Standing on  the step-ladder with wallpaper stretched above my head the Lord spoke clearly. “You’re going to sell this house.”

Stopping in the middle of my project, with gooey wall paper suspended above my head, I simply replied, “Okay.” That was the beginning of a journey that would prove to be exhilarating, fearful, suspense filled, and frustrating as well as an adventure I would not want to do again.

“The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” Gen. 12:1

Looking back at my experience I feel like I might be able to relate to Abraham. At least be able to empathize with him. Maybe he had the same feelings as I did. Maybe not. But to suddenly be told I’m going to leave my long time home, my comfort zone, my church family and friends, to go where the Lord leads me, without knowing where exactly that is, can be quite scary and exciting.

Abraham did go. “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go…And he went out, not knowing  where he was going.” Heb. 11:8

Boy can I relate to that! He packed up his tent and his belongs and followed where the Lord led him. How can someone do that!? How could I step down off that step-ladder and say, “Okay Lord. Where we going?” only to hear, “You’ll see.”  Abraham packed up everything he owned to follow wherever the Lord led him. I don’t know if his friends said, “Are you nuts!?” A couple of mine did. But Abraham trusted God to lead him, supply what he needed on the road, and take care of him when he got there. He followed the Lord because of his faith in the Almighty.

“And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” Gen. 15:6

Now don’t get me wrong here, I am no Abraham! I don’t even come close to this giant of a man in scriptures.  I never was told to stand over my child with a huge knife raised high in the air to be thrust through an innocent heart (Gen 22:1-19) and praise be to God I didn’t have to walk whatever distance to the destination where I would settle until the Lord said, “Start packing” again.

  But I did the same thing! I packed up my belongings not knowing where I was being sent or what I was going to do when I got there or why the Lord was sending me there. I was trusting God through faith. Okay, I confess, I had some fears mixed with bouts of excitement. The “what if’s,” the, “am I hearing right?” the “but what about…?” came and on occasion I told the Lord I thought He might have some mental problems that needs to be looked into. But I went!

I don’t know if Abraham’s faith was stretched to the breaking point or not. I doubt that it was, being who Abraham was, but mine sure was. The long days on the road, the  constant questioning of the Lord, the tiny town situated out in the middle of a vast desert.

Isn’t there some scriptures that talk about growing in the Lord in the desert?

Oh, it wasn’t the deserts of Arizona, where the high temperatures sear your lungs. To me that would have been a blessing. At least they had cactus. The Lord knows I hate being cold! The Lord knows I have never lived in cold country, where when the temperature rose above 0 I thought it was a heat wave. The Lord knows I’ve never used a snow blower or have ever even seen one. The Lord knew He had to extradite me out of my comfort zone to be able to teach me to really trust Him and to expel the stubborn self-sufficient and independent attitude I had.

Boy did He place me in the right place! I knew not another soul, I do not like living in tiny towns with the gossip flying about like flies at a picnic. I like having doctors, hospitals, and medical help near by, and I like grocery stores that offer a wide variety of products. I especially like warm weather where I can wear shorts and light tops, not climates that require  three layers of warm clothes that still leave me shivering from head to foot. In other words, I like having my church family close by to encourage me, I like having friends stop by for a chat, and I admit I’m a warm weather loving urbanite! Georgia suits me just fine, thank you very much.

The eighteen months of continually crying, questioning, and having temper tantrums that would make a three year old look like an angel was taking its toll. Slowly His lessons were getting through and my trust was building, my independence was flying out the window, and when He finally said “Start packing” He didn’t have to tell me twice.

When I left that town the Lord had armed me with new confidence. Confidence in Him. He showed me (boy howdy did He ever!) that I am not the self-sufficient independent woman I thought I was. He showed me that I am absolutely nothing without Him. When I left that town I had far less questions, fewer doubts, and as I headed to the next “land I will show you” I did it with a deep-seeded confidence that whatever the Lord God calls me to do He is with me every step of the way, regardless of whether it’s a desert or the mountain top.

My advice to those of you who are ever so comfortable in your walk with our Lord, don’t let that arrogant spirit fool you.

You may end up in Wyoming!

~~~~~

“The pride of man will be humbled

And the loftiness of men will be abased;

And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day…,”

Is. 2:17

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Blessings to you.