Moving Out of Our Home (Matt)

Jess and I recently sold and moved out of our home a few days before this current trip to Haiti. We lived there for almost 9 years and we made some incredible memories in that house. It is hard for me to communicate emotions, but I can very specifically remember a few things that were very difficult as we were moving.

• I remember driving to Walgreens for the last time and getting emotional. Not because it was a great Walgreens, but because I had made that drive (to Publix, Walgreens, gas, eating out, etc.) thousands of times and it was the last time I would make it.
• I remember looking through the things we were selling at our garage sale. Some of the things we sold for so little but we worked so hard for and they symbolized a part of our life.
• I remember walking through our house after everything was moved out and thinking it was no longer our home.
• I remember the last time I did my quiet time at my desk. I had done it in that same place at the same time for almost 9 years and now it was over.
• I began to think about the routines we had before we started making this move. How much we both loved our jobs and enjoyed waking up together to start them.
• I remember the times we painted (always Jessica’s idea), the renovation project that Steve Speaks took on for us, and other small improvements we made to turn this house into our home.

But most of all, I remember the happiness, sadness, sickness, and the love that we went through together in that house. Like when I got the swine flu and Jess took care of me. When I lost my job and Jess was there for me. When we accepted this call to be missionaries in Haiti and Jess was right there with me helping me to know that GOD was truly calling us here. As we grew closer to each other, we helped each other grow closer to our Savior. We prayed together in the front room of this house and we did our quiet times separately in this house.

• In the end, I know we made the right decision at the right time to sell the house. We had to, we are moving to Haiti and we are already spending about half of our time there.
• In the end, this is us taking the next step toward really giving up our former life and going to where GOD is sending us.
• But, in the end, it has been very difficult, and it will not feel the same when we come back “home” on July 7 to this strange apartment.

Maybe it is GOD getting us ready to be where we are supposed to be, maybe it was just a step we needed to take. Whatever it was, it has been a difficult last few weeks with changes coming a little faster than I think we realized. We know we are exactly where we are supposed to be, but please pray for us as we continue to have to make changes. We know that each of you go through things just like this and even harder, and it is great to know that people are praying for you when they do!