running on Him: Slapped!

Four months ago I was going about my life as I always had, unaware of life changes that were going to rock my world. I was born and raised in Sacramento, California. My entire life has consisted within the small square miles of South Sacramento and Northern Elk Grove (separated by one street). I went to school in that part of town, I married and settled there. My adult life revolved around taking my kids to school, attending church, and running errands in this area. My family chose to live with my parents as a mean of extra support and financial ease. This is how we saw the rest of our lives. We were happy with these choices. We could live our life like this and know no different, and be happy as clams, or something like that.

My best friend, Joey, reading to my boys

Then we hear that my husbands job is moving to San Antonio, Texas. The first words out of my mouth after this announcement were “yeah, that’s nice, we aren’t going.” Mike, my ever capable, never not-been-offered-a-job-he-has-interviewed-for husband wanted to apply for the position of a promotion in San Antonio. Knowing that he would probably get the job, but still dead set on not leaving my comfortable life behind, I agreed he should, just to see what they offered. But let me reiterate, we weren’t moving!

Levi with two of his cousins, Nathaniel & Anthony

Around this time I got slapped hard. By God. I had been preaching that the only way we would move to Texas is if it was a God thing. You know, like He wants us to go change the world. Like He wants to hold our hand and make it happen. Yet I was mentally stopping the process with my exclaims of “heck no we aren’t going.” Apparently, that isn’t allowing God to be the boss of my life. I guess.

Mike was informed they would be flying him to Texas for an interview, which was the day I couldn’t go grocery shopping without hyperventilating and crying. Two days later I was laying facedown for a massage. And I got it. I just got it. I can’t remember what the big “aha” moment was. But I do remember getting it. God said “you got it” and I said, “yeah, God, I got it” and He said “good.” Then he followed up with “geez it’s about time.” Well, not in so many words. We didn’t actually have a conversation. But I knew I got it because all of a sudden I wasn’t scared anymore. I felt that peace that everyone talks about when they know God is speaking, leading, and planning for them. It was glorious! I still didn’t know if Mike would get the promotion, but I now was reconciled to the fact that if he got it, and God said to go, we would and it would all be okay.

Mike, Alexander and me at our beloved Kings

Fast-forward to the next week. Mike’s interview is on Tuesday. We were told he wouldn’t hear anything until Friday, three days later. He interviews, goes to the airport, and waits for his flight. Then he gets a call. Four freaking hours after his interview. Four! While he is still in San Antonio. Meanwhile, I am in Sacramento, doing the Daniel Fast for the first time. Eating little more than veggies and nuts (yeah, I didn’t read up too well on the fast) until we would hear back from his interview (which I thought would be for three days). Praying a whole lot. And really hoping to hear sooner rather than later because I was hungry. Mike calls me. I’m taking a nap. You know...because I’m tired...because I am lacking FOOD! He is a horrible human being and only leaves a message consisting of “hey, I heard back from them, but you are napping, you are going to have to call me back in order to know what they said, oh, and I’m about to hop on the plane so you won’t be able to get ahold of me for hours! Bye!” Like I said, HORRIBLE. HUMAN. BEING!

This is the first moment the boys saw Mike after we arrived in San Antonio.

Mike's first words "Get me!"

So like 4 hours later (longest 4 hours of my life) I finally get the call. And like the horrible, I mean, wonderful person my husband is he asks me what I want to hear before he would tell me the answer. I, for the first time, realized I wanted him to get the job and I knew we would be moving to San Antonio if he did get the offer. And that’s when we knew it was God ordained. Because no time in my entire life have I wanted to move so far away from my hometown. Never have I desired a life in a different state than my family. It was so contrary to my own plan, and yet I wanted it, so it wasn’t our decision. God already decided for us.

Jackson's friends saying goodbye to him

My second 1700 mile trip in 2 weeks, this time with the rest of the fam

We have been in Texas for 3 months now and I still don’t know why we are here. It’s obviously a good move for Mike’s career. It has been an enjoyable adventure. But I can’t say that I know why we are here. But the great thing about trusting in Him is that I don’t have to know.