At the place of the sea

Yesterday was an extremely difficult day for me. Still trying to get settled into our home in Connecticut, while trying to sell our home up north is presenting it's own set of challenges. Needless to say, finances are at the top of that list. Trying to maintain a healthy attitude in the midst of a storm is harder than it sounds. I found myself yesterday standing at the place of the sea; figuratively speaking that is. I was trying to wrap my head around everything that's happened and what is still happening and there is no logical reason that makes any sense to me whatsoever.

When the children of Israel were enslaved in bondage in Egypt for well over 400 years, they had been crying to The Lord to send them a deliverer to free them. Generations of people died never seeing the deliverer, and years passed. Then one day God answers their prayer, 430 years later, and sends Moses to deliver them. To make a long story short, he leads them out of Egypt into the wilderness to wander for weeks until finally making it to the edge of the Red Sea. Meanwhile Pharaoh's armies are chasing them and have them trapped in the desert with no where to go. Armies poised on the one side and the Red Sea on the other- this is what you might call a dilemma. The scripture says that the children of Israel complained to Moses, but I would imagine it was a bit more intense than that. They asked Moses why God had taken them out of Egypt only to bring them into the desert to die. I know it sounds crazy, but I get that. I understand their concerns and their frustration. Let me explain.

Last Spring when my wife and I discussed the possibility of moving out of Connecticut, it was for the most part, strictly for financial reasons. It is very expensive living here and everything costs more here. We both were tired of always working for money to pay bills with little to nothing left after every paycheck. Moving to a less expensive state with lower taxes, into a smaller home with fewer expenses seemed like a plausible idea. Being believers, we prayed to God and asked for His blessing and for His guidance to make sure this was a wise move for us at this time. Weeks passed and we talked some more. I realized that our businesses weren't being blessed while we were living here so I asked a seemingly ridiculous prayer. "Lord, if you're not blessing us enough to stay here, then please at least  bless us enough to leave" and within weeks both of our businesses prospered to where were were in a position to purchase a home up north without having our home sold yet, including having money for moving expenses.

Now, after being back in our Connecticut home we are looking around almost in a fog wondering why God would take us out of our home, bring us up north, let us get settled in, spend thousands of dollars buying a home, registering our vehicles and moving twice in 90 days, only to bring us back into our original home, that- by the way, never sold. It seems absolutely unreal. I definitely feel like I am standing at the place of the sea. Not quite sure if the armies of Pharaoh will destroy me or will I drown in the sea in front of me. Only God knows. But for the moment, I have to find something to be thankful for so here goes. There's a part of the story about Moses that I haven't shared yet, and that's where he speaks to the children of Israel and says, "Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of The Lord." There was hope and the sea parted and Israel walked through and were saved.

I have to believe that as with them, there is a salvation coming for my wife and I and this heartache will come to an end. I guess what I am thankful for today is that I still have some hope left inside of me to wait on our miracle. It may not seem like much to someone else, but from where I am standing, it's more powerful than you will ever know.