In A World With No Target...

      Have you ever noticed that God has a way of giving us our desires but not at all the way we would have planned? Take for instance how I ended up living in the country, outside an itty-bitty town in Southern Illinois.

     Trust me, this is the LAST place I would have ever considered moving.  In fact, on the list of potential places to be moved…this was the last place I considered living.  I made it very clear that I would NOT move to Illinois, that I would NOT live in a small town, that I would NOT live in the country, and that we would NOT rent after owning our home. Apparently God didn’t get the memo because like I said, sometimes things turn out the way we want, but not anything like we planned.

     Our life was pretty good back home.  We lived in a friendly neighborhood with neighbors who cared about us and a Target just blocks away.  We said goodbye to close family who could get in our business whenever they wanted. We said goodbye to an awesome church family where our kids knew who to hit up if they needed to get into the stash of chocolate donuts. We left a town that had become home and a house that held a lot of precious memories.  It was hard to say good-bye. I wasn’t sure how God was going to work for good in this move, but one thing I learned was that God is never going to take something good away unless He’s got something bigger planned.

Who needs the zoo when
everyone you know owns livestock?

     So, here I am…in Illinois…outside an itty-bitty town…in the country…in a rental home…and I’m content.

 Our house is better than anything I hoped to buy. It turns out that the itty-bitty town we landed in doesn’t have a lot to offer in entertainment choices, but makes up for it with great people and community.  Our neighborhood looks a little different now, and I’d be lying if I said I don’t miss Target, but we have been blessed with some of the greatest neighbors you could ask for. While our kids have yet to find the chocolate donut lady in our new church family, we feel at home there.  We’ve been adopted by our friends here and we’re working to create new memories. I’m content.  God took us away from what was good, but He’s blessed us here far greater than we could have hoped for.

One of the perks of having
a farmer for a neighbor

 I don’t think we’ve completely discovered what God has planned for us here, but I have a feeling we won’t be disappointed. (Unless it involves camo...I mean, a girl has to draw the line somewhere. :)) God knows the deepest desires of my heart, and while He doesn’t always work for my comfort, He always works for my good…even if it isn’t exactly how I planned. 

Lord, thank you for our new home.  Thank you for new friends, new neighbors, and new experiences.  Thank you for understanding my heart and not listening to my plans!

Why, yes!  Those sexy boots
are new!

And a word of caution to our family back home in Nebraska: You can pray us back if you want, but beware.  We may just pray you here instead!