Six and a half years ago my life had FINALLY fallen into place. After a long battle with infertility and riding the crazy roller coaster of being foster parents, our adoption had just finalized with our two daughters. My husband had a job that he loved, in a church we loved, with a community of people that we loved...deeply. We were in escrow to buy our very fist home together. It was in a neighborhood that would allow our kids to go to a great school... the school I grew up in. For once it seemed that things were going the way I had always envisioned. The story book of my life that I had penned in my imagination as a young girl was coming to fruition.
BUT GOD.
My husband sent me a text one afternoon and told me that he had been made aware of a senior pastor position in Carson City, Nevada, which was about two and a half hours from where we were living in Northern California. He told me that he was being encouraged to pursue the opportunity, and that while he really did not believe anything would come of it (he did not think that this church would call a young pastor with no senior pastor experience), he thought that it would be wise for him to interview for the job, as he believed the interview process would be a good experience for him to have under his belt. I knew nothing of Carson City, other than I was quite certain that it was somewhere that I did not want to live, but since my husband assured me that he really did not think this was going anywhere I encouraged him to move forward with the interview processes.
Just a couple of weeks later, we found ourselves driving East on highway 50 over the Sierra Nevada Mountains to my husband's interview.
The first two hours and ten minutes of our drive was through what I think is some of the most beautiful scenery in all of the world, but as we left the forest of gorgeous Lake Tahoe and started to descend down the mountain towards the valley, the forest quickly gave way into dry dust and rock. I was looking at what appeared to be a moonscape. I remember thinking, “There's no way I could ever live someplace like this!”
We continued descending down the mountain, and as we rounded a curve we were able to look down and see part of Carson City and what I now know is Carson Valley. I felt a weight in my chest and a knot in my throat form. I was fighting back tears. I looked over at my husband and was shocked that he too had tears in his eyes. I surprised myself when I blurted out, “We are moving to Carson City, aren't we?” He looked at me and said, “I think we are!”
You see, just as we were descending down the mountain, God's presence descended on our car. There was no doubt in either of our minds that it was God that was speaking to us. Rather, He was calling us... calling us to Carson City. Before we had even stepped foot in the city, seen the church or met the people in the church, been interviewed for the job (let alone offered a job), God knit our hearts to Carson City. In a moment we knew that we were called by God to love and serve this community we were looking at from a bird's eye view. We knew that this was going to be our home.
I cannot explain how God can convey all of that information on unsuspecting hearts in just an instant, but He did, and we knew to deny that truth would be to deny God's calling on our lives.
***Spoiler Alert*** It was a several month process after his initial interview, but my husband got the job!
We canceled our home purchase in California, and moved our family to Carson City. I would be lying to you if I said this move was an easy one for us. It was not. Nothing felt familiar. I missed our family and friends. I grieved over the fact that my children would not get to grow up close to their cousins and my side of the family. It was a rocky transition into our new church as it often is when replacing a very long term pastor. I had a very hard time making friends, and felt isolated as a new mom.
I often asked God why He would call us from something that seemed to be our version of the “Promised Land” and to the moonscape of Carson City, but during those times I would remind myself of the moment in the car when God spoke to my husband and me and called us to this place.
I now know that God's calling on our life that day was such an act of kindness and grace to us, because reflecting back on when He spoke to us so clearly brought such peace and assurance to our hearts during difficult times. We knew that it was God who had called us to Carson City, and even when that calling did not make sense to us we trusted in His plan for our lives completely, because we knew He was a good Father!
As I sit here six and a half years later I stand in awe of what God has done. Although our transition to Nevada was not easy initially, I can finally say, as is one of our state's motto's, “Home Means Nevada!”
Our family loves it here, but more importantly, God is working in our lives here. My husband, kids, and I have all had opportunities to minister here that I know we never would have had in California. We love our church family with all our hearts, and are grateful and blessed by their presence in our lives on a daily basis. We have developed true and meaningful friendships, have seen people come to know and serve the Lord here, and have witnessed God truly at work in our community. And, believe it or not, the moonscape terrain has grown on me. I think Carson City is beautiful. There is nothing that quite compares to a Carson City sunset or the spectacular view of the Sierra Nevada Mountains I see from pretty much any location in town.
I am so thankful that God spoke to my husband and I that day, and I'm grateful we obeyed Him. There is nothing that compares to knowing that you are in the center of God's will for your life. Friends, I want to encourage you to be ready to hear God's voice. Listen for it. Wait for it. Ask Him to speak to you.
When you do hear His voice, be prepared to follow it anywhere. When you follow Him, know that it will not always be easy. And, during those hard times look back and remember when He called you. Let His calling on your life be an anchor to your soul!
ABOUT MELANIE
Melanie is a busy wife and stay at home mamma to three kids. She and her family serve the Lord at Hope Crossing Community Church in Carson City, NV where her husband is the Lead Pastor. Melanie is an advocate for foster care and adoption and has volunteered with her local CASA organization as well as in her city’s DCFS offices helping to educate and support new foster/adoptive parents.
Although she’s an introvert she’s also a people person. Above all else her heart’s desire is that she can be a conduit of the hope and healing of Jesus to the world around her. Connect with her at Melanie_Emery@yahoo.com