Brandi and I are purposefully trying to move out to the country. We're moving (hopefully inexorably) toward our closing date of April 30th, at which point we'll be located in a small town about 10 miles outside of Waco. Over the years we've found ourselves more and more disenchanted with city life, and a peaceful existence on a quiet piece of acreage sounds really appealing to us right now.

Many folks I work with live out in the country, and there's a certain idea within their collective mindset that a city is no place to raise a family. I don't think they're universally right. Sure, for them, if they're following God, then the country is exactly where they need to be. But many people -- especially many people in my church -- believe that God has called them to be where the people are -- and that's in cities.

Truth be told, I'd say there's a certain tension between my church's call to be in the middle of a dirt poor, crime-ridden neighborhood, and my personal feeling that my priority before God is to my family, not the lost people who live in the neighborhood or any other group of people in my vicinity. Sure, I want my heart to break for the lost, but above that I want my heart to break for my wife and my children.

There's a human tendency to force convictions on other people. I can't tell you how many times I've heard of homeschooling believers who have frustrated and offended other Christians because they choose to put their children in public or private schools. Yes, Brandi and I home school, and we wouldn't dream of putting our kids into public or private schools, but we don't judge any parent for making the decision they feel is right for them and their children. The same can be said for the contrast between my church's general call to be among the lost, needy, desperate people in our city, and my personal compulsion to protect my family outside of that environment. While I don't think God is leading my family in that general direction, I bless the families of Antioch who lay down their lives for other people. The Body of Christ needs all types.

[About the house, we have a closing date set, but we still need to come out looking good on our inspections before we can say it's in the bag. I'm not going to exhale until we sign on the proverbial dotted line and I'm handed the keys. If the whole deal falls through, we'll gladly live wherever God wants to put us.]