Over the last 6 months it has become very clear to Luke and I that God is ready to move us from one desert to another.  

After 12 years in Yakima, we will be moving to Tucson to plant a church.  We don't have a lot of answers (but a lot of questions) on exactly what this means for us or what the exact timeline will be, but we feel peace that God is in this and knows what is best for our family.  

Early on in the process God put Galatians 1:10 on my heart this has stayed with me over the past few months as we prayed and tried to decide if this is really what God would have us do.

"For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God?  Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."   Galatians 1:10 NASB

I believe that obedience to God and whatever He calls you to do is important.  I teach this to my children and encourage other women in my life to follow wherever He leads, but in May of this year I was faced with this question myself.  Would I obey God and go wherever He leads?  Am I really a servant of Christ ready to please God through an act of obedience and let Him really have control?

As I was searching my own heart and trying to determine what this really meant for our family, God led me to read a lot about calling and I gained a better understanding of what it means to be called.  God called Luke to ministry in 2004.  God called Luke to be a lead pastor in 2008.  Would God really call us to Tucson to plant a church? Is God really calling me to be a part of this?  Is God calling us to do this now or later?  

"A call is a profound impression from God that establishes parameters for your life and can be altered only by a subsequent, superseding impression from God."
Call as defined by Jeff Iorg in "Is God Calling Me"

"A strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence."  Calling as defined by Merriam-Websters dictionary.

These are great definitions that make perfect sense in our situation.  A call is when God provides direction on what you should do with your life and the only decision that will bring peace is obedience.  The decision may not make sense to family and friends, but it is truly the only decision we can see ourselves making.  There is definitely an "impression of God" or a "conviction of divine influence" that is active in our lives with many things over the last 6 months pointing us to Tucson.  I can not explain enough the peace of God that we have in moving forward with our move to Tucson.

Taking this step of obedience is out of my comfort zone.  I like to plan, I like to know the future, I like to be in control.  This is truly a time in my life where I see that daily I am giving up control to God and following wherever He leads.  It is a daily decision to trust in God and His ways not my own. 

"Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning;.For I trust in You; Teach me the way I should walk: For to You I lift up my soul."  Psalm 143:8 NASB

As for timing, God clearly has put it on our hearts to do this now.  As I found myself making excuses, God would change my heart. I have grown so much in my faith already in just making the decision that we are not waiting for all the answers before we say yes.  We are saying yes, we will go, wherever God calls.  Our house is for sale and as soon as the house sells or God provides a different way, we are packing up to make the move to Tucson. 

I look forward to sharing and partnering with many of you as we take this step of obedience and our biggest leap of faith yet!