Life Lately....

So much has changed in the past month. In fact, there have been so many changes that getting back into blogging has seemed, well, overwhelming.

But, I know I will have regrets if I do not write down all that has happened - Because I know this wild and crazy season of life will be one of much learning and growing.

Exactly three weeks ago (when I was "blossoming" at 31 weeks pregnant), the Powells moved. Now, when I say "moved" I don't mean we bought a house on the other side of town. I mean, we packed up every morsel of belongings we owned, put them in a uhaul, and trekked it over 650 miles to Lake City, Florida. I still chuckle at the thought of how crazy it sounds!

Stephen resigned from his position at First Baptist Church and his last Sunday to lead worship there was August 12th. I can't even begin to express in words how difficult this decision was. However, we do not want to over-spiritualize our decision. There was not some dream in which God told us to move. There was not an audible spoken word of God. We came to this decision the way we believe Christians should make any decision: by reading Scripture, thinking Biblically, praying, and seeking wise counsel. (For more detail on how I think Christians should make decisions click here.)

Yet, it was one of the toughest decisions we have had to make. Our church had been our family for a little over 3 years. We were a part of that body for some of our most difficult days. We grew spiritually by leaps and bounds while serving there. And, the love that was shown to us as we left was absolutely incomprehensible. If you are reading this, and you are a member of FBCV, thank you.  You made us feel so overwhelmingly loved. There is no way you can know how much this meant to us. Because of past experience, we had some fears about being shunned or ignored during our last few weeks there, but what we experienced was the complete opposite. As I think back upon the love you so freely lavished upon us, I can't help but think that WE were the ones ministered to even though Stephen had the title of minister. Thank you.

Perhaps the weirdest thing about this whole deal is that Stephen does not yet have a new church position.  It is common for pastors to resign from one church to go to another. However, we did not yet have something lined up. We decided not to seek a position first because we felt this would require some degree of sneakiness and did not want the decision to leave Vidalia to be "muddied up." Stephen felt that by looking for another church he would be tempted to "unplug" from his ministry at Vidalia before he actually left. We wanted our departure to be more like a jump off a cliff rather than a "slow fade." So, we entered into a time of "transition"- also known as being unemployed. Of course, there are some things we are hoping for and dreaming about, but nothing is set in stone, yet.

We temporarily live in Lake City, Florida. Each time I unpack a box, I wonder, how long it will be before I am packing to move again. However, it is nice to be able to share some time with Florida family and friends. I have especially enjoyed spending time with my nephew, Calvin.  It is a blessing to no longer be a "stranger" to him.

We are also blessed to have an amazing church to attend during this time of transition. We have been going to First Baptist Church of Lake Butler, the church we attended before we went off to college. They have embraced us with loving arms and shown us much encouragement.

A new town also means a new doctor. I was slightly disappointed to have to give up my dreams of a water birth. (In Florida, I am considered too high-risk for a birth center.) However, as of now, I will be able to labor in water, just not actually birth there. I have found a wonderful doula who has been so supportive and instrumental in helping me stick as closely to our previous birth plan as possible. I am hoping that I will go into labor on my own. My doctor is concerned about me going past 39 weeks because my anti-phospholipid syndrome makes me prone to preeclampsia, premature placental failure, and clots in the umbilical cord. To monitor for these I am getting weekly biophysical profiles and non-stress tests. If anything ever looks amiss, we will be facing a medical induction. So far, praise God, everything looks perfect.

33 weeks - chewing on their hand

Well, thats an update to our slightly crazy life as of lately. One thing I do know, as our future looks more and more unknown God is displaying more and more grace to us.