Move To The Ghetto Part 3: Is He Calling Me?

I actually wrote this Monday after David's challenge to pray about moving to Gate City/East Lake but wanted to "review" it before I posted....

How do you know when God is calling you to do something? One of the greatest challenges of being a Christ follower is interpreting His voice and distinguishing it from our dreams and desires for our lives. One thing I KNOW isn't a "dream" of mine is to move to the ghetto. So why has it been on my mind all day? Why have I been thinking about scenarios in which I might move to the hood? Why have I been thinking about pros and cons? Could it be that God is calling me to do something radical?

So, I told Mandi I could never move overseas to be a missionary (stupid) but why couldn't I keep my job, live in the same city, go to the same grocery store, gym, church and have the same friends, live within driving distance of my family and just change my address? I may not be willing to move to a crummy apartment off University Blvd. but I could totally move to the ghetto if I was in the right neighborhood. Yes there are some "bad" people there, but I am certain that there are poor areas of town where the crime rate isn't as high and there are good people that have just fallen on hard times. And I am certain that God would keep me safe.

I've been wanting a garage for a long time and having a fenced in backyard for Roscoe would be awesome but I haven't been willing to move out to Chelsea in order to have those comforts and I know I can't afford a nice "house" anywhere else on 280 without a huge raise or second income. Older homes scare me and I am not the type of person that likes "fix-er uppers." I like NEW...brand new. But if there was an decent, affordable home in a semi-safe neighborhood and I could put up a fence in the backyard I could sooo move to East Lake or Gate City. Maybe that is why I have a big dog now. To keep me safe and intimidate people. (Read "The Guadian by Nicholas Sparks about a big dog protecting his single female owner. I will loan it to you).

These are the things I have been thinking about. I don't mean for it to sound like I'm giving God conditions, but I am saying that these are conditions that would make me feel more comfortable and would probably make me feel more confident that I am following God's calling (if He is in fact calling me to do this).

I don't know if God wants me to do that or not, and I'm not hitting the pavement going to look for a home in the hood right now, BUT I am open to the idea. March 31st I plan to attend the "Local Iniative" meeting to learn more and am excited to hear what Ben DeLoach and his family's plans are for moving to the inner city. Please pray for me, as well as everyone else in our faith family, as they pray over this challenge. If He wants me to go I will go. I just don't know if that is what He is calling me to do!?!?!!