Our Journey to the east coast begins...

 

 

     It was a brand-new year, we had a new United States President and we were ready for untrodden and unbounded adventures! The year was 2001. The Lord had given us our 'open door' to move to the east coast and we were more than delighted. The only things standing in the way of Kit and I loading up all of our belongings and heading east was  the wisdom from God to know how many of our things to take with us as well as the financial provision for the trip. Were we to take everything that we owned and place it within a storage unit on the east coast or did we leave everything in storage in Arizona and come back in time and make our final move? During this time of waiting on God for His direction Kit and I forged on, living our lives as we knew them while staying in Phoenix. Kit worked on his web design business and I continued to go and take care of the twins as my boss so lovingly worked with us and our faith as we waited to make our  move. Our dilemma? We had provision for all of our monthly bills and needs but not a lot of extra money to make a move across the United States. (Kit and I do not use credit cards so that was not an option.) Our mind set? God would provide a large sum of money to bring forth the move in His perfect time. In the months of waiting for the provision we tried to keep focused and positive but at times felt a little frustrated. January was a great month filled with hope and excitement . We spent a lot of our free time going to the nearby Borders at the enchanting Biltmore Plaza, researching information as well as viewing beautiful photographs of Maryland,  Virginia and places of interest in the neighboring city of Washington DC. ( After all, these awe-inspiring places were going to be our new home.) While nestled in our cozy corner at this popular bookstore Cafe, we enjoyed many a lattes, cappuccinos, biscotti, chocolates and muffins as well as endless awesome books revealing the great bounty of the east coast. February arrived and we felt a little out of sorts. We were wondering what God was doing as we felt so ready to go and yet we were not feeling our move was assessable without the the extra income . I remember one late afternoon as I sought God in our little room in Phoenix as to WHEN He would have us to begin our travels.  (God always gives us what we need when we need it. I love that about Him.) He gave me a vision of our red Cherokee Jeep along side a wintry road with glistening snow and tall pine trees. It comforted me as I believed He was revealing to me that we would be going soon, (in the very present winter season.)

 

     March arrived! Spring was only 3 weeks away and we were still in Phoenix. We were now feeling a bit disheartened at this time but help was on the way! The Lord spoke to us loud and clear. It was a gorgeous sunny day and we met two of our best friends, Sharlene and Vince for Mexican food in Tempe Arizona. We were sitting outside enjoying fresh salsa and chips on the veranda of this charming eatery when our dear friend Sharlene began to speak a word from the Lord. Now understand that before she spoke out so boldly, we had all been discussing our dilemma of not having the extra provision to make this big move  nor the direction of how many of our things we should be taking. A little hesitant yet with a gentle strength, Sharlene began to speak to us what she felt the Lord was speaking to her spirit;

     "Kit, I really believe that the Lord is showing me in the spirit that you and Susan are to take action and are no longer to be in a place of waiting. The Lord is telling me to tell you Kit to 'Pick up your staff and GO'."

    Wow....we were startled. We wanted to go and had wanted to go for months. We had a mind set that was obviously incorrect as God was not going to give us the money we were expecting ahead of time . He wanted us to move in faith .We both had a witness in our spirits (and a great comfort) that what Sharlene was saying was 'right on'  and then, a sadness came over us all as we knew now we were saying goodbye to our dear friends as soon,  we would be on our way. We hugged and cried as Vince spoke the words;

     "I know this is our day of farewells as we will not see you again before you two head out to the east coast."

     His words were true as within days we were on our way. How did it happen? No ample amount of money was sent to us, (Though I do believe that God does and will work that way often times.) As Kit and I began acting on God's words, the money for each part of our move  as well as the wisdom appeared. Step one, we felt the Lord told us to take what we needed for the present time. He reminded us that we were staying in someone else's home and that we were given two rooms upstairs so we should take what we needed for the space we had been alotted. That meant renting a small trailer, (not the large truck) and taking our linens, comfy wing back chair, computer, TV, decorative items, etc. As we made this decision, the money came in for a small trailer. The next resolution to make was our hotel accommodations for our trip across the US. As soon as I began calling the motels and making reservations, the money came in for our lodging for each night of our trip as well as the provision for our gas and food. It was amazing and humbling to see God grant our every need as we began acting in faith  with His assurance in our hearts that He would make a way. (Where He guides...He provides!) The Lord came through with provision for every facet of our move across country. We packed our tiny trailer to the hilt...(Remember I love to decorate and have all of my 'stuff' around me.) We packed up our jeep as well, leaving some space for our baby, (our black lab named Patch), then hugged our new found family goodbye with plenty of tears, unbridled emotion and sadness.  In faith we then headed to our next destination, a small town in Maryland across the Potomac River from Virginia, the place God told us He was taking us to 6 months earlier.

      Thank you Lord for ALWAYS, ALWAYS showing up in  Your perfect timing! Thank you for your awesome provision, sense of humor and abundant grace.