After I had written about our recent trip to the coast, I got several comments saying that we shouldn't discount living out there without doing further research and also that we might not want to turn down the opportunity of moving there just because there are a lot of tourists.
I've spent the last couple days mulling over those comments and trying to figure out what they meant. I knew that I had gone on and and on about how much we had actually LIKED the Manteo area and we weren't at all discounting the idea of living out there.
And then it finally HIT me! (Hence, the "Duh" in the title.)
I finally realized, much to my chagrin, that when I had painted Manteo with such a flattering brush, I had inadvertently NOT painted Outer Banks and its towns in an equally positive way.
So to those readers who live on the Outer Banks, please accept my apologies. (Even though all of you were exceedingly gracious in your comments.)
I must say that when we were on the Outer Banks, we did see many lovely places. In fact, we stayed overnight with some church members and absolutely loved their neighborhood and the sea grass and other flora that surrounded their home. I have also visited different areas of the Outer Banks in the past and have enjoyed the quaint towns, picturesque lighthouses, and great natural beauty. It's truly a lovely area.
So having said all of that, let me change gears for a moment and explain a little bit about the decision making process for finding a new church.
First of all, we would never choose (or not choose) a church based solely on its location, just like we would never choose a ministry opportunity based only on the salary package offered.
Just to illustrate that point: When we went on the road full time back in 1989--I was four months pregnant at the time--we took a seventy percent pay cut AND we moved from a custom built house to a 270 square foot travel trailer. (That was our full time residence.) We made our decision based solely on what we perceived God's will to be for our family and we ended up successfully living that lifestyle for fifteen years!
In the same way, when it came to not pursuing the church on the Outer Banks, we made that decision for many reasons, none of them having to do with location.
If you've ever made a big decision like this, you know very well how complicated it can be. Even today, Steve has been on frequent phone calls with a variety of pastors, leaders, and advisers as we try to start putting some pieces together.
It's a scary, exciting, stressful, wonderful time!
I've spent the last couple days mulling over those comments and trying to figure out what they meant. I knew that I had gone on and and on about how much we had actually LIKED the Manteo area and we weren't at all discounting the idea of living out there.
And then it finally HIT me! (Hence, the "Duh" in the title.)
I finally realized, much to my chagrin, that when I had painted Manteo with such a flattering brush, I had inadvertently NOT painted Outer Banks and its towns in an equally positive way.
So to those readers who live on the Outer Banks, please accept my apologies. (Even though all of you were exceedingly gracious in your comments.)
I must say that when we were on the Outer Banks, we did see many lovely places. In fact, we stayed overnight with some church members and absolutely loved their neighborhood and the sea grass and other flora that surrounded their home. I have also visited different areas of the Outer Banks in the past and have enjoyed the quaint towns, picturesque lighthouses, and great natural beauty. It's truly a lovely area.
So having said all of that, let me change gears for a moment and explain a little bit about the decision making process for finding a new church.
First of all, we would never choose (or not choose) a church based solely on its location, just like we would never choose a ministry opportunity based only on the salary package offered.
Just to illustrate that point: When we went on the road full time back in 1989--I was four months pregnant at the time--we took a seventy percent pay cut AND we moved from a custom built house to a 270 square foot travel trailer. (That was our full time residence.) We made our decision based solely on what we perceived God's will to be for our family and we ended up successfully living that lifestyle for fifteen years!
In the same way, when it came to not pursuing the church on the Outer Banks, we made that decision for many reasons, none of them having to do with location.
If you've ever made a big decision like this, you know very well how complicated it can be. Even today, Steve has been on frequent phone calls with a variety of pastors, leaders, and advisers as we try to start putting some pieces together.
It's a scary, exciting, stressful, wonderful time!
In fact, with that many emotional combinations, I think the only thing left to do is to bring out the Little Debbies!
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3 Had Something To Say (Just click here!):
Little Debbies are as good as vallium, if you don't have vallium.
I believe your comments about tourism and location stem from vicariously putting yourself in the town, picturing what it might be like to live there, imagining how you see your family fitting in and being productive. Predicting the pros and cons as you perceive them.
But, you're not moved by perception. And you're not led by vicarious meanderings.
I think anyone who stops to really think about your heart and how important it is to you to follow God's call for your life will absolutely be assured that your decisions will be will-based, as in God's will.
I know I am.
I wish you would consider the outer banks. Gods country for sure
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