When we went back to church in Potsdam last year, we were hesitant.

When presbytery time came, we were hoping for God to speak to us.  Tim had just gone through a job loss and life, in general, had us at the end of our ropes.  We went to all of the “local” meetings…they were scheduled for Saturday night in Potsdam, Sunday and Monday nights in Madrid, Tuesday in Potsdam.  During the Sunday night meeting, I was outside, walking with my fussy baby and just so, so tired.  I pleaded, God will You speak to us, please?  I wasn’t expecting an answer just then, but He spoke clearly to my heart – I will.  Tuesday night in Potsdam, because that’s your house.  I wasn’t actually, at the moment, terribly concerned about where we were going to church, and it didn’t really matter to me where God chose to speak to us.  But His answer simultaneously gave me peace about our choice to go back to Potsdam, and let me know that where we were going mattered to Him.

And Tuesday night in Potsdam, one of the guest ministers had a word from the Lord for us.  It was Tuesday night, even though he said God had been burdening him for three nights for us.  It is the most blatant way God has ever confirmed something I believed He had spoken to me.

So what are we supposed to do?

We have never taken this matter lightly.  Even when nobody else seemed to care and we couldn’t get anyone to offer input, we wrestled with where God would have us go.  And after a while in Potsdam, when God said go to Madrid for a time, we went, though we didn’t fully understand why.  We have continued earnestly seeking His will, and believe He has made it clear to us.  Except now, those who once had no opinion disagree with us, and perhaps think we don’t know how to hear from the Lord – or else that, somehow, what He is saying shouldn’t be the final authority.

It’s hard to know where to draw a line in the sand.  How much loss is acceptable?  Should we listen to our child sobbing in his bed from heart-wrenching disappointment and conclude the cost is too high and give in to something that seems wrong down to the deepest depths of our souls?  Or should we be the principled, tenacious, people of conviction that God has made us – and refined us to be throughout our lives – and stand our ground, believing that no loss can ever compare to gaining Christ and being found in Him?  It seems like it should be an obvious decision, right?