You have 3 options ladies.....

Someone calls you out on something you did.  Whether you agree with them or disagree with them isn't the problem.  The problem is you have 3 options to choose from as your response.  You can either:

A: Let your inner mean girl come out- They are being ridiculous.  Are they seriously making a bigger deal out of this than it really is.  How dare they do this to you.  They have no reason to be upset nor do they have a right to talk to you this way.

B: Stuff it all down inside and let the inside chatter take over- They obviously think you are so stupid.  They can't believe how you would dare do that so obviously they will never forgive you or want to talk to you ever again.  I'm sure they will go around and tell everyone and their dog about what I did.  How could I have been so stupid? They think I'm so immature and the worst type of person.

C: Apologize for what you did to offend or upset them and move on- Most of the time this is the least likely one we will resort to.  As woman we are driven by emotions and I would bet 99.9% off the time it is hard to not react based upon our emotions. We let the emotions flow and very rarely stop and take a second to think over how we are going to react. It's in our nature.  It's in our make up. But that doesn't mean we can't change how we react.  It doesn't mean we can't start trying to keep our God given emotions in check. 

This morning I had someone let me know I had done something they didn't like very much.  I had these very 3 options right in front of my face.  And since just last week I had finished the book Unglued By Lysa TerKeurst these 3 options were fresh in my mind.  This time God put it pretty quick in my mind that I had no right or reason to let my inner mean girl come out.  I may have not had the same opinion in this situation but this person had every right to feel the way they did.  So I was left with the last 2 options......

I'll be honest folks, I am so terribly bad with inside chatter.  There have been so many times I come home from somewhere and think, "Why did I say that?? Why did I do that?? They all think I'm a moron...." and the list goes on......  So when I read chapter 10 in Lysa's book about inside chatter it shook me up inside.  It brought into the light how extremely unhealthy this is and now I try, key word try to stop the inside chatter right away.

This morning was no different.  The first option just plainly wasn't a option.  The second one though I really had to fight off.  I cried to my sweet husband telling him this person is so mad at me now and it will probably be awkward the next time we see them....and how could I ever talk to them again?? If they don't respond to my apology it means they hate me and think I'm so incredibly stupid for doing what I did.  Travis of course flat out said, "Chrissy none of that is true and if they are mad they will get over it.  They will not be mad forever." Yep there was my stop sign to quiet the inside chatter.  This poor person didn't actually physically say anything I was rambling on about.  I hung up with the hubby and remembered chapter 10 in Lysa's book.  I had apologized for making a stupid decision and that was that.  I needed to just move on and not sit and listen to the devil feed me lies.  Because frankly I know that was what he was doing.  He was making me feed into all the insecurities I have about myself.  

I could have dwelt on this small thing literally all day.  I could have felt stupid all day.  I could have wondered if they were over it all day.  But instead I tried my darnedest to do option 3.  Wasn't easy and it probably won't ever be an easy option but with God's help I can do anything....of that I am sure... 

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

He will provide.....

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Matthew 6:25-34

Worrying is probably my worst trait.  I worry over everything.  Ask my husband any time and he will tell you that he has to tell me all the time to not worry so much.  It can be something as little as a sentence I said to someone all the way to how we are going to afford a bill.  Sometimes I even make myself sick over worrying over a situation and most of the time my worry was all for nothing. I've seen the verse above multiple times.  I've heard friends tell stores all the time about how God has provided for their every need.  How when they aren't sure how something is going to work out God finds a way to wow them. But honestly I still have chosen to worry, until we got into the current situation we are in....

Ever since the day God blessed us with Trav's new job I have been committed to not worry so much.  Is the house gonna sell? I know it will, in its own time...I'm so not worried.  How are we going to afford a place for Trav to sleep and extra gas?? Haven't been worried at all...just knew somehow it would work out.  How are we going to survive living apart? We just will, it will be hard but we will make it through.  Right now we have so much we could be worrying about and for some reason we just aren't.  And let me tell you, God is showing up in a HUGE way.  

