Goodbye San Diego, Hello New Orleans

Three years ago our family moved from New Orleans to San Diego. Those years were filled with excitement, risk and adventure. We’ve met some of the most interesting people on the planet and shared experiences that we will cherish for a lifetime. But the strain of raising three kids with no family support and the many dreams God has put on our hearts have pushed us to move back to New Orleans. Yes, we’re trading the ocean for the swamp! Our move date is scheduled around June 10, just a few weeks away.

As a part of the transition, I will be leading preteenministry.net full-time. I will also make myself more available to speak at training events, both at conferences and local churches, and at preteen camps across the country. God has given me a platform in the area of preteen ministry and I am really pumped up about how he is using me.
Living in San Diego has changed me. I am a totally different person today than I was before moving. Here are a few ways living in Southern California has shaped me:

My son, Joey, was in kindergarten when we first arrived in San Diego. His first day, I met some of his classmates and other parents. Many of the parents had multiple tattoos, five kids in his class had mowhawks and some other classmates had recently arrived from Africa, India, France and other countries. I immediately fell in love with the diversity. My life has been greatly enriched by others who have different ways of living and beliefs than my own.

Too often Christians, myself included, get stuck in a bubble. We live in community with people who think, act and believe like us. As a result we get stuck in a bubble, missing out on a greater and bigger experience of life that God has for us. When we are exposed to different cultures and ways of thinking, our world is expanded. Unhealthy beliefs are exposed and new ways of doing things are discovered. We become less judgmental and more accepting of others. We begin to see, hear and taste life with a new flavor.
When our bubble is popped, we are free to be our true selves. We begin to explore new possibilities in life. At one time, I thought the only way for me to serve preteens was to lead a preteen ministry. And I did, for 13 years. But I felt something shifting inside myself a few years ago. It was the small voice of God nudging me to take risks and lean into uncertainty. I did. I was surrounded by people who followed life with passion and were true to themselves – regardless of what society said was normal. As a result, I challenged my limiting beliefs and pursued the dreams God placed in my heart. And I leaned on Him for the courage to take action everyday.

How about you? Do you need to pop your bubble?

I will take California and the many interesting people I have met with me forever. I’m excited to start a new chapter in our lives, once again!