Final Preparations: Being for Cannon Beach

Sunday night I was a wreck. I had my wisdom teeth removed the previous Wednesday and recovery was slow-going. Our house has been a disorganized crazy remodel-mess. I truly felt like Satan attacked me with a wave of worry in my weakest physical and emotional state. I began to worry about all the what-ifs that could come with this coming Sunday, which marks my move to Cannon Beach. That night was sleepless. I got up the next morning and tried taking a bubble bath to calm down. It helped a little, but I just cried again after getting dressed. I was aware of the attack of anxiousness and began beating myself up for so easily allowing Satan to take over.

It wasn't until I sat down to invest some of my morning with God that I escaped the bonds of sorrow. I was reminded of the comforting verse I found when we visited Cannon Beach. (Joshua 1:9 - Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.) I opened to Psalm 42, the most perfect chapter I could have stumbled on. Do you ever feel like something is meant just for you? It's so fitting that you are confident of His presence? My past experiences with reading The Word have never been like this before. I was stricken with emotion. I read aloud and cried aloud. I grabbed onto a peace that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him..." (Romans 8:28.)

Each day this week I have been a little bit more excited about new life, meeting friends, and moving to the beach! I've been packing, cleaning my room, saying "see you later" to friends, and contacting my employers in Cannon Beach (I'm going to be working at a gift shop called The Buttery, as well as for Cannon Beach Conference Center.) The tricky final preparation is to "be still" (Psalm 46:10), to remember to just be, and to be open to His creative working.