I sit on the balcony of my rented studio aparment overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the fine sand, feeling the sightly cool breeze through my thin sweater. I’m taking the opportunity to breath deeply, to soak in the near-silence, and to rest my racing mind. When I dreamed of this momentary getaway months ago, I couldn’t have known how much I would need it after weeks of uncertainty in the confines of a small hotel room. I’m glad I didn’t know about it then. It is months like these that I know I am growing. I am remembering how to trust when I can’t see what’s next. I am remembering what it feels like to trade my anxiety for the peace of Jesus. I know this time of uncertainty will soon be over, but I need to remember how it feels to ask in nearly every moment for God to guide my simple, daily steps.
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My quietness on the blog over the last month was brought about by a whole lot of unexpected change in a short period of time. When we sent Ella to the Montessori school for her first day of kindergarten, we were also packing for our move, planned just four days later. However, two days before the closing of our new home, we were told problems would be pushing the move to a later date. We had been pulled into the ugliness of bank fraud when our account was used multiple times in a small Midwest city. The account was quickly closed and we changed to another bank closer to home. It was a week of frustration and paperwork as we reset everything with the bank and worked on a police case into the unusual activity around the fraud. I was incredibly thankful to have Pete’s help in so much of it, as I tend to get anxious with financial issues. There are so many details that I simply don’t understand yet.
For now, I will soak in one more day on the beach before heading home. I arrived in Virginia Beach on Thursday to attend an incredible conference and, as I mentioned earlier, I arranged months ago to stay two extra nights alone. After scrambling last night to find childcare for today after a friend’s family emergency, I have been able to rest. I have been writing, reading, napping, drinking coffee, and exploring the boardwalk. This entire time away has been wonderful as I prepare my heart for the next season of our adventure.