The very first month Trav was in Canby I had 8, yes 8 cooking shows in 4 weeks.  Didn't know why God was throwing all this work my way when I didn't have a spouse to help with Maci but I did it anyway.  The check from those 8 shows covered Trav's hotel and then some for the 2nd month he would be there.  Praise GOD!! Had a super rough week and felt pretty alone....God used one of my good friends to send me some cheer and let me know she is there for me.  Praise GOD! We got word that after our house sells, we will be getting the go ahead to be able to purchase a house. Praise GOD! Our furnace needed a part replaced this past weekend, my Pampered Chef paycheck again covered the bill and then some.  Praise GOD! Trav's payment to have the hotel for another month is due in a week, today he found out he will barely be there for the month of December due to being in SD and the cities for training and conferences. Therefore he won't be needing it in December.  Praise GOD!!! 

In just 7 weeks God has provided for us in ways we weren't sure how we would make it work.  Ever since I stopped the worrying over everything, He has blessed me more than I could imagine.  He has shown me that I can trust Him. That He has my back.  That He will provide for my every need.  For my families every need.  

So this Thanksgiving I'm praising God for this crazy life He has me in right now. There are times its hard and sometimes down right sucks but He is holding us through it.  He is teaches us to lean on Him no matter what.  He is showing us He will provide for our every need.....  

This Way Child....

When we hear God's voice, sometimes it's so easy to say "Nope.  I'm not doing that." Or "I'm not doing it that way. I'm gonna do it my way." Or we start talking to others about what God has called us to do and they have an opinion on what we should do.  9 times out of 10 the way we think is best or the way others think is best is the easy way.  God's way is usually the harder way.  God's way usually involves challenges and of course lessons.  His way forces us to look deep into ourselves and find our strength in Him.  And in the end when we look back, almost 100% of the time, we see that overall His way was the better way. It may have not been the easier way but it was the better path to go.

When Travis and I first started this journey we are on, everything went crazy fast now looking back at it.  We didn't expect everything to go so quickly.  We didn't expect him to get an interview so fast, we didn't expect one of the first interviews he did they would offer him a job, we didn't expect they would make him such an awesome offer we couldn't refuse.  God handed us what we were asking for on a silver platter.  It was so obvious it was a God thing, it didn't take long for us to say yes.  It didn't take us long to realize that we needed to step out in faith and trust God to take care of all the other details that needed to follow.  I will admit though, at first I was expecting everything else to go as quickly.  I was expecting God to work miracles ASAP and BOOM: our house would be sold, we would buy another one and everything would happen just as fast as getting the job did.

Well it's been almost 7 weeks now and God isn't going BOOM here it is on a silver platter.  God is using this time to teach Travis and I so much.  About who He is, about ourselves, and about our relationship with each other.  I'm learning to fully rely on God so much more than I ever have.  I'm learning that even when it doesn't feel like it, He's with me holding my hand.  I'm learning that having faith in Him is knowing without a doubt that He will do what He said He would do for us.....no matter how long it takes.  I'm learning that I am so much stronger than I ever thought.  Do I like this situation? Absolutely not.  I have really bad days where I miss my hubby so much it hurts but I know at the end of this it will be so worth it because we were being obedient to God.  I'm learning to cherish every little moment I have with my family and not get distracted when I"m with them.  There is so much in this world that doesn't need as much attention as I give it.  Social Media, television, busy-work.  I'm learning how to date my hubby again.  When he comes back on Saturdays it truly does feel like we are dating all over again, and we are needing to learn how to communicate better so we don't feel so far apart all the time.  God is using this time to make us better people, better spouses, better parents.......

Trav and I aren't so naive to think that there aren't people out there who have better ideas of how we should be handling this situation.  What we should do with the house, with the job.  In today's world everyone has an opinion.  Everyone in today's world thinks that their way is the best way.  But I'm here to tell you God's way is the best way.  We are doing everything in our power to make sure we are doing what God is asking of us.  You have no idea how bad sometimes I want to say forget trying to sell the house.  Get a renter in here and let's move.  But then I calm my emotions and starting listening to what God wants.  And then that feeling leaves me and I realize right now, in this moment God is asking us to wait.  To wait on Him to move in the situation.  He has a plan and I don' know what that is yet but I do know we are doing what He asks of us right now.  In the past week I have seen so many blessings pouring out helping me to know and have peace over this situation.

If you are in a situation right now where you don't know which way to go.  Don't listen to what you want, don't listen to those around you.  Listen to God.  Spend time with Him and listen for His calming voice to say "This way child." It wont' be the easy path, it won't be the popular path, but I promise it will be the right path in the end....

