Warrs Headed West – Foundation

Our new home is officially in progress! We have foundation!

With this progress, the reality of the move is really hitting us hard! We’re so excited to make our move to Utah but our checklist to make the move just keeps getting longer. Here’s a few things we’ve got to complete:

• declutter the house – check
• list the house – check
• sell the house – Oof this is TOUGH these days!
• Sell household items we aren’t taking with us
• get rid of whatever we weren’t able to sell
• pack up our things

Phew! And that’s not even thinking about the planning that goes into traveling across the country with 3 boys and 2 cats. Each day seems filled with ongoing logistical conversations that mostly start with “what if” or “maybe this…” or “if this, then…”

As exciting as that sounds, those conversations also increase my anxiety and stress. Planning is a huge part of all of our lives. We plan to know, we plan to feel safe, confident, restful, and finally, in control. But when the obsession of planning becomes a stressor or a burden, then what do we do? Well, I don’t know what you do, but I resort to panic and frustration.

I recently tried to anticipate this added stress and frustration and take matters into my own hands to solve. I downloaded some apps that I thought would help manage my stress and really found that the apps made me spiral even more. Why? I know I felt guilt and shame for putting my trust in an app to fix my problems. But the apps added a heavy weight on my chest from the additional awareness of my feelings, and my need to control myself and my situation. Ultimately, the use of the apps made me feel like I’d cheated God and had given up on Him.

What I found was that those earthly band-aids (ai generated apps, and research-based therapies) were insightful, but not what I could put my hope in. They weren’t where I could turn to find joy in my struggle. They may have provided answers and helped me uncover my shortcomings, but, then what? What would lift me up? What/Who was going to bring me out of this feeling? This is where hope comes in. This is where a firm foundation in a being so much greater than me gives me the hope I need to keep going through the unknown. So when I don’t know what comes next in my plans or if those plans are changed by things that are out of my control, I know that my foundation and my hope is in Jesus Christ.

I came across a verse this morning.

[15] But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

1 Peter 3:15 NIV

This verse calls us to do two things: Revere the Lord and speak to those about the hope he’s given us to others with gentleness and respect. 

How can we have hope in the things we don’t know if our faith is not built on a firm foundation. That tug and guilt I was experiencing for not turning to the Bible, was because I was putting my trust in something other than God. God is my strength in times of weakness, God will protect my mind and my heart and bring me through the stresses of this move.

So, what is your foundation built on?