The Call

I promised last week to tell you about something God is doing in our lives that has brought on an myriad of emotions for my family.

Two weeks ago now, I was cleaning house -- probably dusting as that is one of my usual Wednesday chores-- when my husband calls me and says," Guess what?". Now, this was not a happy guess what - as in guess what, we just won a trip to Bermuda. No, it was more of a unhappy guess what - as in guess what, I just got a speeding ticket.
So, I say "What?"
He says, " I just got the call"
Since this call came totally out of the blue, I had no idea what he was talking about. But, here is what the call was about.
It was a call from our district superintendent to tell us that we would be moving this year.

Now I know that a lot of you out there aren't United Methodist clergy as we are, so let me explain just a little bit about how this all happens.
In the Methodist church, pastor's are on an 'itinerant system'. Pastors are appointed to a church in their specific conference (ours being Western North Carolina).. We have been appointed to the church we are serving now for the past two years. When a church or a pastor feels that a new appointment is warranted, they let the district superintendent know and they go on what is commonly called "the move list". Then the cabinet, which is made up of the district superintendents and a Bishop, meets and decide (based on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I believe) where each person on this list should to appointed.
They do their best not to move people who are not on "the move list", but sometimes something happens and they have to begin calling people who aren't planning to move and having them move. This is what happened to us.
Note: If any of you reading this are Methodist and have more to add about the moving process (or corrections if I've made a mistake), please feel free!

So, over the past two weeks we have felt lots of different emotions.

**Shock, that after only two years (contrary to popular belief - Methodists don't necessarily move every 4 years....) in this place that we are to be moving on.

** Sad, that we are leaving people we've come to know and love.

**Excited, for the new place that we are going. A new place to be in ministry for God.

**Anxious, about all of the things we need to accomplish since we move in only 8 weeks.

And probably a million other emotions that I haven't even gotten to yet.

I think the thing I am most excited about is that I know that this move is what God wants. After all the learning I've done in the past year about trusting HIM fully, I do believe that this is His will. I know there are those who are very skeptical of that out there, but for me - to not trust isn't an option. He is sovereign. He is guiding and leading us all. His will WILL be done. It is easy to get bogged down in the what ifs?
What if the Cabinet has made a mistake?
What if we aren't supposed to move?
But, I know that in Romans it says that ALL things - -not some things or sometimes or once in a while-- work together for the good of those who are called according to HIS purpose.
We have to trust God and believe that he is sovereign over all.

I also believe that my husband was called by God to be a Methodist minister and because of that call we will go where he sends us -- without complaint about time or how inconvenient it is right now.

To all you sweet folks who are in our church and are hurting over this news, please know that we hurt right along with you. And that we love each of you dearly. We will miss you dearly. But, we must go where God is leading us. And we trust that it is HE who is doing the leading.
I hope you can, too!

Everyone else out there, please pray for all of us in the next two months. There is lots to do and lots to prepare for. I appreciate your prayers!