Monday, June 1, 2015

Watching the Previews

I am writing this new post from beautiful suburban West Chicago, IL where it is currently midnight and I am waiting for a high blood sugar to correct so that I could head back to bed.  I believe that these are the ripe ingredients for a stellar blog to be written.

This afternoon we went to the movies with my in-laws (that is who we are living with as we wait for our departure to the field).  I was struck by how our current situation is much like going to the movies.  Let me explain. Most of you know that we moved out of our house over Memorial Day weekend.  This was both an amazing and difficult time as we had lived there for fifteen years and when we moved in, we had no kids.  God clearly indicated that it was time for us to move as we provided a buyer within 5 days of our home going on the market and this buyer gave us asking price.  When God moves, you will have a hard time keeping up.  So we moved and now, we are lovingly in transition.


Transition can go a couple of ways as can the previews for coming attractions.  Transition can be a segmented human process in which we attempt to fit everything into a conditioned response.  We say things like, "we are in between homes" or "we are just trying to function in the chaos that our lives have become".  We just tolerate the previews of coming attractions so that we can get to the movie.  I think these responses are normal, but over the past couple of weeks, however I've watched Jesus add a new dimension to transition that has actually left me speechless.  God has reminded me that it isn't in His design for us to just make it through transition (even if at times it does require a disciplined effort to acclimate).  No, I have learned in the past couple of weeks to laugh at and enjoy the previews of coming attractions.  I've watched as Jesus has slowed me down so that I can enjoy my family, my wife, my children, my parents, my in-laws and our countless friends who have loved us through this process.  I've watched Jesus remove cultural norms from the epicenter of our family and replace the hole with His holy presence.  God has placed upon our hearts that He resides within us as a member of our family and a cornerstone of all that we do.  Not that we are making God like us, but we are inviting Him to be a part of our everyday life in the midst of transition and well, that's why transition not only works, but our family is thriving in it.
With Christ at the foundations of the William's household, where ever that may be for the time, we are at home and he is our firm root planted that will not be moved.  I've asked myself in the past few months, "Justin, how can you leave what you know and say goodbye to all that is comfortable?"  The answer is very simple, "I'm not, He is coming with us".  With that in mind, it is our love for Christ that sustains us through the previews and the feature presentation.  We are in love with Him and He graciously has chosen to love us and do life with us.  I am so thankful that He loves us, it has changed everything.
So here we are, less than two months before we leave for the field.  Our home is our home no more and most of our possessions have been sold or given away.  To humanity, this seems to be a loss, but in Christ we have more than we could ever want or need.  Knowing that He provides so abundantly causes me to say, "yes Jesus, I'll go for you".
Here are a few things you can be praying for as we get ready to leave for Uganda.


  • Departure date is at the end of July.  Please pray that God would help us finish packing and finish up loose ends.
  • Pray for the camp in Ohio that we are going to speak at the third week of June.  We are asking God to touch lives and to use us to convey His message.
  • We are at 98% funding.  Praise God
  • Pray for our children that they would enjoy these next few months of time here and that they would transition well to Uganda.
  • Pray that we would go to our Lord constantly with both troubles and thanks because He is our Strong Tower.

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