Triumphs of Transition

As I (Garrett) can struggle with negativity, I decided to write my blog entry about the joys and benefits my family and I have received during this time of preparing to move to Scotland. God has been so good to us, and I think we should focus on the blessings He has given us rather than highlight the trials we have encountered. Consequently, I have thought of five specific ways God has blessed us during this time of transition.

1. Our family has grown closer. One of the results of moving into a two-bedroom apartment is that everyone sees each other all the time. However, this has been a good thing because it has strengthened our relationships with one another and brought us closer together as a family.
   
2. Focusing on God instead of focusing on the things of this world is slightly easier now than it was a year-and-a-half ago because I don’t have as many things to distract me now as I used to have. A house out in the country, a pond, dogs, and acres of family land to hunt on was nice, but sometimes it took my eyes off the One who created all of it.
   
3. Preparing to move to Scotland’s schemes to be missionaries has forced me to think more about eternity and the importance of using my life for God’s glory. We are leaving much of what we know and love to serve God on the mission field, and this has caused me to think about my future and how I should live my life. I don’t want to live for this world; I want to live for Christ!
   
4. The apartments in which we live are very near our home church, True Vine. This has allowed us to grow closer to our church family than we were before, and it has given us increased opportunities to serve. Although living so near to them will make it harder to leave, I am thankful for the season God has given us here.
   
5. Our faith in God has grown during this time of transition. Although the process of fundraising has been trying at times, it has forced us to depend upon God to provide the funds we need to move to Scotland. Clearly, God has faithfully provided prayer support and financial support thus far, and we trust that He will continue to provide everything we need.
   

I thought it fitting to end this blog with a couple of verses from the Psalms. “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations” (Psalms 100:4-5, NKJV).
- Garrett