Looking back to fall of 2012 when Riverview Church was still a small group of core team members, we would meet weekly and make plans for the how and when we were to get here, to Arizona. Each week we would go through prayer requests and they always included things we "needed settled" before we were able to move here. Jobs to finish up, houses to sell, school years to finish, people to say goodbye to, find a job here, etc. I remember thinking one night that those are earthly things and sure, they are important, but are we following God's call for our lives if we wait to check off the "must be done before we can move" boxes on a list? Some might say that if it truly is God's plan for our lives that the house would sell, a job would fall in our laps, etc. But what if that's not the case and what if that's NOT how God wanted us to follow him?
Matthew 4:19 we are told "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men.". Proverbs 3:6 goes a little further saying "in ALL your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight". Doesn't this demand a boldness in faith on our part when you are called? To take a step, even with uncertainty, showing him that you are willing to follow His lead so He can use you for His kingdom? Maybe that boldness in faith is moving before the house is sold. Maybe it's leaving friends and family behind even when you think you need them the most. I believe that when we do, in bold faith follow Him everything else will fall in place.
The other piece of the whole moving here process that I think about a lot is really, what choice do we have other than to follow Him in faith when He calls? Aren't we warned in Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven?". I don't want to be facing him at the gates of Heaven and hear "I asked you to follow me, to serve others, to share my Word and to trust in My ways.... but you did it your way.... you didn't do it in faith....".... you get the idea.
I think about the Hobeck's story. I don't want to share their entire story of joining our team (it's their story to share), but just a few things about it. Jim and Jenni truly felt that God's plan was for them to be here... this became clear to them after FIGHTING it for months! After finally realizing that it was God's plan for them, they, like others in our group, started making that checklist of things that had to happen before they could come.... house to bed sold, job to be found, school year to end, find new house. After praying over it for several weeks they suddenly realized that were doing things THEIR way and not God's way and that might be part of the problem. That is when their boldness and pure faith started.... Jen flew out here to Arizona in the spring and ended up signing papers to buy a house before theirs was sold in North Carolina... before Jim found a job and ended up moving here before they closed on their house in North Carolina. Talk about risky! Was it risk though? Or demonstrating boldness in faith? They held on to faith through it all and that faith proved true! Not only did their house sell in North Carolina, Jim finally found a job (after being here a month) and got his first paycheck on the very day that was the deadline the bank gave in order for the builder to finish their new house here! It was so cool to see it all unfold and for their family to be blessed for their faithfulness!
Like I said in the beginning, we still have friends back in North Carolina who are part of our team and not here yet. There are also a few families who God has truly put on my heart and I feel they are part of our team and just don't know it or haven't acknowledged it. There are also a few families who were part of our team who have decided not to come at all for various reasons. I pray every day for them all... that if it truly is God's calling on their lives that they would feel convicted to just act on faith and be bold. That they wouldn't wait for the job to be found or the house to be sold. That they wouldn't stay their because they can't leave their family for one reason or another.
Every day those North Carolina families aren't here, or every day that you aren't acting on whatever God is putting on your heart to do to follow and serve Him, someone is missing out on seeing God's love through you and YOU are missing on on seeing God's kingdom grow!
Be bold.
Act in faith.
Be blessed.
And watch God's kingdom grow!
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