"Moving" Out in Faith



Vintage Panoramic of Italy on Metal by ArtHouseGraffiti



Recently, my family made a huge life change.  My husband who is a military member was transferred overseas and we were able to accompany him.  As of June, my husband, my son, and I are now in Italy.  Beautiful, amazing, yet completely terrifying!  Think of living completely away from all you are familiar with for as many as three years.  I wanted to go, I was happy to go, but actually going has been a very hard experience.  Transition is not always an easy thing. 

"Oh Poor Baby"

Before we left our home in Gulfport, Mississippi, I cannot tell you how many people responded to our news with sarcasm as thick as molasses with the phrase "oh poor baby, a transfer to Italy!"  At the time, I agreed.  How could I ever complain about having to rent out our house, deal with the pressures of packing, and the sleepless nights that go with so much change?  After all we were moving to Italy!  With the stress and the pressures from moving, I kept telling myself that no matter what happened it would all be worth it when I got to Italy and everything calmed down.  However, no matter how exotic the location, no matter how beautiful the terrain, or how wonderful the accommodations, moving is hard.  Moving is emotionally intense and I think everyone going through a move deserves a completely authentic "oh poor baby".  Let's face it with life changes, especially moving, it is hard no matter where you are going.

World Traveler Heart Necklace - Italy - TheGreenDaisyShop

How Vast Beyond All Measure

All I can think of is the song "How Deep the Father's Love for Us . . . How Vast Beyond All Measure".  My God is vast enough to wrap his love around the entire world.  How comforting it is that this move did not move me beyond God and his love.  Through this experience, I am learning how to depend on God and take comfort in Him.  Think of how we sing around Christmas how Jesus brought tidings of comfort and joy, but we do not often think about what it means to have comfort and joy through Jesus.  Look at how God wants to bring us comfort in our trials and tribulations:

Isaiah 54:10-11 (ESV)

"For the mountains may depart
    and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
    and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”
    says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

“O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted,
    behold, I will set your stones in antimony,
     and lay your foundations with sapphires.

God can bring us comfort in many ways.  He can comfort us through other people.  He can comfort us through time spent with Him and in his Word.  I notice that when I am in a situation that is beyond me, stronger than me, and too much for me, I have to make a conscious effort to take hold of God's peace, comfort, and joy.  The more I hold on to my stress and my uneasiness, the less God is able to pour his peace out in my life.  By holding on to other things, I am basically telling God there is no room for Him.  In moving, the stressors are numerous, but God is stronger.  I need to continually grab hold of God and let go of my right to panic and get upset.  He is my peace, by comfort, and my joy.

Never Homeless

By most definitions, I am homeless.  I am uprooted and stuck in a hotel for up to two months.  We have yet to find a new place to live and for right now, this is where we hang our hat.  Though this be so in the physical, spiritually I am never homeless.  In fact, I am not at my actual home even when I am in a house that I call my home.  Heaven is my home.  Oh how corny right?  I have heard that said so many times that I merely want to point and laugh at my own little statement.  It has been said so many times that it has no meaning; however, I defy its commonality and I declare it to be reinstated with a full rich meaning.

- Heaven -

The kingdom of God where I will live with Jesus forevermore worshipping with the Saints in his glory

- is -

It is now, it has been since God accepted me as his own upon my acceptance of his salvation given freely by Jesus, and it will always be

- my -

This soul and body built by the hand of God created to glorify the Father

- home -

A place of acceptance, security, and eternal peace; a place that one belongs and has life, a place that was created for all of mankind to abide

Heaven is my home, thus I will never be homeless on this earth.  God says we are to live our lives a part of his kingdom; basically, heaven is not some far away place that one day will surface when we are all dead and gone.  The kingdom of God is present and alive.  Heaven (the kingdom of God) is (right now) my home!



Men's Map Cufflinks Rome Italy - by ivcreations55



La Fede Quotidiana (Daily Faith)

Trust me, though I write this, I do not have everything together with this whole stepping out in faith . . . across an OCEAN.  I labeled this section la fede quotidiana, which means daily faith in Italian.  The more we step out in faith the more we have to rely on God to support us.  And we wonder why God asks us to step out in faith!  Duh!  We pray, "Oh God, help me to draw closer to you and really learn to depend on You in all things."  Then God says, alright, then step out in faith in this thing.  So many times we say, "hold it God! That is a little bit much right now, but if You'll just bring me closer to You I'm sure I'll be ready next time."  Can't you see it?  We ask Him to draw us closer, He provides the opportunity to grow us, we tell Him to draw us closer so we'll be stronger next time to do the stepping out in faith . . . and the whole time God is telling us, "I Am."

