Going Back To the Burgh?

In spite of all the trials that we were going through, Dar and I, John and Marilyn planned on living our lives together somewhere in the panhandle of West Virginia. Dar and I just had our first baby boy and so we were serious about finding a new home. We loved our house in Follansbee but John, Marilyn, Dar and I wanted to live out in the country. John knew a place on Washinton Pike in Wellsburg called Shangri-la. Can you believe that name? There were lots for sale there and so we investigated the possibility of purchasing two lots side by side. The lots were heavily wooded and quite beautiful. It was our dream to raise our children together in the Lord and so we pursued the possibility of purchasing these two lots. Carlo knew a brother in the Lord who was a home builder and so we ask him to assist us in our pursuit. The home builder was very agressive and saw no problem with us building on these two lots. Before we knew it, ground was broken for John and Marilyn's lot while Dar and I sold our house in Follansbee and ended up living in a duplex owned by this builder. We were making this a temporary place to stay until our house was built. That's when things fell apart.

Apparently, the land didn't pass for a sand mound sewage system and so construction was halted on John and Marilyns house while Dar and I were stuck in this itty bitty duplex with a bouncing baby boy. Our dream was shattered and we just sold our house in order to make it all happen. I couldn't believe what had just taken place. Where was the Lord in all this? Why did this happen? All of those kinds of questions filled my head. I was in great despair over many things at this time. Our fellowship was absorbed by the Branch Christian Center. We lost our home. I didn't know what to do.

I would often make trips back to the Burgh to see Pastor Ron's new church. He had just left the Christian Missionary Alliance and was having church in a fire hall in the North Hills of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh looked like a viable option. After all, that's where it all started. I was vulnerable and needy and desparate for some kind of leading. It finally came and to this day I cannot be certain that it was the Lord. One of the members of Pastor Ron's church was an ex-biker and long haired hippie. He came up to me one Sunday while visiting and said that he thought the Lord wanted me to come back to the Burgh. I was vulnerable for sure and pondered that invitation for several weeks.

You can see what life does to us and our decision making. Life fills us full of choices and the sowing and reaping of those choices determine much of our path. I was in turmoil over what to do. I loved West Virginia. I loved the friendships that I had there but it seemed like those were slowly being taken away from me. I was too young in the Lord to really understand spritual warfare but in hindsight I would have to say that the enemy was setting mine fields all around me back then. God in His mercy was protecting me from any major disaster but I can look back now and see that the real drama in life unfolds in these kind of situations. This is how our story develops. Our life is our story.

Next up.....

The Decision