Last weekend I drove to the town where I grew up to celebrate Easter with my family. All my life, I've called this town and the house where I was raised "home." However on three separate occasions during the weekend, I referred to Dallas as home--two words that two years ago, I never would have imagined belonging in the same sentence together.
At this time in 2013, I had just returned home from what I thought was my greatest adventure--a seven-month solo backpacking trip on the opposite side of the world. I returned to living with my family in my small hometown again, without employment, a sense of independence or any certainty about my life. Those four months broke me and tested my patience and faith in every way possible. After dozens of job applications and multiple rounds of interviews in places like Houston, Austin, DC, Fort Worth and even Guyana (yes, the country), I began to lose hope that I would ever find a job.
And then one morning, I randomly decided to apply for a job in Dallas. And in less than 24 hours, I received a phone call from the CEO and a formal offer letter. Some might attribute this to a stroke of "right time, right place" kind-of-luck, but I knew it was more than that. I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of assurance and certainty that Dallas is where God wanted me to be. And so just like that, I packed my things into my little car and moved to Dallas.
It may not have been the easiest transition, but I now can look back on that period of waiting and uncertainty with joy and appreciation. It taught me that I am not in control of everything and I relearned how to trust in God's plan for my life. Reflecting on this time, I'm reminded of Psalm 23:
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
I'm so thankful for a God who loves me and guides me in the right direction, even when I'm a stubborn little sheep with my own agenda. His patience and faithfulness were greater than my impatience and prejudices against a city I barely knew. Though I never could have pictured myself living in Dallas then, I'm happy to now call this place home. And I know that no matter where life's journey takes me, as long as I put my trust in the Lord, he'll always lead me home.
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