Never Once

So many things in my life are changing.  We leave in 4 days for a different country that is NOTHING at all like the one I grew up in.  So hard to fathom. My kids have no clue what is about to happen to them.  We are saying so many goodbyes my eyes can barely release any more tears. I never knew how painful it would be to watch your son cry all the way to school because he said bye to his dog or watch and listen to 9 &11 year old girls chase our van while continually yelling "GOOD BYE ANNIE" as  we drive away. It's  right that we are leaving but MAN is it hard.

This morning as I was spending time with Jesus and telling him that thru the pain He's worth it, He brought to mind a song that my heart needed to hear,  Never Once by Matt Redman.  This song pushed me into remembering.  The command God gave to the Israelites to REMEMBER is the command I received today.  I'm leaving the only land I've really ever known headed to the place of promise.  And to survive and thrive I have to remember.

So this morning I listened to the words of this song an  I cried as I remembered the faithfulness of God.

 Never once did we ever walk alone

Never once did You leave us on our own

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

He has led us every step of our lives.  He never left me when I thought I'd be single forever.  He never left me when I was in the depths of post-partum depression.  He never left me as I was trying to figure out how to be a wife, parent, pastor.  He never left me when my Daddy died.  Because He was with us is the only reason we could disciple people well.  Because He was with us we could help create a place for children and families to grow in their relationship with Him.  The only good we have EVER done is because HE IS WITH US!

And now as we head to the other side off the world...literally.  I can go with confidence.  Not confidence in my calling, not confidence in my husband's great giftings or vision.  But because NEVER ONCE have we walked alone.

And we won't start now

Follow the link to listen to the song by Matt Redman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=722zPX1npcA