#12 Settle In (Part 2)

Andrew and I (mostly me) are absolutely FREAKING about where to live in Jackson.

I have this desire to live in the Belhaven area. I want to be urban!  My mom is completely freaking about the whole idea. She thinks we will more than likely have our things stolen or be shanked. (slang term for being punctured with a knife) I understand that living the "urban life" has its issues and good ole' mom just wants to protect us. The one year that I lived in the Jackson area, I did not watch the news for fear that I would never want to leave the house.

Somewhere in my mind I picture us living in an urban community. I picture Andrew starting some kind of basketball ministry. I picture myself being involved in some kind of mercy ministry or possibly involved in the youth or children's ministry in a church. My mind is running wild with all of these ideas. I find it exciting to think about how God could use us! I think somehow and in someway that God could use us in changing and turning hearts from racism and hatred to hearts that know the God of love and peace.

Another choice is the suburbs. We have been looking for a home in the Brandon, Richland, Pearl, and Florence areas. We feel like this is the safe, obvious choice. To be a suburbanite! (that's actually a real word, spell check said so)  Something about this makes me feel like we are disconnecting ourselves. I realize there is nothing wrong with living in the "burbs", but I have some issues about  having to commute at least 20 minutes to a church. I don't want to be a church commuter; I want to be in a church's community.

Anyway, this is the struggle of the day. If you were to be around me you could see that I am a total basket- case as of late!

In my Bible study today, I read that our prayers are a profound encouragement to believers. "In prayer we are with others and encouraging others through the Holy Spirit, who closes the distance between us." (how amazing is the Holy Spirit, that he links us together!)

Pray that no matter where we are living that we would glorify God  through restoring His kingdom. Pray for our new church family that we will be meeting shortly! Pray for my sanity, that I would have peace knowing that the God of the universe is at work even in these small details of my little life. Pray for us!

I hope this doesn't sound like a me me me post, but more like a post that we are struggling and we need our friends and family to pray and encourage us as we seek out how to glorify God in our next move.

"Finally, brothers rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you." Ephesians 13:11