Keep on the Sunnyside of Life

Have you ever had a calling from God that tells you to go somewhere you would have never dreamed of going? My husband and I like to call this a Moses moment. God calls you, you say, "nuh uh...send someone else". But then God gives you exactly what you need to get the job done, including the heart and desire for it.

Our family is uprooting from Bellingham, WA to Sunnyside, WA. This is our last week here in Bellingham. This has been our home for almost 11 years. We've built a community and have so much love in and for this little town. But God wants to spread our wings and fly to Sunnyside where my hubby will be Senior Pastor for a lovely little church.

This calling started by a conversation over coffee with our Church of God regional representative about 8 months ago. We were sitting in our local Starbucks discussing possibilities for ministry when he said, "I have two places in mind that I think you would be perfect fits for, Sunnyside and SE Oregon." Both of which we politely said thanks but no thanks to. We'd like to stay west coastal if possible. Then about three months ago my husband received an e-mail from him asking, once again, to prayerfully consider Sunnyside. Hubby and I asked eachother if we felt called and both of us agreed, "no". However, it was on our hearts for a couple of nights. I finally took the liberty of saying to hubby that it wouldn't hurt to apply for the position...after all it seems like the subtle promptings and timing were from God. See the way God works in our lives is he waits until the last minute. Not His last minute, but ours. Hubby's current Americorps position was up last Wednesday and we could not make ends meet without that income. Hubby was applying for positions he was more than qualified for and wasn't even getting calls back. We had faith that God had something in mind. Hubby went through the interview process and after all my nails were gone from all the biting and was finally affirmed.

During the three months of waiting my heart grew for this new community. What once was a "thanks but no thanks" moment, is now a "yes please!" I am so super excited to see what God can do in this community. Although I am going to dearly miss my loved ones here. I know the foundation we have built here in Bellingham will stay strong. It was built on rock, not sand.

Today was more than liekly my last day at our home church, my last service project Sunday, my last Candy Walk here in Bellingham. It is bitter sweet for sure but, as Arnold would put it, "I'll be baack" for visits.