Whispers of Security

Back in July a post from Rachael Rector caught my eye. It was some personal reflecting she was doing about “stuff” and its importance in her life. It prompted me to ask if she might consider guest blogging for us. Below is an opportunity for you to take a peek into the life of Rachael and her family. They have big adventures ahead. Check out her first instalment as our Heart of the Matter Guest Blogger.  Welcome Rachael!

 

Rachael says………

Countdowns can be really exciting or really terrifying. But they can also be both.

I looked at the date this morning and my stomach started rolling like a roller coaster. There are 30 days until we leave our home in New Hamburg, ON and fly to our new home in Jihlava, Czech Republic.

Yes, we are moving from Canada to Central Europe, and it is a big move.  As I look around my house, I feel thoughts come flying at me like bats in a cave, and I just want to swat them away and have my morning coffee in peace.

Our family of four lives in the upstairs of a raised bungalow with our golden doodle Moe; grandma lives downstairs…and this was our forever house.

We live on a mature lot with amazing neighbours and love everything about living in a small town as beautiful as ours. The unfolding story of the journey up to this point is long and for another time, but suffice it to say, God is asking if we are willing to give it up and live a different life for Him. After wrestling with that question for probably three years, we said yes to God and are 30 days away from the Big Change. We will be moving to Czech to start a discipleship training program with young adults called Living Walk. You can read more about that here on our website.

When we end up talking with people about our move the most common response is, “Wow, what an exciting adventure!” And I agree with them. However, there is a lot between here and there which doesn’t feel very exhilarating- paperwork that you wouldn’t wish upon your worst enemy, decisions upon decisions and goodbyes that feel like your heart is breaking……

……….and perhaps the worst of all…packing!  We eventually realized we needed to decide what we were going to do with our things.

Option 1: Sell things here and buy things over there.

Option 2:  Shipping our things in a container across the ocean.

We went with Option 2 which made better financial sense, and we chose to ship our things.

 

In our 15 years of marriage we have moved many times, but it was usually across town or just an hour or so away. When you are planning to send your things clear across the ocean, you really think differently about what you put in those boxes.

We decided to rent a storage pod (similar in size to the actual shipping container) and put it in our driveway.  This way we could get things packed and out of the house, and also gain perspective of how much to take.

As I really got going through our belongings there have been times when I would sit staring at a mug, for example, absolutely torn about what to do with it. Should I donate it? Should I find someone to buy it? Should I pack it? Should I throw it away? I would wonder what in the world is wrong with me that I can’t decide what I should do with this thing?!

 

When it came down to it, I have realized time and time again that it is about security. Item after item after item, the thought process always comes down to fear and insecurity. Although there have been hundreds of items which I have gone through this process with, let’s talk about the mug example.

There’s a particular mug which I used when I ran my business, Social Art. It doesn’t talk to me, it doesn’t clean my bathroom or cut my grass, it simply holds liquid and looks pretty. And just to be clear, we have many other mugs. Many. I don’t need this mug, in fact I haven’t even used it since I sold my business. But I felt very strong emotions that if this mug didn’t come with me, I would lose that memory of Social Art, and in a way, lose who I was in that time. What a lie! I wish I could tell you that I donated the mug, but I didn’t. I packed it.

A few days later I really started thinking about what I had been feeling and discovered that there was a whisper which led me through that process. A whisper which made a promise of security if only I would keep the mug. In fear, I decided to keep it so that I wouldn’t lose something.

After that, I started to notice how often this whisper voice seeks to control many different situations. There’s whispers about our health, education, careers, family, friends, standard of living, cars, clothes, bank accounts, material items, investments, and the list goes on. Not a single one of these things is wrong or evil.

It’s the whisper which often accompanies it that I think we need to be careful with.

Health=security.

Education=security.

Career=security.

You get the idea. But it simply isn’t true. I have met people with incredible health issues who have rock solid security.

Here’s how you know where you stand: take the thing which you believe gives you security out of your life and what is your first reaction? I’ll tell you mine – fear!

In this whole process of our life changing in every way, the thing I battle the most is fear.

As this whisper-realization has come into focus, I discovered another Voice. One that was more beautiful, yet a little more still and a little more quiet than the whisper I had been listening to. You know what that Voice said to me?

“Why are you afraid?” Mark 4:40

“Don’t be afraid, just believe.” Mark 5:36

“Take courage! It is I, Don’t be afraid.” Matt 14:27

I’ve learned that while all our possessions hold a certain level of value to us, they never can provide security. The only promise of security comes from Jesus and hearing His voice. Again and again He reminds me to not be afraid and remember who He is. I can’t tell you how much peace I have been given as I have turned off those other whispers and pack, listening to the voice of Jesus. Admittedly they can be difficult to turn off and not respond to, but when I do, I feel free. I’m finding joy as I see more donations leave the house, hopefully to bless someone else.

There is still a long way for me to go on this one for sure. I certainly haven’t turned the corner to minimalism yet; I’m just starting to be more attentive and honest with myself. In the end, we have gotten rid of a lot of things, yet are probably still taking more than we need. There have been times I have gotten the urge to go through already packed boxes and purge more. The crazy thing is that even in those times I hear that Voice telling me not to fear. I feel God reminding me to just relax and trust that maybe those things we “shouldn’t” be taking will bless someone on the other side of the ocean. See, it isn’t about a set standard that “you should only have this much or else you have too much”.

It’s about listening to the only Voice that matters and being obedient to Him. May you today hear that Voice and be blessed as you obey!