Be Still

Be Still 

by David Brenneman 

It's been a something of a complicated weekend.  My body couldn't do much but my mind went all sorts of places.  

My thoughts went many places.  Thinking about the events of nearly a year ago that were picking up steam with a conclusion that happened quite quickly in the week of October 16th last year.

Whether or not my former employer would like to hear it, morale was abysmal where I left.  From what I have been told since, it's gotten much worse.  Easily God saved me, and by extension, my Wife from going through that. 

It was a whirlwind of change starting in that week I mentioned.  Pressures at work brought me to the question: When do you know it's time to take a leap of faith?

I reached out to a Godly mentor. His response had to do with 2 Thessalonians 4:3a "For this is the will of God, your sanctification;".

Are we being sanctified where we are? No.

Have we been ever? No.  Would we be where we would be going? Yes.  So that night my Wife and I prayed about taking a leap of faith. 

24 hours later I received a communication from an employer where we were hoping to move to.  I knew the owner for several years online through LinkedIn.  Had met before while we were here for a family reunion.  I had asked for a tour of the place and he came in on his day off to see me.  He turned our visit into an interview. But at the time there were no openings. Now there was an opportunity if I was interested. Well on the heals of that prayer request this wasn't any kind of coincidence, this was a Godincidence. I told them that I certainly was interested. Was told that I would hear from them soon as they were going to draft something up concerning me. It would take a few days. 

24 hours later I was coming out of the BMV to a job offer letter. I had signed and returned it before the phone call from them a moment later.  The leap was gaining strength. 

My next hurdle was the timetable.  There was no room for a two week notice. A one week, but at the same time I had 39 hours of PTO time to use. I literally was saved from all the confrontations that were going through my mind by that being there.  So I drafted a resignation, printed it.  I went into work a little earlier. Emptied my desk. Told a few who were there what was happening. Waiting for that hour to be up then left. Saying what goodbyes I could to who was coming in. There was no turning back. God made a miracle happen that had brought me back to that place and He did another to remove me from it.  There would be no third time. 

So phone calls were made, arrangements started. We tried a few realtors, but nothing was fitting with us.  We contacted the Pastor of the church we have come to call home.  He gave us a name.  We were tremendously blessed by our new realtor at Welcome Home Simms Realty.  He in turn blessed us with our realtor where we were. Things were picking up steam again.  We had to get the house listed, were needing an inspection. We were connected with financial people here who also went to the same Church. 

We had a few uncertainties to overcome but God took care of us.  The ensuing weeks were a whirlwind beyond anything we had ever done before.  We purged hard.  It's no exaggeration that we donated over half the house to thrift stores.  We were still in the pandemic. Getting help was not working.  Those we knew were not able to because of health issues. So it was on us. God was still there. 

We worked on what we could on weekends and I stayed at my Brother and Sister in laws place while working at my new job.  Was handling the house search here while my Wife was sorting and purging for my next return to load up n take away the next weekend. She handled the showings of our place. Our realtor understood us and indeed did find a buyer. Showings were over.  Almost simultaneously we took yet another leap of faith on this home that I am writing from now.  God also used the sale of that home to wipe out our debt entirely.  We would only have the mortgage here and utilities.  When God works He WORKS. 

We were indeed stretched in this short time.  Having to make seriously difficult decisions to part with stuff.  Decisions on what we would really need where we were going.  We ended up needing a storage unit. Our realtor here is literally the EF Hutton of this town. He seems to know everyone.  He found what we couldn't. For the first time in my life I began bringing loads of stuff to it from our former hometown.  I ended up leaving much more than I wanted to.  But God took care of that. What was left, He replaced...for free.

I learned to drive one of U-Haul's largest.  Our realtor made arrangements with the youth here and several Pastors from the church we now call home.  People showed up to welcome us and move us in. 3 days before Christmas last year.  We had a hiccup with moving in but even that was taken care of by God through our realtor.  Christmas was going to be special last year.  

To take a leap of faith requires being still and knowing that He is God.  

I was, my Wife was, pushed through a lot of emotions.  It's where I am adamant about the idea that sometimes Jesus grabs us by the scruff of the neck to drag us THROUGH the valley of the shadow of death.  We get too fixated on the details that we see but don't see the hand of God. 

We would like to visit down there again some day buy not yet.  Our exit from those 20 plus years in the wilderness is still too fresh.  What emotions my Wife was overcoming back then from Federal Grand Jury she is still dealing with today.  I am still healing from what work was doing to me.  In 2013 I had a nervous breakdown and it was that same said employer that caused me to leave.  Why did I go back? Several good reasons.  But the important part was to get my healing process started. God was going to build me back up in front of those that tried to tear me down...and He did.  

It's still important to me to be still before my God.  It's why I sacrifice sleep every morning. I get up, get ready with my coffee, and spend this time with Jesus. 

We are tremendously blessed to live where we do.  Peaceful happens daily.  Wonderful neighbors.  Far enough away to feel like the country yet 5 minutes from the stores we need. Construction beginning right after we moved to bring a Menard's and a Meijer here in that same 5 minutes away.  Two of our favorite stores. 

My friend, if you are indeed a believer and aren't growing in respect to your salvation. If sanctification isn't happening.  It's time to pray that prayer with ernest.  With sincerity of heart.  It's time to let your faith burn rubber on the road of life.  To be who you are meant to be in Christ. 

If perhaps you read this and it's got you thinking. Find out for yourself what a life in Christ is all about.  Take that leap and become a child of God. Ask this same question. Sanctification is you becoming less like you and more like Christ. When we come to Christ for salvation we become His workmanship. His promise to never leave us or forsake us is irrevocable.  He will always be there. 

Worry could have overtaken us at any time. The storms that I had to drive through were a lesson in and of themselves. Real time knowing that God was right there with me. 

Think about your life. Think about what God is really wanting of you.  In Christ we have a calling that too is irrevocable. Says that in the book of Romans. 

Think about the volume in your life. Turn it down. Turn it off. Be still before God.