Moving to Chicago part 3

Wow. That's all I can say.

We will be moving to Chicago (Crystal Lake, Illinois) in a week from Monday. It's happening. It's here.


I can't even blog coherently about this.


We sold our house. It went on the market on a Sunday. We got an offer that evening. We countered and they rejected. Then three other people came in and made offers. In the end, we got our asking price. Thank You Lord. It might have been the most painless part of the whole process. For me at least. Our realtor, Ray Ellen (I'm just gonna say his name so that if you need a real estate agent in Central Arkansas you can call him), did an awesome job.

God is merciful. Really, He is. This whole process of picking up and moving… not the funnest process. I've had moments of wanting to melt into a puddle of tears, but in His goodness, God has given us some incredible gifts during this time. Staying at my in-laws: sweet fellowship with them plus a clean house to pack up in the afternoons. My parents who have taken the kids overnight several times just to give us a break from the chaos. Friends who have watched the kids on different mornings. I'm learning what it means to ask of others and not cower in shame.

We are still waiting on a job for Ben. Honestly, I just am not worried. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills and He tells us not to worry. Ben is an awesome worker, he's not lazy. I know that as soon as we get to Chicago he will begin looking really hard for a job.

He did have an opportunity with Verizon and that was encouraging. He had a phone interview and then flew up for a face to face interview. Then we waited to hear back. And we waited … and waited. Finally, this week he got a response that was almost, practically a "no" but encouraged him to apply for other jobs within the company and they would send on his resume.

It was a true let down. I mean, after all that time Ben and I were not feeling good feelings like he would get it, but still to have it sort of there, I think that was hard, especially for Ben. But he handled it like a champ and he had a good heart to heart with the Lord because of it.

One thing I know about this WHOLE process of receiving the call, praying through it, seeking counsel, saying yes to the Lord, and picking up and moving, Ben and I have been more challenged in our faith to truly believe that we are in His hands than ever before. This has led to a crazy intimacy with God and with each other. It's put some grit in our faith. Singing the songs on Sunday morning: "We won't move without You, You're the light of all, and all that we need" "I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back" "I know who goes before me, I know who stands behind, the God of angel armies is always by my side" … those lyrics now hold a weight to them.

Sometimes I feel like God is calling us to Chicago just to change us.

Lord, let us be malleable clay in Your hand. Let us testify to Your faithfulness and Your goodness. That's why we're doing all this stuff. It's because You are faithful. You have so transformed us and changed our lives and made us new from who we were, that we can't help but give our lives to You.