georgia & NC -we can't wait to see you all again soon.

And one more, not so talked about reason- that I have not shared with many until now- was what we experienced when we arrived in NJ- our "home", was located on a turnpike, across from a major toll station and right across from a row of seedy motels(pictured above) that house/d prostitutes and drug addicts and their customers. Within feet from our front door,bodies from a quadruple, execution style murder had been discovered 2 years prior and they still have not found the killer. When your neighborhood appears on 48 hours that is a clue...

Every day was a choice. I could either- choose to live in His presence or be bitter, mad and choose to be miserable and full of fear.

Thankfully, with His help- I chose to live in His joy. Many days I could not be governed by my emotions. The Word is our filter! Not our amygdala...nother post, nother day.

Even NJ folks, policeman, friends, teachers, store clerks, would find out where we were living and share concern (all but our realtor- and in her defense, she lived right down the road and seriously loves the area).

Not even safe to go outside. My husband was propositioned, by a prostitute in our yard. Semi-automatic gun fire woke up Gene one night...I could go on and on...

The point is- number one- I was not going to live in fear. God does not give us a spirit of fear- and anything that instills fear is NOT FROM HIM! So that was a real, first hand lesson learned right there.
And- point number two- I learned to go beyond my feelings and choose JOY!!!! Our back view was the bay and each day held a gorgeous sunset (pictured above). I would watch those sunsets and think about how the Lord had "set" His Son on the cross for you and for me. A beautiful Son-set reminder. It got me through many a day. Focusing on His goodness. The girls and I got through a season mainly hold up in our town-home- but we shared many sweet memories.
Point three-cause there are always three points, I learned to have a heart for those women who are tangled up in prostitution- some of them by no choice of there own. I was made aware of a very real problem in our country. Sex slaves filtered in from overseas, to New York- right into Atlantic City.
Now I am thanking the Lord for a new home in a neighborhood!!!!!!!!!! Yea!!! With a yard!!!!!! But I am also thanking Him for the lessons learned in that townhome.
We have discovered that Jesus is everywhere and we can trust Him to grow us wherever He leads us! We have found an AWESOME body of Christ up here in New Jersey!!! God always exceeds what we could dare to imagine. Looking back over the past year- I can see clearly His hand in our journey. The road was dotted with some painful moments...but I know God heard our prayers and He has not stopped working in us.

I think back to when we first got to NJ, see ( This is Not What I ordered) I was breaking- but Jesus was, makin' His vessel stronger! We are living for His glory!
If you have a mountain in front of you- please remember that Jesus Christ is a mountain mover(Matt 17:20, Matt 21:21, Mark 11:23)!!! He has the power to flatten mountains as well!!! You shout GRACE, GRACE (Zec4:7)and count on His power, not your own and you will be blessed. That is His promise.