Wednesday's "Walking the Land"

Our trip to Arizona this year was more of a last minute idea as we felt God telling us to "walk the land" as Joshua and Caleb had done.  We did very little touristy things.....just one trip to Saguaro Lake in the Tonto National Forest located a half hour from Mesa.  It was a beautiful lake set in the mountains.

Besides our one excursion. we spent time observing and living life in the desert.  We checked out grocery stores, drove around the area and throughout Gold Canyon for several hours, and went to a few open houses to get a feel for the houses.

Joel had a meeting with an Assistant Bishop in the ELCA synod to talk about Interim or fill in work. He called a pastor of a Lutheran church duo campus in Mesa and Gold Canyon and visited with him.  He is friends with a friend of Joel's who is the Bishop in NW MN.  He misunderstood Joel and did not realize we were already in AZ and told him when he "got down to Mesa to give him a call".  But on our way back from Saguaro Lake we were going to stop at a grocery store and missed the turn.  I pointed to a church parking lot and suggested we turn around in there.  We did and Joel realized this might be the church of the pastor he had just spoken to a couple days earlier. So he went it, it was, and we had a visit with him.  Only God.

My sister and BIL were gone to a wedding for 4 days and 3 nights so we briefly experienced what it would be like to live there alone.  We did a lot of praying, talking, and walking the land.  We still do not know if we will be moving across the country, we have no firm answer as of yet , but coming home and having prophetic words spoken over us again, and an offer to interview for a "job" teaching locally gave us some insights into the process.  Somes yeses and some nos.  It has surly been a process.  Mostly because last year's diagnosis of breast cancer threw everything off in our lives, so we are being cautious as we move forward.

Why so cautious?  Mostly, it is family.  Living far from family.  Missing out on some of the events that would be an easy day's drive from our current location.  Life is precious, and we don't want to miss those special moments.  We miss many still, but we would probably miss even more.  And then there is the whole idea that we are comfortable here, it is familiar, and we like Praise Church and the people we interact with.  Joel is still active with colleagues and conferences in the ELCA here. We would leave behind friendships and family.  And of course is this God's purpose for us? Yeah.

Why go?  God.  Being obedient to God and His plan.  A climate that makes biking, walking, and sunshine nearly a year round opportunity.  My sister and BIL are there 5 months of the year.  New adventures. New ministries.

So, we walked the land, and we came home to continue to listen for God's Voice....and remember our visit with my sister Jan ad BIL Lanny, supper with friends Linda and Jim, the desert landscape, and warm weather.  And of course the biking!!!