Leave & Cleave

This weekend, I experienced one of the most exciting, frightening, wonderful, and breaking events of my life. It was at the same time both wonderful and devastating, God-ordained and heartbreaking.
On Saturday, my husband and I were sent out from the church of which I have been a part for the entire 23 years of my existence. No, not kicked out -- sent out. As ministers. To a new season, a new vision in God's plan and destiny for our lives. My father, my pastor, laid his hands of blessing on our shoulders and released us to go do God's work in a new place...a place I never imagined I'd be. And I am torn. Torn between the excitement of this new call and the deep-rooted attchment of the church which I have for so long called "home."
God is leading us to a new place. After months of prayer and waiting, my husband and I both heard the call to go to The Quarry Community Church in Monticello, MN and serve there. It's a wonderful church, and I know for certain it is where God has opened the doors for us to give. I'm blessed and excited, thrilled and confident in this work in our lives, yet I'm so reluctant to let go of the old vision, the passing season.
My dad is the pastor of Maranatha Christian Church at the University of Minnesota. All my life, our entire family's lives have revolved around the church, been entirely devoted to the church, been envolved in every aspect of the church. It's second nature to me. So to leave this church --to step out of my father's vision and into my husband's vision -- is extremely hard. I might even say it's been the hardest part of "leaving and cleaving" so far. I knew what I signed up for when I married; I knew that meant my husband's world was my world now. I knew today would come. Now it's here, and it's just as hard as I thought it would be. And I weep with joy over the destiny He had planned far in advance for our lives.
God didn't tell us to cleave to our husbands for nothing. He mentioned it because it's so vitally important, and not something we women would do on our own, naturally. Thank God that He puts this kind of stuff in His Word. Thank Him that He prepares us and teaches us what to do. Praise Him that He is faithful, that His grace is sufficient, and that he was the perfect example of perfect submission.
I praise God for Maranatha...for The Quarry...for my father...for my new pastor...and for my huband, the prophet, priest and king of our home.