I don't love this situation God, but I LOVE you.....

"Your own ears will hear him

Right behind you a voice will say,

'This is the way you should go.'

whether to the right or to the left." 

-Isaiah 30:21

Month One: 3 lessons learned

This week marks the 1 month marker since Trav left to start his job at Farmers Cooperative in Canby MN.  It marks the day we started a long distance marriage.  It marks the day we officially said, "God we are trusting you with this.  We are trusting that the path you have laid out before us is right one." In all honestly it has been the longest month of my life.....

Marriage isn't supposed to be this way.  Family life isn't supposed to be this way.  It's not 'normal' to only see your husband and father to your baby one day a week.  It's not 'normal' for a married person to sleep alone in her big queen sized bed.  I've always been used to long crazy hours 2 out of the 4 seasons of the year.  I knew what I was signing up for there.  But at least then I got to see a shadow sleeping next to me.  At least I got to stay up until he got home and make him some supper.  Now when he gets off he gets to go back to an empty small hotel room where a microwavable meal awaits him.  It's not 'normal'. Not 'normal' at all.  But in this past month, I have learned some things.....and in the next coming days and weeks until we are together again I'm sure I'll learn a great deal more.  And I'm sure that's what God has in mind.......

1.  It sucks. Didn't take many days to figure that one out.  When you say "I Do" it usually means you get to live with the love of your life.  It usually means when you have babies, you will share the responsibilities of parenting and that they will be there to give you a break every now and then.  Let's just say I have a great deal more of respect for single moms, military spouses, and any woman that has a husband who travels for work all the time.  It's not how it's supposed to be.  It's just not.

2. Trusting God has a plan is not as easy as it sounds. Sure we can all say we trust God's plan but when it comes down to it and God isn't working in our timing, it's just not that easy.  What's easy is saying I'm done.  I don't want to do this anymore I just want my husband back.  I just want to live together under one roof again.  And believe me I've had days where I've wanted to say that....was so ready to throw in the towel.  But God didn't bring us here just to give up.  He doesn't say His paths are the easy ones.  The devil takes any and every opportunity he can to make sure we fail and turn off on our own course.  And when that happens, we have to fall on our knees and pray.  Tell God how we are hurting and ask for strength.  With Him we are so much stronger than we think.

3. When we do fully trust God, He will give you peace and blessings more than you can imagine.  I'm a planner.  I should be freaking out most of the time.  And of course I have moments where I'm really sad and missing our 'normal' life. Times when I want to pull my hair out because Maci is driving me crazy.  But above all that I'm at peace with where we are at.  Our buyers for our house are out there.  I have no doubts.  God's timing is always perfect and once this is all over with we will look back as a family and go, "AHHH that's why you waited God."  And since we laid this all at His feet, He has been blessing us.  Right after Trav left, my calendar started filling up with Pampered Chef parties.  Last time I counted I had 8 parties in a matter of 4 weeks.  Craziness and I was trying to figure out why now.  Why now when I'm hoping to move any time.  And right now I can tell you 2 reasons why. Number 1: God knew I would need breaks from being a mommy.  He knows how much I love Maci but all mom's need a break.  This gives me a little push to make sure I get that break.  Number 2: Trav is living in a hotel.  Not a super fancy hotel but hotels for a months at a time are not cheap.  And we didn't know how we would be affording it.  I get paid this week and Trav's next months payment is due this week as well.  My paycheck is more than enough to pay for it.  A huge blessing.

I know there will be many more things I will learn between now and whenever our time in the "waiting place" is through.  I just want to encourage anyone else that's in the "waiting place" for whatever reason to keep waiting.  Keep praying.  Keeping believing.  Keep trusting.  We aren't out of it yet, and I know it will get harder before it gets easier.  But I know that without Christ by my side during all this, I would have fallen completely apart by now.......

God never promised it would be easy...

We are over halfway done with our 2nd week of Trav living in Canby while Maci and I are living in an overly clean house without him.  It has probably been the longest 2 weeks of my life.  And frankly I have tried to keep us overly busy so we don't have time to really process what is happening.  If I stop and think about it, I mean truly stop and process everything our family has to do in order to be together again, I honestly might have a break down.  And that's not an option for me.....

