Encore: living in a tent?

In the coming weeks, I will be re-posting some of my favorite posts from the past six years on this blog. Yes, I have had this blog for nearly SIX years! I have revisited some of these posts lately. It is interesting to me how much life has changed. For those who are new around here, it will give you a glimpse of the journey. I am calling this series "Encore." If you'd like, you can vote on your favorites.

Best of 2008

Here is one of the nominees from June 2008. The life of adventure wasn't as glamorous as it appears. I was looking for successful strategies to make it work.



I feel like a nomad. Since moving to North Carolina I have been a woman without a home. I travel constantly from place to place, country to country and continent to continent. Returning to North Carolina just feels like another trip, another place I'm visiting. I'm here so infrequently that it isn't home, it isn't familiar, and I have not transitioned. I read a scripture in Hebrews recently that actually brought me some comfort.

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Abraham left home without knowing his destination, he made his home in a foreign land and lived in tents (as did his decendents). Why would he do this? Why would he leave the comforts of home? He did it to follow a promise God had given him, he kept looking toward that goal and not at his present discomforts - like living in a tent. If Abraham could do it, I could do it, right? Well, I'm trying...but I can certainly tell you it isn't comfortable or easy. I'm doing it because I believe God has called me to this work in this place. I'm doing it out of faith. This isn't the first time I've followed God into the unknown, this isn't the first time obedience to God's call has cost me something...reading Abraham's story brings me comfort because I know that my experience has been survived by others, in fact others have had it tougher. And, in case your wondering, every time I've done what God asked of me it worked out to be a time of incredible personal growth or meaningful ministry. I called this the year of faith steps and it certainly has been.

So, I ask you, has there been a time when you had to leave the familiar for the unknown? What was the result?