Article by Sarah Smith
Five years ago we sensed God was calling us to move in with our friends to help plant Christ City Church East Vancouver – and to live in community together with the hope of reaching our neighbours. This meant selling our home that we loved and taking on a larger financial load to be able to afford a place big enough for two families. The move felt risky, but I felt the Lord embolden me through His Word, that life is not bound up in riches and to seek first His kingdom.
The decision to follow Him in this call launched me into a very difficult season of faith. For various reasons, I struggled with despair and doubt about God’s goodness. I felt like He was crushing us, rather than blessing our efforts to obey and follow Him.
To make a long story short, He used my time in the “wilderness” to surface what was really in my heart, gently bringing me to repentance and healing some deep-seated wounds. He kindly bound up my broken heart and helped me know His Fatherly love.
I look back and am grateful – our home has been a place where we’ve been able to have many neighbours over, and have hosted church gatherings and prayer meetings in. It’s been a treasure to live in community with other Christians. And through the journey He’s brought me into greater flourishing and intimacy with Him.