The Story of Us: The Next Chapter

For a long time now, I have not updated "The Story of Us".

For those of you who have read my blog for a long time will know that I created this ongoing story to show where we have come from, and also where we are headed.

If you would like a refresher, simply go to the side bar titled "Labels" and click on "The Story of Us".

Interestingly enough, I re-read the last update in this series and here is what it says at the end...

"Now almost 4 years later, I really enjoy the small town life and can hardly imagine living in "the big city" again. John enjoys his job (most of the time) and is currently dreaming about what road to take in his career. There are many options available, but we will just pray and wait and see what God has in store for us next."

So what is in store for us next?

I am just finishing up my first semester of distance classes through the U of R and have signed up for 3 more classes for the upcoming Winter 2010 semester. I am exhausted from all of the MANY hours of studying that I have done this week, but it will be a great feeling of accomplishment and rest shortly.

I have also found a great certificate program to combine with my desired Bachelor's of Social Work. The certificate program is for "Child and Family Studies", both levels I and II.

This will be a great way to implement any elective classes that I need to take with my degree. CFST Level I requires 5 classes and CFST II requires 10. At the end of the Winter semester I will have 4 of the 10 classes needed for the Level II certificate.

I'm not exactly sure how I will be using my degree in the end. After all, that is still 5-6 years away. But I am excited about gaining these two certificates as well as my degree, when I am finished school.

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God is also telling us that it is nearing the time to move.

I was not expecting this, although this spring we will have been here for the expected amount of time for this detachment posting.

However there are several factors here that lead us to believe that we would not be moving in the next year, thus extending our stay here.

Last week John got an email regarding a "transfer planning document". It was quite a shock for both of us. I must say that I struggled greatly with it at first.

I like to plan ahead. I like to be prepared. I like to know what is going to happen next.

This felt like getting slapped in the face. It sure woke me up to the cold reality of actually having to move and say goodbye and all that stuff.

Yet in typical God style, He showed me that it will all be okay.

2 nights after John came home with that news I was reading in my devotional book.

Now I have to confess that I am not very faithful with spending time with my bible lately. Life has just felt too busy with school and everything that I just don't do devotions as often as I should, or would like.

I'm actually going through the book "Live Relationally", which I reviewed several months ago. If I had read this daily like I planned, then I wouldn't have heard the message that was clearly written JUST for me.

Seriously. It felt like it was hand written by God.

To Jenn.

Had I read it 4 days earlier I wouldn't have gotten it.

Or 4 months later. It wouldn't have had the same impact.

Here's what I read...

"Noah lived in a world that was crashing in around him. And God had a solution: 'It's time to move."

Whoah....

Wait it gets better....

"Have you ever felt like that? Has God ever interrupted your plans by uprooting you from your cozy nest only to drop you into unchartered waters? Let's face it, no woman looks forward tothe day her husband comes home and says, 'The boss says it's time to move."

See what I mean about hand written?

The lesson in this story was all the ark. It had no navigational system whatsoever. Noah had zero control over where they would end up. He just had to trust God. Completely trust God.

Gulp.

Yep. So that's where things are at. I had to take a complete 180 degree turnaround to see that maybe this wouldn't be all bad.

Afterall I wasn't so sure about this place in the beginning. And I ended up making some of the most dearest friends of my life. God knew that we would need each other for the current chapters in our lives.

And I expect that we will remain friends forever.

I am so thankful for them!

We still have lots of questions, and we aren't completely sure where we will be moving yet. One of the biggest kickers is the housing costs everywhere else in the world but here! Most likely we will have to double or *gulp* triple our current mortgage.

I know, I know....I have to completely trust that it will all work out.

Let's just say that process is going to take a while!