It is hard to believe, but it has now been two years since the Lord brought us down to Georgia.
I have thought about that recently and found myself simply thanking God. Two years may not seem like a long time in the grand scheme of life, but it is long enough to look back and clearly see the hand of the Lord. What at one time was a step of faith has now become a settled reminder that God truly does know best.
When the Lord moved us here, we did not know every detail of what the future would hold. We did not have every turn in the road figured out. We simply believed that God was leading and we knew that our responsibility was to follow Him.
That is often how the Christian life works. The Lord does not always show us the whole path at once. He simply gives enough light for the next step and He asks us to trust Him.
Over these last two years, the Lord has allowed us to make our home in Blackshear while giving me the privilege of pastoring Southside Baptist in Waycross. And I can honestly say, we love it. Dorothy was right, “There’s no place like home.”
We love the people. We love the sense of community. We love the kindness we have experienced. In a world that often feels rushed, impersonal and disconnected, there is still something wonderfully refreshing about living in a place where people speak, where people care and where people make you feel welcome. Those things matter. They may seem small to some, but they are not small at all.
The Lord has been kind to us here. He has allowed us to meet precious people, build meaningful relationships and enjoy a part of the country that has become very dear to our hearts. We have seen the goodness of God in ways both great and small. And when I look back over these last two years, I do not just see a move to another state. I see the faithfulness of a God who orders the steps of His people.
Psalm 37:23 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.” I have found that verse to be very real. God knows where to place us. He knows what we need. He knows what is ahead even when we do not. And when He directs, we can trust that His way is always right.
That truth applies to all of us. There are times in life when the Lord begins to deal with our hearts about a decision, a direction, or a change. In those moments, it is natural for us to want answers. We want clarity. We want assurance. We want to know how everything will work out before we obey. But walking with God has never been about having every answer in advance. It has always been about faith.
The Bible says, “ Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). What a promise that is. Our part is to trust, acknowledge, and follow. His part is to direct.
I am thankful today that when the Lord said go, we went. I am thankful that when He led, we followed. And I am thankful to be able to say, two years later, that His will was good, His path was right and His grace has been sufficient every step of the way.
We truly do love Georgia. We love Blackshear. We love Waycross. But more than that, we love the God who brought us here. And if there is one lesson these two years have only strengthened in my heart, it is this: you will never regret following the will of God. His will may not always be the easiest road, but it is always the best one.
Wherever the Lord leads, we can safely follow. And wherever He places us, we will always find that His grace was already there before we arrived.
Jimmy Barrett is a resident of Blackshear and pastor of Southside Baptist Church in Waycross.
