[1] The last four days have been quite a whirlwind. Friday night we held our high school year-end banquet, which was both fun and sad. We had a progressive-type of evening with appetizers at one location, a big sit-down dinner at church and then a chocolate fountain dessert location to finish up the night. I say it was sad because at the end of it, Bobby and I had to say our goodbyes to everyone. I will really miss some of the students we’ve grown close to. I am also excited to see how the Lord will use us in ministry at our new church. After the banquet on Friday we came home and finished packing. Bright and early Saturday morning, Bobby and Ty got our U-Haul truck and some students came over to help us–load ‘em up, move ‘em out!

Pulling up at our friend’s house in Orange County was a strange experience because it still doesn’t seem real yet, that we’ve moved. We’ve driven down south so many times that it hasn’t settled in that this time is different–we aren’t driving back. We’re here to stay.

Right now, though, we aren’t even in Orange County. We’re actually in Chicago. Sunday we unloaded the truck into storage and went to our new church. Then, first thing this morning we flew out here with the Compass church staff for a pastor’s conference at Moody. With all this traveling, I wasn’t sure how little Tyler would do, but he is being such a good sport! He slept most of the time on the plane and I just carried him everywhere in the little baby front pack. It’s been a great time so far getting to know all the other staff, and for dinner we had some of the best pizza I’ve ever had!

At church yesterday we heard a sermon about God’s providence. The pastor talked about Romans 8:28–

I was really encouraged by his reminder that nothing happens by chance. There is no such thing as luck. God is in control of and concerned with each detail of our lives as He orchestrates all things according to His good will. This makes me have a much bigger perspective of God and life because I realize then that it isn’t circumstances just jerking me around by fate. God is guiding each detail in our lives to bring us along step-by-step in His perfect will. When I was reminded of God’s providence it gave me a renewed sense of hope because I know that even though we have moved from one place to another that His hand is fashioning each detail of our lives for His glory!