Moving Forward...

"Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in Him, because we trust in His holy name. Let Your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in You." Psalm 33:20-22

Thank you all for your patience in hearing from me! I planned to update after my visit to Tampa but became sick the day after I got home. I was able to return to work this last week and am definitely feeling more normal today. How was my trip? Beautiful, confusing, and overwhelming all at the same time! I had the privilege of sitting down with each member of the team during my stay, and hearing their hearts was so enlightening even if I didn't finish processing these conversations until I was home and sick on my couch. This non-processing was the overwhelming element of the trip. However, I thoroughly enjoyed spending time in fellowship with the Perrys and Tuckers, especially during missional community (Bible study and accountability) and Abigail's birthday party. That was definitely a treat. :) I also had the opportunity to spend a day driving around Tampa by myself, and--surprise--I didn't get lost once! I can definitely see myself living in Tampa with its beautiful bay and eclectic neighborhoods; Davis Islands was a particular favorite, and I was even encouraged by the people that struck up a conversation with me in Panera and a local coffee shop. So, all in all, I would say that it was a good trip.

"And where does that leave you?" you might ask. Well,...
*This coming week will be my last at InQuest Ministries. I will be frantically attempting to finish writing a step-by-step manual of how to do my job (as I was unable to finish training Ronda because I got sick). During the evenings, this week I will be seeing a couple friends, helping Pregnancy Support Services move to their new office, going to small group, running errands and paying bills, and job hunting.
*For all of next week (August 8-15), I will be volunteering at South Mountain Baptist Camp, spending time with my immediate family, seeing extended family, and saying goodbyes to friends there. I will be at Burkemont on Sunday, August 9th.
*During the week of August 16-23, I will be back in Wake Forest job hunting, packing up my apartment, and sayings goodbyes. On Sunday, August 16th, I will worship at Faith. I'll be back at small group on August 20th and at North Wake on August 23rd.
*For the week of August 24th, I will be moving.... I'm just not sure where yet. If I have a job in Tampa, I'll be headed down there. If I don't have a job, I will either be moving in with the Newmans or my parents, as both families have graciously offered me a place to lay my head until I do find a job and can move to Florida.

With all this in mind, I quoted Psalm 33:20-22 at the beginning of this post, and I pray that it would be the attitude of my heart as I pray for the team, the other core group families, and myself. In the midst of moving forward without definite plans, I pray that we would truly wait on the Lord. I am so prone either to make a plan and complete it without resting in God's provision or to become anxious and do nothing. I pray that we would remember Who it is we serve and trust Him as our help and our shield. I pray that our hearts would not be anxious or full of man-made plans but glad in Him as we choose to trust in His name. And I pray that His steadfast love would be over all of us as we hope in Him and in what only He can do!

Finally, I wanted to say that I have been so grateful for each note and e-mail you've sent as well as the many prayers you have lifted up on my behalf. During this next month, I covet your prayers for the following:

1-My heart. As I mentioned above, I am struggling with choosing not to be anxious, discouraged, or consumed by these preparations. Please pray that I would trust God's timing and provision, seek Him at every turn, and submit to whatever He has planned.

2-A Job. As I will be living on savings from August 8th on, please pray that God would quickly provide a job in Tampa which will be strategic for the Kingdom and provide for my needs in the city. I was able to apply for a position with one of the universities yesterday; this job opportunity is especially exciting to me. Please pray for favor with the human resources staff if this would be God's will. Please also pray for discernment as I seek out other job possibilities and carve out the time to apply for them.

3-Provision of a van/truck. Although I have made plans to sell some of my larger possessions, the use of a van or truck to transport my belongings to Tampa would be such a blessing. My family and I plan to use our cars currently unless something else becomes available as the cost of renting a vehicle would outweigh the value of the items we are moving.

4-Provision of $900. Being sick and out of work this month paired with several unexpected costs (like the replacement of my glasses) leaves me short this amount for moving expenses, the first month's rent, etc. Please pray that God would provide for these expenses before I begin the official transition.

Thank you each for your prayers and support. I will try to keep you updated in a more timely manner as the month progresses!