BIG God in the BIG Easy

“The Cloud of the Lord”

In Exodus 40:34-38, Moses describes the cloud that God used to reveal His glory throughout the Israelite’s entire journey to the Promised Land. Over the last month, I’ve grown to understand the significance of the blessing of the cloud of the Lord.

God has given me and Ben wisdom and passion to follow Him step by step, one day at a time, through the largest transitional time of our lives thus far. What could have been months consumed by anxiety and fear were months spent pursuing and focusing on God one day at a time. As simple as this sounds, no where in my fleshly thoughts and emotions can I fathom being able to coast on short term focus for so long. God covered our minds’ eyes with His protective cloud, rescuing us from drowning in fear of the unknown.

One clue at a time, God has slowly led us to where we sit today, in awe of His timing that is actively revealing the way to us. Since August we’ve known that Ben was headed for seminary and that the ministry God has been equipping us for is one of unity in marriage. Since October we’ve known that New Orleans would be our new home, and since November, we’ve been planning for my enrollment in seminary as well. Throughout the spring, God affirmed our relationship, our ministry, and our purpose to Him through several friendships, trials, teachings, and opportunities. With the exception of a few “panic” days, God strengthened us to remain focused on His guidance and to stop and go as He led. A large majority of the semester was spent at a “stop,” diligently committing to the work at hand while keeping our gaze on the Lord.

With a much more intimate understanding of God as our Provider and Protector, I read about the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt with a far greater appreciation for God’s faithfulness in dealing with the details. I feel as though God removed our mental ability to over think the future, keeping us from fretting over how in the world we would survive in the city I had asked God to please not put us in. I wonder if, as He laughed at my request, He gently and lovingly provided His cloud over our thoughts to keep us focused on Him alone as He built our passion for New Orleans and the mission at hand.

All in His perfect (and humorous) timing, He has provided for us. Through roundabout ways, mine and Ben’s resumes have made it into the right hands. I was offered an accounting job the Monday before the wedding, which is one of those desires that God only began focusing my thoughts on over the last month. That Tuesday, with the U-Haul loaded to move to an off-campus apartment in East New Orleans the very next day, we received a call extending us the offer to move on campus, removing a security and financial burden. Friday, Ben was contacted about working as a youth minister, a passion God has been developing since last summer. We became one on Saturday, and here we sit a week and half later.

I was lying in bed last night next to my husband on a seminary campus in the middle of New Orleans a million miles from where my plan would have ever taken me, simply humbled in thankfulness for the magnitude of the God we serve. He is a big God, yet He cares deeply for His individual creations. His cloud remains, protecting us from our sinful, fretful nature, as He guides us throughout our entire journey. Praises be to God, the glorious and righteous One!