During this entire life change, from the very beginning, Travis and I have given it all to God.  We have continually laid it down at His feet since the very first phone call was made.  And because we have done that, I think...no I KNOW that is where my strength is coming from.  I'm usually a big worry wart.  This whole ordeal should make me go INSANE from worry.  But every single time one of those nasty what if thoughts tries to enter my mind, I have said, "God take it.  You know what's going to happen.  I trust You..."  And the worry melts away.

Now that doesn't mean the road thus far as been easy.  We all know when God is trying to do good things in our lives Satan looks for any hole he can to work his way into our minds.  He does everything he can to get in there and destroy all God has planned for us. And as much as we have confidence that this life change is part of the plan God has for us, Satan has already tried to stick his nose where it doesn't belong.  And this morning was no different.  Another hiccup arose that could have easily made us say nope that's it we are done.  And to be honest, I was near a break down.  I went into the bathroom, sat down, and let my feelings out.  And then, God reached down and picked me back up again.

It was almost like someone smacked me across the face to be honest.  God never promised me following Him would be easy.  He never promised to hand me everything I ever wanted for me or my family on a silver platter.  In fact in the bible it says many times there will be times of trouble; but that Christ will be by our side and if we trust in Him, He will RENEW our strength.  (Isaiah 40:31)

I know there are people out there going through stuff.  Stressful stuff.  Hard stuff.  Exhausting stuff.  Horrific stuff.  I know there are people out there dealing with things that I can't even imagine, because honestly there is always someone out there going through something worse than your situation somewhere.  And I hope whatever your situation is, you always remember this.  Always remember that God never never promised it would be easy.  He never ever said there wouldn't be some bumps in the road.  But He has promised over and over again that He will be there with you.  He will renew your strength.  He will see you through it even if sometimes it feels like it will never end.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel with God by your side....

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
 They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”  -Jeremiah 17:7-8

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us" -Romans 8:18

Life is too short sometimes...

Death.  It's a hard thing no matter how old a person is.  But there's something to be said about a young person dying.  There is more depth to the grief people that knew the person feels.  The sadness feels a little more heavy.  There's a million more questions of why.  And frankly there can easily be a little more anger. We are supposed to be able to grow up.  Graduate High School.  Graduate College.  Get married.  Raise a family.  Enjoy life until we are old and gray.  And when that doesn't happen...when life throws you a curve ball and someone is gone too soon it just cuts a little deeper.

Yesterday morning the world had another 'too soon too young' person leave this life.  I didn't personal know him but am connected to people that did.  My heart breaks and hurts for all those that loved him.  No words people can say will comfort you in the way you need to be comforted.  Only Jesus can do that....

As Trav and I were getting ready for bed, I looked at him and said, "If you were on the fire department, you would have seen him.  You would have seen a young life gone.  Would you be able to handle that?"  (For those that don't know, Trav has wanted to be on the fire department for a LONG time).  Trav looked away and as he was walking out of the bathroom said, "I've already done that..."

Stupid Chrissy.  Stupid stupid move.  I asked those words without even thinking....Dumb question.

In August 2007 Travis experienced one of his darkest days. We were only 18.  Long story short, Trav drove out to his buddies place in Milan MN to check up on him.  We hadn't been able to get a hold of him for hours and he was supposed to meet up with Trav around lunch time to move into their new apartment.  At around 8:30 that night, Trav found him face first on the living room floor.....he was dead. It's an image that is forever burned into my husbands brain.   We were only 18.  Life isn't supposed to be this way.  We are supposed to be care free and young and having fun.  We experienced all those questions.  Everyone that knew and loved Marshall felt the same extra heaviness that came with his death.  

At 18 years old, Travis, me and everyone else that grieved Marshall learned that life is too short.  We all say that when we hear of someone young dying but when you have lived through that kind of grief.... you say it and actually MEAN it.  That day in August, changed our lives forever.  Trav and I were broken up at the time but you best believe the very next day I got in my car and got to him as fast as I could.  We have been together ever since.  It's sounds cliche but we didn't want to waste one more day of not loving each other.  That day in August, Travis started seeking to know Jesus in a more serious way. God doesn't want tragedies to happen but you best believe He creates all things to work for the good. (Romans 8:28)  Stronger relationships were a big thing that came out of Marshall's passing.  

