blessings. possibilities.

Starting a life in a new place is challenging.  It means developing new routines, discovering new places, learning the roads, and most challenging of all... meeting new people.

I have spent the last six weeks figuring out where things are, moving and then moving again, unpacking, settling.  Decorating comes next, and I am in awe of God's provision.  Pieces of furniture come from all different directions for free and for blessing.  Fabric for curtains comes in sheets with beautiful patterns, and is used in abundance.  People from other areas of my life showing up in random places, reentering.  Blessings.

Matthias' Lot is the name of the church I started attending.  It meets on Wednesday nights instead .  Soon, I will be able to be more involved there, as I was able to meet some of the leadership last week.  I am grateful to know people there.

I occasionally get to go into the city to volunteer at different neighborhood events for my job.  Sure, my role is more supervising and facilitating the volunteer work of our residents, but it is ministry just the same.  Seeing, and partnering with, the work of urban ministries and churches in this city, serving thousands of people things important to their future daily lives - it serves as a great reminder that my work in the city is not over simply because I no longer live in an urban area.  I can still spread God's heart for the city no matter where I am, and I can still serve.

These adjustments make things different.  While I realize that living in a new place and doing a new job will inevitably change the way you do life, I am still astounded by its reality.  There is a stark difference between the ways I have lived in the past and the way that I can live now - a new sense of freedom with my time and energy compels me to use my time well.  To spend it maintaining relationships far away, building new relationships here, learning new things, taking some graduate-level courses, reading the stack of must-reads that have laid untouched on my bookshelf for years, cooking new things, starting (and finishing) projects (thank you Pinterest!), and a never-ending list of others.

To end, I just want to share a verse that I've been dwelling on:

I'm asking God for one thing,
only one thing;
To live with him in his house
my whole life long.
I'll contemplate his beauty;
I'll study at his feet

That's the only quiet, secure place
in a noisy world.
Psalm 37:4-5