When Joe and I first got married, we toyed with the idea of packing up and moving just for the heck of it. We were both teachers (going to be a teacher in my case), so we could essentially live anywhere that we both got jobs. The only place that we both agreed on, if we actually did move, was Colorado. It was something that we mentioned every now and then but had no real intention of actually doing it, until......God called us to surrender.
Joe and I had envisioned (and were completely content with the idea) ourselves getting jobs, buying a house and having a family in Northwest Arkansas.....our own American dream. I was about to start my Masters program and a year of internship in Springdale, so Joe spent all summer applying for jobs closer to Springdale at one of the bigger school districts. No such luck. And we were bummed.
In August, I felt like God was tugging at my heart to surrender my future to Him. I had gotten caught up in the American dream of getting married and living the picture-perfect, smooth, comfortable, easy life, yet that is not what God put us on the earth to do. I began reading Anything by Jennie Allen, and my whole world was changed. I stopped getting caught up by the cute Pinterest ideas for my future cookie-cutter house and I started looking to God for the answers to my future.
Around that same time, Joe and I once more talked about picking up and moving. Again, Colorado was mentioned. Our church (Fellowship Bible Church) had recently started a church plant in Colorado Springs, so Joe and I Googled it to get more information. We LOVE our church, so we knew that if we were to move to Colorado, that we would want to be close to this church plant so that we could attend church services with former Fellowship members. The more we started looking into Converge Church, the more we realized that God was calling us there for a more specific purpose. We felt called to not just go to attend this church, but to actually go to be a part of this church plant. We prayed about it.....constantly.....and by the beginning of December, our hearts had not changed. We confided in a couple from our church that had been mentoring/discipling us and one of our friends from Bible Study. With those people praying for us, we decided to go visit Colorado Springs over Christmas break.
It was such an affirming trip. We met with Derek Horn, the pastor for Converge Church, and he talked us through what this church plant was all about. We talked with him about what our roles would be there, and felt at peace about moving. For me, I felt most at peace when I thanked Derek for meeting with us and he said, "We have been praying so hard for people like you guys to move out here and join this work together for God!" It was amazing to me to think that while Joe and I were praying about moving to Colorado, Derek and his team were praying for people like us to move out there......what if we weren't open to God's plan for us?!
So with all that said, we are pursuing a move to Colorado Springs. We will both apply to jobs there this spring/summer and hope to have jobs and a place to live secured by the start of next school year. We plan on going on another "vision trip" over Spring Break.
How can you help? Pray for us!!!
*Pray that we will find jobs in Colorado Springs, specifically in the northeastern part of the city.
*Pray for the timing of interviews, that Joe and I would be able to travel to Colorado Springs if/when we get interview opportunities.
*Pray that we will find an affordable place to call our home.
*Pray for our trip over Spring Break.
*Pray for the missional community groups that are meeting in Colorado Springs at this time.
*Pray that Joe and I can have discernment when making decisions regarding our future.
*Pray that we won't let fear guide our decision making.
Samantha
