My New Favorite Place

I am currently sitting in my office. My makeshift front porch office in the picture above. We have all had to adapt lately and this is one of the work from home pivots that has become my new favorite spot in our house. When I need to escape the distraction of the sports documentary or war drama the boys are watching, I head outside.

So much has happened lately from this previously uninhabited section of our home. God has shown up in some big ways. When I stepped out in faith to start my own public speaking and consulting business, I knew it was the right thing to do.

Not because I didn’t love my job. I loved every minute of it!
Not because my coworkers were difficult. They were awesome and I miss them every day.
Not because something was wrong. Everything was right.

I did it because in my brain, my heart and deep in my soul I knew this is what the Lord was calling me to do, and now was the time to do it. But it was still crazy scary to leave all that I have known for 20 years.

The list of unknowns was enormous. Way too long for me to list. Then, add in later this little problem of a pandemic. Yikes!

What I don’t know doesn’t matters because of what I DO know … God has never let me down!

His will is “good, pleasing and perfect.” He has proven it time and time again. Each time I have gotten discouraged because it’s hard to start a career in public speaking when there is no public, he opened a door for a new opportunity.

Can I be transparent with you for a moment?

My entire life I have struggled to rely fully on God. I try to do things in my own power. It’s easy for me to use my gifts, talents, and personality to move things forward. But, that is not how our Creator made us. We are made to need Him. Every fiber of our lives needs to be in communion with our Heavenly Father. Sometimes I forget that. Maybe you can relate?

However, God, in His infinite wisdom and with his perfect sense of humor, has been flexing his muscles to show me who is really in control … and it ain’t me!

The original plan to focus on booking speaking gigs was thrown out the window in April and we moved to plan B. I have shifted, pivoted, re-evaluated, and moved about a dozen times. I’ve lost track of which plan we are on! So, here’s how God has moved in big ways from the front porch.

Unexpected opportunities

People are calling me for family ministry consulting. I knew I wanted to use my experience to help churches but I really thought it would be farther down the road after I spent months developing and marketing a fancy system. Turns out, this is how God is providing while we wait for public gatherings to begin again.

Unexpected provision

Checks have shown up in the mail. Seriously, we’ll all heard the stories but, it happened to us last week! Someone had been overcharging us just a tiny amount each month for YEARS – not enough that we would notice or miss it – we had no idea, but God knew. The check arrived just at the right time.

My husband, Jamon, has had a flood of “side jobs”. From time to time he gets requests but he can go months without any. Not recently, he can barely keep up! This is just one more way that God has been providing for us.

Unexpected encouragement

When I need it the most, God sends just the right person. I can’t count the number of times I have been sitting on the porch frustrated and discouraged, not knowing what to do next, and my phone rings or I get a text. It may be a friend checking in because I was on their mind. It may be a former coworker offering me an opportunity. Or the Lord puts a person on my mind to call and I am able to help them. I am blown away by how God tends to my heart.

The last few months have been a wild ride! I know the timing of my life changes seem questionable. My goal is to question less and obey more. The Lord has once again proven himself faithful.

My favorite scripture passage is:

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3: 20-21

I have asked God for a lot lately and he has delivered more than I could have imagined. More is yet to come!

What ways has God moved in your life recently? Comment below so we can praise Him together!