Does it make sense to pray for guidance about the future
if we are not obeying in the thing that lies before us today?
How many momentous events in Scripture depended
on one person’s seemingly small act of obedience!
Rest assured: Do what God tells you to do now, depend
upon it, you will be shown what to do next.” - Elisabeth Elliot
Our family is currently in the process of moving back to San Francisco, California. We are experiencing our first 7 years of completion timeline with God and it’s quite interesting.
We’ve have ups and downs in our faith walk with God but have finally hit a small stride as we work to seek God in all things and be obedient with things He is asking of us.
When hubby and I think about it, we have actually lived in San Francisco almost as long as we lived in our childhood cities. I’m from St. Louis and hubby is from Kansas City.
San Francisco is home in so many ways. We got married there, recommitted our lives to Christ there, had our two oldest boys there, found our church home, and have built a community of people around us (believers and nonbelievers alike) that have journeyed with our family in such beautiful ways.
So, when we moved back there this past time during COVID, it was funny when God moved my hubby out of a job and people he had worked with for a long time and into a brand new company. This company then moved us to Chicago, Illinois where we’ve been the last year (which included the birth of our third son).
Yet, God started telling us that we were going to move back to San Francisco when hubby got promoted and is now managing staff on the West Coast. This included some travel a few times since we’ve been here.
After much prayer and consideration, we made the decision with Godly counsel to move back to San Francisco so hubby doesn’t have to travel (so as to protect our marriage and family). But that doesn’t come without push back, which is mainly coming from our family.
Oof.
I don’t plan to go into too much detail here about my mom’s faith nor my in-laws. Both parties have faiths of their own and believe in God but I can understand why it would be easier from their human perspectives for us to not live so far away in California.
However, we know that God doesn’t always call us to easy things.
It would be more comfortable to stay in the seemingly more affordable Midwest.
It would be more comfortable to keep family close as many of them get up there in age.
Nonetheless, we know that God has called many to things that don’t make sense like Moses into a desert and Jonah wanting to ignore those people who needed to repent.
So, here I am writing this post because it came across my Substack feed from
and it struck my heart like a bolt of lightning.You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.
Psalms 23:5
Now, I know my current situation does not make my family out to be my enemy. Of course not!
This verse reminds me that even when God calls us to radical obedience that it won’t make sense to those who don’t have this exact same call to obedience in their lives. This is for our family and for such a time as this.
This verse recalls to my heart that as we take this next step that God will give us His strength, His purpose, and His joy. Everything our God Lord gives to us is never in small portion but in radiant abundance friends.
No matter how insane it may seem to the outside world to follow a 2,000-year-old book, or when others insist you can forge your own path, stay the course.
Trust in God and remain steadfast in your faith. Always.
So appreciated hearing this. Thanks for sharing, Joelle!
One of the most difficult life choices was to move across the pond to N. Ireland. Needless to say my side of the family was not enthused--but we felt it was the right thing to do for our wee family. God bless you in your move and may God bring comfort and opportunity for opportunities to visit with extended family.