We’re on the move again!
We have lived on the east coast for three years and sensing our time here in the DC area was concluding, we’ve been praying for God’s direction.
Upon the recent death of Yvonne’s stepmom and including months of Yvonne flying back and forth across the nation to attend to her father and other family matters, we knew we should return to the west coast to be closer to her family.
In the midst of preparing to move we have learned some spiritual nuggets we want to pass along to you.
WHERE WE ARE GOING
When it became patently clear to us we were to return to California we both got excited because we believed we were going back “home.” When we were transplanted three years ago to Northern Virginia just outside DC we moved to a beautiful part of our country plus with wonderful people, but we always sensed ‘somewhere else’ was home. It’s the same way for us as Christians. This planet is our temporary home. We are on a temporary earth visa here as we are truly citizens of Heaven (Phil 3:20). That’s where we will finally feel we are home. Our question to you is – how much time do you spend thinking about your true home? Do you have an excitement about Heaven or is it just a place you rarely give any thought to? Be honest.
We realized the way we view Heaven is going to affect how we deal with people each day – how we handle our time – how we handle our finances – how we make daily decisions.
EXAMPLE – SELLING OUR HOUSE
Our original plan was to place our house on the market in late September or early October with a probable move in late November or early December. That was our plan, but as we soon found out God had better plans. (Doesn’t He always?)
A Realtor friend of ours knew a Realtor friend of his who had a client who liked our neighborhood and our type of house and wanted to see it. We said it wasn’t for sale yet but it would be okay for her to look at it and then when we put it on the market she could put in a first offer. She came over, went through our house, and left, BUT, later that evening our Realtor friend called and said, “You won’t believe this but that lady, knowing your house isn’t on the market yet is nonetheless faxing a contract offer.” Our reply was, “Well it’s too soon. Our house isn’t for sale at this time.” God obviously had a different time plan for returning us to California than we had, for the offer was higher than what we were going to place on the market and ALL contingencies were waived. As the classic Mafia slogan goes – an offer we couldn’t refuse. We always get excited when we see God work in the details of our lives. Don’t you, too?
Now there is another decision to make – what to do with the funds from our house sale? The way we view Heaven affects this decision. At one time we would have spent all of the money to meet our needs. Instead a portion of those funds will be used to give to mission ministries we support – because we have learned that investment in things that will live on in God’s Name is the only thing that gives eternal dividends.
It was also great to see how God answered our prayer at the beginning of the year for extra work so we could have extra funds to donate. Well, we didn’t get extra work. In fact this year was beginning to look like we could barely have enough funds to pay our bills. Little did we know that God would provide the extra funds through the sale of our house. He is awesome!
Is this what you believe in, too – that investments in eternity brings eternal dividends? Do you act upon that? If you do believe but haven’t acted upon it we suggest starting today. It’s not too late. You don’t want to live a life of regrets in this area – “I could have….I should have….If only I……”
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO TAKE?
The same moving company that brought us back east is handling our move again (Gordon Movers of Laguna Hills, Calif. Randy Gordon is a member of the Saddleback Valley Community Church in Orange County).
That company will be transporting all our “stuff” – you know – everything you own that you ‘just can’t live without.’ Yeah. Right. Moving one’s entire household across the USA is costly, even though Randy’s ‘bid’ was by far the best of three other moving companies. Nonetheless, when we were told the cost of such a big move that’s when reality set in and we realized we had waaayyyy too much “stuff.” In further review we recognized there was a lot of “stuff” we could live without.
So for the last month we’ve been unloading “stuff” – from bags of shredded paper – books – furniture – and items in our garage that weren’t even unwrapped from our last move. As the closets were looking less crammed and cluttered we were starting to feel a weight come off our shoulders. We didn’t feel so burdened with “stuff.” What a freeing feeling.
We realized that just as we cleaned our physical house, we need to periodically clean our emotional and spiritual house of “stuff” that weighs us down such as guilt, unforgiveness, worry, anger. These can feel like a heavy weight on our shoulders – on our heart – on our soul. Jesus said in Matthew 11:30 (Message), “Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Jesus can release us from all that weighs us down.
What is weighing you down that needs to be released? Just bring it to Him in prayer so it can be buried at the foot of the Cross. He will free you and give you a clean heart and mind so you will be better able to serve Him. Consider doing it in the next 24-hours. No longer!
HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THERE?
Before we get to our destination – California – there are lots of details to attend to that will impact the outcome of our trip. Things like forwarding mail, planning the route we take for our cross-country drive, canceling utilities, and a zillion other details. This makes us plan as to how it’ll all be accomplished.
Going back to the thought that Heaven is our true home, we realized that we had to ask ourselves the question – “Are we spending time on getting prepared for our eternal home or are we too caught up in the here and now?”
That fact influences the time we spend with the Lord now. In our Heaven home we will be spending eternity with the Lord, and we don’t want to get there and realize we wasted years not developing a close, intimate relationship with the very One we are going to spend eternity with. We need a plan and how to work the plan as to how we go about building that intimate relationship with Him now.
It will also influence what we do for the Lord while we are in our “temporary residence with our temporary earth visa.” Because what we do now for Him will determine the rewards He promises to give His faithful servants, and also what we will be trusted with to do in our eternal home. Are we taking advantage of all the “God opportunities” that are before us each day? It could be the postal carrier who drops a package at your door we can give a friendly greeting to – or the person you’re sitting next to on the metro/subway who needs an encouraging word – or the single parent who could be greatly helped when you take their child on a fun outing – or maybe a coworker who needs your prayers. You know where we’re going with this.
Have a plan to see and then act upon those opportunities. Every morning we pray, “Lord, what do you want us to do today? Let us meet who You want us to meet. Show us what You want us to say. Guide our steps, direct our thoughts and bring everything under your control.”
OUR LAST EARTHLY BREATH
If you have assurance you’ll be in heaven after your last earthly breath, we look forward to seeing you there if we don’t see you anymore on earth. If you do NOT have assurance you’ll spend eternity in God’s Kingdom, we encourage you to carefully read what’s on this link – www.billygraham.org/SH_stepstopeace.asp.
LIFE COACHES
We will be continuing our part-time national speaking on marriage and family as well as in January we’ll be available to serve as Life Coaches. Details on the latter will be in our November newsletter, along with our new contact information (our Email address will remain the same). But we are also ‘excited’ to see what else the Lord has planned for us beyond our current vision, after we land in the Golden State. We thank you for your prayers on our behalf as in a couple of weeks we start our drive across the fruited plain.
OUR OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER ENGAGEMENTS
BTW, our last two speaking
engagements for this year will both be in Pennsylvania. One in Richboro the weekend of October 22-23 at the Addisville Reformed Church (215/357-4277, Doug Dwyer) and the other in New London on November 7th at the New London Presbyterian Church (610/869-2140, Mike Atkins). If you live in or around those towns come join us. Call Doug and Mike for further information.
Thank you for reading this newsletter and
for letting the Lord speak through it to you. Whatever He has placed in your mind and heart, as the Nike slogan goes –
Just Do It
.
May our Lord continue to
bless and guide your every day.