Bottom line, life is too short friends.  Those of us on this earth that have witnessed first hand a young person's death will tell you that.  And I guarantee you that we aren't just saying it to say it.  Start living today.  And no I don't mean go do crazy things.  I don't mean go jump of cliffs or drink all you can drink.  I mean start living today how you want to live the rest of your life.  Start living your life by being the best possible you.  Don't keep waiting to resolve those tough conflicts.  Don't keep waiting to fix things in your life that need to be fixed.  Don't put off one more day without getting to know Jesus.  He loves you so much and wants to be there for you through all of life's ups and downs.  

To those of you who knew and loved Kris Tanner, I pray you find comfort in Jesus.  There are no words that anyone can say to make you feel better.  Only our sweet sweet Savior can help.  And He's holding you in His arms and crying with you.  

I searched for Kris on FB to see if I recognized him from church.  Of course he has most of his profile hidden, which hopefully most of us do but what I did see there melted my heart a little.  The few status updates I could see, were of him thanking our glorious God for the day.  So go out into the world and be that kind of person.  Thank God every day for the gift of today.  Do something great today, even if it's just a small act of kindness.......and pray for the Tanner family and everyone else that knew this young man.....

Life is too shorts sometimes.  It's just too short....

   

Courage or Comfort: That is the question

God has a way of constantly surprising you.  Every time you think He can't bless you more, He seems to pull out all the stops and leaves your mouth hanging open saying "Wow".  For the past several months, Travis and I have felt very 'unsettled' here.  We have felt like a change was coming we just weren't sure what that change would entail.  It honestly is probably one of the weirdest feelings ever.  A feeling where you know God is at work, but for whatever reason He is keeping it hidden.  All we could do was pray over it.  Pray that whatever was coming, He would prepare our hearts and minds so that when the time came, we would know what He wanted of us.  That we would know the direction we were meant to take our family in.  And after every prayer was the waiting game.

Waiting is hard.  Especially when you can feel something exciting coming but you just don't know what it is.  It's like a kid waiting for Christmas morning.  As a child you know without a doubt your parents put awesome amazing presents for you under that tree but of course you have to wait until Christmas morning to open them.  So instead you sit and dream of every magical thing that could be in those pretty boxes.  My favorite verse about waiting has become:

"I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning" Psalm 130:5-6

I knew if we didn't wait IN the Lord, and if we didn't put our HOPE in His word, that the devil could easily put stuff in our path that wasn't God's plan for our lives.  I didn't want to make the wrong decision.  I wanted us to make the best possible decision for our family. 

At first an opportunity came up that we thought might be what we were waiting for.  It involved me going back to work but we wanted to at least give it a shot in case it was our answer to our prayers.  So I applied and then we just continued to pray.  We thought of it as if it was meant to happen God would work it out.  As the weeks pasted though, Trav started talking to a recruiter.  Ryan's job was to find jobs for those in the agronomy field.  Trav knew he wanted to shift his line of work and move up but currently and sadly his current job didn't have that opportunity. Of course, none of the jobs he was interested in were around the Litchfield area.  So again we just continued to pray over it.  Deep in our hearts though, we never thought anything would happen this year.  We thought Trav would have some interviews but in the end, none of them would work out.  

Fast forward a few months and I got offered the job I had applied for.  I was beyond excited.  Yes I would miss my baby girl but I would only be working part time and we so needed the extra income.  Trav had had an interview but we didn't think anything would come of it.  We thought if he did get offered the job, it wouldn't be enough to be worth it to move.  We started getting daycare lined up and thinking ahead to how big of a change this would all be.  But we also thought about what a blessing it was all going to be as well.  

A few days later after accepting my new job we were in the car on our way up to Duluth to take Trav's sister to college.  Trav got a call from his recruiter letting us know that he would be receiving a job offer for us by the following Tuesday.  Ryan told us what the ballpark figure was and what little he knew about the job itself.  We were in total and complete shock.  How could this be happening?? Why on earth would God give us both opportunities when they are so far apart from each other?? And why do we now need to wait 5 whole days before we actually get the offer?? I. Want. To. Know. NOW! But funny, God doesn't always work the way we want it and in the timing we want.  

