One year ago today...

It's sometimes hard to remember, or even imagine, what you were doing a year ago today.

Let's be honest...I'm shaky with yesterday's activities...let alone anything that happened last year! That's just crazy. That is...most days except today. I've actually been looking forward to this day for quite some time. I know it may sound a little cheesy, but this day marked such a significant moment in my life...in our family's lives...that I knew even then I'd never forget it.

SO...this is where I found myself one year ago today.  Well, I actually had just LEFT this place of incredible Christ-centered worship in Baltimore...and these wonderful friends with whom I had the profound privilege to serve alongside on our worship team in Indiana...and I walked toward this...

Terrifying? Absolutely. Of course, the most terrifying aspect of getting on this way-too-small aircraft was the unknown awaiting me on the other side. Truthfully, I wasn't all that concerned about the trip that lay before me because I really thought that we'd meet some nice people, share some ministry thoughts, and return home to go about our business as usual!  Wrong.

Most of you have already figured out that this was my first trip to visit what has now become our home...SE Iowa.

 I remember meeting some wonderful people that I now truly call my friends. I remember visiting a church for the first time that I've now had the privilege to serve in these last 7 months. I remember being so amazed that God could have created such parallel ministry-minded leaderships in spite of such great distance.

But the thing I remember the most?  That I immediately felt torn. Torn between two loves...torn between the old and new...torn between the comfortable and the unknown. I loved our church; I loved the opportunity I'd had for so long to direct the choir and lead in the worship ministry; I loved our friends; I loved being so close to our family. But as we sat through the "gestapo" (haha...sorry...couldn't help it) that weekend, I was overwhelmed with a sense of home and belonging.

Looking back now...having the advantage of time and experience...I can see, with eyes wide open, that God placed us here with purpose, with determination, and with loving care.  And I'm so grateful.

This feels like home....and that has to be a God-thing too...for the likes of this pampered city girl, now surrounded by fields of corn.

So as I reflect back to this exact time and day one year ago...as I sat in my hotel room in Burlington, Iowa...crying...because I knew God was going to move us here...yet unsure why it had to be this way...I'm so grateful He didn't leave me in my despair. I'm so grateful that He reached down to me and met me right where I was...heartbroken and needing the very strongest of shoulders to lean on...and He once again showed me that His grace really is enough.

I mentioned the conference above to share with you the closing song that still rings in my heart.  Maybe it wasn't actually the final song...but I truly can't remember any other song except this one...after 3 days at a conference full of worship leaders/songs with the most incredibly rich lyrics, this is the one God wanted me to walk away with...no doubt...as I boarded that prop plane one year ago today. May it bring you great peace and confidence in the Lord as well.

V1

Who has held the oceans in His hands? 

Who has numbered every grain of sand? 

Kings and nations tremble at His voice 

All creation rises to rejoice 

V2

Who has given counsel to the Lord? 

Who can question any of His words? 

Who can teach the One who knows all things? 

Who can fathom all His wondrous deeds? 

chorus:

Behold our God seated on His throne 

Come, let us adore Him 

Behold our King—nothing can compare 

Come, let us adore Him