I’m sitting here in the airport on our way back HOME to Tennessee and my heart couldn’t be happier. I’m here with my husband and my two sweet boys and I feel complete. Of course it is bitter sweet as we say goodbye again to our family and friends. But, I’m glad to be heading back. 

The kiddos and I have spent the past two months in Arizona with and without Jake and boy was all of our faith tested. 

Here’s a teeny tiny bit of back story, Jake has lived in Arizona his entire life and for me since I was 10, we met there, found Jesus there, got married there, had our two boy there’s and built a beautiful life full of friends and family. In February of last year we felt like God was calling us to make a HUGE move and pick up our family from everything we have ever known and move across the country to Nashville. We had a glimpse of why God was calling us there, but as you would know if you walk with Jesus, He doesn’t always show us the entire picture. I feel as though He gives you just enough to keep you trusting Him and clinging to His promises He’s given you. SO in August (as in 6 months ago) we made the big move. Though we know God called us there and it is a BEAUTIFUL place, both landscape and people wise, it still was an extremely hard transition. In December we originally planned to go to Arizona to spend the holidays with family and then planned to return to Tennessee the beginning of January. There were, however, some changes in the plan that we needed to adjust to. Our close friend and care giver decided she was ready to move back home. This obviously meant some big change was coming for us. This season had days of questioning God, what seemed like huge set backs or impossible situations and talk of possibly moving back Arizona. That wasn’t ever the desire but our family has needs that just can’t be pushed aside. We of course were willing to do whatever our family needed, but something in us just didn’t have peace about moving back to Arizona yet. So with the new change we knew the kids and I couldn’t return to Tennessee until we found a replacement, however Jake needed to return back to work. So Jake and I said our good bye to each other on January 4. We didn’t know when we would see each other again besides FaceTime, we didn’t know when we were going to return to our home in Tennessee, we didn’t know who was going to be our new caregiver or how anything was going to work out, but we did know one thing, God knew. That’s all that we had to hold on to. So after two months of being in Arizona, after many conversations and prayers to God we are finally on our way home. God gave us the grace and peace we needed to get through a tough season in our journey. Jake and I prayed and fasted and He of course met us! We are heading to Tennessee with new adventure ahead. 

The season we are in is a tough one but there are a few things I’ve held on to during the past two months, things we learned and things we are grateful for 1. Jake and I learned to lean closer to God even when our situation sucked, to TRUST that nothing is a surprise to Him and that He really does have our best interest. 2. We have amazing family and friend support, HUGE thank you to my parents for taking us in the past two months and being so gracious and patient 3. I’m grateful for a marriage that doesn’t fall apart under hard times but we grow closer, Jake, thank you for standing firm in what you know God has said about our family and thank you for keeping me focused on what’s important. 4 Great victory comes from great battles. We feel like we are on the side of victory finally but man was it a battle getting here. But Praise God! The lyrics of Do It Again by Elevation Church has been my anthem for weeks. “I’m still in Your hands, this is my confidence, You’ve never failed me”