Australia, The Great Adventure

Why are we going?

I figured that it would be a good idea to answer the question of “why are we going” all in one place. We have lots of reasons floating about in our heads, but sometimes it is a bit difficult to get it all out if someone asks us.

So here goes…

Always in our hearts to do
This has been something that has always been in our hearts to do, even since before we were married. And we always felt constrained, tied down by our responsibilities to church and job.

Don’t want to stay here in suburbs
The suburbs are slowly sapping the life out of our souls! We lived in a cottage on a farm for ten years when we first got married, and loved the space. Then we moved into the suburbs (for numerous reasons, some of which we actually were happy about) when our first child was 2 years old, and have lived here ever since. But we don’t like it. We need the elbow room, and ability to look out the window and not see straight into our neighbour’s kitchen, the peace of not being woken up by neighbours who insist on farewelling their frequent guests very loudly out by the car after midnight, and whose guests then insist on tooting their horns as they drive off.

We need to get out!

Can’t afford to go; Can’t afford to stay
We can’t afford to go, but then we also can’t afford to continue staying here, so we might as well try and fail doing something we want to do, rather than try and fail doing something we hate. And who knows, maybe we won’t fail!

Have fulfilled our usefulness
We feel like we no longer have a job to do here (at our church)… we feel like we have fulfilled our usefulness. We are no longer involved in leading anything, and due to my (Tim’s) illness, I only turn up about once very three weeks. In fact, I am no longer able to do anything, so I am experiencing enforced rest!

Feel a call to “Go”
We have, for a couple of years, felt a calling to leave, but have never been given a focus of where we are being called ‘to’. As a result, we feel a little like Abram when he was called out but not given the destination.

Refocus on God
This is a time to remove ourselves from everyday life and refocus ourselves on God. I know that you don’t have to completely run away in order to do that, but given that we are going, then it makes sense that this would be one of the reasons for going.

A time to relax
A time to relax, a well-earned break, a time of R&R (rest and re-creation). We have worked so hard for so long, and are so worn out. It is time for a break.

A gap between activities
A gap between activities… We believe that this will be a time during which we will discover God’s plan for the next stage in our lives (but this is not the primary focus; it is more of a secondary benefit). I sense that we will know when we have reached the end of the journey, because the next focus for our lives will be opened up to us.

Positive impact on health
Hopefully the change of pace, surrounding, lifestyle will have a positive impact on our health. We are all suffering from a number of ailments - some more debilitating than others. The could all be being made worse - possibly even being caused by living in this house.

Carla: headaches; Brydon: wheezy cough, sneezing; Kael: eczema; Xav: wheezy cough; Tim: CFS.

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