This time last year (well not exactly this date, but it was definitely a Friday!) I had spent the morning packing, moving, scrubbing and cleaning every last inch of our cherished house in Gainsborough. I had locked up for the last time, leaving a basket of goodies for the new owners on the kitchen counter, I had taken the meter readings and I had handed over the keys to the estate agent. My new life in Doncaster was about to begin and it was with both sadness and excitement that I got in the car to drive to my new house.
A year on and some days I still can't believe how blessed I am to live where I do, in a beautiful house with my amazing family. This last year has flown by and has been a mixture of just getting on with every day life and really starting to put some roots down (a key word of mine for the few years!). We have taken over a lifegroup which now meets in our home, made countless amazing new friends at church, met and grown relationships with our new neighbours, joined local groups and started to become a real part of the local community.
There is a lot lot more to do - I know this is just the starting point and we have committed to being here for the long haul (whatever that means is up to God!) but I really believe that amazing things can happen when you commit to prayer and action. A key moment for me in our new house happened this week. We haven't had the money/time/ability to decorate much of our new house, but we wanted to surround it in God's word. So a second (and key) bible verse is now displayed in our kitchen, which fits in nicely with our Feeding 5000 challenge and our family's dedication to hospitality:
The word is very much alive and kicking in our house, and I want to encourage you to display verses in your home - whether it be ones that provide comfort, encouragement or have a special meaning to you. Why not find a family vision verse, or mission verse? Now everytime I go into the kitchen I am reminded that I should be hospitable to everyone, and that is a huge motivation for me.
