Since even before we got married, Brett's goal has been to become a pastor of a church. It's not necessarily the reason he went to Seminary, but it became his calling while he was there. It is something we've been praying about the entire length of our marriage. Since music is his background, he's gotten stuck in worship pastor positions (not that we don't believe that was where God wanted us at the time, it just seemed like it wasn't our end goal). We really both wanted to stay in the Raleigh area, because we love it here-- it's where we like to call home, now. But because we're so close to the Seminary, he's had to branch out some and look in surrounding areas. And now, at long last, our prayers have been answered. Last week, after 2 months of waiting, Brett was called as senior pastor at Newton Grove Baptist Church.
For now, he will be working there part-time/ bivocationally, making the one-hour trip (each way) south on Sundays, Wednesdays, and whenever else he's needed and still working at the Credit Union full time, until we can sell our house. We've already contacted the realtor that sold us our house and it will go on the market within a few weeks. Once it's sold, we'll look for a place down there (probably to rent) and move down full time.
We both have a lot of fears, and yet we're also really excited about this new opportunity. I dread the moving process, selling the house, packing up, and especially the kids' adjustment to a new place. I don't really fear that the house won't sell-- we have a lot of confidence in our realtor and he has a great success rate- I just dread all the cleaning & repairing and such that goes along with selling a house-- especially the part where I have to keep it almost like a showroom while still maintaining a sense of normalcy for two small children who don't really understand what's going on. We're praying that the next few months will be a calm and easy transition for us and for the kids.
We're honestly not in a huge hurry for it to sell-- although the hour-long drive will be taxing (not to mention the fact that Brett will essentially be working two full-time jobs), it will be nice to have two full-time incomes for a few months to catch up on debts and bills. We're praying that we can find the extra money to make the necessary improvements our house needs to at least break even on our mortgage, and then that we will be able to find a place there without much overlap in payments.
This house also has a lot of memories for us. We were working on fixing up this place while we were engaged and moved in the day we returned from our honeymoon. We spent our first years of marriage in this house, sometimes barely able to pay the mortgage. We had both our children while living in this house and it's all they've ever known.
I fear moving to a new place, not necessarily because I have a lot of people that I will miss here in Raleigh (although there's that, too), but there are a lot of conviniences here that I've grown accustomed to as a stay-at-home-mom. I like that I can drive just five minutes to get to the nearest Walmart. I like that we are really close to the library, the museum, the mall, the hospital (a biggie seeing as how my babies come fast!) and plenty of other entertainment options for the kids. In Newton Grove, the nearest big city is a thirty-minute drive. I'm sure I'll get used to that, or adjust to being at home more, but I have just enjoyed the big city life. We're praying we make some friends there quickly and find things in which to get involved.
Of course there are also the fears about pastoring a church. As a pastor's kid, I'm no stranger to the "glass house" phenomenon pastors' families experience. I know we will be in the spotlight, but hopefully, it will challenge me to be a godly wife and mother and to keep our family above reproach. Brett will face many other challenges as the leader of a small rural church, but we pray that the congregation is even now opening their hearts to his leadership and preparing themselves to grow in the Word.
We have no idea what the next few months may hold, but it is with mixed emotions that we face them head-on. We do know that God has called us to Newton Grove, and because of that, everything will fall into place.
For now, he will be working there part-time/ bivocationally, making the one-hour trip (each way) south on Sundays, Wednesdays, and whenever else he's needed and still working at the Credit Union full time, until we can sell our house. We've already contacted the realtor that sold us our house and it will go on the market within a few weeks. Once it's sold, we'll look for a place down there (probably to rent) and move down full time.
We both have a lot of fears, and yet we're also really excited about this new opportunity. I dread the moving process, selling the house, packing up, and especially the kids' adjustment to a new place. I don't really fear that the house won't sell-- we have a lot of confidence in our realtor and he has a great success rate- I just dread all the cleaning & repairing and such that goes along with selling a house-- especially the part where I have to keep it almost like a showroom while still maintaining a sense of normalcy for two small children who don't really understand what's going on. We're praying that the next few months will be a calm and easy transition for us and for the kids.
We're honestly not in a huge hurry for it to sell-- although the hour-long drive will be taxing (not to mention the fact that Brett will essentially be working two full-time jobs), it will be nice to have two full-time incomes for a few months to catch up on debts and bills. We're praying that we can find the extra money to make the necessary improvements our house needs to at least break even on our mortgage, and then that we will be able to find a place there without much overlap in payments.
This house also has a lot of memories for us. We were working on fixing up this place while we were engaged and moved in the day we returned from our honeymoon. We spent our first years of marriage in this house, sometimes barely able to pay the mortgage. We had both our children while living in this house and it's all they've ever known.
I fear moving to a new place, not necessarily because I have a lot of people that I will miss here in Raleigh (although there's that, too), but there are a lot of conviniences here that I've grown accustomed to as a stay-at-home-mom. I like that I can drive just five minutes to get to the nearest Walmart. I like that we are really close to the library, the museum, the mall, the hospital (a biggie seeing as how my babies come fast!) and plenty of other entertainment options for the kids. In Newton Grove, the nearest big city is a thirty-minute drive. I'm sure I'll get used to that, or adjust to being at home more, but I have just enjoyed the big city life. We're praying we make some friends there quickly and find things in which to get involved.
Of course there are also the fears about pastoring a church. As a pastor's kid, I'm no stranger to the "glass house" phenomenon pastors' families experience. I know we will be in the spotlight, but hopefully, it will challenge me to be a godly wife and mother and to keep our family above reproach. Brett will face many other challenges as the leader of a small rural church, but we pray that the congregation is even now opening their hearts to his leadership and preparing themselves to grow in the Word.
We have no idea what the next few months may hold, but it is with mixed emotions that we face them head-on. We do know that God has called us to Newton Grove, and because of that, everything will fall into place.
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