“The Wright family has been knitted together by God to advance His kingdom through genuine worship, fervent prayer, and wholehearted devotion to His Word. We exist to serve the church whenever and however we can.”

It seems like a lifetime ago that I penned these words.

If my memories are accurate, it’s been about 12 years. During this chapter, we were helping with a church plant, leading the worship and children’s ministries. We had two energetic kids, ages 2 and 5. In this season I also had a miscarriage, and I was pregnant again. I was in my final year of Bible college; for one of our assignments, we had to write a vision statement.

If you know me, you know I love words. I carefully crafted this statement, intentionally choosing each word.

I’ve kept it close by all these years. It’s a loving reminder of how God the Father has called our family to full-time ministry. We’ve poured our hearts and lives into a few different churches. Our journey has taken us to various towns. We’ve taken multiple seasons to heal, reflect, and transition, but this vision is foundational for us. We love the local church; building her up is part of our purpose.

We’ve spent the last six months wandering in the wilderness, wondering and waiting. The unexpected (unplanned and uninvited) unknown had become our companion once again.

God has been working on our hearts and minds, healing us and helping us. We’ve held tightly to our words for 2021 – Jon’s, dream; mine, trust. Within the last month, we’ve seen incredible breakthrough. God has been encouraging our souls and strengthening our spirits. It seemed that we were on the edge of something amazing; we just didn’t know what.

I looked through my journal this morning, remembering words and verses He impressed on my heart.

“I’ve got this. I’ve got you.”

“See, I’m doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” – Isaiah 43:19

“We can make our plans, but the Lord determines (directs, establishes) our steps (and makes them sure).” – Proverbs 16:9

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Before COVID hit, Jon and I were able to visit San Diego for the grand opening of Rhythm Church. With that trip came the words “an unexpected unburdening.” Two months later, before the country shut down, I attended a women’s conference in Virginia Beach; this time the words were “untangling the knots.”

Last month, Jon and I got to return to California, this time for a job interview. (If you have time for coffee or a phone call, I’d love to share more details with you!) As I journaled on the planes, reflecting on those other trips of unburdening and untangling, I wrote the phrase “connecting the dots.” I began to write Bible verses, song lyrics, book quotes, prayers and invading thoughts as I sought God and His will for our family.

“May He keep us centered and devoted to Him, following the life path He has cleared, watching the signposts, walking at the pace and rhythms He laid down for our ancestors. And let these words that I’ve prayed in the presence of God be always right there before Him, day and night, so that He’ll do what is right for me, to guarantee justice for His people Israel day after day after day. Then all the people on earth will know God is the true God; there is no other God. And you, your lives must be totally obedient to God, our personal God, following the life path He has cleared, alert and attentive to everything He has made plain this day.” – 1 Kings‬ ‭8:57-61‬‬‬

Give every worry, fear, concern to Him. He cares!

“Intuitively, I knew I was wrapping my fingers around the unique adventure God has designed for me, and I sensed His pleasure.” – Rebecca Friedlander, The Divine Adventure

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” – 2 Chronicles 16:9

Be open to what God wants to do on this trip. Aware, alert. Centered, devoted. Obedient. Watching. Walking at His pace and rhythm. Following the life path He has cleared. Attentive. Focused – eyes fixed on Him. He has a divine adventure in store, a beautiful plan for us, for me, for our family. Receive it. Partner with Him. Be flexible, be open to change.

God is redeeming and restoring. His love is returning everything that was lost. He’s making all things new.

We had some more obstacles to overcome, but God did it. He cleared the path. He made a way. There was no need to worry or stress. He’s taking care of it, of us. Even the little details. (Our delayed flight was on time, we had enough time to make all of our connecting flights, etc.)

I’m not a fan of turbulence, and our third and final flight of the day was especially bumpy. A reminder that it’s not always smooth sailing. But God is always with us. Presence. Provision. Power. Promise. Patience. Pockets of peace. He preserves. We persevere.

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Jon got to lead worship while we were there. I love music as much as I love words, so lyrics are always a powerful way for me to connect with God!

• Raise a Hallelujah by Bethel Music – “up from the ashes, hope will arise”
• Graves into Gardens by Elevation Worship (covered by Jon!) – “You give beauty for ashes”
• Something Has to Break by Red Rocks Worship – “I believe You’ll lead me through it, I believe You’ll get me to it, I believe that You will do it”

As he practiced, I wrote out Isaiah 61:3 – “… and provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for this display of His splendor.”

I also looked up Fresno and the name is Spanish for “ash tree”… I think Jon had mentioned this to me before our visit. When I realized two of the songs spoke of ashes, I asked if he did that on purpose. He said he forgot about the meaning!

For the next two days, we got to hear from the superintendent of the SoCal Network. I took pages of notes but this was one of the highlights:

“Opportunity + Obstacles = God’s Will”

– Pastor Rich Guerra

Sometimes we have an opportunity before us, but as soon as we see an obstacle we think God’s not in it. I believe He can clear a path for us, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy or trouble-free. There will be things along the way we have to overcome.

We had an amazing trip, learning about the church and the culture, meeting people, and seeking the Lord. We returned home, and we waited some more. Trying to hope expectantly and wait patiently, trusting that if this didn’t work out, God is still good.

“I waited patiently (intently) for the Lord, and He turned (inclined) to me and heard my cry for help.” – Psalm 40:1

As I spent time in worship, I felt like God put these words on my heart: “It’s okay to hope. I’m not going to let you down. I have a plan for you, and it is good. You can trust me.”

God is still writing our story! We are happy to announce that after 4 years in Pennsylvania, our family is returning to the west coast. After a difficult season, we are excited for this new chapter. We praise God for the opportunity to be a part of LifeBridge Community Church in Fresno, California. We appreciate your prayers and support as we prepare to make our second cross-country move (if you’re able to contribute, we’ve set up a GoFundMe to help with moving expenses).

There will always be obstacles to overcome and challenges that change us, but we are grateful for God, for His Spirit that strengthens us on the adventure. We live this life one day at a time; we walk this journey step by step.

At the end of the day, we remember the vision He put inside us. How He chose each one of us for the other, how He handpicked us and then connected our hearts, so that together we could bring glory to His name. We prioritize worship, prayer, and the Bible as we seek His face. We live to love others, to encourage them to know Him.

This week’s song suggestions:

• Build Your Church – Elevation Worship & Maverick City
• Revival’s In The Air – Bethel Music & Melissa Helser
• Ready or Not – Hillsong UNITED
• The Father’s House – Cory Asbury (covered by Jon Wright)
• Spirit of the Living God – Vertical Worship