The next week was a long waiting game.  Each day would end with us not hearing too much and still left in limbo.  Wondering how much our life would change.  Wondering if we would be packing our family up and moving.  Wondering if this really was something God wanted.  I felt like all we both did was pray.  Pray that if it was meant to be Trav would be offered what is fair.  Prayed that God would give us the wisdom we needed to make such a life altering decision.  Prayed that all the stress that was building up would not start ripping us apart.  Looking back I'm sure that was all part of God's plan.  He was and still is teaching us how to fully rely on Him for everything instead of just going by what we want for us.  

Friday 9.7.13: I was in the bathroom getting ready to go out and celebrate my bday with my hubby.  He walked in and said: "Well I got a call today".  Here it is.  The moment I have prayed over for what seemed like months now.  As he described the details they were offering   The job title he would be given and everything that goes along with getting a new job, I couldn't help but have a smile come to my face.  I was watching my husband's eyes dance with delight.  This manager had faith in him.  This manager wanted to give my husband the opportunity to push forward with his dreams.  We quickly figured out that this is what God had been planning for us.  I have never felt so much peace in such a chaotic situation.  Saying yes to this opportunity meant so many more uncertainties followed.  And yet, there we were, grinning ear to ear all weekend as we talked about it all. 

And among all the excitement we had more than that offer to think about.  I was supposed to be starting my new job in a week.  There were so many unknowns still but how could I just act like we were staying forever and continue on with that when I knew in my heart this was it for us and Litchfield in a few months or so.  I couldn't bottom line.  So I had to tell them everything that was going on.  I could either keep everything as planned and work until the house sells, or they could decide to find someone else.  It was their choice.  And I had faith in whatever their decision was because bottom line, I knew when I looked back when all was said and done I would see the work of God.  

We need prayer from all of you.  These next several months are going to be hard.  We have to get our house on the market and sold quickly.  And to get ready for that we need to get everything organized and lots of small stuff fixed up.  Trav will be leaving for Canby MN at the beginning of the month and unless things go super quickly, he will sadly be leaving without us.  Maci and I will be staying in Litchfield until the house sells.  Trav will come home on weekends when he can and unfortunately that wont be much the first several weeks.  He will be starting right around when things go crazy and will be working 6 days a week.  And they will be his long hours just like they were here.  So we need prayer that the house sells quickly (and for a good price at that), that we will find housing for ourselves quickly after that, and that Maci and I will get through these next several months without our main man around.  

With everything that goes with this new chapter in our lives, with all the stress and challenges that we will be facing, it would be so easy for us to decide to not go through with it.  We could just say no, stay in Litchfield and I would just keep the job I was offered.  We could choose comfort.  But sometimes God chooses us to be courageous.  To do something out of our comfort zone so He can bless us.  So He can use us in a greater plan He has for us.  I read a quote in a blog last week that stood out to me.  Gave me more confidence in our decision.

"You can choose courage or you can choose comfort, but you cannot choose both.  They are mutually exclusive" -Brene Brown

Right now, in this moment.  In this challenge God has placed before us, I choose courage.

My husband doesn't like change.  He will be the first to admit it.  So God giving him such an enormous amount of peace is such an incredible blessing.  We can't thank the Co-op here in town enough for everything they have done in the past 5 years.  They are the reason our first home was in this beautiful little town.  There will be so many tears the day we have to officially say good-bye to this place.  We have made lasting friendships here.  We have had so many firsts for our family here.  We created our family here.  We found a church home that was beyond our dreams here.  God blessed us many many times here.  I don't want to think about all we are leaving behind too much because I know we will be back to visit often.  Trav's family is all from the Kimball area, so yes dear friends we will be back often.  

God has been in this journey from the very start.  We have seen all his blessings throughout the whole situation so far.  We know this is a gift from God.  If I didn't tell you this personally, please don't take it personally.  This has been a very big secret in our household.  We didn't want to tell anyone until we knew it was happening and we knew it was God's will.  

Thank you all in advance for your love, your support, and your prayers.  We couldn't do this without all of you.  

With all our love,

The Petty's

Travis, Chrissy & Maci

***Please out of respect for us don't ask where I was offered a job.  Our family, has chosen to keep that private for various reasons.  But I do feel it is an important part in this journey we are on.  God has a reason for keeping me as a stay at home mama, of that I am sure :)