A Lesson From Emilee

I will say that today's blog is probably my most difficult to write as of yet. It has not been long and thought out. As a matter of fact, it has been something that I knew of but kind of just pushed it away for the time being. There were numerous events this past week that lead up to today. I will share a few.

As stated in my other blogs and to most of you, I have begun a new God-led adventure. It all started very subtle over a year ago. The winds of change were blowing, not by my doing but by God. Over time, this change has led me to Tennessee. I started this new job in December '08, leaving my family, friends, home and favorite hunting spots. I thought about what this whole thing would be like , but the reality never really hit me until I packed up my jeep and headed south that late November day. Since then, during the last two months I have had limited time with my family. Seeing them only on weekends, if that! On top of all of that, I had to learn a new job, meet new people and be homeless! Through all this and once the reality set in, I became more dependent on God and less dependent on myself. I simply learned to trust my Father!

Fast forward now to this past weekend. This is the time we had set for my oldest daughter Emilee to move down and start school. She has been ready to make the break. She has been ready to start a new school, complete with new friends and all. She wants to get plugged into her new church. As this past week approached, she was ready to tell all of her friends goodbye. Well things went different then planned. Snow kept school closed so needless to say, the last goodbyes never happened. She loaded her things on Saturday morning, preparing herself for this new life. The reality now had hit her. The overwhelming feelings that I had to deal with two months prior, now my daughter was facing. I wondered if she would be able to overcome all of this? I thought and wondered if she could place all of this behind her in anticipation for what was to come. Knowing this, I did what any other loving father in 2009 would have done, I texted her as she headed down here. I texted her to tell her that it was gonna be alright and that God was in this. I told her I loved her and that I would see her soon. Then she texted back with the most incredible words any father could have received, she said "I Trust You Dad". Oh what incredible words from such a young lady! In spite of her whole world changing. In spite of her leaving her friends, her school, her dance team and her church. In spite of her not even getting to say goodbye, with all that she still trust me! Oh if we would just do that with God, how much better all of our lives will be! How much He would enjoy hearing and knowing that just as I did. When things get bad and they don't go our way, just trust your father, your heavenly father. Proverbs 3:5,6 says to Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding or knowledge but rather acknowledge Him in all that you do and He will direct your paths.

See You At The River...John