We would have served at our church and stayed in that community forever if God would have left the doors even slightly cracked open. And because He knows us so well, He had to shut every door that would have allowed us to stay.
The one door that He opened wide, to our great surprise, was the Navy. We couldn’t have imagined our family serving as an active duty military family, but thankfully God’s imagination is bigger than ours.
But pivoting was hard. It meant saying goodbye to a ministry and people we fiercely loved. It required moving our young children farther away from our families than we had ever been. We stepped into a world that was hard and unfamiliar.
God proved His faithfulness over and over as we learned a new way forward, meeting us, equipping us, providing for us, comforting us with His presence, and showing us His goodness time and time again.
After serving for 15 years, we’ve gotten pretty good at the pivot. Oftentimes, change as a military family involves much more than just moving from one duty station to another. Maybe you are in a season of needing to pivot from something beloved and familiar as well. Maybe your children are entering a new stage of childhood or tiptoeing into young adulthood. Maybe God is calling you to a new way of serving in your family or community. Maybe the door is opening for something completely different and you are wondering if that door is meant for you. How can you know?
James 1:5 gives us this profound promise: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” God is faithful to answer our prayers for wisdom, not just a little bit, but generously. I love that.
If you’re in a season of change, take heart! God may only show you the next right step even though you want to see the whole path. (Don’t we all?) Allow your faith to grow, and look back at how far He’s already brought you. Because of His great generosity, He won’t stop there. You can trust that He will show you where to go and what to do at just the right time.