Hunt Family FAQ

I know everybody is saying, "It's about time you posted something on here!" So, I am going to attempt to answer everybody's questions about our move...back to North Carolina.

Here is a Hunt Family F.A.Q.

Are you in NC permanently or are you just visiting for the holidays?

We have moved everything back here to NC. We are not planning to go back to Texas after the holidays.

How long will you be in Winston-Salem?

We don't really know. We hope to be here for a while but we really aren't too sure. We know we are going to be in NC for a good while though.

Where are you staying? Do you have a place to stay?

Yes, we have a place to stay. :) We are currently living with Brian's mom. She has an awesome townhome with lots of room upstairs for us. And, she is the best mother-in-law ever...seriously! I know what people say about mother-in-laws...but it's just not true about mine. :)

Why did you move back? Did something bad happen? Did you really dislike Texas?

We actually really loved Texas. We met lots of wonderful people and had a lot of fun there. Nothing bad happened to make us move back. There are several reasons that all kinda came together at one time that brought us to the decision to move back.

Even though we really enjoyed living in Texas, Isabel was very homesick. She enjoyed going to school, soccer, and church but had a difficult time being away from our family and friends. We knew that and we hoped it would get better, but it really didn't. She wasn't really acting like herself.

Brian had started attending Southwestern and knew that it was a Southern Baptist school. He did lots of research prior to applying and we had heard great things about the school. There are some great people, professors, and ministries at Southwestern. However, during Chapel time, it came to Brian's attention that what we believe theologically wasn't really lining up with the beliefs shared by the administration. Over time, Brian could see the influence of those views more and more frequently at the school level.

Brian really began to feel called to full-time ministry and my desire to stay home (and be ready for whenever our adoption comes through) started coming together. He began applying for many jobs in Texas. Nothing was coming up. All of a sudden he found out about a position in NC. At first, we weren't sure if he should apply or not, but then we just decided to go for it. As he went through the process and ultimately an interview, our hearts longed for him to get this job and return to NC. It really was our hearts' desire for him to work full-time in ministry and me to be able to stay home. We just knew that this job would be an opportunity for that and a way for us to be back in NC. Unfortunately, we found out that he did not get the job. He made it to the top 4 but ultimately, they affirmed Brian's gifts for leadership and strong teaching abilities and said they felt he would be more fit for a lead youth pastor position. He had applied for an Associate Youth Pastor position.

Since he didn't get the job, why did you decide to move back anyway?

Prior to Brian applying for the job in NC, we knew we were going to move out of our apartment in Ft. Worth. We had applied for on campus housing because it was MUCH less expensive and a townhome had come available. So, we had turned in a 60 day notice with our apartment that would end in November. We had to make a decision to move....to on campus housing or back to NC.

So even though Brian did not get THAT job, we knew in our hearts it was time to move back to NC. We had not felt so strongly that it was time until all of that happened. I think we just kinda kept it as a hidden hope and figured that wouldn't even be a possibility. Basically, we are trusting God to provide what we know He has called and confirmed Brian to do. He wants to continue in school at Gordon-Conwell. He has applied for two other ministry positions in NC.

We are going to remain hopeful and trust God to provide. He has ALWAYS been faithful to us before and has never failed us. We know He will again.

What about school for Isabel?

Oh, it gets crazier, y'all!! I have decided to homeschool Isabel. Yes, I know...I'm a public school teacher and it just seems nuts! But, God has put it on my heart over and over...even before we decided to move back to NC. I don't know if I'll do it again for 1st grade or not but we're going to try it for now. Yes, I've researched and no, I still have not chosen a curriculum. :) Oh, and Isabel is SO excited about this.

What about our adoption?

We are currently #29 on the waitlist. We never got our homestudy updated in Texas because I didn't get a job until the end of August and we were waiting on some other paperwork and stuff with our agency too. Anyway, since we are back here, we will need to do a new homestudy. God knows the timing of all of this and He knows that Brian needs a job for everything to continue. We are trusting Him to provide for all the details. We are still needing to raise funds for travel expenses and other fees. We're planning to apply for grants too.

Yes, we know all of this is just craziness. We can't say we have it all figured out or that we have a specific plan. God has just been full of surprises. We know that He is good and we know that He loves us. He has given us so much encouragement through His Word. This is one of the latest:

Trust in the LORD, and do good;

dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

Delight yourself in the LORD,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD;

trust in him, and he will act.

He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,

and your justice as the noonday.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him.

(Psalm 37:3-7 ESV)

Home

I'm still not sure how I got this devotional....but I do know that God wanted me to read it. Here it is:

Where the Heart Is Susan Meissner She Reads Featured Author

"He has planted eternity in the human heart ..." Ecclesiastes 3:11b (NLT)

A while back, my young adult son took a trip to visit friends in the state where we used to live. He stopped by the house that had been ours for all of his childhood. And, he felt compelled to knock on the front door and introduce himself to the strangers who now own it.

When he said he had grown up in that house, the wife didn't hesitate to open the door wide and invite him in. She knew that in our hearts we often feel toward our houses what we might feel for a trusted ally, a kind friend or maybe even a silent witness to our pain.

My latest character Marielle Bishop understands this. In my new novel A Sound Among the Trees, new bride Marielle takes up residence in an old house with a storied past. She just isn't sure that this place can be a safe haven for her heart.

We are wired to feel a tug toward that one special place we feel safe, wanted and cared for. Our hearts are restless when we're far from home, or our home is taken from us, or when discord disrupts the tranquility of that place.

So what's a girl to do when she doesn't feel at home? We need to remember that Christ is at home in her. So in a sense, we take our eternal home with us wherever we go. Wherever we are, we can feel safe, wanted and cared for by Christ who dwells inside every believer.

When the Israelites were waiting for God to lead them to their new home in the Promised Land, He had them build a tabernacle for His presence to dwell right there where they were, wherever that was on their journey.

We don't use the word "tabernacle" much these days but if you were to look at its Hebrew roots you would see that it comes from the same word as "dwell" and "abide" and "settle down." When God brings His presence right to where we are, He is "tabernacling" with us.

The Lord God Almighty settles down inside us. His Spirit lives in us. Our heart becomes His Holy tabernacle and He is at home in us. Isn't that a thrilling, mind-bending concept?

The Bible tells us God has "set eternity in our hearts" which means He has made us hungry for His heavenly embrace. The affection we have for our earthly houses stems from this smoldering ember of our longing for Him as our eternal home.

There's no place like home. It's why we like everyone to be home for the holidays and home before dark and why we just want to go home when we're having a bad day. Home is where our hearts are at rest. And our hearts can always be at rest in Him.

Whether your earthly home is as near as your next breath or too far away to be seen today, know that God has promised to tabernacle with you! He dwells with you. You are His earthly address. And in Him, you are home.

Dear Lord, help me today to find all my joy in knowing You are my forever dwelling place and that I am at home in You because You are at home in me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.