The water test

So, last night I was tested with water. Tested with water? What am I talking about?

Well, I recently joined my local YMCA in order to start swimming regularly. I love swimming, and don't know why I didn't join earlier. But I didn't.

Anyway, I didn't have a long time last night because I had to go to play rehearsal, but I decided that swimming even for a short time would be better than not at all. I got in the pool, swam hard for 15 minutes, and then headed back into the locker room.

I jumped in the shower to take a real quick one. The water was so nice and warm--it felt great--especially since I think I'm fighting off a cold (big surprise). Just as I got my hair all soaped up, the water went freezing. And I mean freezing. I turned it all the way to hot, and it was still cold. However, everyone else's showers were still warm. How do I know? I could hear mom's remarking to their kids how nice it felt and that sort of thing, and I would think that I would have heard something if someone else had a cold shower too. Anyway, I stood there for a bit, hoping it was momentary and that the water would warm back up. It didn't. So I prayed that it would warm back up. And it did! For about 15 seconds. Then it went cold again. I kept standing there, praying for it to warm up again. And it didn't.

So, as I was trying to decide what to do (do I run to another shower? do I stick my head in the cold water?) I realized that there is a lesson in everything, both good and bad. So I asked God what it was He was trying to tell me. And you know what He said? "Do you trust me even when the water gets cold?" I responded that I did, and then quickly realized that trusting Him meant getting INTO the water even when it was cold. So, with gritted teeth I stepped under the spray of the cold water. And in a matter of seconds, it warmed up again. It still wasn't anywhere near as warm as I wanted it to be. But it was warm enough that I wasn't chattering (or turning blue) trying to rinse the soap out of my hair.

I walked out of that shower stall with a renewed sense of calling. Realizing that everything is not always going to be ducky. The right answer is not always going to be the easy one. The right answer is not going to be the comfortable one. However, if I step out in faith-knowing it is the right thing to do. God will honor that decision and at least make it bearable.

I know a lot of people (family in particular) aren't thrilled with me moving to Austin. I understand that, and I appreciate the emotions that go along with it. Trust me, I'm feeling them too. And if it were someone else moving, I'd probably be making a stink about it too.

This move isn't just about wanting to be someplace different, and experience something different-although that is a part of it of course. This move is about doing what I believe God is calling me to do. Going where God is calling me to go. And in that, He will honor my decision to move there. Is it going to be rosy and easy all the time? Nope, in fact I have a feeling some of my posts after moving there might even question the decision to do so. I have a feeling my mother will get more than one teary phone call from me saying how much I miss home and miss my family. It's going to happen, that is a fact. Cameron and my other friends in Texas will probably have an emotional basket case on their hands more often than any of us might expect. I hope not, but it could easily be a reality.

But if I don't do this, I'm afraid I might be missing out on God's best for me. I'm afraid I would miss the blessings that He intends to give to me. And at this point in my life, if I stay in Maine-that is like staying in the hot comfortable water. It would be easy. It would be familiar. And that doesn't necessarily make it wrong, but it also doesn't mean it is the best option. I just want to make sure I'm following God's plan for my life. We as Americans have become accustomed to such comfortable lifestyles that anything apart from comfort is considered wrong, or odd. Why would anyone want to live outside of utmost comfort? Well, as Christians, aren't we called to live extraordinary lives? Aren't we called to be different than everyone else? I'm not saying I want to live in a cardboard box, and I certainly hope and pray that my life is somewhat comfortable, for me, for my family when I have one. But I also pray that I don't become complacent. Complacency in this world is a bad thing, for I am only visiting here. My purpose on this earth is to make a mark for God, to make Him famous, and then to go home to live with Him in heaven. I don't want to waste my time here--because it will go by quickly.

The other piece of this, is that I need to know that you, as my family and friends, support me in this decision. And so far, I have had great support from you all. But as the time draws nearer to my move date, I'm going to probably need to hear more and more encouragement. So, unless you think I'm making a mistake--an irreversible one that is going to mess up my life forever--please just give me words of encouragement. Even if those words include the phrases "I'm going to miss you" or "I wish you weren't moving away" Those are okay, but need to be coupled with phrases like "I understand why you have to go" or "I believe this is where you are supposed to go for now" or "Go Katie, go!" or whatever you feel led to say.

Remember, that I can always move back home again if it really isn't working out. I can return at any time.

So anyway, I just wanted to share this experience with you all, and I hope it serves as an encouragement to you too. Not only in your own lives, but also in understanding why I'm making the decisions that I'm making.