While I have done my fair bit of grumbling and complaining about all the changes and stressors that I've had to deal with during this trip and move (only my husband knows just how much), I am so thankful that God can use this in my life and in my family to grow us closer to Him.  He is so amazing how He can use the fire to burn away the chaff and refine our lives to be molded more like Him. "Moving" out in faith is just what God wants for our lives so He can draw us closer and help us to learn to depend on Him alone.

Bible Study: Caught Up

On Wednesday nights, I co-lead a women's bible study.  Tonight, I was able to put together a Bible Study lesson about something I've realized really affects me, and I'm guessing it affects a lot of people.  It's about getting caught up in things . . . often too caught up in things.  Feel free to use this Bible Study for yourself, a group, or for a church.  God bless!

“Caught Up”

by Brooke Shambley

Today, I was thinking about how I get so caught up in things.  This morning I was caught up in an online contest, then later I was completely consumed by getting the church’s commercial range on Craigslist.  Sometimes it’s the computer that has me caught up, sometimes the TV, sometimes life and circumstances.  Bottom line, I know I get way too caught up by things.

Name something that you’ve been caught up with today, or within the last week.

I’m so caught up in __________________________________________ right now.

This really got me thinking, what does the Bible say about getting “caught up”.  What does it mean to be “caught up”, what does it relate to?

There are a few Hebrew and Greek words that mean “caught” or “caught up,” here are their English equivalents:  stolen, seized, take hold of, took hold, spoil, stolen, take away, catch away, handle, lay hold, prevailed upon, grasp

Two main meanings stand out from the Biblical idea of being caught up: 1. Taken forcibly and 2. Grasped or caught

My first question has to do with the first meaning, taken forcibly.  Here are some questions to get you thinking:

1.      What is taking hold of your time?

2.      What is taking hold of your children?

3.      What is taking hold of your money?

4.      What is taking hold of your life?

The answer might be material things, other persons; maybe you are taking hold of it all.  Anything that holds control in our lives without our making a decision to give it control has taken it, seized it, and stole the control.  We even seize the control of our own lives often selfishly, but God is the one who ultimately controls our lives and we should submit to his authority.

Examples of things being stolen or seized (containing the Hebrew word we are studying):

Ecclesiastes 9:12 - Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come:  As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so men are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them.

Numbers 31:32 - The plunder remaining from the spoils that the soldiers took was 675,000 sheep . . .

Deuteronomy 22:28 - If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are found . . .

Just as fish are caught in a net, plunder is taken from the conquered, and at times virgins are seized and put through things they would never choose, so our life and circumstances are at times out of our control.  Things are forcibly taken in our lives, our time, our resources, and for some when their own bodies were taken.  Getting caught up in this way, we have no control over the circumstances, but we do have control to whom we relinquish our heartache.  God still has a plan when our lives seem caught up by something we can’t control, and He can and will restore our lives.

My second question has to do with the second meaning of “caught up”.  Sometimes our time, children, money, and lives are being caught but not by force.  Sometimes it can seem like we are caught up in a wind or a storm, but are we getting caught up forcibly or are we giving ourselves over to things?  Is it seizure or abandonment?

We must recognize God’s power over our lives and our sin.  We can’t simply put up the white flag before the battle even starts.  Satan doesn’t want a battle; because he knows that God will win every time.

Proverbs 7:13 - She seizes him and kisses him, and with bold face she says to him . . .

I’m guessing this fellow in the Proverbs example isn’t putting up much of a fuss.  He’s giving himself over to the adulteress.  Joseph’s example is quite different; he’s the example for how things should go.

Genesis 39:12 – [Potiphar’s wife] caught [Joseph] by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.

Notice that Joseph recognized what was being taken and stood strong in God by actually running away.  How easy it would have been for him to get caught up and simply give in to her pressuring!  No matter what tries to catch us up and pull us in, we must seek to take hold of God instead of being taken hold of by other things.

We shouldn’t let other things seize control of our lives nor should we seize the control for ourselves and we shouldn’t allow things to catch us up due to inattention, then how can we deal with the “cares of this world”?  What should we do when everything seems to overtake us and demand of our time?  God has the answer and offers to take hold of our problems, etc.

What specifically has God offered to take care of in our lives?  Can He stand strong in our storms?

1 Peter 5:7 - Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Psalm 55:22 - Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

Matthew 6:30-32 - If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

So God can take care of our problems, but how can we take hold of God?  Specifically, how can we hold fast and cling to God instead of getting caught up by the world?

Hebrews 10:23 – Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

Deuteronomy 4:29 - But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.

1 Timothy 6:11 - But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

Philippians 3:7-14 – But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.  I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

I love the synonyms provided by Blue Letter Bible on the Greek word for “Press on” – run to, run swiftly, run after, press on, pursue, seek after eagerly, earnestly endeavor to acquire

What are you caught up with?  Are you chasing after things or are you chasing after God?  Are we letting things run our lives, or are we standing firm in God?

If you aren’t caught up by God, what are you caught up by?