Written By: Alora Yee
Anyone else PCS across the country during a pandemic? It had its ups, and unfortunately, had its downs as well.
We chose to pack ourselves, nervous about the movers being delayed by the pandemic’s effects. Driving across the country was a first for me, and I was in awe of God’s creation. My favorite state to travel through, by far, was Oklahoma. Anyone else?
Our arrival was soon met with so many mixed emotions with everything new, living in a hotel because “Plan A” never works out. We thought maybe we weren’t getting enough sun. What was going on with us?
It had been six months since we had attended church in person.
“And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)
The warning signs here in this chapter were in full swing for us. My husband was experiencing deep melancholy. I was struggling with physical anxiety I had never experienced before in my entire life. It was the very opposite of “love and good works” as we sat together days on end in deep sorrows with nothing to do but wait.
Every time we move, we have made it a priority to seek out a local church! This takes so much patience and so much grace. No church is perfect; however, we can appropriately assess a biblical, God-seeking church versus a worldly church seeking the approval of man.
As a military family, there is a temptation to put the military first and try to make friends with those who work alongside the sponsor. We’ve learned through our personal experience, we as saints need the encouragement that can only come from other saints.
No matter where we are sent to or how much change we encounter, we can trust in a never-changing God and His never-changing Word. His commandments are for the benefit of His Church that we would glorify Him. We cannot do that if we are not prioritizing the Church in our life when we settle from place to place.
I pray for the one who may be reading this. Change is so very hard. Making a new community is tough and takes so much more time than what it feels like we have. But it’s worth it! I pray your local church is one that will feed you meat, strengthen your faith and endure this ever-changing military life alongside you with patience and grace. Amen.
Written By: Alora Yee
