It seems like it’s been forever, right? Or is it just me? I feel like I have been here in Colorado for eternity already…and it still hasn’t even been two months. And somewhere in the middle of not-quite-two-months, I even went home for a week and a half.
I am feeling the strain of transition this week. I feel settled and welcomed and in the flow – honestly, more than I really expected to be at this point – but there is still a lot of transitioning that is happening. And a lot that will still be happening in six months. I still have to establish new community. I’m still looking for connections with girls and with ministry partners. I’m still transitioning to the altitude and the ridiculous polar weather patterns around here. And the transitions go on and on and on…
Once upon a sermon (that I’m sure he’ll be shocked to know I actually listened to), my dad said this: “We turn to God when our foundations are shaking only to find that it is God Himself that is shaking them.”
I’ve been reminded of that this week. There is no colossal news to report. Everything is still going smoothly. But I’ve definitely noticed the shaken feeling that comes with the awareness of transitional strain. In a hundred small ways, I’ve been startled to realize that the smoothness of the past two months has not negated the fact that my entire life has been altered in significant ways, and it’s going to take more than just a great job and six weeks to get me settled here.
It just takes time. Not in a desperate-sad way. More in a keep-moving-forward-until-the-shaken-feeling-has-passed way. And I’ve been entirely reminded this week that if God Himself is shaking our foundations, then we can be sure our foundations need shaking. Because the only thing in my life that is unshakable is His Kingdom and His Presence. Nothing else is worth my attention during the transition, and regardless of how much I want the false security of a faulty foundation, it’s not about my short-term confidence. It’s about a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. Just Him and His Kingdom and what those two things look like in a different season of life….even when I’m still figuring that out in six months. And for that, I’m grateful – shaken foundations and all.
At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” This phase “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken – that is, things that have been made – in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:26-29
Jenn, transition is such a sneaky thing, huh? From reading your earlier posts, its great to hear how much you love your work, though.
We miss you here, even though you haven’t been “here” in a long time. Hearing your dad talk about you (a lot) is fun for us, but clearly not for him.
I’ll confess that I’m a bit of a blog stalker. Thanks to Mrs. Tara, I found yours. I feel a bookmark coming on…
your dad sounds like a wise man. thanks for sharing this jenn.
read your blog.
feel your pain.
sounds like you need to come home and visit me,I mean your dad.
anonymous
This was beautifully expressed, Jenn! I’ve had this kind of shaking several times in my life and always feel happy when it is over. In many ways, since coming to Barbados, it has continued for a year and a half. I just laugh when someone asks me to tell them what a typical day is like in my life. There is no typical day!!! Sometimes I enjoy that but there is always a part of me that will yearn for routine and schedule. Maybe it will come later as it has all the other places we have lived or maybe it will just continue involve new things everyday. I am fine with either possibility because I know He is in control and I’ll just keep going along on this adventure with Him.
Now you have both Stums stalking you.
I hope that my kids remember something meaningful that I say someday. I fear that they will only remember the rap songs that I teach them. But, hey, maybe that will pay off if they become the next rap legend duo– Lil Deezy and Bil L (That would be Dosen and Luke just in case you were wondering:)
Peace