Stepping Into A New Threshold
Life in the last year has come with unexpected turns and twists.
- A 2.5 year dating relationship came to an end.
- Changes for our church, some hard, some wonderful.
- I have seen God set people free and I’ve been frustrated as some stay in bondage.
In the midst of all of this, I sensed God leading me into an even more significant transition.
You see, I’ve lived in a form of “intentional community” for the last 14 years. I’ve had 36 direct roommates and countless pseudo roommates.
In many ways, I believe that I am the best version of myself when I live closely with others.
So as I began to feel a shift in the last few months, I came to realize it was God’s invitation to consider a new season to step into…
A new threshold:
It was time for a sabbatical from community living.
There is a lot of grief in that invitation for me. I love my current roommates and I have loved the 18 women who have shared this specific house with me over the last 6 years.
But I’ve learned in my life, sometimes God want’s to cut things back, or prune areas of our lives.
The promise of pruning is growth and fruitfulness.
That’s hard to believe when you feel like something is being taken away.
But I know I have to trust what God might place in my hands if they are open and ready to receive from him.
God often makes me aware of what needs to be pruned before letting me know what is next. It’s some sort of interesting way that he helps me learn to trust him or something frustrating like that.
So I prayed through this decision a few months ago with those I trust before knowing what was next.
Now, this week, I’ve closed on a small house for me to live on my own.
It’s a block from the building my church just purchased as our mid-week ministry commons!
It’s a place that I pray will be a sanctuary for God to work in me and teach me what an increase of time alone might do in this season.
As I walked through the threshold of the little house (which needs a LOT of TLC) I realized that I am stepping into a new threshold spiritually as well.
As I work on the house in the next few months, I do so knowing that I will be leaving the beautiful house that has come to represent home, mission, love and purpose.
However, I’m excited to see what God might be doing as I step through this new threshold.
At the closing I had a hint of God’s movement right away:
If you’ve ever been to a house closing, they are an unusual experience. Typically in an overly fancy board room with a group of professionals that seems unnecessarily large for just a few signatures.
I am typically under dressed for the occasion in the closings I have participated in over the last few years. Typical.
I walked in yesterday and immediately knew who the previous owners were amidst the group.
The Kubacki family were the original owners of this 1955 “postage stamp” shaped house. When I told them my name was Stephanie, Tim teared up and shared that it was also his daughter’s name.
“There will be another Stephanie living in the house!” Vickie exclaimed.
Me and their Stephanie are the same age.
In that first encounter they told me how hard it was to sell a house that had been in their family for so long. When I mentioned they could come back and visit, there was a clear sense of relief and a few more tears welling up.
They told me stories of the neighbors, who to look out for and all the quirks of the neighborhood.
I was also sufficiently warned about the neighborhood feral cats.
Vickie told me she was going to send me a t-shirt that matched her “I heart Nordeast” tee she was wearing.
These folks are beautiful to me because they represent a common population of Northeast Minneapolis, the city I love:
They are the blue-collar quirky folks who have generations of “Nordeasters” filling our neighborhoods.
How about Tim’s beard?!?
As I step into this new threshold I know that means others are as well.
- The Kubacki family.
- My roommates.
- The new community who will inhabit our house on Adams Street and continue to love that street in the name of Jesus.
I’m sure we are not alone.
What new thresholds might God be leading you through in this new year?
Life in the last year has come with unexpected turns and twists.
- A 2.5 year dating relationship came to an end.
- Changes for our church, some hard, some wonderful.
- I have seen God set people free and I’ve been frustrated as some stay in bondage.
In the midst of all of this, I sensed God leading me into an even more significant transition.
You see, I’ve lived in a form of “intentional community” for the last 14 years. I’ve had 36 direct roommates and countless pseudo roommates.
In many ways, I believe that I am the best version of myself when I live closely with others.
So as I began to feel a shift in the last few months, I came to realize it was God’s invitation to consider a new season to step into…
A new threshold:
It was time for a sabbatical from community living.
There is a lot of grief in that invitation for me. I love my current roommates and I have loved the 18 women who have shared this specific house with me over the last 6 years.
But I’ve learned in my life, sometimes God want’s to cut things back, or prune areas of our lives.
The promise of pruning is growth and fruitfulness.
That’s hard to believe when you feel like something is being taken away.
But I know I have to trust what God might place in my hands if they are open and ready to receive from him.
God often makes me aware of what needs to be pruned before letting me know what is next. It’s some sort of interesting way that he helps me learn to trust him or something frustrating like that.
So I prayed through this decision a few months ago with those I trust before knowing what was next.
Now, this week, I’ve closed on a small house for me to live on my own.
It’s a block from the building my church just purchased as our mid-week ministry commons!
It’s a place that I pray will be a sanctuary for God to work in me and teach me what an increase of time alone might do in this season.
As I walked through the threshold of the little house (which needs a LOT of TLC) I realized that I am stepping into a new threshold spiritually as well.
As I work on the house in the next few months, I do so knowing that I will be leaving the beautiful house that has come to represent home, mission, love and purpose.
However, I’m excited to see what God might be doing as I step through this new threshold.
At the closing I had a hint of God’s movement right away:
If you’ve ever been to a house closing, they are an unusual experience. Typically in an overly fancy board room with a group of professionals that seems unnecessarily large for just a few signatures.
I am typically under dressed for the occasion in the closings I have participated in over the last few years. Typical.
I walked in yesterday and immediately knew who the previous owners were amidst the group.
The Kubacki family were the original owners of this 1955 “postage stamp” shaped house. When I told them my name was Stephanie, Tim teared up and shared that it was also his daughter’s name.
“There will be another Stephanie living in the house!” Vickie exclaimed.
Me and their Stephanie are the same age.
In that first encounter they told me how hard it was to sell a house that had been in their family for so long. When I mentioned they could come back and visit, there was a clear sense of relief and a few more tears welling up.
They told me stories of the neighbors, who to look out for and all the quirks of the neighborhood.
I was also sufficiently warned about the neighborhood feral cats.
Vickie told me she was going to send me a t-shirt that matched her “I heart Nordeast” tee she was wearing.
These folks are beautiful to me because they represent a common population of Northeast Minneapolis, the city I love:
They are the blue-collar quirky folks who have generations of “Nordeasters” filling our neighborhoods.
How about Tim’s beard?!?
As I step into this new threshold I know that means others are as well.
- The Kubacki family.
- My roommates.
- The new community who will inhabit our house on Adams Street and continue to love that street in the name of Jesus.
I’m sure we are not alone.
I just LOVE you, your writing, and following your life!
This is my favorite sentence: ” It’s some sort of interesting way that he helps me learn to trust him or something frustrating like that. ”
bahahahha, steph. hilarious.
I think this year God is calling me to cross into a new threshold of hard work (which I am frustrated/excited/meh about) and focus (which also isn’t natural for me) and BIG faith (which I am excited about, but then when I think of the situations in my past that have produced big faith I’m like…buckle up!) LOL
Haha. Gotta connect with you soon, Stephanie!
Proud of you for pressing into this transition! Thanks for sharing!
Great post, thanks for sharing!
I am blessed watching God move you, guide you, use you and love you! Thanks for sharing this great experience with the Kubacki’s. God is so at work all around! Love you and all the encouragement you give me.