The Roundabout Way to Get a Dog.

"At the Lord's command they encamped, and at the Lord's command they set out. They obeyed the Lord's order, in accordance with his command through Moses." Numbers 9:23

A little while back, my husband and I were contemplating some serious changes for our family. We believed God was leading us to move into a new area in order to bring hope and light there. Things were moving right along and everything was falling into place. 

And then it stopped. 

The dog I swore I'd never get.

What I wouldn't give for a pillar of fire at this time! What happened? Did we do something wrong? Was this all just an exercise in obedience?  We're we wrong about where we thought the Lord was leading us? Perhaps it was just to get me to agree to get another dog. 

The truth is, I have no idea why we had to go through what we did. Maybe I'll know why in a month or a few years, but right now I'm left to wonder. However, as much as there is that I don't understand about this season, I feel there is one lesson that I've taken away already: Be happy to be where you are; you can be a light right here, right now. OK, well that is sort of two lessons, but whatever. :O)

I was rather content in our current location until the thoughts of moving into a much larger, newly remodeled historical home started being thrown around like candy at a parade. Each bite I took was sweeter than the last and before I knew it, I had tired of the home God had blessed us with not that long ago. Suddenly, this 3 bedroom bungalow was suffocating our 6 person family and we simply had to get out. Here's where we (my husband and I both) veered off course. In our minds, our goals had shifted. It was a very slow and gradual shift. So slow that we didn't really notice it until after all the hullabaloo died down. As much as we tried to keep our eyes set on the Lord's will, we were blinded, at least in part, by greed. The desire to "move on up" much sooner than we'd ever thought possible started overshadowing our desire to be the light of Jesus in a dark place. We still wanted to serve the Lord there and we sought Him through prayer and council the entire time (and still are), but we ended up feeling as though there was a point where we were more concerned about the house itself above all other things.

Now that this train has slowed to a stop, at least for the moment, and now that the excitement has died down, I can see clearly again. I love this house as much as I did the first day I saw it, despite the fact that most would say it's a bit too small for us now. Also, surprisingly enough for those that know me, I love that mutt pictured above. (Former die-hard cat person right here.) Do I think this means that God won't ask us to try to trust him with a big move again in the future? Only God knows! I'm trying not to focus on that. What I am trying to focus on is what He wants us to be doing in the time He has allotted for us here. Clearly we're not done. 

Not everything God calls us to do is going to be as exciting as a big change in location or as "glamorous" as being "that family" who did "that crazy thing for God". It's been my experience that more often than not, God calls us to work behind the scenes, in the dirt, in our own backyard, when no one else is paying any attention. There is so much suffering and need right here, right underneath our noses. We can shine just as brightly here as we can anywhere because our light is The Lord, and He is everywhere.

How are you a light in your community and/or surrounding areas? Where has God lead you to lead others? I'd love to hear about it! Comment below and let me know!