Bye-bye Bovines!

Packing, packing, packing!  Working, working, working.  WOW!!  Moving a farm is like moving a mountain!  BUT we are now one step closer!  This farm no longer has livestock!  We took our last load of steers to the locker so that some VERY lucky people can have the last of our wonderful, fantastic, tasty, amazing, tender, stupendous freezer beef!  (I may be a bit biased....then again....maybe not. : )

The remaining animals were sold and shipped elsewhere.  Including the Momma's and babies to another Gridley beef farmer.

Bye-bye Big Mama!  So long Sally!  Ta-ta Trixie!  Later Lola.  Adios April!  Boy, it's much more quiet around here.  And a little lonely.  Joel can't wait until God provides us with more bee-you-tee-ful bovines!!

We've been in this place once before.  This place of a quiet farmyard.  When God called Joel to the fire service, we took a heart-breaking leap of faith.  We sold ALL our cows (our very livelihood) so that we could pursue whole-heartedly what we knew God was leading us to.  And He provided.  It took 2 years, a few different occupations, and even a period of unemployment.  We went through doubts, questioning, and fear.  But through it all, we continued to trust and LEAN heavily on our Lord.  And God provided.  An amazing career with the Champaign Fire Dept. and a year later a new set of cows.  And it was QUITE a joyous occasion to get cows once again.  Not to mention the BLESSINGS of being a firefighter.

God was faithful.  God IS faithful.  It's a lesson He's taught us over and over, but when push comes to shove it's easy to doubt; fear; faint.  We like to THINK we are secure.  We like to THINK we are safe. And so if we do what FEELS secure and safe, then we foolishly think we are.  And if we do what FEELS insecure or unsafe, then we also foolishly think we are.  But God calls us to step out of our comfort zone.  To do what doesn't FEEL "ok" so that He can step in and show us that we are.  So that He can reveal His might and glory.  Our ONLY safety and security rests in God.  So He asks us to give up OUR ideas and feelings and trust His.  He gives.  He takes.  He loves.  He provides.  He asks us to trust and PROMISES He's in control.

So NOW we find ourselves in a similar situation as 8 years ago.  We have no cows, we have no assurances, but we follow Him where He leads.  Knowing that as God's plans unfold, we will once again be provided for in His loving way and in His time.  It's just the trusting as you travel the unknown road that's hard.  Facing "the giant." Taking the step on the water.  Selling "all that you have" to follow Him.  Trusting that He is Who He says He is.  And that He is ABLE to take a tiny bit of faith and MOVE a mountain!  Thank you Jesus for that, because a mustard seed is all we have...

"...I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move..."
                                                                         --Matthew 17:20